Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

God’s Word is represented as a lamp for the feet.

It is a “lamp” — not a blazing sun, nor even a lighthouse — but a plain, common lamp or lantern which one can carry about in the hand.

It is a lamp “for the feet,” not throwing its beams afar, not illumining a hemisphere — but shining only on the one little bit of road on which the pilgrim’s feet are walking.

The law of divine guidance is, “Step by step”. One who carries a lantern on a country-road at night, sees only one step before him. If he takes that step, he carries his lantern forward, and thus makes another step plain. At length he reaches his destination in safety, without once stepping into darkness. The whole way has been made light for him, though only a single step of it at a time. This illustrates the usual method of God’s guidance.

If this is the way God guides, it ought never to be hard for us to find our duty. It never lies far away, inaccessible to us — but is always near. It never lies out of our sight, in the darkness, for God never puts our duty where we cannot see it. The thing that we think may be our duty — but which is still lying in obscurity and uncertainty, is not our duty yet, whatever it may be a little farther on. The duty for the very moment is always clear — and that is as far as we need concern ourselves; for when we do the little that is clear, we will carry the light on, and it will shine on the next moment’s step.

Jesus said, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness.” Prompt, unquestioning, undoubting following of Christ — takes all the perplexity out of Christian life and gives unbroken peace. There never is a moment without its duty; and if we are living near to Christ and following Him closely, we shall never be left in ignorance of what He wants us to do.

Our daily prayer should be, “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133  (J.R. Miller)

Only by pride cometh contention – Proverbs 13:10

This powerful proverb brings arguments to a sweet conclusion, lost tempers to a cool self-examination, and finger pointing to a swift end.

Only by pride is there contention, or conflict. Arguments and strife do not come because one person is right and another is wrong. They only come by way of pride.

No matter how loudly we may declare our innocence, no matter how cleverly we may defend our cause, no matter how furiously we may justify our position — only by pride comes contention. Do you pretend that you are free of pride? Can you honestly argue that the problems in your family are all because of other people’s pride?

As C.S. Lewis observed, “[Pride] is one vice of which no man in the world is free.” For this reason, every conflict in every home requires strenuous and honest self-examination, from husbands, wives, parents, and children alike.

What have you done to contribute to the current tension in the home? What could you have said differently to avoid giving offense? How have you allowed your pride to escalate what could have been a productive discussion or honest disagreement? How have you disobeyed God’s role for you in the home?

If each member of the family spends concerted time and sincere energy in searching his or her own heart and motive and conduct, the confession of pride will be universal within the home. No one is guiltless; everyone has pride.

With this confession, with this realization, however, comes great hope. There is a solution! As each one in the home humbles themselves before God, the strife in the home will slowly but surely dissipate. When pride is gone, the tension will be gone.

Let it then begin with you.(Copied, author unknown)

There was in the days of Herod…a certain priest named Zacharias..and his wife…Elisabeth…And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke 1:5-6

It makes a great deal of difference in what times and amid what circumstances and influences, a man lives. In days when godliness pervades society — it is not remarkable that one should live righteously. But when the times are ungodly, and the prevailing spirit is wickedness — the life which is holy and devout shines with rare splendor, like a lamp in the darkness!

Such were the times and the spirit of “the days of King Herod,” and such were the lives of the blameless elderly people, who are here mentioned. Amid the almost universal corruption of the society and religious leaders — they lived in piety and godly simplicity!

The lesson is — that it is not necessary for us to be and live like other people — if other people are not holy. The prevailing standard of living ought not to satisfy us — if the prevailing standard is below Scripture. No matter how corrupt the times — we should strive to live righteous and godly lives!

Nor is this impossible. God is able and willing to give us all the grace we need, to enable us to live a true and holy life — in the most unfavorable circumstances! God makes no mistakes in planting His people in this world. He does not put any of us in a spiritual climate in which we cannot grow into spiritual beauty and strength; and wherever He plants us — He sends the streams of grace to refresh and nourish us.

So, whatever our circumstances may be — it is possible for us to live a godly life! The darker the night of sin around us — the clearer and steadier should the light which streams from our life and conduct be.

