100 Sermon Illustrations on Guidance

I was scheduled to speak at an Easter Sunrise Service not far from the home where we were staying. Since I was leaving before anyone else in the house, my hostess gave me verbal directions to the park - directions which really weren't all that complicated ... for most people. I shot out of the driveway in a big hurry to get where I was going. And I turned in exactly the wrong direction. Later, our hostess told me - actually, she also told everyone at the service where she introduced me - that I was driving all around this complex of buildings near their home instead of heading down the road to my destination. Meanwhile, she was in her yard, waving her arms frantically, trying to get my attention - as I, in my obsession with figuring out where I was going and getting there, blew right through a stop sign and kept on driving in the wrong direction.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Full Speed Ahead in the Wrong Direction.”

Oh, our hostess tired to stop me. She tried to redirect me, but she said I was so determined and so focused that I totally did not see the person who was trying to get me on the right road. So I kept going on the wrong road.

I hate to say it, but I think I've done that with God sometimes. Probably you have, too. God has some stern words for those of us who tend to be pretty strong-willed, determined-to-get-there kind of people. Being determined, goal-oriented, full of drive can be a great, even God-given, thing. But it's all too easy for us to go darting out of the driveway and proceeding full speed ahead in the wrong direction.

God gave this warning in Isaiah 30:1, our word for today from the Word of God: “'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the Lord, 'to those who carry out plans that are not Mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.” God describes those who are obstinately pursuing goals and plans - pushing yourself, pushing others, determined to make it happen. And all the while God is waving His arms, trying to get your attention, trying to slow you down, trying to get you going the right way. But you're at the wheel, so focused on this thing you insist on that you're blowing right past God's stop signs and warnings.

Maybe it's a relationship that you're just determined to pursue - no matter who may be warning you against it - no matter what even God says. You may be determined to get married no matter what, or divorced no matter what. It could be there's a business venture, a career move that you're so focused on that you can't hear God's voice trying to redirect you - trying to stop you. Maybe it's a way that you're determined to make money or even a ministry dream that you're going to make happen, no matter what anyone thinks - even God.

Every day that you ignore God's attempts to stop or redirect you is another day wasted outside of the will of God. No matter how noble your goal, it's a sin to keep pursuing it if God doesn't want you to. For any of us who are driving full speed ahead in any direction, we need to make sure on a daily basis that we are, in fact, driving in a direction that God wants us to go. Life is just too short to waste one more day driving in a direction that God doesn't want you to go.

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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1. Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim through this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou art mighty—

Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand:

Bread of heaven, Bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more,

Feed me till I want no more.

2. Open now the crystal fountain

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fire and cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through:

Strong Deliv’rer, strong Deliv’rer,

Be Thou still my strength and shield,

Be Thou still my strength and shield.

3. When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Bear me through the swelling current,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side:

Songs of praises, songs of praises

I will ever give to Thee,

I will ever give to Thee.

A friend of the ministry reminded us recently that every human testimony is a testimony to the faithfulness not of man, but of God. It struck me as a thought easily misplaced between plans for tomorrow and tasks needing to be accomplished today. Our declarations of what God has done in our lives come naturally in past tense, for the view from hindsight is often the place where we see his faithfulness most clearly. Scripture calls us to sing of his lovingkindness forever; we are also reminded to live aware of his faithfulness today.

Young David was first brought into the king's circle, and one step closer to the throne, because of his ability to play the harp. (One has to wonder if David saw the music lessons his mother made him attend as something God could use to his glory.) Unbeknownst to King Saul who had called for a musician to soothe him in his distress, God had already chosen David among the brothers of Jesse as one anointed for kingship. Unbeknownst to David as he learned to play the harp, God was confirming the work of his fingers even as He was orchestrating the days of his life.

Though I've never drawn the connection before, my mother holds a testimony similar to David's. In need of work and praying that God would provide the right opportunity, she was offered a job because she had once played a musical instrument. Using a nearly forgotten experience from high school, God moved among her pleas and made his faithfulness known in the most unlikely of settings. How easy it is to forget that in any undertaking — in chores and in pastimes — God can be the one establishing the work of our hands today.

