33 Sermon Illustrations on Divine Guidance

The Word of God corrects us. That is a particularly interesting word. When flying to Florida, it seemed to me like a pretty straight shot from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale. But in the cockpit of the airplane is a fine-tuned radar mechanism. All during the trip, the plane is flown on automatic pilot, which continually yet imperceptibly corrects the course of the plane to keep it on track. That's what God's Word does for us. It nudges us to keep us on course. It keeps affecting the way we think, the way we draw conclusions, and the way we make our daily life decisions.

Along our highways, well placed at appropriate locations, are official signs which give us direction and warn us of danger. Most of these are the reflector type; that is, they are designed to reflect the light of auto headlamps. In darkness, they are invisible to anyone who travels without a light. But when our auto headlights are flashed upon these signs, they reflect back to us their message of guidance or caution. Their night-time aid to us depends upon the light we bring to them. They have no meaning for unlighted lamps. God would like to guide us through the days and through the years of this life. His signs are out there-in all the appropriate places. But whether we see them will depend upon the light with which we approach them. The Ungoofer In The Reader's Digest sometime ago a lady reported a rather interesting experience. She telephoned her bank in an attempt to correct an error which the bank had made. Her call was transferred from one person to another, from office to office, and there was much talk, but no help. At last, the eighth person proved to be calmly and sympathetically helpful. He was genuinely pleasant thoroughly efficient, even friendly. The business finished, the lady said, "You're great! What is your position in the bank?" He answered, "I'm the ungoofer." The ungoofer! Most of us need one now and again. And we have one. That lady had a lot of trouble getting through to the bank's ungoofer; but, my friend, you and I have no difficulty at all in getting through to ours, if we really try. Keep in touch with the One who forgives, untangles, heals-ungoofs. If there are tangles and snarls, messes and mix-ups, tell Him about them-and trust Him. The Strange Providences of God The following incident is taken from an experience of Charles H. Spurgeon with an atheist. There was an atheist in the vicinity of Mr. Spurgeon's home and he was very ugly to anyone who believed the Bible. Mr. Spurgeon asked the Lord to direct him in what he should read for morning devotions. Then he seemed strongly impressed to read the book of Joel in its entirety. When he came to Joel 3, he read the third verse: "And sold the girl for wine." Whereupon, Mr. Spurgeon checked his concordance to see how many times the word "girl" occurred in the Bible. To his great surprise, he found the word only occurred once. A little later he thought he would take a walk. About a block and a half away he looked up and there was the atheist's house. He went up and knocked. The atheist growled, "Well, what do you want?" "I would like to read the Bible to you," Spurgeon replied. "The atheist began his usual abuse, then suddenly stopped and said, "Will you tell me how often the word 'girl' is in the Bible?" Mr. Spurgeon answered, "Once." The atheist then said, "Tell me where it is found and I will let you in." Spurgeon replied, "Joel 3:3." The atheist then said, "Tell me before I let you in, how did you know it?" Mr. Spurgeon answered, "I haven't known it two hours. In my morning devotions I read the book of Joel." Then Mr. Spurgeon stepped in, and in half an hour the atheist was on his knees asking God to forgive his sins. The Hand or the Glove? I have a glove here in my hand. The glove cannot do anything by itself, but when my hand is in it, the glove can do many things. True, it is not the glove, but my hand in the glove that acts. The Christian is a glove. It is the Holy Spirit in us, the hand, who does the work. We have to make room for the hand so that every finger in the glove is filled.

Here is an illustration of how to find God's will that has been useful to many: There was a certain harbor that was treacherous and dangerous. In order for the captain to guide his ship safely into this harbor, he had to be very attentive to the three lights that were used to guide him. When all three lights lined up as one, he knew it was safe to proceed. Then, and only then, would he be able to bring his ship safely to port. As we seek guidance, we, too, have to be attentive to three lights that are used to guide us into the harbor of His will: the Word of God, outward circumstances, and inner conviction. When all three of these lights line up, we can proceed with assurance that we will be led safely into the harbor.

