The Path: A Daily Devotional

By Les Wilks

It didn’t take me long to realize just how small I am. We were over a mile from the mountain, but its sheer size was still intimidating. Each of us were told to follow the marked trail through the forest. After all, this wasn’t our home; we were just strangers passing through. So we did just that for the most part. We followed the trail, and it led us safely back to our car late that evening.

This old earth isn’t our home either; we are also just strangers passing through. There are many trials and tribulations as well as victories on our journey here. We often make our life very difficult by going it alone, but we don’t have to walk alone. We have a friend in Jesus, and he has shown us the path of a victorious life. Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is the perfect path set before us.

Maybe you’ve never met Jesus, and you have never found the way. Maybe you know him, but you have strayed far from the path and found yourself lost again. Whatever your circumstances are in life, Jesus wants to guide you back to safety. Only he can get you home, and only he can guide you along the lit path.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:6)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781638851790

Book preview

January 1

I have learned throughout the years that I am not very good at keeping New Year’s resolutions. I would hate to even guess how many resolutions I have broken in my life. Maybe you can relate, or perhaps you are good at setting and keeping goals. Whatever the case, I pray that your upcoming plans this year prosper and that you honor the Lord.

This fast-running river reminded me that our plans and the Lord’s plans sometimes go hand in hand. At other times, it’s as if our plans are in stark contrast to God’s plans for our lives. We make so many plans in our lifetime, but they so often change in an instant. Sometimes we change our mind, and sometimes those change of plans is for some unseen reason beyond our control.

Proverbs 16:9 says:

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Never forget that God has ultimate control of our lives. When your plans change unexpectedly, seek God’s reason for allowing your course to change. He has your best interest at heart, and he is directing your steps for his purpose. There is no better navigator and teacher you can turn to than God. Won’t you walk hand in hand with him today as he guides you?

To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. (Proverbs 16:1)

January 2

Several of the disciples set out one night to do what they did best, and that was to go fishing. Perhaps they wanted to be alone and clear their head. They had after all witnessed from a distance the death of Christ on a cross. More recently, Christ had revealed himself to his disciples after his resurrection from the dead. Once again, a hopeful night of fishing proved to be all for naught. They had fished all night and caught nothing.

As dawn began to break, and the disciples approached the shoreline, they saw a man standing there all alone. From their vantage point, they couldn’t recognize who he was; they didn’t recognize Jesus until they heard his voice. There Christ was right in front of them, but they couldn’t see him. He was standing by the fire preparing them something to eat and drink after a long night’s work.

Maybe you have had a hard day’s work or a terrible week. Worst yet, maybe your string of luck has been bad for a long time. Take heart, Jesus is standing in your midst right now. Maybe you have forgotten that, or you have run ahead of Jesus. Listen for his healing voice as he calls out your name. He is preparing a banquet for you as you read this. He is the bread of life and the living water. You will never hunger or thirst if you call on Christ to save you.

For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. (Psalm 107:9)

January 3

Have you ever taken a walk to remember? This picture will always remind me of such a walk. As I walked hand in hand with my wife, we had to stop for a long moment and take a picture of the setting sun. The waves of the sea had packed the sand to give us a perfect path to walk. We were in awe of God’s handiwork and beautiful creation that surrounded us.

The Sixty-Fifth Psalm is a hymn of praise that Israel sang to God for his great goodness. They thanked God for answering their prayers, for the pardoning of their sin, and for the security and rest the nation of Israel was allowed to live under. God protects his people, and his deliverance is known throughout the nations. From far and wide those who know the works of the Lord fear his wonders.

Every sunrise and sunset we are allowed to witness should bring us great joy. We should be thankful for another day. How do you show your thankfulness to God for all his provisions? Are you in awe of God’s work and wonders, or are you indifferent? Show your thankfulness and love of God today by giving him praise! The more we praise God, the more we will be filled with joy!

Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! (Psalm 66:2)

January 4

My family stood solemnly by the graveside to pay our respects to a dear friend who had lost her dad. As I stood there, my heart broke for her family. I witnessed a beautiful picture of love and devotion as her sons stood tall and proud by their grandad’s casket. Even though the family was in mourning and devastated from their loss, they had a peace about them. That transcending peace was given to each of them through their faith in Christ.

Death is a thunderous wave that comes crashing down on each of us as we bury a loved one. Sometimes in death you can see that wave grow larger and larger as some experience a lengthy illness that leads to death. At other times during a sudden death, it’s as if a rogue wave comes out of nowhere and swamps you.

