Make Straight Paths for Your Feet
HEBREWS 12:12-13
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (In other words, take courage when you are weak – get up again when you fall, if you are feeling feeble, then just get up again and press the battle because we do not want to remain feeble.
So the next verse is dealing with healing and a return to strength (on the “how to”), because when you become injured and weak, then there is a pathway provided by God for that injury to be healed and for you to become strong again.)
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Make Straight Paths for Your Feet
These two scriptures brother Branham read at the beginning of 1964 in the message he titled “Shalom” which means peace. We all are ultimately seeking peace in our lives.
PSALM 62:5-8
5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. (We can see from the depth of this that the writer has taken some knocks in life and has learnt that the only safe leadership in life is the leadership of the Lord – “He is the only rock”)
7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
8 ¶ Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.
ISAIAH 60:1-2
1 ¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. (You arise when the light comes because you are able to see where you are going on the pathway – the light will show you what pathway you are on)
2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people (that is why there is so much trouble in the world today, because no one can see where they are going, they are all walking blind along a treacherous and dangerous path): but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (That is the light of this hour that has opened our understanding to the mysteries of the word)
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13 As we face this New Year’s, we are facing both, as I have read, darkness and Light. Now we see that David, speaking here, said, "Trust in the Lord. Put your confidence in Him." Isaiah said, "Gross darkness is coming upon this people; but for the Church to rise and shine, in the glory of the Light."
14 So we face this year just like we do all years; there is a--a regret of our mistakes in the past, and a looking forward for a future of the glorious Light of Christ. No doubt, if we live through this year, we'll find many mistakes that we have made, and we just expect that because it goes along the pro and con. That's the law of average that we live by here in this life. But we're so glad we have a Mediator Who sets at the right hand of God, to make intercessions. When we are willing to admit our mistakes that we done wrong, then He forgives them. He is full of grace and mercy, to forgive us for those mistakes.
15 This gross darkness, I wish to speak on first, that there is so much of that in the world today, and growing darker and darker all the time. Each year, we find that, that the--the world gets darker, spiritually speaking, because they're groping in darkness. There is more sin. Just passing through what we have, the assassination of the President, and so forth, and people being murdered right here in our country. Where, we wouldn't think that would happen in the time of modern civilization, but we sure have it, because gross darkness is upon the people. Now, those who will not turn to Light, then there is only one thing I can say for the coming year, you're going to stoop darker and darker as the year goes on.
16 But to those who will turn, on this new year's, to the Light, then you'll get brighter and brighter, unto that perfect Day that we look for, His appearing, where all darkness will be fade--faded away. And the reason of that, is why I say, to the Church of the living God, today, "Shalom," because we are His Lights. Jesus said, "Ye are the Light of the world."
Make Straight Paths for Your Feet
We all encounter injuries along the course of our lifetime, many of those injuries are spiritual in the form of metal weaknesses and struggles and hurts, some of our injuries can also physical in the form of accidents and sickness and diseases, but we know that God is the healer of all of our infirmities.
PSALM 103:2-5
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
**We know that human beings were never designed by God with a capacity to lead themselves through the journey of this life (or any life for that matter) - that is why man governing over man in leadership is always flawed and will always eventually fail.
Also self-government, autonomy, (thinking that you know what is best for yourself and that you are the best person to lead yourself by your own personal wisdom) that will also fail you and cause you injury along the road of life.
We all know that many of the injury’s that we receive along in life are self-induced by bad choices that we make because if we are honest, often they are not decisions that are completely based upon the word of God.
*** The fact is that if it is not a decision that is in full agreement with the word, then it is a wrong decision that will eventually cause you injury, so we need to know how to avoid injury because we have a battle to fight and a race to win.
Dictatorship has failed mankind, democracy has failed mankind, every type of man’s own leadership since Adam has had flaws and has failed in some way unless that man has been closely led by the Holy Spirit.
***God himself was to be man’s leader by His spirit dwelling in the heart of man and leading him from within, He said that He would write his laws in our hearts which is in our nature, not an external government of rules and laws, but an internal government of the leadership of God and man in agreement as one.
***So God never designed man to be led by man who are led by their own ideas that are contrary to the word, God designed man to be led by the light of his word, and God is his word - we are to be led by the word of God as the lamp to our feet and the light to our path.
PSALM 119:101-105
101 ¶ I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
102 ¶ I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
103 ¶ How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
105 ¶ NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
***So a pathway of life that is not lit up by the light of the word will certainly cause a person to become injured and lame, and so the scripture is dealing with this and showing us the way that that injury and weakness can become healed – God has provide a way for healing, and that is by Making straight paths for your feet – by obedience to the word that has been revealed to you.
