EVERY STEP I TAKE!

Galatians 5 [NKJV] various passages

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Christian Liberty

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

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Walking in the Spirit

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under [crushed by the penalty of] the law.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

[last verse in the NIV]

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. [all Scripture emphasis added]

I wrote a note to a dear friend recently, who like me, suffers from leg and foot pain as well as knee pain. I was sharing with her some of my pain and discomfort and my new inability to walk correctly now.

She replied with a sweet e-mail back - with words of encouragement for trusting God with Healing as we both do - but she made this statement in her letter about her own life:

"I have been living with my knee pain for so long

I have probably forgotten what it is to walk without

being conscious of every step."
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Hmmmm "...forgotten what it is ...to walk ...without being conscious... of every step."

Hosea 14

9 Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall.

In the flesh we ...

• take the lead often crushing others beneath us


• take steps without thinking


• stumble into the snare of the enemy


• walk where we please, when we please


• run ahead of others and ahead of God


• step out into unsafe territory without looking both ways


• stand up to be counted yet, stand for nothing


• seek to run people down so we get to the top first


• run ourselves in circles going nowhere

Deuteronomy 5:33

Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

Psalm 119

32 I run in the path of Your commands, for You have set my heart free.
35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

In the SPIRIT we ...

• are conscious of every step we take


• take steps directed by God through His Spirit


• are surefooted on the path


• have trodden on solid rock


• run in the paths of His commands


• walk slowly in discernment and wisdom


• walk safely within His ancient boundaries


• walk behind our Shepherd who leads us, not in front taking back the reigns


• walk beside those on the path


• share each step in stride


• run this race for His glory at His pace

Where have your feet been? Where have they come from? What steps have you taken recently? Are they steps along God's pathway?

Choosing JOY, Stephanie

'Footnote' [ha that's funny!] = Photo in today's post taken of my feet in the water at Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine July 27, 2010