Your Word Is A Lamp For My Feet and A Light for My Path

Thy Word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path

 Psalm 119:105

 

A lamp for my feet:  My feet carry me to the crossroads and there I must choose which direction I will take.

A light for my path: The Word of God is the light for our path and we will gain wisdom and direction from it.

The lamp reveals what is ahead on each step I take so that I am aware of where I am.  Therefore when I have reached a crossroad the light of God’s Word will give me wisdom in which way to go.

 

This lamp for my feet and light for my path also reveals to me the dangers "masquerading as" delightful enjoyments lurking in darkness. 

Some of us were involved in some of these kinds of things before we came to Christ but we have been given the power to overcome through the blood of Christ Jesus and to be able resist these temptations. He has also given us a Helper, the Holy Spirit who will take the Word of God, which is living and active and powerful,(Hebrews 4:12) to give us the victory through our faith in Jesus Christ and His shed blood. Even though we are now Christians, we can still be tempted, but we will be given the power to resist as we turn to God and turn away from that “thing” that wishes to have us. We belong to Christ Jesus as we were purchased by His blood. We must focus on the cross and our Savior, and keep an eternal perspective, if we wish to conquer temptation and defeat the enemy.

These things that "masquerade as" delightful, exciting, daring, and sometimes forbidden, also have an attraction that has addictive powers that will eventually destroy the person and hurt those closest to him. They are really snares to trap you, and dark pits for you to fall into. Some examples of these would be drugs, alcohol, compulsive gambling, witchcraft, Satanism, pornography, rape,  torture, occult world, cults, unnatural sexual relations, pedophilia, incest, appetite for violent, sadistic movies or games, and murder. Out of these things will come lies, deceit, cover-ups, foul language, pride/arrogance, uncontrolled hatred, anger and abusive behavior.  People are no longer seen as made in the image of God, but as vessels to be used, abused and trashed. 

Any of the above can start innocently enough by being influenced to just try it once.  Some people get hooked easier than others and use any one of these things as a crutch to get through life. Once hooked, they will progressively get in deeper. It may begin insidiously, but will incrementally increase until they can no longer stop the addiction by their own  power. They have been caught in the evil one’s snare and are trying to claw their way out of a deep, dark pit. They feel alone, rejected, chained to this addictive habit or behaviors with no way out. They want to be released, but find their grip is still glued to the thing that has taken over them and is destroying them. These people are someone’s sons, daughters, or brothers, sisters, or parents. They are lost and don’t always know it until they are so without hope they want to end it--- one way or another.

Like the Prodigal son in Matthew 15, it is all about them and what their desires are, and about their wanting it now!  It may begin with peer pressure, or feelings of rejection, or abandonment. It may begin with having too many electronic things but not enough “expressed” love from a family that is time challenged with busy work schedules and other necessities that need to be done. Some parents may expect their children will be happily occupied with their electronic devices and games. The parents may be so busy with work, and bringing home more work to be prepared for a business trip. They may be just wiped out after finishing their job, running errands, cooking, and cleaning that they just want to sit in front of the television instead of getting involved in a sport activity or listening to their son or daughter’s day. It could be that their parents are so addicted and fighting their own demons that their ability to be a responsible parent is defective.

What is the answer to all this? Most often, I think many people have to get to the place where the prodigal son ended up before they regain their sanity and realize it was because of their wrong choices. If they were a child when introduced to the evil that has damaged their life, as an adult they have the choice to do something about it. No one gets through life without being scathed, so we have to take what was done, acknowledge it has messed us up, then seek to get healing so we can make a better life that will benefit both us and others. It won’t be easy but nothing worthwhile is. The first step is acknowledging we are trapped in chains, in a dark dungeon, with no way out, and need a Savior to rescue us. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned - everyone - to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6).

Cry out to Jesus, the Christ, acknowledging you are a sinner who needs saving. Thank Him for dying in your place, for taking your sins upon Himself and taking the punishment for you. Why?  So that you could have a new life lived in Him, for Him, and to Him, with a Helper. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God will teach you and lead you through in His path, encouraging and directing you all the way. Ask Him to heal and change you so you can leave the sins you are in… and live for Him from now on. Ask Him to give the Holy Spirit to help you live for Him, and trust that He can, and He will.  Prayerfully thank Him. Get a Bible and begin reading at the gospel of John and find a Bible teaching, Christ honoring, graceful church to hook up with. 

Just as the father of the prodigal son in Matthew 15 was watching for his wayward son to come home, your heavenly Father has been watching and waiting for you to come home. He will be over-joyed and all heaven will celebrate your new birth in the family of God as an adopted child with family inheritance rights.

Praise Him, for He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and delivered us into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

There is no sin so great that it cannot be forgiven if the person is sincerely contrite, and humbly cries out to Jesus Christ in repentance (a willingness to leave known sin behind), and put their faith in the saving work of Christ Jesus on the cross of Calvary, believing that He was raised from the dead on the third day and ascended back to heaven about forty days later with the promise to return.

If you are already a Christian and find yourself in an addictive behavior or habit you must admit this to your pastor, repent of it and ask God to break this addiction through the power of Jesus name and His shed blood. Remember, He has given us everything necessary to know Him and live a life honoring to Him (2 Peter 1:3-10) (even though it will not be perfected until He returns).  Ask Him to take away the desire for this thing and cause you to hate the thing that has taken you captive. Thank Him, and ask Him to enable you to live a victorious life for Him, and to help others on the way. Talk to your pastor about if there are others with similar addictions in your church, if there could be an arranged time to meet regularly for Bible, prayer, accountability, support and encouragement.  Do Not Hide It! You are not alone. You are not the only Christian who has slid into something that has taken him captive. Christ came to set the captives free.  He is your Hope as well as your Savior. Your pastor will (should) understand this. Talk to him after you talk to Christ Jesus.

~Annie~