SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES - GUIDANCE

Three weeks ago, we started the Corporate Disciplines – and looked at Confession. We talked about and utilized Scripture to show how it is both an inward discipline and an outward discipline and that while salvation is a specific point in time it is also a continual process. We also discussed who we should confess to and what we need to have in place in our lives if someone needs prayer and guidance to help them confess. And the response to confession should be forgiveness so we closed with forgiveness and what it is and what it is not.

Two weeks ago we discussed the Corporate Discipline of Worship and utilized William Temple’s quote that says to worship is to, “quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”

Worship is our response to a Holy God; our Heavenly Father and true worship leads to service!

This week we dive into the discipline of Guidance.

Let Us Pray!

I. Why Guidance?

Guidance – advice or information aimed at resolving a problem or difficulty, especially given by someone in a position of authority; steering, giving direction

The inwards disciplines – meditation, prayer, fasting, study – you mostly do alone but could do with others and its fruit is inward – food for the soul

The outward disciplines – simplicity, solitude, submission, service – the fruit of these disciplines are outwardly seen – can be done alone or with others.

Corporate disciplines – confession, worship, guidance, celebration require someone else. You seek guidance from God and others, you give guidance to others through the Holy Spirit

Exodus – He led the people out of Egypt as a pillar of Fire by night and smoke by day

Everyone saw the pillar.

When Moses was on the mountain and there was fire and smoke – everyone saw it and they thought Moses was dead.

Proverbs 1:5 – Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,

Proverbs 11:14 – Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.

Proverbs 15:22 – Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.

Proverbs 19:20 – Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Proverbs 20:18 – Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.

Proverbs 24:6 – for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.

God set it up

Acts 14:23 – And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Titus 1:7 – For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

1 Timothy 3:1-7 – The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

II. What Is Biblical Guidance?

Jethro gave Guidance to Moses

Exodus 18:17-18 – Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.

Exodus 18:19-23 – Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace.”

Jesus taught corporate Guidance –

Matthew 18:19-20 – Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

ACTS 2:42 – And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

ACTS 4:32-34 – And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

ACTS 15 – dispute between apostles about circumcision – so Paul and Barnabas were to sent to Jerusalem to for the council to give guidance

ACTS 15:6 – The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.

St Francis of Assisi – when contemplating only prayer & meditation or preaching ministry – sought Guidance from Sister Claire and Brother Silverster

III. How to Engage in Biblical Guidance?

James 1:5 – If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Proverbs 15:31-33 – The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Call a meeting of Clearness – a group of prayer warriors, spiritually mature and not afraid of speaking the truth – pray and worship together – ask to continue to pray over it until an answer is received.

Quakers (unity over majority – slavery and reimbursing slaves for work) – Ephesians 4:3 – eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

My Journey – Life Groups, Pastor Duane, Leadership Team

Who do you seek Biblical Guidance from?

· Advisor – friend concerned about overall spiritual health– not specialized like an ophthalmologist but more like a family doctor

· Goal to lead us to listen to the Holy Spirit and God the Father

· Not special – not super spiritual – someone who is walking with the Lord and comfortable with self

· Not swayed by politics or current trends or tides

· Should be on an inward journey themselves – be transparent and share

· Seen as spiritual parent relationship – able to give tough love and not unanimous support or approval

· Comes about through prayer and patience

Limits of Corporate Guidance

· Be aware of manipulation and control – not about imposing our will on someone or try to get them on “our side” (unity in the Spirit)

· Stiffed Necked people can hinder spirit-led leaders (not a democracy but unity)

· Leave Biblical Norms – Scripture must always be our guide – never bend the Word to win a friendship or gain status in someone’s eyes, not hurt feelings

· Our own finitude – we are flawed people, our own fears and prejudices can hinder us or others – leave emotions out of it (Paul and Barnabas over John Mark)

The goal of guidance is not specific instructions about this or that matter but conformity to the image of Christ. Paul said, “Those whom he foreknew he predestined to be conformed to the image of his son” Romans 8:28b

Guidance moves us to seek the Will of God– for this we must be acquainted with God and that comes through Prayer and Reading – God’s Word, God’s Will, God’s Way

God will not lead us or someone to lead us that contrary to His Word but are consistent with His Character

1 John 4:1 – Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,

Be willing to seek Godly Guidance – Be willing to offer Godly Guidance keeping at bay the warnings