Follow Your Guide
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Follow Your Guide
Follow Your Guide
2 Three days later the Israelite officers went through the camp, 3 giving these instructions to the people: “When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”
Over and over I feel like I have spoken these words and more in the last few weeks than ever before: “we have never lived in times like these before.”
It seems like every time I turn on the TV, see another Facebook post or watch another YouTube video I’m reminded that we’ve never lived in times like these before.
In truth is it’s not just a saying and it’s not just a phrase, it is reality we haven’t seen anything like this before.
Many of us have never pastored through a situation like this, we definitely haven’t dealt with a pandemic like this in the days of 24 hour news and social media which allows us to share our every thought and conspiracy possible on the subject.
Looking at our Passage we know the Spirit of God dwelt in the Ark and they were to follow it but those charged with helping guide the people were the pastors.
In our current situation each head of houshold must decide what is right for their family right now, just as each Pastor must decide what is right for their people durring this time. What may look like giving into fear from the eyes of the religious spirited person Is actually wisdom received through fervent prayer. There is not a pastor out there jumping for joy at the closing of their church. Not one cowering in fear and locking up because of that....if that was the case they wold preach, teach or pastor at all.....WHY??? Becausee the attacks of people/society are ch ore scary than this virus.
There are many situations nowadays that cause us to say we have never.
This is a hard decision so if its one yor pastor has made, I urge you to support them in it.
But this virus isnt the only reason to say we’ve never seen times like these.
We’ve never had to worry about our children being brainwashed by a socialistic gender confused society they want to introduce our children to things without our consent.
We’ve never had to worry about being put in jail for biblical biblical discipline of her own children. Never had to worry about preaching the pure gospel it save sinners convicts the Saints and sets the captives free. We’ve never had to choose between biblically correct or politically correct. Never had to worry about being sued for bringing deliverance to the captives soul. We never dreamed of the day would come when they would give you legal right to post birth abortion
We’ve never been asked to shut down all of our restaurants, churches, day cares, schools and colleges
We’ve never been this way before.
Now I must stress that no matter what side of the fence you stand on concerning this virus people are watching us and we the church will be judged by how we handle this.
You may feel like we should all be shut in our houses
Or
That this whole thing is orchestrated by some nefarious global entity
Or
The media caused this
Or maybe your in the middle.
Here’s what I can tell you. This seems to be super contagious, and widespread.
Maybe we do deal with this same virus every flu season so what makes it different...
Beloved what would make it different in that scenario is that this year its captured the worlds attention. And that attention is going to look at the church and how we handle it.
As a leader it’s my job to make decisions that I don’t always like, or agree with or feel good about. Basically it my job to make tough decisions. And to lead biblically,
1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
No matter what we do as pastors and churches someone will fault us.
As I thought about all of this, I felt a question coming up in my spirit; what do you do when you're in a place you've never been before, and you don't know where you're going or how to navigate through the territory you're in.
Then I heard the Holy Spirit whisper these words to me. Follow your guide.
Hallelujah, I almost shouted. Praise God, just follow your guide.
Thank you Jesus, follow your guide.
Follow your guide. Praise God.
Wow, why didn't I think of that?
It couldn't be any easier. I don't have to know the way. I don't have to know what’s coming next.
I don't have to lay awake at night tossing and turning worrying about what’s coming next.
All I have to do is follow my guide.
My guide knows the way.
My guide has been this way before.
Nothing surprises my guide.
My guide knows where the road narrows, He knows where all the curves are before I get to them.
He knows all the cliffs and drop offs.
He knows where the green pastures are.
He knows where the still waters are.
He knows when we need to stop and rest, and he knows when we need to run hard.
He knows where the enemies are hiding that would try to ambush us on the way.
He knows how to avoid their traps and snares.
Our guide has an aerial view; he can see everything from a higher perspective.
He may lead you down a different road than you would choose for yourself, but if he does it's because he knows something you and I don't know.
He knows that the easiest path is not always the best path.
And he knows that many times the easiest path looks that way to lure those who have no guide into a trap.
There may be some guides in some countries that are new at the job and have the title but they don't really know the country.
They don't really know the lay of the land.
And the truth is they may be just experimenting at your expense.
But not so with the Holy Spirit, he has been guiding pilgrims through this weary land for centuries,
and the truth is; he has never lost one single person who has followed him faithfully.
As I began to mediate on this I felt a sense of relief, and I felt a peace coming over me.
I felt a great fear leave me, and I felt a great burden lift off my shoulders.
I don't have to try and figure out which way to go, I already have the way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life.
All I have to do is abide in Him and let the Holy Spirit lead me.
Jesus is the way to the father, he is the way to heaven, and he is the way through this valley of confusing twists and turns.
8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and he will guide us until we die.
9 He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.
Over and over again David emphasizes the fact that he needed a guide through this life.
I believe It was out of this deep recognition and dependence upon the wisdom and direction of God that David pens these words, that have inspired millions and millions of people during and through the most difficult and trying times of their lives.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. 2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. 3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. 5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. 6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Listen to this: if we follow the leader, if we stay in step with our leader and our guide, not only will we not have to worry about what is in front of us: we won't have to worry about what is behind us, because goodness and mercy will take care of that.
Goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
Lets look at this again. If we follow our guide...
He will take care of our needs.
He will tell us when and where to rest.
He will lead us to the waters of refreshing.
He will restore our souls.
He will keep us in the right paths, the paths of righteousness.
He will deliver us from the fear of the dark.
He will support us in the hard and difficult places.
He will bless us in spite of and in front of our enemies.
He will anoint our lives with fresh oil, and bring overflow into every area of our lives.
But this is not a universal application provision.
This is the promise to those who are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.
To those who can admit that they need a guide.
To those who are not too proud to be corrected.
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” .
There are multitudes today who will end up ambushed, beaten and wounded, and robbed of every good thing in their lives, simply because they want to make their own way. (In other words; they aren’t willing to be led).
You see it takes a certain amount of humility to be led.
It takes a willingness to leave the driving up to someone else.
Many people are too proud to trust their lives to the Lord.
The sad truth is: they are bound for destruction.
The only one who knows how to navigate through these turbulent, uncertain confusing times is the Holy Spirit.
He guided the children of Israel through the wilderness.
He guided David through the valley of the shadow of death.
He guided Jesus through the garden of Gethsemane,
and through the suffering of Calvary then into the eternal glories of heaven.
The Holy Spirit is your guide and he knows the way.
The question is, are you willing to be led?
Will you listen to your guide?
Will you read his Word?
Will you turn when he says turn?
Will you stop when he says stop, and go when he says go?
Will you pray when he says pray?
Will you repent when he says repent?
Will you forgive when he says forgive?
I am truly concerned about those today who are trying to make it without the trusted guidance of the Holy Spirit.
.