Tag Archives: doing things God’s way

February 12, 2026 · 5:30 AM

Living By God’s Code

When I was in my teens, I was introduced to what it meant to live by a code. I was taught that it was important to have a set of guiding principles by which to live your life. I didn’t know then how much they would shape my life and help me through making decisions. All these years later I still have the code memorized and think of the characteristics often. They are still the words I live by because they are so fundamental. These words apply to my mental, physical and spiritual life. They are: alert, clean, honest, courageous, loyal, courteous, obedient and spiritual. Each has its own saying that defines it and how I should live.

When the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt, they didn’t have a code to live by. After living in Egypt and slavery for so long, their guiding principles were what the Egyptians told them to do. So the first place God led them to was Mount Sinai to meet with them and to give them some principles to live by. Today, we call them the Ten Commandments. You can find them in Exodus 20. These commandments were a set of rules to live by to ensure that people did the right thing by God, themselves and others if only they would follow them. He further defined the Law through Leviticus, but these were the core ones to guide their lives.

Today, we have the entire Bible to show us how to live. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (NLT). The word “hidden” means to store up and treasure as your most valuable possession to the point that it governs your life. God’s Word is not just a mere set of morally good ideas and principles that we should just read. It’s inspired by God and is to be used for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). It is what we need to treasure above all other things in our heart because of the eternal impacts it has on us. When we value it and place it in a position in our life to govern our decisions, we will live the way God called us to. It is our Code for living.

Throwback Thursday is a feature I’m using to help build some margin into my schedule to pursue other ventures. Each Thursday I’ll be bringing you a previously written devotional that still speaks encouragement to us from God’s Word.

Photo by RDNE Stock on Pexels.

Get Off The Treadmill

Years ago I was at the YMCA running on the treadmill one evening. I was running at a steady pace and had been going for over a mile or so. At this YMCA there were windows in front of you and a TV to the right. It was dark out so I couldn’t see out the window. I began watching the news on the TV as they were updating on the war in Iraq. I was starting to get tired I guess and quit paying as close attention to the fact I was on a treadmill. One foot stepped on the side of the treadmill, which wasn’t moving, while the other foot stayed on the moving conveyor belt. My upper half started to go forward as my lower half shot backwards. I fell face first into the treadmill and flew backwards onto the floor. I’m sure people got a good laugh as I jumped up and exited the Y. I started thinking about the treadmill that night and how I can run for hours, getting tired and going nowhere. It’s like trying to do things in your own strength and expertise without relying on God.

In Luke 5, Jesus was teaching a crowd, but they kept pressing in and backing Him up to the water’s edge of the Sea of Galilee. He noticed some fishermen there cleaning their nets and asked if they could take Him out a bit so He could teach the crowd. Once He finished, He asked these experienced fishermen to push out further and to cast their nets. Verse 5 tells us, “Simon replied, ‘Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again]’” (AMP). They didn’t argue that they knew what they were doing or how it was the wrong time or place according to their knowledge. They had tried it in their abilities and had gotten nowhere and were tired. They decided to obey and their boat nearly capsized. It was then that they learned to rely on what Jesus said rather than their expertise.

Ephesians 5:17 says, “Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.” Sometimes we know what God’s plan is for our lives, but we try to accomplish it in our own strength or knowledge. In those moments we can feel foolish as we accomplish so little in exchange for the amount of effort we’re putting in. It’s important to not only seek God’s will, but also His direction. We can end up on a treadmill going nowhere, getting tired and falling on our face trying to do what He asks in our own strength and knowledge. If that’s you, it’s time to get off the treadmill, ask Him to show you how He wants it accomplished and then follow His lead. You will go farther and get greater results if you do.

Photo by Tikkho Maciel on Unsplash

Ready To Listen

I’m the type of person who likes to do things my own way. Once I get an idea in my head of how to do something, I quit listening to others on how they think I should do it, and I start making my way. I’ve been known to fall flat on my face, a few times, but I still keep going. I can tell you that it’s not until I’m all out of options in trying to do things my way that I’m ready to listen to anyone, including God. He, like others, is speaking to me often, trying to help me, but it’s me who refuses to listen. I’m too busy trying to figure things out myself, so I’m not ready to listen. It’s a good thing He is patient. He waits until I’m ready to listen, which is usually when I’m at my rope’s end, and then He guides me back. If only I were ready to listen earlier, it would save a lot of heartache, pain and time.

In 1 Samuel, Eli was the priest. His son’s were also priests, but they were acting like heathen. They were disrespectful of God’s offerings and their position. Eli knew it and softly rebuked them, but didn’t remove them from their office. 1 Samuel 2:25 says, “But they were too far gone in disobedience and refused to listen” (MSG). A prophet came and rebuked Eli telling him that God was going to take the priesthood from him because he hadn’t done anything about it. He still didn’t do anything about his sons. Some time passes and then in chapter 3 it starts out talking about Samuel serving the Lord. It then says, “This was at a time when the revelation of God was rarely heard or seen.” I believe the Word of God was rarely heard because they weren’t ready to listen.

You know the story of how God called out to Samuel 3 times, and 3 times he went to Eli. It was Eli’s advice to the boy I want us to take to heart today. Verse 10 says, “Then GOD came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak. I’m your servant, ready to listen.’” I believe God is trying to speak to us during these difficult times, but too many of us aren’t ready to listen. We’re busy arguing over things that don’t matter in light of eternity, yet God is patiently waiting for us. We have the choice to keep trying to do things our way, or we can stand before God and say, “Speak, Lord. I’m your servant, ready to listen.” We don’t have to wait until we’re at the end of our rope or until we’re out of options to listen. God is ready to speak to us the moment we’re ready to listen.

Photo by Adismara Putri Pradiri on Unsplash

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