Capt. Yount of California, in a mid-winter's night, had a dream, in which he saw what appeared to be a company of emigrants arrested by the snows of the mountains, and perishing rapidly by cold and hunger. He noted the very cast of the scenery, marked by a huge perpendicular front of white rock cliff; he saw the men cutting off what appeared to be tree-tops rising out of deep gulfs of snow; he distinguished the very features of the persons, and the look of their particular distress. He woke, profoundly impressed with the distinctness and apparent reality of his dream. At length he fell asleep, and dreamed exactly the same dream again. In the morning, he could not expel it from his mind. Falling in, shortly, with an old hunter comrade, he told him the story; and was only the more deeply impressed by his recognizing, without hesitation, the scenery of the dream. This comrade came over the Sierra by the Carson Valley Pass (in California), and declared that a spot in the pass answered exactly to his description. By this, the unsophisticated patriarch was decided. He immediately collected a company of men with mules and blankets, and all necessary provisions. The neighbors were laughing, meantime, at his credulity. "No matter," said he: "I am able to do this, and I will: for I verily believe that the fact is according to my dream." The men were sent into the mountains one hundred and fifty miles distant, directly to the Carson Valley Pass; and there they found the company in exactly the condition of the dream, and brought in the remnant alive. A gentleman present, when the captain told me, said, "You need not doubt this; for we Californians all know the facts, and the names of the families brought in, who look upon our venerable friend as a kind of Saviour." Their names he gave, and the places where they reside; and I found, afterwards, that the California people were ready everywhere to second his testimony. Dr. Burkett.

The legend says, that an obstinate heretic, who went to hear St. Ambrose preach only to confute and mock him, beheld an angel visible at his side, and prompting the words he uttered; on seeing which, the scoffer was of course converted.

— Mrs. Jameson

Many of our troubles are God dragging us; and they would end if we would stand upon our feet, and go whither he would have us. Beecher.

While the important question of the representation of the American States in the senate was the subject of debate, and the states were almost equally divided upon it, Dr. Franklin moved that prayers should be attended in the convention every morning, and in support of his motion, thus addressed the president:

"Mr. President: The small progress we have made after four or five weeks of close attendance and continual reasonings with each other, our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ayes, is, methinks, a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the human understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own want of political wisdom, since we have been running all about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of republics, which, having been originally formed with the seeds of their own dissolution, now no longer exist; and we have viewed modern states all around Europe, but find none of their constitutions suitable to our circumstances. In this situation of this assembly, groping, as it were, in the dark, to find political truth, and scarcely able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights, to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with Great Britain, and wher we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle, must have observed frequent instances of a superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind Providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace, on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful Friend? or do we imagine we no longer need his assistance? I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that 'except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I also believe, that without this concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel; we shall be divided by our little partial local interests, our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall become a reproach and a by-word to future ages. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter, from this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing governments by human wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, or conquest. I therefore beg leave to move, that henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business; and that one or more of the clergy of this city be requested to officiate in that service."

What a lesson to the legislators of other nations!

Major Ferguson, who commanded a rifle corps in advance of the hussars under Kniphausen, during some skirmishing a day or two previous to the battle of Brandywine, was the hero of a very singular incident, which he thus relates in a letter to a friend. It illustrates, in a most forcible manner, the overruling hand of Providence in directing the operations of a man's mind, in moments when he is least of all aware of it.

"We had not lain long, when a rebel officer, remarkable by a hussar dress, pressed towards our army, within a hundred yards of my right flank, not perceiving us. He was followed by another, dressed in dark green and blue, mounted on a bay horse, with a remarkably high cocked hat. I ordered three good shots to steal near to them, and fire at them; but the idea disgusting me, I recalled the order. The hussar, in returning, made a circuit, but the other passed within a hundred yards of us, upon which I advanced from the wood towards him. Upon my calling, he stopped; but after looking at me, he proceeded. I again drew his attention, and made signs to him to stop, leveling my piece at him; but he slowly cantered away. As I was within that distance at which, in the quickest firing, I could have lodged half a dozen balls in or about him, before he was out of my reach, I had only to determine; but it was not pleasant to fire at the back of an unoffending individual, who was acquitting himself very coolly of his duty; so I let him alone.

"The day after, I had been telling this story to some wounded officers who lay in the same room with me, when one of the surgeons, who had been dressing the wounded rebel officers, came in, and told us, that they had been informing him that General Washington was all the morning with the light troops, and only attended by a French officer in a hussar dress, he himself dressed and mounted in every point as above described. I am not sorry that I did not know at the time who it was."

