Trust the Trail Guide
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Getting Started
Getting Started
Sam’s mom hosted a prayer meeting. She told young Billy to go out in the backyard and play. Billy lasted about 5 minutes he came in and wanted a glass of sweet tea. She said, well now go outside and play we will be praying. Again, it seemed just minutes before he bounced back into the living room. Mom, Mom, can I have one of the cookies, I’m hungry. The mother patiently but firmly worked with Billy, took care of him. She said, Billy stay outside and play. Do not disturb us unless it’s something important or dangerous.
She thought things were finally settled. As they were in the midst of prayer 10 minutes later. Billy shouted, “Mom, Mom, Help help, there’s a LION in the backyard.” Mom went to the door, told Billy to get in the house and she looked out there. She saw the neighbors Bull Mastiff, named Duke, a hulking Golden colored dog.” She said, “Billy, you know ol Duke. You need to stop lying. Go upstairs, talk to God about it and when I’m done, I want to hear what you learned in your prayer time.”
Billy stayed upstairs. His mom finished up with her prayer meeting. She then talked with Billy. Well, Billy what did God say about the story you told?
Well mom, God said that dog was SOOO big, even He too mistook it for a lion at first.
Well, I don’t know if Billy was listening too closely to God, do you?
Today, we will begin looking at Charting the Course for our lives. The most important person to talk with concerning life is the Lord, the great trail Guide.
God speaks to Israel through Isaiah. Israel had stopped listening to God. They worshipped other gods. They wouldn’t sit under the preaching of Biblical prophets. Hezekiah had entertained treaties with Egypt. These were all things God spoke about. So Isaiah calls them out and promises that through the Exile, God would purify the people, their heart, their worship and enrich their lives with abundance of food and peace after they learn to LISTEN again.
21 You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.
When does the passage say you need to listen for the Trail Guide?
Some of time.
Only when you have a big decision.
All of the time.
God speaks to us regularly and you should be talking with Him on a daily basis.
During a much younger time in my life, we took a group up Long’s Peak in Estes Park Colorado. Our Trail guide had me take point and began to hike and move at a steady pace. Well, we had people of all sorts of ability with us. I had made it to a switch back and looked over the group. They were dragging, or so I thought. Well, Steve put on his Sonic the Hedgehog hiking boots. He whisked up to me and had a conversation.
He said, Jim, you are to be point, you are to lead the group, not leave the group. You need to be close enough to guide them. They need to be able to hear you and you need to be able to see them to guide them.
That can’t happen the way you are doing it. I failed up to that time in being able to guide. Thankfully God knows how to guide and push us, but He will never leave it.
God is always talking. But unlike a Park guide, He is always near enough to guide us in the regular course of life.
How do you hear the Trail Guide?
You must be in the Word.
If you stay close to the Word, you will learn God’s character and nature. You will move beyond PROPOSITIONAL RELIGION to a relationship.
Read it.
Don’t just read the Bible to have mere information. Ask God what He said to the people. What He reveals about Himself. What He desires of your time. See he’s looking for the content of the Bible to point to His character and His desire for your life.
Personal worship
The more you know How good, how holy, how powerful, and how caring God is, you will move into worship. And the opposite of worry is worship.
Talk about it.
Iron sharpens Iron. There will be insights you will only gain by sharing and having others share with you about how God is moving and speaking. One of Life Group and children’s leaders shared with us about the way God worked in his heart and life through teaching and having kids ask questions this past week. He was blessed, others were blessed, I know I was blessed in a special way. A way to regularly talk about God, His word, and what He saying to you and others happens in Life Group.
Life Group.
Be under the preaching of the Word.
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
No one ever graduates from corporate worship. God has stated that He does something unique in the preaching of the Word. The staff and leaders can also attest to the power of the ordinances such as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. A number of people who needed to follow Christ in baptism heard the testimonies and saw the baptisms. It was in the power of the Gospel presented during corporate worship and the Body that it clicked for 4 people in just the past month. We had talked with them before. They saw it as important. But God spoke to them specifically during corporate worship the the presentation of the Gospel.
Corporate worship
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
You need to be in Regular Conversation: Prayer.
Prayer goes way beyond dinner time, kneeling at your bedside or your favorite spot. God means for you to be in regular conversation with Him. While I preach, I pray. There will be times that God speaks to me on Sunday morning about a particular phrase or idea. I may have edited it out or only vaguely grasped it before that moment. But, I’ve seen Him work. Someone will say, Pastor, did someone tell you I had that question? Did you read my Facebook, no. But, I know WHO did;)
You need to be in Step with the Spirit.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Note, living by the Spirit doesn’t come naturally. We have to want to do it. We have to choose it and we also have to avoid the regular temptations that beset us.
What gets you off the path?
Rushing ahead of God.
Note it says, IN STEP. That means you can be going forward, you can be doing what you think is good, but you can rush ahead of God. You need to check and listen for God’s footsteps near you. If you don’t hear him, you may be too far ahead. When you run blindly ahead, you can run into a wall or off a cliff.
2 Also, a life without knowledge is not good, and he who moves quickly with his feet misses the mark.
Sin
Sin is Missing the Mark.
Pride. CONCEIT
I know it all. I don’t need the church, my Life Group or the Bible. I’ve come across the spiritual giants Paul talks about. Even Jesus went to Synagogue or the church of His day.
But, I’ve heard people who want to project that they are super spiritual. They are more mature, they’ll say things like I don’t need church or worship because I’ve heard it all.
I know more than the guy preaching etc...
Well, right then you know that’s one of the most immature people you’ll meet. Number 1, worship ISNT about them or you or me. It’s about an audience of One. And as Paul says, we make it our aim to PLEASE Him. So Conceit blinds us to worship and thus a relationship.
Secondly, Conceit blinds us to proper priorities. I’ve got to work to make all this money, I’ll focus on God when I retire. I deserve that position, I don’t care how it will affect my faith. I need to purchase it now. I don’t care how financial stress will make me a grumpy giver. Remember, you can give without loving, but you can’t truly love God without giving. I want a cool looking car.
Unforgiveness.
If you can’t forgive someone, you keep on provoking anger and bitterness, you can’t hear God and God won’t listen to your prayers.
Apathy.
Most people just fall out of basic habits of getting together. God designed us to grow together. So the Devil will do all he can to discourage you from attending, belonging, and serving. By the time you see the person who attended every week move to 3 out of 4 then 2 out of four over a few months, they stopped a lot of other spiritual habits.
So when you come to the Bible EXPECT GOD TO speak.
When you come to Lifegroup, come early, come ready to discuss, ask a question, or encourage someone else.
When you worship, tell God this is His time and look for Him to move you, be open to help someone or serve them.
You’ve got to keep in step with the Spirit.