One thing in life is certain, the waves will always come. Some will come one right after another, and some will come sparingly. Sometimes it’s very hard to understand why God allows these waves to roll over us. Even through the storms of life, God is right there by your side. The same God who allows the storm to ascend upon you will still that very storm in your life. God stills the raging sea, and he can still the storms of your life as well.

But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

January 5

You can nearly set your clock each year as to when the flock of geese will arrive. They stop here for the winter to feed for a few months, and then head back home. I often wonder, who leads the flock? Each day when they leave to feed, who leads them? Perhaps it’s born into the flock, or maybe an elder teaches the younger the way. Truth of the matter is one of them has the secret or knowledge to lead.

Our flock isn’t very different from the geese in this photo. We too have a precious secret that we need to teach others. Each believer in the world today is a steward of a great mystery. That secret isn’t a mystery to the believer, but to the world it’s a deep mystery. We are servants of Christ entrusted with the secret things of God.

The believer who has been entrusted with the Word of God must prove himself faithful. We must be prepared in season and out of season to give an account of the hope that lives inside us. The Gospel of Christ is meant to be shared. As we share the Gospel of Christ, our faithfulness grows. As our faith grows, we also teach others to follow Christ through our faithfulness. Are you sharing the very Word of God today that he has entrusted you with?

Jesus said to them, Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. (Mark 16:15)

January 6

This March, good Lord willing, my wife and I will celebrate our thirty-fifth anniversary. We have experienced a lot of things in our marriage together. The birth of two healthy girls, joys and sadness along the way, and through it all our marriage grows stronger daily. I am getting old enough now that I have often been asked what our secret is to a successful marriage. Don’t get me wrong—we have both made our mistakes along the way, but through it all we remain in love with one another.

John is charging each of us in this passage to continue in God. God accepts us into his family when we make Christ the Lord of our life. Christ says, Remain in me and I will remain in you. We are to abide daily and continue to walk with God in our faith. Life changes daily, and we will never be able to predict what life has in store for us. No matter what life throws your way, remain faithful to God.

Take this to the bank: Christ is coming back to get his church. Will you be faithful with what God has entrusted you with? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be one that barely gets through the pearly gates of heaven. When the roll is called, I want to be that Christian soldier that proudly steps forward when Christ welcomes me home. Will you be confident and unashamed at Christ’s appearing?

His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness. (Matthew 25:21)

January 7

Have you ever seen a child that won’t share with others? They frown, they pout, and they whine when asked to share with others. The opposite of this is the child that shares with others at the drop of a hat. Two different scenarios represented by two different attitudes.

Paul is encouraging the church at Corinth to continue in giving as they had already done. Paul points out three characteristics of giving and also declares the reward one receives for such unselfishness. The believers were not only eager to give, but we’re ready to give to others when needed. Their unmatched enthusiasm became contagious to those who witnessed such giving hearts.

Those who choose not to give or give under compulsion receive very little in return for their giving. Those who give joyfully and with an open heart will be given much more in return. When you give to others, do so with a willing and joyful heart! God has blessed us with much so we can bless others that are in need. You really do reap what you sow!

A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great. (Proverbs 18:16)

January 8

I wonder how beautiful this tree stood before its great fall. I highly doubt this old tree ever compared itself to other trees. It was probably a shelter to many birds and animals along the way. Perhaps a storm blew in and caused the tree to fall, or maybe a disease caused the tree to topple and get washed out to sea. Whatever the cause, may this dead tree be a great reminder to prideful man.

The believer in Christ should never compare himself to sinful man. We should strive daily to walk as Christ walked. As Christ carries the sin of mankind, we too should help carry the burdens of others. Our sins become burdens that we struggle to carry. We should restore our brothers and sisters in Christ with gentleness and love as we strive to help them in their sins. Be careful as you try to restore your brothers in Christ because you too may become tempted.

Do not deceive yourself as you try to help others in their sins. If we believe we are something when we are not, then we too will become entangled in sin. We have a personal responsibility to examine our own lives before we examine or help others. Remember, we are who we are by the grace of God. We should love and encourage others just as God loves us. Don’t get washed out to sea by a wave of sin as you strive to restore those who are caught in sin.

The Lord Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted, and they will be humbled. (Isaiah 2:12)

January 9

I love how Job’s three friends came to his aid after Job lost everything. They had heard of his troubles and came running to his rescue. His three friends hardly recognized Job because of Job’s intense suffering. The friends tore their robes, sprinkled dust on their heads, and began to weep aloud. For seven days they sat with Job and didn’t say a word. A perfect picture of good friends mourning with the downcast Job was suddenly ruined when the friends began to speak.