From the cradle to the grave we are all on a pathway; we are actually on a journey to our eternal destination. And you can mostly tell where people are going to end up by the pathway that they are on.
We know that many of the “pleasant to the eyes” looking pathways are also the pathways that lead to death.
MATTHEW 7:13-14
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
If you do what the majority does, then you will end up at the same destination where the majority are going to end up at.
***Look at where people end up, and look at the pathway that got them there, and then see what pathway you are on.
We are not called to follow the pathway of the general world of what they do, we are called to follow another culture in this hour, if you are following the influence of the worldliness of the flow of society, then that path is not a straight one – and that is one reason why we assemble together as a church group, because God knows that we need to encourage each other along another pathway, the pathway of a word centred life and leadership.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.
The word of God was given to us to light up our way and lead us through life unto that day star (Christ), just as the star led the wise men to the great star - A star leading them to a star.
Song by Annie Johnson Flint 1866-1932 – God hath not promised
It is said that the last hymn written by Annie Johnson Flint, that her hands were so gnarled by arthritis that she was unable to hold a pen, so a crayon or stick of chalk was wedged between her fingers, so she could write on a surface suspended over her bed. She had hoped to become a concert pianist, but in her late twenties she was diagnosed with arthritis. By the end of her life she was just four feet tall.
1
God hath not promised skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain
2
God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care
3
God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river, turbid and deep.,
4
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love
Opening scripture:
HEBREWS 12:12-13
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
New American Standard Bible Translation - and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
International Standard Version - and straighten the paths of your life, so that your lameness may not become worse, but instead may be healed.
In other words, cover up and fortify your weak places, protect yourself by not letting your pathway wander off the word and onto ground that may cause you to trip up and fall so that your injury will not heal and you will remain lame – a lame solder is not a good solder.
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37 Now, Satan will constantly punch at you until you're finished on earth. Just remember that. You'll never have a time but what there's a punching going on all the time, 'cause you're in a battle. Did you ask to come to Christ to come to a picnic? Well, you're sure going to be surprised, because it's a constant battle. I've been on the field for thirty-one years, and I've fought every inch of the way. That's right. Israel had to fight every inch of the way. They--they... Palestine was given to them, but they had to fight every inch of the way to get it.
This year, we want to remember that we are still in a battle, we are still at war, but we will be victorious if we stay with the word and stay together.
- You don’t normally see one solder standing all by himself on the battle field fighting the war when all of his comrades are united together somewhere else – he’s got no one to back him up.
*There are many battles that take place in a war, and sometimes we may lose the odd battle, but we also know that we will win the war because it is foretold of us that we will prevail in this hour.
The prophecy concerning the believers of this hour is that we cannot be deceived as long as we keep in our hearts the revelation of the word that has been given us in this day.
Our vision for 2019 is as brother Branham has told us - to cling that much closer together by the word that has gathered us, may we be more sincere and more dedicated to the word, may we be more serious about this message, may we be more respectful and caring toward one another. I know we have all failed in these things, but let us all purpose in our hearts to raise the bar this year by the grace of God.
***Remember - The reason that we have formed as a group is because of the voice of God that we have heard by this message that we believe - and that has gathered us together as a people, and this is a great calling because we are not just an ordinary group of people, we are a prophecy that has become flesh in this hour, we are a people that have been gather by an eagle scream and by the carcass of the “fresh kill” of the word.
So we must do all we can to stand together and cover each other’s back (United we stand, divided we fall), this is not the time to be divided, anything that divides you from fellowship with Christ or his people cannot be the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
PSALM 133:1-3
1 ¶ A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
This year - we are on a journey together as a body of people called the body of Christ, and our destination is that we are all going to receive a great blessing, even life for evermore.
Don’t let Satan keep you away from praying and reading the word and listening to the message and coming to church, because if he can disunite you with the body of believers or cause some upset to happen that gives you a grudge, then that is what his whole purpose is.
But there is healing by making straight paths for your feet this year by making word decisions. Purpose that in your heart.
Finish with the prayer of Brother Branham’s
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212 Great Father of Life, include us, Lord. If we--if we've sinned, take it away from us. We, we don't want to be that way, Lord. It's not our intention.
And we realize we're living in such a horrible, dark way. As we said at the beginning, we're walking up a mountain, through rugged places. Dim is the trail, but we're packing the Light. May we see, step by step, as we go now; until we meet, like Pilgrim's Progress, till we finally catch the top of the Hill. Guide us, O Shepherd. Great Jehovah, lead us by Thy Spirit.
That is also my prayer for 2019
Make Straight Paths for Your Feet