Standing between the Philistine giant and a king who insisted he would be of no help, David persisted in his argument that he should be the one to fight Goliath. Significantly, in his argument to King Saul, David described the tasks of tending sheep. Given to him as the youngest son, it was considered the most menial of responsibilities. And yet David makes it clear that he saw the task as one wrought with the purposes of God, one that had prepared him for this moment. “I have been taking care of my father's sheep,” said David. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth.” His afflictions as a shepherd became to David the burdens that bore the weight of God's glory: “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).

Whether we are experiencing trials of every kind or walking rhythmically through our routine, the One who calls us is faithful. The ground is holy because God is with us.

F.W. Boreham tells of visiting a minister's widow within a quaint old cottage in England. Pulling up the blinds by her bedside, he noticed on the glass of the windowpane four carefully etched words: “This is the day.” When he inquired as to the engraving, the woman explained that she had seen many troublesome days in her life and found herself often in fear of what was going to happen tomorrow. But one day when she read the words of Psalm 118, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” she was startled by God's presence. It occurred to her that He was speaking very specifically of this day. And so she scratched the words into the glass of her window, so that every time she drew her blinds in the morning she was reminded with the psalmist that “this” is the day. Beholding the One who made this day, she was no longer troubled by the next.

In the midst of the suffering and uncertainty of exile the writer of Lamentations proclaims our reason for hope today: “Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (3:22-24). What we see in hindsight is true of each morning. His faithfulness is our testimony.

Like words carved on a windowpane, engraved upon this day are the markings of its maker.

________

Copyright © 2004 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

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Version from 8/2/06:

A friend of the ministry reminded us recently that every human testimony is a testimony to the faithfulness not of a person, but of God. It struck me as a thought easily misplaced between plans for tomorrow and tasks needing to be accomplished today. Our declarations of what God has done in our lives come naturally in past tense, for the view from hindsight is often the place where we see his faithfulness most clearly. And while Scripture calls us to sing of his lovingkindness forever; we are also reminded to live aware of his faithfulness today.

Young David was first brought into the king’s circle and one step closer to the throne because of his ability to play the harp. (One has to wonder if David saw the music lessons his mother made him attend as something God could use to his glory.) Unbeknownst to King Saul who had called for a musician to soothe him in his distress, God had already chosen David among the brothers of Jesse as one anointed for kingship. Unbeknownst to David as he learned to play the harp, God was confirming the work of his fingers even as He was orchestrating the days of his life.

Though I’ve never drawn the connection before, my mother holds a testimony similar to David’s. In need of work and praying that God would provide the right opportunity, she was offered a job because she had once played a musical instrument. Using a nearly forgotten experience from high school, God moved among her pleas and made his faithfulness known in the most unlikely of settings. How easy it is to forget that in any undertaking - - in chores and in pastimes - - God can be the one establishing the work of our hands today.

Standing between the Philistine giant and a king who insisted David could be of no help, David persisted in his argument that he should be the one to fight Goliath. Significantly, in his argument to King Saul, David described the tasks of tending sheep. Given to him as the youngest son, it was considered the most menial of responsibilities. And yet David makes it clear that he saw the task as one wrought with the purposes of God, one that had prepared him for this moment. “I have been taking care of my father’s sheep,” said David. “When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth” (1 Samuel 17:34). His afflictions as a shepherd became to David the burdens that bore the weight of God’s glory: “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).

Whether we are experiencing trials of every kind or walking rhythmically through our routine, the one who calls us is faithful. The ground is holy because God is with us. Even in the midst of exile the writer of Lamentations proclaims our reason for hope today: “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (3:22-24).

F.W. Boreham tells of visiting a minister’s widow within a quaint old cottage in England. Pulling up the blinds by her bedside, he noticed on the glass of the windowpane four carefully etched words: “This is the day.” When he inquired as to the engraving, the woman explained that she had seen many troublesome days in her life and found herself often in fear of what was going to happen tomorrow. But one day when she read the words of Psalm 118, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” she was startled by God’s presence. It occurred to her that He was speaking very specifically of THIS day. And so she scratched the words into the glass of her window, so that every time she drew her blinds in the morning she was reminded with the psalmist that “this” is the day. Beholding the one who made this day, she was no longer troubled by the next.

What we see in hindsight is true of each morning. His faithfulness is our testimony. Like words carved on a windowpane, engraved upon this day are the markings of its maker.

