Robert Houk Hitchcock

Psalm 18:29-33
     For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
     As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a
buckler to all those that trust in him.
     For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
     It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
     He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.

For BY THEE I have run...and BY MY GOD have I leaped...  GOD is the one in Whom we can depend! As for GOD,  His way is Perfect.  (that's spelled P.E.R.F.E.C.T.) That is better than "good."   That is better than "acceptable to most people." That is better even than "great." It is   Perfect.

God's Way is Perfect, and that Way is the Way of His Word.  When we follow HIS WAY, then He makes OUR WAY perfect. That's what's called being at the right place at the right time for the right reason with the right people doing the right thing on the right day. The Word is tried.   He makes our feet like hinds' feet. A hind is one of the most sure-footed animals!  Our feet are sure, and our way is perfect, and we are set upon high places when we depend upon God.

Proverbs 3:1-6
     My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
     For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
     Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
     So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
     Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
     In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The Word of God will always ADD life to us, and will never subtract anything from us.  It adds peace to us, too.  We are to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts.  What a statement.  All of our heart.  Really, it's pretty easy to do that once you know God. Once you know how powerful and loving and great your Heavenly Father is.  He is Faithful.  He is True.  He is a Rock.  We trust other people don't we?  Sure we do.   We trust people all of the time.  Many of them are trustworthy.  But not like our God is trustworthy! 

In all thy ways acknowledge HIM ~ HE shall direct thy paths.  Those are the right paths. Those are the plain paths. Those are the perfect paths.  Those are the "all things work together for good to them that love God" kind of paths.

Decisions are important in life, especially the big ones.  They determine much of your life and how it goes. When  God helps us with those....then we are in the right town.  We are with the right person.  We have the right employment for us at that time. We have the proper arrangements in our family.  We are in BALANCE. This balanced life is achieved by trusting in God and allowing Him to direct our paths.  

Proverbs 16:9
     A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

Thinking is a good thing, and basically a lost art these days.  We can think and plan and contemplate.  We devise our way, but the LORD directs our steps.  Maybe, just maybe, God has a bigger view of your life, or of the situation at hand. Of course He does. We can devise because we have freedom of will.  But we look to God to direct our steps!

In my life, one of the examples was my college education. I went to four years of university.  I chose a very interesting field to me.  I studied. I worked.  I really liked it.  I graduated!  But God had better plans for me to follow.  He directed my steps into Christian leadership.  I found that to be MORE fulfilling.  He knew I'd be more blessed.  So I followed Him and allowed Him to direct my steps.  I've never worked one single day in the field of study that I pursued.  That's Ok.  I'm so glad that God directed by steps.

Isaiah 26:3-4
     Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
     Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Trust and dependence on God doesn't come without effort on our part.  We stay our minds on Him. To "stay" the mind is to focus the mind.  To keep the mind in one place.  We get into the habit of "going" to Him.  We are blessed to ask Him what to do. We focus on Him by staying our minds on the Word. Notice that the "trusting" part comes AFTER the "staying the mind" part.  A nice benefit is that He keeps us in perfect peace when we do that.  And, of course, He is still directing our paths.

Philippians 3:1-4
     Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
     Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
     For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
     Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

The flesh, the 5 senses, can be very deceiving at times.  It LOOKS like the right path, but it isn't.  It APPEARS to be the thing that we need to do, but it isn't.  True believers develop a keen sense of trust in God, and a keen sense of distrust of the flesh.  Paul's flesh was pretty impressive with all the academic training he had, the great social position, his zeal, etc. But it didn't take him down the right paths, did it?  Not exactly.  It took him down a path in direct opposition to God!  Our confidence is not based on our flesh; our confidence is based in the Lord.

Philippians 2:13
     For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

That's just tremendous. God at work within us. That's HOW He can direct our paths.  He can tell us what to do, when to do it.  HE is at work within us both to will and to do His good pleasure. Well, that has to be the best path to walk down! Those who live like this are so blessed to know that God is concerned about your life, from the major needs to the day to day living.  He promises to work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure.  Those are the perfect paths to walk down. Those are the high places His sets our feet.  That is the Lord directing our steps. That is from staying our minds on Him.  That is having the confidence in the spirit.   That is depending upon God.

Psalm 46:10
     Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

We can't listen too well if we are not STILL.  Stillness is not encouraged in our society.  Stillness is not often accomplished in our society.  Who really takes a day off each week? Is it ever actually quiet where we live or work?  Stillness has to be cultivated. Early in the morning is often a great time before life gets moving into the fast lane.  Hey, the fast lane is fun, but not all of the time. The Fast lane does get things done, but it also can burn you out, too.  Balance.  Stillness is necessary to offset all of the fast lane stuff and it is the only way we can listen to God.  He speaks with a still small voice (see I Kings 19:12.)  Staying our minds on Him will keep us still in our hearts and we can listen to Him as He works within us to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Philippians 4:13
     I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Well, there you have it.  That is depending upon God's ability within you.  I can do. You sure Can!

II Corinthians 3:5
     Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

We know all too well that we are not sufficient of ourselves. Try as we might, we still often fall so short. Our sufficiency is of God. We depend upon God.  We rely upon His reliability.  We trust in Him with all of our hearts.

I John 5:14-15
     And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
     And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

"I have a lot of confidence in God."  That's a great motto for you to have and a great way to think.  It's a great way to live.  It actually is pretty simple to have confidence in God when you know what His will is, and you can know that from His Word.  He'll back it up 100%!  Life is truly more than abundant for us when we allow God to direct our steps, to work within us to will and to do of His good pleasure.  Truly, we can DEPEND UPON GOD.