During the holidays, many of you have included in your monthly activities
that of travel. The highways are packed with people who are driving both
short and long distances to congregate with friends and loved ones. In
order to ensure safe and prompt arrival at their beloved destination,
folks will no doubt give great consideration to the route they plan to
take. As always, there are certain roads to take and certain roads to
be avoided. What about our spiritual progress? Do we give as careful consideration
to that as we do to our physical travel plans? Ladies, if you want to
experience spiritual progress, then you'll have to travel a spiritual
highway - the way of holiness...
Proverbs 16:17, "The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he
that keepeth his way preserveth his soul."
Isaiah 35:8, "And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be
called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it
shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein."
Isaiah 62:10, "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of
the people; cast up, cast up the highways; gather out the stones; lift
up a standard for the people."
Jeremiah 31:21, "Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine
heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again,
O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities."
The Word of God is true - if we don't set our hearts toward the highway
of holiness, it is unlikely that we will take it! Set yourself up some
waymarks - determine ahead of time what direction is best to take. Plan
your stops wisely... Purpose to follow God's route no matter what billboards
of temptation pop up along the way.
How about your spiritual progress, dear lady? Are you making your exit
in the wrong places or keeping your distance from even the appearance
of evil? Are you traveling toward holiness in your Christian walk? Let's
compare the right road with the wrong road and see if that doesn't help
you in answering that question.
RIGHT ROAD
A PLEASUREABLE EXPERIENCE - MAGNIFICENT SCENERY
Psalm 16:11, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."
GOAL ORIENTED TRAVEL
Psalm 23:3, "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake."
SMOOTH SURFACES
Psalm 25:10, "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such
as keep his covenant and his testimonies."
"CRUISE CONTROL" AVAILABLE
Psalm 119:35, "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein
do I delight."
BUILDS SENSE OF DIRECTION
Proverbs 2:9, "Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment,
and equity; yea, every good path."
CLEAR GUIDANCE ALONG THE WAY
Proverbs 4:11, "I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee
in right paths."
WELL LIT ROADS
Proverbs 4:18, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that
shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
REFRESHMENT ALONG THE WAY
Isaiah 2:3, "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go
up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
PATROLLED BY AUTHORITY
Isaiah 26:7, "The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright,
dost weigh the path of the just."
NO OBSTACLES
Hebrews 12:13, "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which
is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed."
WRONG ROAD
DIRT ROAD
Proverbs 2:15, "Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:"
MAP FORSAKEN
Proverbs 12:15, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that
hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."
VERY BUMPY SURFACES
Proverbs 13:15, "Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors
is hard."
DEAD END STREET
Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the
end thereof are the ways of death."
PATH OF POLLUTION
Proverbs 15:9, "The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord:
but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness."
FRUSTRATING JOURNEY
Isaiah 59:8, "The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment
in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein
shall not know peace."
CAUTION LIGHTS IGNORED
Job 24:13, "They are of those that rebel against the light; they know
not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof."
FREQUENT EXITS
Proverbs 2:13, "Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways
of darkness;"
TICKETED BY AUTHORITY
Ezekiel 11:21, "But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of
their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their
way upon their own heads, saith the Lord God."
JAMMED WITH TRAFFIC
Matthew 7:13, "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:"
MET BY ROADBLOCKS
Hosea 2:6, "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and
make a wall, that she shall not find her paths."
DEADLY CURVES
Job 6:18, "The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing,
and perish."
After comparing the two routes we have been given the choice to take in
this life, I know which one is best for me! I hope to see you ladies traveling
along the path that leads to life...the highway of holiness. Be very sure
you are on the right road, won't you? That way you can be certain of your
spiritual progress.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2001 Pamela A. Iannello