________

Copyright © 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Psalm 31:14–15 — In God’s Hands — « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. (NKJV)

B. Every Christian finds him or her self in the middle of a battle

1. Jesus promised this in John 16:33 (NAS) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

2. the early church realized this in Acts 14:22 (NAS) Paul and his friends: strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

3. and Paul told the same to 2 Timothy 3:12 NAS: And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

4. so, this Psalm gives the first step of defence, the shield of faith, as shown in two resolutions by the writer:

a. I trust in You, O Lord « – in the midst of the opposition, I am going to put my confidence in my Saviour God »

b. You are my God « – my faith is not blind; it is founded on the sovereign power of my God »

5. what is the expectation of this faith? … “my times are in your hand” – Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 (NAS) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. – our expectation is that God is in control of all aspects of our lives, whether they be good or ill; as Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (NAS): To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; … A time of war, And a time of peace.

6. so the child of God prays in this fashion, “Lord, my times are in thy hand, and I am well pleased that they are so; they could not be in a better hand. Thy will be done.” (Matthew Henry)

Psalm 37:23–24 Mr Goodman’s Steps « Leader information shown in this fashion »

A. 23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. (NKJV)

B. You will note that the word “good” is in italics which means that it has been supplied by the translators

1. because

a. this word for man means valiant man, protecting others

b. of the blessings promised to him in the following words

2. We find the following blessings to this man

a. his steps are directed « (or perhaps, better, made firm, sure) »

b. God delights in his way

c. he may stumble, but not in the ultimate sense

d. he is upheld by the hand of God

3. Now, we would all like to have the assurance that these verses apply to us, that we can count on these blessings

a. taking out the word “good” may help our confidence some

b. but are we valiant? … strong? We are very aware that as Christians we are often weak, faithless, mean-spirited, and so on … what steps can we take to be encouraged that God will look after us in the fashion described here?

4. well, earlier in this Psalm, there are a set of verses that answer

a. 3: T « rust » _______ in the Lord and do good, …

b. 4: D « elight » ________ yourself also in the Lord, …

c. 5: C « ommit » ______ your way to the Lord, …

d. 7: R « est » ______ in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him, …

5. so we can take comfort in the promise with which this Psalm ends … verses 39–40.

Most of us have told the joke about the thermos. We may tell this joke about our biggest football rival, about people with certain colors of hair, or about rednecks. In the joke someone is introduced to a thermos. They are told: “It keeps hot things hot and cold things cold.” And the dumb response is: “How does it know?”

Constantly I hear people speak of how they know that God wants this or that for them. A young man moves to a city and attends a church for the first time, a denomination with which he has had no association in the past. His immediate reaction is: “I knew this was where God wanted me to be.” A lady switches from one religious group to another. She feels some uneasiness with her change on the part of a friend. She responds: “I think I am doing what God wants me to do.” A man leaves his wife and runs off with a girlfriend to whom he later is married. When questioned about his decision, he says: “I know this is what God wants for my life so that I can be happy.”

My question for all of these people is: “How can you know for sure?” How can you know if you are where God wants you to be? How can you know that you are doing what God wants you to do in order to be happy? Mankind has a long habit of transforming personal opinion into God's will. We make God over in our image. God challenges our assumptions that he thinks like we do: “You thought that I was one just like yourself” (Ps. 51:21). We assume that what we want, what makes us feel good, must be what God wants. And when our conscience disturbs us, we try to beat it back by saying: “This is what God wants for me.”

The only way we can really know what God wants for us, beyond the few moral principles we can learn from reason and nature, is to study our Bible. If we can not find it in THE BOOK, then we do not have any reason to say: “I think God wants...”

We got ready at once to leave for Macedonia. –Acts 16:10

Jennifer, a regular Campus Journal reader, wrote to tell us how God led her to college. It was not where she wanted to go; in fact, she had never heard of it. Her heart was set on the Honors College of an Ivy League university with a major in journalism. For 3 years, she studied hard, prayed about it, got top grades, and kept in contact with the university. She meticulously prepared her application.

A few weeks later an envelope from the university arrived. She had been accepted as a student–but not for the Honors College. Jennifer was devastated! After a couple of weeks, she applied to her major state university. The journalism program was full. More frustration.

