I have made up my mind that no matter where God leads me, I am determined to follow. I have walked with him, for decades. For a season, I walked away from God and tried to do it on my own. I failed it miserably. When I came to my senses, one day, I was determined that if the Lord would lead me out of the darkness, I would follow him. I made that promise almost 30 years ago.

It took me a while to get back on the path, but I am so thankful that he forgave me, and opened the door for a new start in my life. There is no desire to turn back, now. I don’t understand why someone would walk away, but now I focus on getting closer to God than I have ever been before.

We know that some people in the world who don’t know Christ appear, at times, to have every aspect of their lives well-controlled. They may have nice clothes, drive only the best vehicles or have money in the bank. When you evaluate their lives by the world’s measure, it looks as though they are successful in the flesh. Spiritually, however, another story is revealed: it’s a story of poverty, destitution, and loneliness.

Outside of Jesus Christ we can’t survive in this world. We need a Savior. Of the few truly wealthy people that I have met, one hundred percent have said that they weren’t happy with their lives. They felt that something essential was missing from their lives and they were puzzled that they couldn’t find it.

These people tried to depend on their wealth to provide a lifestyle that left out God. To be in this state of poverty in spiritual matters has a profound effect on the people around you and in your outlook on life. Further, continued lack of motivation will eventually affect their physical well being. The riches of this world pales in comparison to the riches of God’s glory in our lives.

In Joshua 1, the secret of success is revealed once and for all: “Be strong and of good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night; that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then, thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:6-9).

In this week’s Lattereign we read about following Christ. Where He Leads Me I Will Follow