“He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. “–1 Sam 2:9 

The Lord sees his poor scattered pilgrims traveling through a valley of tears, journeying through a waste howling wilderness, a path beset with baits, traps, and snares in every direction. How can they escape? Why, the Lord keeps their feet, carries them through every rough place, as a tender parent carries a little child; when about to fall, graciously lays the everlasting arms underneath them, and when tottering and stumbling, and their feet ready to slip, mercifully upholds them from falling altogether. Thus the Lord keeps the feet of his saints.

But do you think that he has not different ways for different feet? The God of creation has not made two flowers, nor two leaves upon a tree alike; and will he cause all his people to walk in precisely the same path? No; we have each our path, each our troubles, each our trials, each peculiar traps and snares laid for our feet. And the wisdom of the all-wise and only-wise God is shown by his eyes being in every place, marking the footsteps of every pilgrim, suiting his remedies to meet their individual case and necessity, appearing for them when nobody else could do them any good; watching so tenderly over them, as though the eyes of his affection were bent on one individual; and carefully noting the goings of each, as though all the powers of the Godhead were concentrated on that one person to keep him from harm.–J. C. Philpot

Let us then be forever focused on the One of whom it is said, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,“–Jude24

“Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death”–James 1:15

Sin may bring you pleasure. Sin may bring you wealth. Sin may even bring you a certain degree of satisfaction. But ultimately sin will only bring you death.

As the pastor James wrote these words of warning, he no doubt knew how easily we forget the consequences of sin. We are often tempted to violate God’s law, which is for our own protection, in order to receive some promised gratification. But James shines the light into the future and reminds us that the end of every sin is death.

Are you flirting with a person other than your spouse, or committing mental adultery repeatedly in the privacy of your imagination? The pleasure of a forbidden relationship may seem tantalizing, but…

Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

Are you tempted to put your service to the Lord on hold in order to accept a much-desired promotion? The pay, the prestige may feel exciting, but…

Sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

Have you been holding a grudge against another person, refusing to forgive them for some offense or injury? No matter how right or justified you may have made yourself out to be in your own mind…

Sin, when it is finished, brings froth death.

It is no accident, no wonder, then that James’ next words are simply, “Do not err, my beloved” (16). If sin is truly so serious, so dangerous, so deadly — why would we every toy with it at all?— Baptist Bible Hour

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. “–Psalm 127:2

Pastor Jack Graham wrote–I have a good friend who was sitting at a red light one day, and he began to contemplate how much time we spend sitting at red lights in our lifetime. The thought occurred to him that one of these days, after sitting at so many red lights, he’s going to die. They’ll put him in a box and drive his body down the street in a hearse, running every red light along the way.

So he thought, “How ironic. I’ll have to die to run red lights!”

I was thinking about that little thought not long ago, and I started to thank God for the “red lights” I hit in my daily life. Sometimes, they’re literally red lights. Other times, they’re people who stop me in the hallway because they need to talk. It’s those red lights that tell me I still have breath in my lungs, and I still have a mission to live for God’s purposes.

It’s easy to want to push-push-push our way through life, checking boxes only to make more lists. But what if we take more little blessing breaks in our lives and slow down a bit? Our lives would be much less stressful, and our relationships so much deeper. You’re never wasting time when you’re doing what God wants you to do.”

STOP WASTING TIME BY STOPPING AND LETTING GOD GUIDE YOUR STEPS, NOT YOUR TASK LIST.