Trying to comfort others during difficult times often becomes a disaster because we say the wrong things. Sometimes the best comfort we can bring others during difficult and hard times is just being there. The few words we speak oftentimes speak volumes to those who need comfort. Not only did the friends say the wrong things, but they sometimes shook their heads while speaking. To shake your head while speaking was a gesture of insult and scorn.

Why do we think it’s easy to try and fix someone else’s problems when we can’t solve our own? Job says if the roles were reversed, he too could speak to his friends as they spoke to him. Job says instead of trying to solve the problem or point blame for the issues at hand, he would speak encouragement to all. Try empathizing with others before you try to comfort or help them with their struggles.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

January 10

I couldn’t believe an infomercial caught my eye for a full thirty minutes. The sales pitch was for a ladder called the The New Little Giant Extreme. I nearly bought it on the spot but realized I didn’t really need a new ladder. The best part of the ladder was a lifetime guarantee or get your money back. Lifetime guarantees have a way of getting my attention.

Daniel was also sold on lifetime guarantees. After all, he followed an awesome God who gives each of us a lifetime guarantee, if we will accept the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. God is a living and active God, and he endures forever. Many have and will come against the kingdom of God, but no one will ever prevail against his kingdom.

God had just delivered Daniel from the lion’s den for his faithfulness. Daniel was set free by the king in this passage. Those who accused Daniel falsely were now thrown into that same lion’s den with their families, and they were torn to pieces before they hit the ground. Our living, faithful, and enduring God always rewards the faithful. Even the king who worshipped false gods issued a decree:

I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

Are you living a God-fearing life?

Adversity pursues sinners, but the righteous will be rewarded with prosperity. (Proverbs 13:21)

January 11

The forty-ton whale disappeared for a brief moment as it swam under our boat. All the tourists on the boat ran to the opposite side of the deck to see if they could get another glimpse of the giant whale. As the whale surfaced, it blew water out of its blow hole, spraying each one of us with water. It’s at times like this that you feel very small in a very large world.

The leviathan was believed to be a large crocodile or a large marine animal. It has no fear of man and comes and goes as it pleases. The heart of the leviathan is as firm as stone and harder than a lower millstone. These large marine animals need a heart of stone in order to survive.

Having a heart of stone and steadfast mind to serve the Lord if used properly can also serve a person well. However, if the hardness of our heart and head are set against God, we will have to answer for our defiance toward him. How is your heart today? Is your heart in the right place as you go about your daily life?

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

January 12

I have only experienced a few illnesses in my life, and most of them have lasted for only a brief moment. I thank God daily for my health and for his many blessings in my life. I often wonder why some people are hardly ever sick and why some, it seems, are sick more often than they are healthy. The psalmist is praising God for his deliverance from a near-death experience brought on by illness.

Sickness comes in many forms. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other illnesses plague many people today. Some are curable while others are not. The truth of the matter shows we are all sick though. Spiritually we are all sick in our sin-soaked lives. We need a healing that only God can give. God’s anger toward us is a direct result of his righteousness. God wants to heal each of us so we can live a righteous life.

Thank God his anger lasts only a moment. When we accept God’s grace and forgiveness of our sins, his favor lasts a lifetime. We weep for those who are sick and suffering. That weeping is momentary and is replaced by a joy-filled life in the morning. The storm of sin and death is replaced with pure joy once and for all through the blood of Christ.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

January 13

As I stepped out onto my back porch early one morning, the bright snow was blinding. The old saying As pure as the driven snow immediately came to mind. The untrodden snow was crystal white as it gleamed in the sun. Even though the snow had the appearance of purity to the naked eye, under a microscope, impurities would be present throughout the snow.

Job was a blameless and upright man, and he feared God and shunned evil. Job’s plight had caused his friends to question his innocence and moral integrity. We should never become so smug in claiming that we are blameless and pure. We may appear to most and even ourselves that we are righteous. Our outward appearance may seem so, but our hearts are not completely clean or innocent.

Job realized here that no matter how clean he appeared outwardly, he is just as guilty inwardly. We can try to wash and cleanse our bodies to appear perfect to a watching world, but God is judging our hearts as we speak. God wants our heart and soul to be clean before him. That perfect cleansing comes only through the blood of Christ. As you go about your day today, worry more about what’s on the inside than the outside.