Then a friend told her about the school she attended–a medium-size private college in the mountains. When Jennifer visited, the staff and faculty welcomed her. She loved the small-town atmosphere. When she was offered a good scholarship, she enrolled.

She told us in her letter that she knew she was exactly where God wanted her to be. She found a strong Bible-study group, recommitted her life to Christ, and grew in her faith. She received an excellent education. She even met her fiancé there!

Sometimes the will of God has a frustration factor in it. One road after another is blocked. Expectations become disappointments. Dreams are shattered. “What’s going on?” we ask.

Paul was led to go to Europe with the gospel by way of frustration. First he and his company tried to go to Asia but the Holy Spirit stopped them. Then they headed toward Bithynia, but the Spirit did not let them. Finally they went to Troas, where Paul received the “Macedonian call” to cross into Europe (Acts 16:6-10).

Perhaps you’re trying to detect the will of God, and He has yet to give you a “final answer” on where to attend college, look for work, or find a spouse. Don’t despair. The will of God often has a frustration factor. –DE

REFLECTION

• What do I feel are the three most important factors in finding the will of God?

• When God changes my plans, what might He be giving me? What might He be protecting me from?

• If I stay in the same place for several years, does that mean God is no longer leading me?

God holds the key to every door.

1. All the way my Saviour leads me–

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

2. All the way my Saviour leads me–

Cheers each winding path I tread,

Gives me grace for ev’ry trial,

Feeds me with the living bread.

Though my weary steps may falter,

And my soul athirst may be,

Gushing from the Rock before me,

Lo! a spring of joy I see.

3. All the way my Saviour leads me–

O the fullness of His love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

In my Father's house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

Wings its flight to realms of day,

This my song through endless ages:

Jesus led me all the way.

We will go by the king’s high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. — Numbers 20:17.

The King’s highway is clearly marked out in the Pilgrim’s guide book, the Bible. It is the way of obedience to the Word of God, subjection to the will of God. It is a clean way, a way of holiness; a safe way, no lion is found there. This is the way the Master trod. Shall we not walk in it?

Wherever you may be, whatever you may see,

That would lead you into evil, say you, “Nay,

I will not turn aside, whatever may betide;

I’ll keep along the middle of the King’s highway,”

Carrying the torch lit by her late 92-year-old mentor, Bible teacher and author Beth Moore said she came to light the torch for the next generation during a special conference for young women.

“As our generations overlap, God holds [the older] generation responsible to pouring our lives into the younger,” Moore said to 1,500 college women. Moore’s focal passage spoke of King David’s dedication to serving God’s purpose in his own generation. “For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed,” Moore said, reading Acts 13:36 to the crowd.

Just as David served God in his own generation, “You have been called to serve God’s purpose in your generation,” Moore told the women. “You and I have a little turn around this planet earth,” she said as she walked up and down the aisles of the Pavilion hugging women in the crowd. “Our life is a vapor ... we must be extremely intentional about serving God in our generation.”

Referencing Acts 13:36, Moore laid out four ways the young women can live out God’s purpose for their lives in their own generation.

First, Moore explained that God’s purpose is highly personalized. “God has thought your life through,” she said. “God thinks about you.” Moore explained that the word “purpose” in the Greek deals with God’s thought process behind His plan.

She explained that in His omniscience, God knows how each life will turn out, but has a specialized plan for each person. “Nothing in this life is haphazard,” she said, referencing Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Second, Moore explained that God’s purpose is progressively revealed in each person’s life. “He won’t tell us [His plan] in totality because He is about relationships,” she said. Moore said that through His plan, God reveals certain aspects of His nature at the appropriate times.

“He wants us to be faithful to Him in the here and now,” she said, advising the young women to be faithful in what God has given them to do at this stage in their lives.

Third, Moore said God’s purpose is perfectly timed. “You have been assigned to this generation, and if this generation screams one thing to us it’s relevancy,” she said.

“You have been called to be relevant to this generation,” Moore said, warning of pitfalls that go along with being culturally relevant.

“If Christianity is the narrow way, then relevancy is like walking on a tightrope,” she said. “It’s tricky because it’s easy to fall to the right or left.”