Plan without God and find God's plan athwart yours (v. 8). Prov. 21:30. Better to have an ear for the man of God (v. 10)

Mr. Spurgeon had many strange experiences, and some of these incidents he related to his students in his Friday afternoon talks with them. While living at Nightingale Lane, a visitor called, who was certainly not at all welcome, and his admittance might have had very serious consequences if the beloved master of the house had not been graciously guided in his mode of dealing with the madman. Mr. Spurgeon happened to be passing the entrance-hall just as someone rapped rather loudly at the door; and, without considering who might be seeking admission in that unceremonious fashion, he opened it. In an instant, a wild-looking man, armed with a huge stick, sprang in, slammed the door, stood with his back against it, and, in a most menacing manner, announced that he had come to kill Mr. Spurgeon! The situation was extremely critical, for there was no way either to escape from the maniac or to summon assistance to get rid of him; so Mr. Spurgeon said, "You must mean my brother, his name is Spurgeon;"—knowing, of course, that he could give him timely warning if there was any fear of the man going to Croydon. "Ah!" said the crazy fellow, "it is the man that makes jokes that I mean to kill." "Oh, then, you must go to my brother, for he makes jokes!" "No," he said, "I believe you are the man," and then suddenly he exclaimed, "Do you know the asylum at—? That's where I live, and it takes ten men to hold me." Then Mr. Spurgeon saw his opportunity, and drawing himself up to his full height, he said, in his most impressive tones, "Ten men! that is nothing; you don't know how strong I am. Give me that stick." The poor creature, thoroughly cowed, handed over the formidable weapon. Seizing it, and opening the door, Mr. Spurgeon almost shouted, "If you are not out of the house this very moment, I'll break every bone in your body." The man quickly fled, someone was at once sent to give information to the police, and it was a great relief to hear that, before long, the escaped madman was again under restraint.

An old authority assures us that "the Jews fancy, concerning the cloud that conducted Israel through the wilderness, that it did not only show them the way, but also plane it; that it did not only lead them in the way which they must go, but also fit the way for them to go upon it; that it cleared all the mountains and smoothed all the rocks; that it cleared all the bushes and removed all the rubs."

The late Prof. Henry Drummond was staying at the house of a friend whose coachman had imperiled his career more than once by drunkenness. “Do try and speak to him about it,” said the lady to Professor Drummond. Driving to the station, Professor Drummond sat beside the coachman. The carriage narrowly escaped collision through the carelessness of another driver. “Didn’t I manage that well?” said the coachman to Professor Drummond. “You did, indeed. How was it?” “Because,” said the coachman, “I understand the horses’ mouths exactly and they obey my slightest guidance.” Drummond seized the opportunity immediately. “I have only a minute,” he said, “but let me ask, Why don’t you throw the reins of your life to God, who understands your mouth and is ready and willing to guide you?” The word went home to the coachman’s heart. (Text.)

It would hasten the world’s progress if each generation would consider the welfare of those to follow as carefully as did the church mentioned here:

Anticipating that airships will be in common use in a few years, the officials of Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, of Atlanta, Georgia, when it was in process of building, instructed the building committee to so arrange the roof that there will be no difficulty in adapting it to airship landings.

The officials declared that in future years the communicants of the church would sail to and from the services in airships, just as they now speed their automobiles. They say that as they are erecting a structure that will stand for 100 years it should be modern in every respect.

T. DeWitt Talmage notes some interesting facts about deer and water-brooks.

But there are two facts to which I want to call your attention. The first is that water-brooks not only saved the hunted deer by throwing the dogs off the trail, but also by making it possible for the deer to run in a straight line away from the dogs. I was very much surprized to find out that these water-brooks are to the deer what the compass is to a hunter in the woods--it keeps the deer from traveling in a circle.

The pursued deer, unless drawn by the scent of water, always runs in a circle. No sooner has a deer been shot at and the dogs been turned loose, than at once the deer, unless he has the guiding scent of water, seems to lose his reasoning faculties. He will run like the wind. He will run on and on--five, ten, fifteen or even twenty miles; but unless he can scent the water-brooks from afar, he will always travel in a circle and come back to the very place where the hunter first shot at him--back to the place where he will be shot at again. This circling flight of the deer is universally recognized. Some of the different State Legislatures have enacted game laws, which make it a felony for any man to hunt the deer by the means of hounds. Why? If they did not make such a law, the deer of those States would soon be exterminated. The circling flight of the deer makes it a very simple matter for a few hunters to stand in one place and shoot at the running game again and again, until the deer have been entirely slaughtered. (Text.)

Numa Pompilius, the second and the wisest King of Rome, was accustomed to retire to the forest, and receive wisdom and instruction from the goddess Egeria--who met him in secret--and then came forth to triumph in government and over his enemies. (Text.)

