At the Cross Roads working message final
At the Cross Roads
A Few Weeks of Ago I traveled to Louisana to see my sister and spend some time with one of my oldest living relative suffering from Emphysema. To get there you had to pass through Dallas. Did you know they have an interchange in the Dallas area called the mixmaster? And another called the Clover. Because the Road is shaped like a Clover. And depending on what exit you take you can be on it for a long time?
I found my self at a cross road… Looking, Looking, and then deciding.
Webster defines a Cross Road as “ a road that runs across another one”
Jeremiah 6:16
“ Stand at the Crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask were the good way is, and walk in it.”
Four Verbs
I. Stand and Look
Make an Observation
A Proverbs
a. Stand at the Cross roads and observe
b. If we could see down the road to the next bend we would be able to make the good decision then.
c. One day John Wesley was walking with a troubled man who expressed his doubt as to the goodness of God. He said, "I do not know what I shall do with all this worry and trouble." At the same moment Wesley saw a cow looking over a stone wall. "Do you know," asked Wesley, "why that cow is looking over the wall?" "No," said the man. Wesley said, "The cow is looking over the wall because she cannot see through it. That is what you must do with your wall of trouble. Look over it and avoid it." Faith enables us to get above circumstances and look to Christ who is over all.
II. And Then Inquire
a. Ask “ In Scripture the word ask is used over and over again to get
b. Matthew Ask and It will be given to you
c. direction.
d. Ask for the ancient paths
i. Not the easy road, not the convenient, not the well traveled road, but the place of History…
e. Seek God’s Guidance
i. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 NIV
ii. James 4:3-4
f. Make a Decision to Inquire….
III. Act Walk
i. I Corinthians 9:26
1. “I run straight to the goal with Purpose in every step
b. The Metaphor Walk is used to describe forward motion
i. Deut 5:33 “ Walk in all the way your Lord your God has commanded you.”
ii. I John 1:6 “ Walk in the Light as He is in the light.”
c. “ This is the way walk in it” Isaiah 30:21
d. There was a man who lived by Faith, believing God would provide His ever need. In Fact He was so convinced that He gave up everything. Moved from a nice home, into little house on the other side of the tracks, Starting Praying… God please provide my some food. "Dear God, I’m going to starve to death unless you feed me. I haven’t eaten or had anything to drink in 4 days!" When he had prayed all he could pray, and was exhausted he fell back on the bed and stared at teh wall. In the silence, he heard a small voice calling out his name. "Bill! Bill!"
"I’m here Lord," he cried. "Are you finally answering my prayer?"
"I’ve been answering your prayers," the voice replied. "You’ve just been looking in the wrong direction."
"What do you mean Lord? I don’t understand," he exclaimed, exhasperated."Walk outside," said the voice.
Bill walked outside, looked all around on the dirty porch, but still found no food. "There’s nothing here, Lord. I don’t see any food."
"You’re looking in the wrong direction. Look up."
Bill looked up, and there right above his head, pasted onto the building next to him, was a huge billboard with big black prind that said, "DAY LABORERS WANTED! LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED."
Stand at the Cross roads and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and choose it and walk in it.