Seven Words about Guidance
Notes
Transcript
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SEVEN WORDS ABOUT GUIDANCE
Psalm 32:1–11
The seven words about guidance are stated in verse 8 of this Psalm where the Lord says, “I will guide thee with mine eye.” This is one of the penitential psalms. The others are Psalms 6, 39, 51, 102, 130, and 143. All of these Psalms are full of instruction for the child of God.
We constantly come to crossroads in our lives, and we need to know which way to turn. Can we be guided and be sure of making the right decisions? The short sentence above, which is the Lord’s promise to us, assures us of His readiness and willingness to guide us.
I. The promise of God’s guidance.
I. The promise of God’s guidance.
A. God is able to guide us: Ps. 73:24. He is great and mighty and because of this He is able to guide you. If you are wondering whether to buy a house, whether to get married, or about any other matter, God is able to guide you to make the right decision.
A. God is able to guide us: Ps. 73:24. He is great and mighty and because of this He is able to guide you. If you are wondering whether to buy a house, whether to get married, or about any other matter, God is able to guide you to make the right decision.
B. God is willing to guide us: Prov. 3:5, 6. It would be possible for God to be able to guide us but to be unwilling to do so, but He is able and willing to guide us; otherwise He would not promise to do so.
B. God is willing to guide us: Prov. 3:5, 6. It would be possible for God to be able to guide us but to be unwilling to do so, but He is able and willing to guide us; otherwise He would not promise to do so.
C. God is longing to guide us: Acts 9:6. He not only offers to be our guide; He is eager to be our guide. Why? Because He has a perfect plan for us and He does not want us to make a mistake.
C. God is longing to guide us: Acts 9:6. He not only offers to be our guide; He is eager to be our guide. Why? Because He has a perfect plan for us and He does not want us to make a mistake.
II. The nature of God’s guidance.
II. The nature of God’s guidance.
A. It is divine guidance: Ps. 121:1, 2. How very wonderful it is that God, who is infallible and whose ways are perfect, offers to guide you!
A. It is divine guidance: Ps. 121:1, 2. How very wonderful it is that God, who is infallible and whose ways are perfect, offers to guide you!
B. It is individual guidance: Acts 9:6. The Lord is ready, able, willing, and eager to guide everybody, but it is individual guidance that He gives.
B. It is individual guidance: Acts 9:6. The Lord is ready, able, willing, and eager to guide everybody, but it is individual guidance that He gives.
C. It is practical guidance: Gen. 24:27. It is guidance that is comprehensive and down to earth. This means that He is ever watching over us, and in every way of our life He wants and waits to guide us.
C. It is practical guidance: Gen. 24:27. It is guidance that is comprehensive and down to earth. This means that He is ever watching over us, and in every way of our life He wants and waits to guide us.
III. The condition of God’s guidance.
III. The condition of God’s guidance.
A. There must be a humble mind: Ps. 25:9; Jer. 10:23. There must be the recognition that we need guidance. To ask for guidance means to confess that we do not know the way, and this indicates a humble mind.
A. There must be a humble mind: Ps. 25:9; Jer. 10:23. There must be the recognition that we need guidance. To ask for guidance means to confess that we do not know the way, and this indicates a humble mind.
B. There must be a watchful eye. If the Lord guides us by His eye, then we must watch His eye. How can we do this? We do this in two ways.
B. There must be a watchful eye. If the Lord guides us by His eye, then we must watch His eye. How can we do this? We do this in two ways.
1. By following carefully the guidance He gives us in His Word: 2 Cor. 6:14; Rom. 14:1–17; Heb. 10:25.
1. By following carefully the guidance He gives us in His Word: 2 Cor. 6:14; Rom. 14:1–17; Heb. 10:25.
2. By following carefully the guidance He gives us by His Spirit: Ps. 32:8; Acts 8:26–30; 16:6, 7.
2. By following carefully the guidance He gives us by His Spirit: Ps. 32:8; Acts 8:26–30; 16:6, 7.
C. There must be a surrendered will: Ps. 32:9. We must walk humbly before God, watching and waiting for Him to guide us and fully yielding ourselves to Him in readiness to do that which He wants.
C. There must be a surrendered will: Ps. 32:9. We must walk humbly before God, watching and waiting for Him to guide us and fully yielding ourselves to Him in readiness to do that which He wants.
Adapted from Francis W. Dixon
Copyrighted, used by permission
Francis W. Dixon, “Seven Words about Guidance,” in Heart-Stirring Sermon Outlines, Dollar Sermon Library Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1975), 38–39.