Falling too far left leads to carnality, she said, explaining that while young women must relate to matters of culture in order to remain relevant, they must guard their minds to matters of carnality. Christians must be connected enough to know how to minister in modern culture without it affecting them, she said.

Moore also mentioned that falling too far right on the relevancy tightrope leads to hyper-spirituality. “We will be irrelevant when we become self-pious,” she said, citing the example of how the Jewish leaders poured over Scripture but did not believe in Christ.

Moore encouraged the women not only to know Scripture, but to let the Word of God dwell in them while they extend hope, healing and grace to others.

Fourth, Moore explained that God’s purpose is supernaturally empowered. “God has specifically gifted you,” she said, citing the diversity of spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12. The Spirit is active in each gift and distributes to each one as He wills, she said.

After all the centuries have come and gone, “there have never been more carnal days, and yet here we are,” she said. “This is our charge and this is our time,” she said. “The most important thing that can happen in your life and mine when it’s all said and done, is that we served God’s purpose in our own generation as relevant Christians.”

Conference attendee Amy Thompson, 20, a sophomore at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, said Moore’s explanation on God’s personalized purpose encouraged her to continue following God’s plan for her own life.

“College is a hard time for girls and Beth helped me see that this generation needs Christians to show not only what they are against, but what they’re for,” Thompson said. “It’s so amazing that God’s plan is highly personalized for everyone and we need to be in fellowship with Him in order to follow that plan.”

Brittney Thomas, 23, a graduate student at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, said she identified with Moore’s teaching on God’s progressive plan for each person’s life.

“Looking back at my life, I can see how God reveals His plan in His own timing,” Thomas said. “I was in the 1997 Paducah school shooting where the gunman shot my best friend and four others as we prayed before school. Until then, I didn’t know how to handle a hard situation.

“From that one instance in my life, God has progressively revealed why it happened and He has used that terrible situation to help others. I learned to live in the here and now and be faithful to God as He reveals His plan for my life, just as Beth Moore is teaching us.

“It’s so good to have a Bible teacher like Beth Moore to help you see the biblical truths and how they relate to your life,” Thomas added. “This conference gives girls a different look at our own generation. We often hear all the negative about this generation, but this conference helped me see that we are here for a purpose and we can make a difference in the world.”

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He leadeth me. — Psalm 23:2.

“He leadeth me.” What a wondrous link between those two personal pronouns! The chasm between the Shepherd in glory and His poor sheep might seem to be an infinite one; but it is bridged by this one sweet, tender word, “leadeth.” As in the East the shepherd always precedes the flock, to discover the greenest patches of grass, and the least stony path, so does Jesus ever keep in front of the soul that trusts and loves Him. And it is our part to allow as small a space as possible to intervene between His footsteps and our own. — A. M.

Saviour, I long to walk closer with Thee;

Led by Thy guiding hand, ever to be

Constantly near Thy side,

constantly purified,

Living for Him who died freely for me.

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. — Psalm 25:9.

The indispensable requisite for a guided life is a meek and quiet spirit. To acknowledge that we do not know the way is of first necessity; then to believe that Someone does know it, is the second; and to trust the One who knows, is third. Happy are the meek who are willing to be guided. — Fred Mitchell.

Thou seest I cannot journey on

Till Thou the lingering cloud remove,

And make the destined action known,

And lead me by the fire of love.

My every choice, desire, design,

I now implicitly submit;

My will is fixed to follow Thine,

And lies indifferent at Thy feet. — C. Wesley.

The steps of a good man arc ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. — Psalm 37:23.

Someone has well said: “The stops as well as the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.” That is very true. Sometimes God bids us stop. Sometimes He bids us wait. Sometimes He bids us go. God guides His servants through His word. As we follow the teachings of God’s Word we know when to go forward with a certain course of action, and when to desist from pursuing some evil way. God guides us through prayer. If we sincerely pray to know His will, and faithfully follow His leading, He will direct us in right paths. Those who are disposed to do God’s will have little difficulty in distinguishing between His stop and go signals.

God hath not promised skies ever fair,

Sunshine and gladness around everywhere:

But His assurance always to guide,

I fear no shadows, with Him at my side.

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. — Psalm 32:8.

HOW DOES HE GUIDE? — By the Holy Spirit and His Word (John 16:13). God never guides contrary to His Word.

