Following the Signs

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By Ava Pennington—

In traveling through life, what signs do you seek for direction? Some start their day with their horoscope, aligning their day with the alignment of the stars. Others pursue supernatural signs to guide their decisions.

As a new year begins, I plan on following traffic signs for direction, but not in the way you might think. For example:

One Way

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I am starting my year with a restored relationship with my heavenly Father. There’s no other way.

Yield

The Bible tells us to submit to God (James 4:7) and to each other (Ephesians 5:21). I have to confess, this is a tough one for me. It’s easier for me to submit to God than it is for me to submit to some people. This is one I’ll be working on this year.

Stop

Stop signs prevent us from blindly entering dangerous situations. There are numerous stop signs in the Bible that warn us of attitudes and behavior we should avoid. I need to pay attention to those stop signs. Ignoring them will land me in trouble, grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells within me, and damage my witness to others.

Keep Right

James wrote, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). This one can be a huge “Ouch!” for me. It can be so much easier to quote the Bible than to actually obey it. I need to be vigilant this year to ensure my actions match my words.

U-turn Allowed

I wish it weren’t so, but there will be times in this new year when I will make wrong choices. When that happens, I need to remember God’s solution: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9 NIV).

God has promised to direct us. It’s just a matter of following His signs.

What signs will you be following in 2014?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight”  (Proverbs 3:5-6).

 

 

 

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Ava Pennington is a writer, Bible teacher, and speaker. Her newest book, Daily Reflections on the Names of God: A Devotional, is endorsed by Precepts founder Kay Arthur. Additionally, Ava is co-author of Faith Basics for Kids. The first two books in the series are Do You Love Me More? and Will I See You Today? She has also written numerous articles for magazines such as Today’s Christian Woman, Power for Living, and Called.

In addition to her writing, Ava also teaches a weekly, Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) class of 175+ women. She is a passionate speaker and teacher, and delights in challenging audiences with the truth of God’s word in relevant, enjoyable presentations. Ava and Russ have been married for 35 years and live in southeast Florida.

For more information, visit her at www.AvaWrites.com