God's Guidance

FINDING OUR WAY THROUGH A MESSY WORLD!

          There is a story told of woman who purchased a parrot to keep her company. She took her new pet home but returned the next day to report, “That parrot hasn’t said a word yet!”

          “Does it have a mirror?” asked the storekeeper. “Parrots like to be able to look at themselves in the mirror.”  So she bought the mirror and returned home.

          The next day she was back, announcing that the bird still wasn’t speaking.

          “What about a ladder?” the storekeeper said. “Parrots enjoy walking up and down a ladder.” So she bought a ladder and returned home.

          Sure enough, the next day she was back with the same story – still no talk.

          “Does the parrot have a swing? Birds enjoy relaxing on a swing.” She bought the swing and went home.

          The next day she returned to the store to announce the bird had died.

          “I’m terribly sorry to hear that,” said the storekeeper. “Did the bird ever say anything before it died?”

          “Yes,” the lady replied. “It said, Don’t they sell any food down there?”

A.     This woman was looking for guidance but couldn’t find it just as Job suggested long ago, "…where can wisdom be  found? Where does understanding dwell?  Man does not

      comprehend its worth; it cannot be found in the land of the

      living.” And Solomon recognized the danger of leading a

      people who lacked guidance for their lives. He said, “For lack

      of guidance a nation falls”.

B.     I have been struck by how many of my high school classmates

      have experienced marriage break-up, business failure or other

       personal failures. This simply proves what the Bible has

       always told us: that a life well lived is a life full of good

       decisions and that a tragic life is littered with ill-considered

        judgements. What we all need is guidance!

I.   WE CAN FIND GUIDANCE FROM GOD.

A.       How do I know? For the Bible tells me so!

The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs… (Isaiah 58:11 NIVUS)

 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. (Psalms 25:12 NIVUS)

B.       The Bible is also full of example of God guiding people:

1.      As we studied last Sunday God instructed Noah down to the exact measurements how to build the arch.

2.      God sent Abram to a new land and showed him the way to find it.

3.      When Israel was travelling to the Promised Land God provided a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day to direct the way.

4.      When God told Solomon to build the temple he gave him precise instructions as to how it should be built and what it should contain.

5.      Even Jesus, before he choose his disciples, spent the night in prayer with the Father.

C.     We can count on God providing direction for our lives. But how can we receive God’s guidance?

II.   HOW WE CAN RECEIVE GOD’S GUIDANCE.

A.       By first reevaluating our current guidance systems.

1.      Airplane pilots recognize the danger of  other

      electronic systems interfering with the guidance

      system of an aircraft.

2.      Some of us follow guidance systems just as unreliable,

      philosophies like: “I will choose whatever course in life

      is easiest and causes the least pain,” “I will opt for the

      opt for the riskiest path,” “I will let the people around

      me choose my path.”

3.      Possibly it’s time to make the commitment that we’re

      going to take the path that God leads me to take. Proverbs

      3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and

      lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways

      acknowledge him, and he will make your paths

      straight.”

B.        By developing wisdom.

1.      God extends wisdom to us a lot like a parent should deal

      with their child (Illus. of a father discovering that his

      role with his son was not to do things for him but to

      coach him how to do things).

2.      God doesn’t delight in weakness masquerading as dependence.

·        “Oh, God, give me a vision – and give it to me now!”

·        “Oh, God, let this Bible fall open to the answer.”

·        “All right, God, I desperately need a dream. Just tell me what I should do.”

3.       God wants us to gain wisdom from Him not

       dependence to him.

III.             THE THINGS GOD USES TO GUIDE US.

A.     The Bible.

1.      It’s amazing how many decisions truly are no-brainers

      when we look into the Bible for direction.

·        To the person who says, “Shall I sell my house, take all the money , and buy lottery tickets?”

·        The business person who agonizes over whether he should tell the truth to a prospective customer or lie.

·        The Christian deciding if she should marry someone not part of the faith of faith.

2.      The clearest , most direct route to the guidance of God

       is through His revealed Word, the Bible. We ignore it at

       our peril.

B.     The Witness of the Holy Spirit.

1.      Visions and audible words booming out of the clouds are not God usual methods. God tends to lead us through gentle spiritual promptings.(Illus. of Caroline bringing over some vegetables to the neighbor who’s boys had picked some of our green tomatoes).

2.      It usually starts with a sense of unrest to get your attention…then come the promptings…pray about it, you feel this is God’s leading walk in that direction…gage the level of peace, if it continues to increase keep on walking, if not, slow down.

3.      New Christians need to very careful with this kind of

      guidance.

C.     The Advise of Wise People.

for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers. (Proverbs 24:6 NIVUS)

 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. (Proverbs 12:15 NIVUS)

1.      It’s always wise to get the counsel of  wise, spiritual,

      knowledgeable people.

2.      But remember this only one of the ways that God leads

      and you need to consider others as well.

IV.       WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE STILL NOT SURE

OF GOD’S GUIDANCE.

A.     Proceed with your own judgement. – we are told to be “as

      shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” (Matthew

      10:16)

B.     Remember that feelings of bliss do not necessarily

      confirm God’s leading.

C.     Enjoy the adventure of searching for God’s will.

D.     Find comfort in God’s providence – don’t overdo the implications of making the wrong choice: - “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIVUS)

APPLICATION

     A number of years ago the Reader’s Digest published an article of  US air force pilot who during the Viet Nam war was forced to parachute from his plane and landed in enemy territory. He was rescued by relying on the guidance given by short-wave radio and their common knowledge of various holes of American golf courses…that is a fitting example as to how God wishes to guide us.