I've got a true story I want to share with you today...

In one of the African churches under a missionary's care, there was a lady who came by herself to every service. Accompanying her was a mongrel, non-descript dog. He would enter with the lady and sit beside her during service. She sat on an outside seat next to the aisle. At the conclusion of the service, when the invitation had been given by the pastor to come for prayer, the dog would come along and take his place beside her. The lady's husband was a hard man and abused his wife. In fact, he beat her so severely for her Christian life-style, that he beat her to death. At the funeral he forbid her Christian pastor to conduct a Christian funeral. After her death and burial it was only he and the dog left. But he noticed that the dog disappeared on Wednesday evening about 7:00 and didn't reappear for about two hours. It happened again on Sunday when about 9:00 A.M. the dog was gone and returned about 12:30. The same thing happened again that evening... The following Sunday morning the man's curiosity was so aroused that he decided to follow and see what the dog was up to. He had to really hurry to keep up! He followed the dog to the humble little church... The dog went in and took his seat on the aisle while the service went on. At the close of the service, the man who had taken a seat in the back to watch the dog saw the dog come forward and take a place at the altar where his wife had prayed. The man was so touched in his spirit that he too went forward and gave his life to Christ. Now the dog and the husband both come to church with a new Master!

What a powerful reminder this true story is of how important each daily step that we take is, amen ladies? This woman had walked a godly path all her life - in spite of what her outward circumstances were! She had the HABIT of approaching the throne of God regularly in prayer, so regularly that it became the actual habit of even her dog! The godly steps of her life had such a powerful influence that even after her death they were still leading others to the throne of God!

Job 29:15, "I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame."

I wonder ladies, are the daily paths that you and I are taking instilling proper habits in the lives of those that we have the power to influence? How about your children, mom? Picture them following you as this dog followed this dear woman.... What would your children's habits be?? Exactly what are you training them to do by your daily example? What places are you taking them most often? Are our steps managed is such a way that they consistently lead others to the feet of Jesus? If you were to die tomorrow, would the steps you took in life still hold such a powerful influence that it would cause others to adhere to the very path that leads to heaven? Sobering to think about, isn't it?

The Bible says in Hebrews 12:13, "Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way."

Ladies, we need to make sure our feet are heading in the right direction, that they are firmly established upon the right track, amen? The pathway we take in life must be a clear and simple path, for scripture says the lame are following us... Who are the lame? They are the weak, the feeble, the hobbling, the crippled, the disabled, the injured, the impaired, the unsound, the unsteady. Do you really want to be responsible for turning the lame out of the way - off the right track and onto the wrong one because of your improper habits in life? The more consistently you walk with God, the more established your godly habits will become. Hence, the deeper your spiritual footprints are in life and the easier and clearer they will be to follow after, amen? In Proverbs 5:5-6, the Bible talks about the "strange" woman and the influence her steps have on others....

"Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them."

Spoken of here is an irresponsible woman, she is fickle, her course turns first one way and then the other, she is unpredictable and changes constantly. To follow after her is to end up in a mess - in hell actually! Consider the end of one who gets involved with such a woman and the contrast is clear of what a powerful influence for righteousness we women can be when walking with God! By properly managing your life, you protect the innocent - the lame, from evil influences and destruction. Yes, we need to diligently establish our ways, our every step in the Lord....

Proverbs 4:26-27 says, "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil."

Again, the Word of God exhorts us to do some self-examination! Ponder the path of your feet today dear lady, examine where you have been going, the direction your heart is pointed in. It wouldn't hurt to also take a moment to examine the lives of the lame that daily follow you... How have you been affecting your husband and children?? Are you walking by the rule of God’s word, treading in the steps of our Lord and Master? If not, the Word of God commands us to remove our foot from evil, to repent of walking in the wrong direction! I am sure that this woman in Africa pondered regularly the direction of her feet, for the path that she habitually took in life, the path that she left for others to follow pointed straight toward the Lord and the house of God! Make sure your gait is not that of a strange woman - headed one direction one day and another direction the next, ending up on a dead end street altogether... Is yours a swerving path or one that is straighforward and steadfast? Why not consider the kind of a path Jesus left for you and I to follow and ask Him to enable us to follow Him more closely...

1 John 2:6 says, "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk, even as he walked."

You see ladies, Christian love teaches us to value our brother’s soul, and to dread every thing hurtful to his purity and peace. Where spiritual darkness dwells, the conscience will be darkened and will mistake the way to heavenly life. These things demand serious self-examination and earnest prayer, that God would show us what we are, and where we are going! Therefore, God has a very simple plan for keeping our steps on the right path. It is found in verse 133 of Psalm 119 and says this:

"Order my steps in thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."

It is through spending time faithfully in the Word of God that your steps can become orderly, become free from any sin at all having power over you! The Word of God leads you far from sin - if you obey it! The dominion of sin is to be dreaded and prayed against by every one... Have you made this your prayer yet in your walk with the Lord? Is your heart's desire to be on track with God? God delights in seeing us walk the paths of righteousness and you will find joy in being on that right path! Sad to say, many Christians have become lame themselves, filled with lame excuses for sinful, selfish living. They are no longer eyes to the blind and feet to the lame, nor do they care! They have turned out of the way and taken strange and confusing paths. Church attendance and Bible reading has become less of a priority in their lives in exchange for worldly pleasures. However, the Bible says Christians are expected to walk in God's righteousness without halting...

Psalm 37:23 says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way."

A righteous person should be concerned about his future, and the future of those following after him.... Were there not righteous men and women that preceded us who ordered their steps aright?? How thankful I am that there was someone godly for me to follow after! Have you been lazy about pondering the path of your feet, dear lady? Perhaps the circumstances in your life have you wondering, "How did my life end up like this, where did I go wrong??" Perhaps you have become lame yourself, in making excuses as to why you cannot do right... Could it be a result of first not pondering your path and then not ordering your steps in the Lord? God expects that we should always know and care where we are headed!

Psalm 119:10, "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments."

The ruin of the Christian is either living by no rule at all, or by choosing false rules: therefore let us all walk by scriptural rules, amen? Did you realize the attitude of our hearts toward the Word of God will show up in our steps?

Psalm 37:23 says, "The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide."

Psalm 44:18 says, "Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way."

When you and I choose to walk away from obedience to the Word of God, our feet will tell on us! You can say all you want with your lips, but your steps will give you away, amen? Have your steps declined from the way of the Lord? If the Word of God is regularly placed in your heart, NONE of your steps shall slide the Bible says, for with respect to God's law, there is no straying.... A heart that is pointed toward the Lord has feet that are pointed toward the Lord as well! How has your church attendance been, dear lady?? How about your personal devotions?? Have your feet and your heart turned out of the way, have your steps declined from God's way? No doubt there are some lame that will suffer because of your straying - your own husband and children perhaps?? Consider our story today... The spiritual cures that Christ works are wonderful!

Matthew 15:30, "And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:"

Matthew 21:14, "And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them."

Ladies, we can't possibly run a successful Christian race without pondering the path of our feet and the steps that we are taking daily! Consider seriously the influence that your life has on others, and will have even after you are gone. Someone is following you.... Where are your steps leading them? I hope that you are diligently and obediently following after the Lord, for only then will you lead others safely to the feet of Jesus! Point the lame in the direction of Heaven!

God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000  Pamela A. Iannello

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