Ordered By The Lord Ps. 37:23 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Ps 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way”. If you are a good man your steps are ordered by the Lord. There are myriad thoughts that flood into your mind when you consider the truth of this verse.

First, you aren’t good unless you are saved – Rom 3:12; Gal 5:22; Tit 1:8. Our goodness is a product of our salvation whereby God gives us his righteousness through Jesus Christ and the fruit of the Spirit.

Second, when you are good, the Lord orders your steps – Prov 20:24; Prov 16:9. God knows what ‘s best for you even if you don’t think he does. Consider Joseph. He was a good man but he spent 13 years in slavery and in prison as an innocent man. Later, he testified to his brothers, when he revealed himself to them, that God sent him before his brothers to save much people alive. Look what Job went through and yet he never charged God foolishly. And in the end where Job’s steps took him was far better than where he would have gone had the Lord not been leading him. You have to trust the Lord [Prov 3:5-6].

Third, when you are good and God orders your steps you delight in his way – Ps 37:3-5. People generally have a hard time believing that the Lord loves them enough to take an interest in their daily lives. It’s hard for them to imagine the Lord ordering their steps, one by one. However, God does want to guide you [Jn 16:13; Rom 8:14; Jn 8:29]. He knows best. And when you follow him, you will desire his way and delight in his way. It may be a little rough on you at first, but you will truly learn to love his way.

Fourth, you may have God’s goodness, but not be good – 2 Cor 5:10; Col 3:24-25. There are too many Christians today who are not following the Lord. They are following their own lusts. You can’t charge God with leading you in the way of your lusts or agreeing with you in what your are doing.

Fifth, even when you aren’t good, God still tries to order your steps back to him – Rom 2:4. The Lord is like your GPS when you have taken a wrong turn. He keeps giving you alternate routes to get you back on the right track.

Conclusion: Where are you today?  If you need salvation, then receive Jesus Christ and let God order your steps.  However, if you have Jesus Christ and are doing good, then trust that God is ordering your steps even if you are in a storm.  If you need to get right with God, then listen to the Lord’s words in this sermon and get back on track.  I know for a fact that you will delight more in his way than you ever did in your own.