When someone begins a sentence with the words, “God told me...,” we worry. People have ascribed as “leadings from God” things that were nothing more than their own inner compulsions. People think God tells them all kinds of things. A healthy skepticism is called for when anyone attributes ideas and plans to God’s leading.

But that’s not to say that personal guidance never happens. Haven’t we all experienced times where it seemed as if God WAS indeed speaking to us? If God exists, and cares for us as deeply as the Bible indicates, it seems logical that there would be at least some direct communication.

The Bible seems to indicate that this kind of guidance is possible. In Psalm 32:8 God says: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” Isaiah 58:11 tells us: “The Lord will guide you always.”

But when supposed guidance does come, how can we know that it’s really God’s directing us, and not our own impulses? People sometimes ask me to help discern whether or not God is speaking to them. “Do you think God is trying to tell me something?” they’ll ask. “How can I be sure I’m hearing from God, and not just projecting my own desires?”

People who are wise in spiritual things have been wrestling with these questions for years. F.B. Meyer, in his masterful little book entitled “The Secret of Guidance” suggests a way of discerning God’s guidance that has been used for centuries. He refers to three means of guidance that he calls the “three lights”. Meyer says that if you see these lights in alignment with one another, pointing in some direction, then that is the direction you should go. In other words, these three lights need to be working together.

1. THE INNER VOICE

The “inner voice” refers to inner impressions or private thoughts that we attribute to God. It’s not an audible voice that we hear, but ideas that get stamped into our consciousness. It's hard to explain how, but you have this “sense” that God is telling you something. You find yourself saying: “I feel like God is telling me something. I can't explain why, but this idea or prompting keeps coming into my mind.”

The problem, of course, is that the inner voice is very subjective. It’s possible that the “voice” we hear is not God’s, but our own. Maybe we’re simply projecting our desires (or fears) into a divine decree. So we need to bring this inner voice into alignment with the other two “lights.”

2. THE BIBLE

The second light is the Bible. This is the primary means God uses to direct us. So much of the guidance and wisdom you and I need to live has already been given to us. We just need to read and reflect on the teachings of the Bible, and discern how they apply to our own situation.

3. CIRCUMSTANCES

The third light is circumstances, the sequence of events and possibilities in our day-to-day lives. This is what people mean when they talk about “doors opening and closing.” Circumstances come together and make something possible or impossible. Doors of possibility open for us, or they close. The job offer comes to us out of the blue (or doesn’t come at all). We want to move, but our house doesn’t sell.

Of course we need to be careful in trying to interpret our circumstances. What looks like an open door may still not be the best move for us. What appears to be a closed door could merely be an obstacle that we need to work around.

People who try discern God’s leading by focusing mostly on circumstances will live like pinballs, bouncing from one thing to another. That’s not how God wants anybody to live.

Once again, the key is that all three lights need to come together. Each one of these by itself is not helpful because it’s too easy to misunderstand. The inner voice can be too subjective. God's guidance in the Bible can be too general when we need specific advice or leading. Circumstances can be too confusing. But when the three come together, then you can have confidence that this really is what God wants you to do.

F.B. Meyer sums it up this way: “God's impressions within and his word without are always corroborated by His providence around. We should quietly wait until these three focus onto one point. If you do not know what you ought to do -- stand still until you do. When the time comes for action, circumstances -- like glowworms -- will sparkle along your path. You will become so sure that you are right, when God's three witness concur, that you be surer although an angel beckons you on.”

A few years ago the cotton-boll weevil, which had increased steadily from year to year, reached a point at which it destroyed in Texas over $30,000,000 worth of cotton in one season. Many men in southern Texas were bankrupted, cotton-planting was given up in certain places, and it looked as if this great wealth-producing industry were doomed in Texas and probably also in time over the entire South. The practical farmers were completely overwhelmed. Here the Department of Agriculture started three lines of experimentation; first, to find some other harmless insect or parasite that would destroy the boll weevil as the white scale had been destroyed in California; second, to develop a species of cotton that could resist weevil attack; and third, to find a method of cultivation that would lessen the injury of the attack of the weevil when made. The ants, which the department brought from South America to eat up the boll weevil, proved a failure, but the development of a better method of cultivation and the use of better adapted varieties of cotton proved so successful that Texas farmers now, following the methods worked out by the department investigators, again raise their magnificent crops of cotton, in spite of the boll weevil.--_The Evening Post._