Any Christian should be able to live godly — in the midst of friendly influences and favoring circumstances; but it is doubly important that we be loyal and true to Christ — when surrounded by an ungodly society!–By J. R. Miller, 1890

These all died in the faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and  confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11:13

Speaking on this verse in 1842, James Smith, predecessor to Spurgeon, said:

Every believer is a pilgrim. He is traveling to his Father’s house! He is presently a stranger in a strange land, surrounded by temptations, trials, and foes. His journey lies through a great and terrible wilderness. Therefore he must not expect a very smooth path, or many comfortable accommodations. He will have much to grieve and distress him. His heart will be often burdened with grief, and filled with sorrow–tears are common to the Christian. He feels the unsuitableness of the things of time to his spirit, profession, and aim. And therefore he confesses, “I am a stranger and a pilgrim–as all my fathers were!” Psalm 39:12

Weariness and painfulness are his portion now–but a rest remains for him! It is a glorious rest. It embraces and includes all that the believer has prayed for–or can desire!
It waits for him at the end of his journey,
it was prepared for him from the foundation of the world,
it is now promised to him in the faithful word, and
it will be bestowed upon him when he has fought the good fight, and finished his course.

Everything at present may appear gloomy and distressing; but ahead of you, believer, everything is glorious, magnificent, and blessed! Press on then–fight the good fight of faith. Travel on in the strength of Jesus! You are going home–and you have a glorious home to go to!

The minute after you have entered your rest–you will forget all the fatigue, all the dangers, and all the difficulties of the way! You will perhaps be filled with wonder, that you should ever have allowed such trifles to vex you, or such little trials to discourage you–with such a glorious end before you.

Fellow-pilgrim, expect trouble–but also expect mercy to help you in time of need! Expect to feel your circumstances to be trying–but also expect your Savior’s strength to be perfected in your weakness! You will soon end your tedious, tiresome journey–and enter into the joy of your Lord!

Never forget you are now a pilgrim–a stranger–only a sojourner here in this poor world. Here you have no continuing city–but you seek for one to come.

Nothing can make this poor world your rest–it will always be a wilderness to you. Be content then, to wait until you get home! There you shall enjoy–and always enjoy, all your desires! There will not be one unfulfilled want, wish, or desire there! All will be satisfied–all will be full. In a little while–you will see the portal of your Father’s house, and hear Him say, “Come in, you who are blessed of the Lord, tarry no longer outside! Come, dwell forever with Me!”

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.–Mark 8:35

Who is not interested in saving their lives, in making them worthwhile, full and rich, worth the living? Deep down within us, every one of us has a hunger for life and a desire to find it, to the full extent of what it was designed to be. This is what Jesus is talking about. If this is what you want, He says, I’ll tell you how to acquire it. There are two attitudes toward life that are possible, and you can have only one or the other.

One attitude is to save your life now: hoard it, clutch it, cling to it, grasp it, try to get hold of it for yourself, take care of yourself, trust yourself, see that in every situation your first and major concern is, What’s in it for me? That is one way to live, and millions are living that way today.

The other attitude is lose it: fling it away, disregard what advantage there may be for you in a situation, and move out in dependence upon God, careless of what may happen to you. Abraham obeyed God, went out into a land he knew not where, on a march without a map, apparently careless of what would happen to him. His neighbors reproached and rebuked him for not caring about himself. This is to be a way of life, Jesus says. Trust God, obey Him, and put the responsibility for what happens on Him.

There are only two results that can follow. If you save your life, if you cling to it, hoard it, get all you can for yourself, then, Jesus says, you will lose it. This is not a mere platitude; He is stating a fundamental law of life. You will find that you have everything you want, but you will not want anything you have. You will find that all of the life you tried to grasp has slipped through your fingers, and you have ended up with a handful of cobwebs and ashes, dissatisfied, hollow and empty, mocked by what you hoped to get.

But lose your life for My sake and the gospel’s, says Jesus, lose your life by means of giving yourself away in the cause of Christ, giving up your right to yourself, taking up your cross and following Me, and you will save it. You will not waste it, but you will save it. You will find contentment and satisfaction, an inner peace, and a sense of worth about your living. You will discover, not just in heaven someday but right now, that even though you may not have all the things others have, your life will be rich and rewarding and satisfying.

This is God’s part in the work of discipleship. Jesus did not come to call us to ultimate barrenness, weakness, darkness, and death. He called us to life, to richness, to enjoyment, to fulfillment. But He has told us that the way there means death. Discipleship ends in life, not in death. It ends in fulfillment and satisfaction. But the only way that we can find it is by means of a cross.

Father, help me to make the choice for life, and not for death, that by Your power You will help me find the grace to say yes to You, Lord Jesus, and to enter into life by means of the cross. –By Ray Stedman