Follow The Leader

Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Directionally challenged people everywhere were thrilled when navigation systems became available. No longer would the embarrassing, "I'm lost" phone call have to be made. Now we travel worry free, allowing the system to do the work for us--until it leads us astray. For every appreciative GPS story, there are just as many frustrated users who circle a block three times before realizing there's not a restaurant in sight, or far worse, find themselves teetering on the edge of a cliff that their navigator insists is the safe route.

As Christians, we have an internal guide--the Holy Spirit--and He is like our life navigation system. But unlike our GPS, we can trust Him even when He's taking us down an uncertain road, because ultimately His way is best.

So the question is simple...will you follow? If we trust our GPS to guide us on a cross-country automobile adventure, shouldn't it be easier to follow the Holy Spirit through the journey of life? We may not always know where we are, but we will always be exactly where the Lord intends us to be.

When led of the Spirit, the child of God must be as ready to wait as to go, as prepared to be silent as to speak.

Lewis Sperry Chafer

From: Turning Points Devotional Dr. David Jeremiah

In a Pickle: Joseph (Long-Suffering)

Romans 5:3-4

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation woreth patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope:


In our modern society, it is difficult to digest the concept of longsuffering. When we find ourselves in a thorny situation, we often resign to our challenge and wait for the end to come. And if we do suffer, our confrontations are often short lived. How many of us have had to suffer for years . . . or most of our lives?

Joseph did. And he could have easily given in to his inevitably horrible situation. Sold by his brothers, taken to a foreign land, accused wrongly by his master's wife, put in prison--yet Joseph refused to give up. Instead, he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, became a ruling official, and saved the lives of many during the years of famine . . . including the brothers who betrayed him.

Joseph patiently served God, making the most of his situation while exhibiting the sweetness of long-suffering. He had no way of knowing what God had in store for him in the midst of his pain. The emotions he experienced reuniting with his father and saving his family from famine gave him great joy--erasing the years of sorrow. Like Joseph, we need to rest in God's purpose and plan when faced with trials.


If a bird is flying for pleasure, it flies with the wind; but if it meets danger, it turns and faces the wind in order that it may fly higher.

Corrie ten Boom


From: Turning Points Devotional Magazine Dr. David Jeremiah

Reviving an Old Practice

I Tim. 3:14-15

These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself ...



Newsweek recently carried a story on the passing of the era of the personal letter, saying, "The decline in letter writing constitutes a cultural shift so vast that in the future, historians may divide time not between B.C. and A.D. but between the eras when people wrote letters and when they did not."1

That may be overstated, but maybe not. Historians depend on personal letters to fill in the gaps of the human story. In bygone eras, letter writing was the only way people could communicate over distance, and correspondents were often self-revealing in what they penned. They left a historical record of their life, a legacy. With the invention of Morse's telegraph that began to change; and in our age of email and text messages few people sit down long enough to write a personal note of more than a few hurried words.

Considering this vacuum, what an impact a hand-written letter of encouragement can be. Find some appropriate stationery, a good pen, and give it a try. You never know who you might encourage as you revive an age-old practice that works!

To send a letter is a good way to go somewhere without moving anything but your heart.
Phyllis Theroux, essayist

1"The Good Word," Newsweek newsweek.com/2009/01/17/the-good-word.html.

From: Turning Points Devotional Magazine Dr. Davie Jeremiah

The Write Encouragement

Phil 1:3-4

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;



How many words do you speak throughout a given day compared to the words that you write? One estimation of our spoken words reports that a woman speaks approximately 8000 words a day, and a man speaks about 6000 words. These estimates outnumber our written words by far--even though Internet messaging goes on 24/7. Is it any surprise that sometimes we can't remember what we said or what someone else said? The power of the written word cannot be underestimated.

God valued the written word and gave us the Bible as His letter of encouragement--a permanent record of His love and concern for us. Many of the books in the New Testament are letters, known as epistles, written to churches and individuals. It's interesting to note that when the apostle Paul wrote a letter, he consistently began with a word of encouragement (Romans 1:8-9; 1 Corinthians 1:4-9; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

Written encouragement conveys a thoughtful investment of your time. Why not take a minute and think of someone you know who needs a word of encouragement today. They won't forget it!

Written encouragement is one of the most effective tools God has given to His children.
David Jeremiah

From: Turning Points Devotional Magazine Dr. David Jeremiah