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways. (Proverbs 23:26)

January 14

As we sailed past the point, I turned to look back, and I took this picture of the towering rocks. The ocean was fairly calm that day, but even the small waves were tossing our boat side to side. As we rocked back and forth, I focused on the rock formation. The boat and sea were moving, but the solid rocks were firmly planted in the middle of the waters.

The psalmist once again is crying out to God in prayer for help. Perhaps he’s in need of healing, maybe he needs deliverance from his enemies, or maybe he has strayed from his faith. Whatever the problem, the psalmist prays to God for help. He realized that God answers prayer. God always answers prayer in his time and in his will.

When we don’t get an immediate answer to our prayers, remember, God is strengthening you from the inside with faith and boldness. God is teaching you patience and is allowing you to learn perseverance through faith in him. Life, like the sea, will sometimes toss you from side to side. Hold on to God, pray, and have faith in him. God never moves or changes.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

January 15

As I walked past the curve of the beach, I spotted this large piece of driftwood. While I drew closer and closer, I began to see the beauty of the wood. I froze at the base of the fallen tree, and I wondered what most people saw in the old dried up wood. Beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder.

The Hebrew writer admonishes us to pay careful attention to what we have heard. We are to remember first and foremost the Gospel of Christ and his redemptive work on the cross. Every lesson that Christ taught his disciples should be learned by us also. If we take our eyes off of the cross for just a brief moment, we will begin to drift away from what we know is right.

Maybe you’ve drifted farther away from God than you intended to. Perhaps you feel stranded and bogged down in your life today. Just as an artist or woodworker can turn this driftwood into a work of art, God, the great creator, can turn you into a work of art as well. God isn’t finished with you yet! God sees beauty where no one else does.

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

January 16

How did I miss the plane? I was taking a picture of the beautiful palm trees and didn’t even notice the plane high above. That is just like most of us: We can’t see the forest for the trees. Do we not treat Christ the same way from time to time? He is there right in front of us, and yet we still can’t see him.

Luke, on the other hand, didn’t miss much. He was a loyal friend, physician, and well-educated man. Luke knew what it was like to help others in need. One of his greatest strengths was the realization that God’s Word would come to our aid whenever called upon. Christ was using the Word of God to combat Satan in Luke chapter 4 as he was being tempted in the desert.

Satan led Christ to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. Satan tempted Jesus to jump and to throw himself upon the stones below. Satan even used scripture to try and convince Jesus to jump. Christ knew better than all that a legion of angels was at his service. Those same angels are watching carefully over each of God’s children today. Cling to the Word of God daily, and use it to fight Satan and his temptations.

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13)

January 17

Harvesttime in West Texas for the most part comes in the fall. I don’t necessarily think of heat when I think of harvest. However, I have experienced several wheat harvests in June, and it was always plenty warm. Harvesttime in the regions of Lebanon came in the heat of the summer. There is nothing more refreshing than a cool drink on a hot summer day.

Snow back then was hauled down from the cleft of the mountains in the summertime. The snow was used in drinks to cool the drinks down. The parched soul was immediately refreshed when given a cold drink. Being parched is not a pleasant experience. Have you ever been extremely thirsty? So thirsty you thought you might die without a drink soon?

We are called to be a trustworthy messenger each day of our lives. We have been entrusted to spread the Gospel to a lost world. There is no one more parched than a lost soul. We can’t always see their longing for a drink, but that longing is there. Each time God sees us share Christ with others it refreshes his spirit. Are you being a servant today dispensing a refreshing drink to a longing soul?

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:42)

January 18

As you go about your day today, remember one thing: you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Every chance I get, I love to look at the moon late in the evening. I don’t have the best vision in the world, but my naked eye can still see the moon nearly 250,000 miles away. I can also see many stars that are well beyond the moon.

Isaiah was challenging the Israelites to give God his due praise and honor. They had begun to believe that their captors were bigger and stronger gods than even Almighty God. It is sad to think, so many people in the world today feel the same way.

As the sun began to set on the horizon of the ocean, the darkness followed close behind. I began to lift my eyes heavenward and look for the starry host of heaven. Who created all these? Not only created but calls each star by name. God holds each star in orbit for his purpose and glory. God alone created all these, and no one compares to him. Never doubt the sovereign and majestic hand of God. That same God also created you, and he calls you by name because he loves you.

To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One. (Isaiah 40:25)

January 19

You either love us or you absolutely hate us. I am talking about the United States of America. A land of the free and the home of the brave. Some clamor to make their home here while others vow to destroy us. What does having legal citizenship mean to you? Webster defines a citizen as "an inhabitant of a city or town, especially: one