LETTER FOR JANUARY 1990
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Message for 1990
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3 v 5,6.

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Dear Friends,

The Scripture message I have been led to choose for 1990 is two profound verses in the book of Proverbs -- Proverbs 3 v 5, 6. You see them printed above.

A new year lies before us. The future is unknown. We lack wisdom and strength to live our lives, and if we realise this we are wise. What we need is the Lord our God to guide and lead us into the future in the way of his will. God's will is best for our lives.

In the light of this, as we face a new year, how reassuring to have the promise "He (the Lord) will direct our paths (the direction of our life)". There can be no greater blessing in 1990, or any time, than to know the Lord directing our life, for this means our life will be fruitful, worthwhile, holy, satisfied and right. What a blessing to know that choices we have to make will be directed by God. What blessing to know God's presence giving wisdom to react correctly in all situations. What blessing to have God's strength to carry out all tasks. What joy to know the Lord is near, and the moment we call upon him he will answer and direct us in the way we should go.

This presence and direction from God can be most surely known if we observe the three instructions on which this blessing depends.

First -- "Trusts in the Lord with all your heart". "This is the victory which overcomes the world", says the Apostle John in his first letter, "even our faith". Not aimless faith, but faith in the Lord. We trust in the Lord for salvation, that he has purchased it by his death and freely gives it to us. We trust in the Lord to keep us day by day as he has promised to do as the Good Shepherd. The Lord does and will direct our life, and the experience of peace and comfort of that direction comes when we trust him with all our heart. Trust is a bond of love whereby we give ourselves wholeheartedly to another, and are totally open and honest with that one, holding nothing back. This is the trust we must have in Jesus. "With all your heart" means this commitment and trust, so that we give ourselves in loving obedience to Jesus. We are not trusting Jesus with all our hearts, if we are afraid to let him have total control of our lives, and so withhold our obedience in some way, or reserve our judgment in some direction. This wholehearted trust is seen when Jesus asks us to do that which we find difficult or in our judgment is unwise. We trust him and do it. This is the first condition for God's blessed direction in our lives. It means listening to his words and obeying always, whatever the cost.

Secondly, "and lean not on your own understanding". If we trust in our own wisdom we shall not know God's direction, because trusting ourselves we shall not feel any need to trust in him. If we are to move in the way of God and know his direction in our lives, we will have to have a distrust of our own wisdom and ability to direct our lives. It is a mark of true Christian character that we never make a decision in life without much prayer, and testing the decision by the Word of God. It is a mark of true grace to be ready to listen to others who speak in the name of the Lord, and be ready to accept anothers opinion may be right. It is a mark of grace to the able to submit to others, believing that God will order our ways as we trust Him. In the end we make decisions but with humility, understanding our sinful and weak understanding and desires, and trusting to God to lead us in the right way.

Thirdly, "In all your ways acknowledge Him". It is essential to Godly living to put God first; to consider him and his will in all things. Whether the decision is a big one or a little one, the Christian way is to seek to do the will of the Lord. In most things it will be governing our lives by the Word of God; in others it is to seek guidance in prayer and the Scriptures, through Christian counsel and circumstances, as we seek to know the will of God. The secret is to want to live each moment for God in God's way.

If we constantly live by these three principles, without doubt God will direct our paths. We will be kept free from mistakes. We will find peace and purpose.

May you all know God's blessed direction in this new year.

Your servant for Christ's sake,