WHEN DOES HE GUIDE? — The Lord shall guide thee continually (Isaiah 58:11. The pillar of cloud and fire guided the Israelites always.

HOW FAR DOES HE GUIDE? — He will be our guide over death (Psalm 48:14). Not to death.

AND THEN? — Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:24). — H. K. Downie.

Wherever He may guide me,

no want shall turn me back;

My Shepherd is beside me,

and nothing can I lack.

His wisdom ever waketh,

His sight is never dim;

He knows the way He taketh

and I will walk with Him.

He will make your paths straight. –Proverbs 3:6

My name is Suzie and I have a problem. I’ll admit it. I can’t remember how to get anywhere without directions! I don’t know north from south. I can get lost trying to find my way to the dentist–the one I’ve been going to for 4 years.

My directional deficiency became apparent in driver’s training. My instructor, Mr. Schnoap, told me to head back to the high school. I had no clue but made a lucky left turn. I began to realize that I should carry a compass and a road map in my purse at all times. I wondered if I might soon be labeled “directionally challenged.”

I can hear all you successful navigators out there laughing out loud. Go ahead and humor yourself. I’m secure with my own general lack of direction. That is, unless we’re talking about the road of life. When I’m wondering what tomorrow will bring, I sometimes beg God to show me what’s ahead. And often I remain–clueless.

That’s why I’m intrigued by the story of a servant in Genesis 24. He set out to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac. Not just any girl would do. When he arrived at Abraham’s homeland, he asked God to send a young woman who would kindly draw water for him and his camels from the city well. When the beautiful Rebekah fulfilled his request, he praised God for leading him on the journey.

Abraham’s servant found Isaac’s wife by putting one foot in front of the other. He stepped out in faith, and God continued giving him more direction. The servant always had just enough information at just the right time.

It’s not likely that God will give me a detailed map of my life for the next 3 months or the next 3 years. All I know is that He wants me to pray and to obey His Word. I must have faith that God wants what’s best for me–and that He’ll give me more specific directions at just the right time. –SC

REFLECTION

• When do I get impatient because I don’t see God’s direction?

• Do I need to step out and allow the Lord to guide me? How will I do that?

• How can I be more aware of God’s leading? What’s the best “compass” and “road map” to use to help me find my way?

God sometimes gives direction a step at a time.

Sermon in series The Life of Elijah, #6. 2 Kings 1:2-17

IS THERE NO GOD IN OUR CHURCH?

==============================

I. Seeking answers when you are desparate.

A. What will happen to me?

B. What is my highest authority?

II. Ahaziah asks the wrong god.

A. The new king consults Baal instead of Yahweh.

B. Whom do we consult?

III. Where is the God of Ledgewood Baptist?

A. Not everyone finds him here.

B. Our God is the God of the Bible.

IV. Who has the power, government or God?

A. Ahaziah had multiple problems.

B. Church/State conflicts are nothing new.

C. God has the ultimate authority.

V. Is God a little harsh here?

A. This passage bothers many people.

B. Jesus faced a similar situation. Luke 9:53-55

C. We are compelled by the love of God.

Fred Craddock tells the story of the man who went to buy a one-year-old car on sale for $200.00.

“What’s wrong with this car?” the man asked.

“Nothing’s wrong with this car. It works perfectly,” the salesperson said.

“Aw, come on! Has it been flooded or wrecked or something?”

“No, nothing is wrong with this car. The price is $200.”

“Okay, what’s the catch?” the man asked.

“Well,” said the salesperson, “there is one slight difference from this car and every other car on the lot.”

“Aha! What’s the difference?”

“This car will not take you where you want to go. It will take you only where you ought to go!”

So the question for you and me today is, “Would you buy that car?”

The news of John F. Kennedy, Jr.’s tragic airplane crash and death brought not only grief to his family but a sense of shock to the entire nation. The very idea of his Piper Saratoga plunging at a rate of 4,700 feet per minute, and 1,100 feet in just 14 seconds, is staggering and horrifying. How could it have happened?

According to the Associated Press, the most likely explanation is pilot error caused by two things: disorientation in the night sky and a lack of experience in a swift new plane. “This wouldn’t be the first time a pilot has lost control of a plane because of spatial disorientation or vertigo,” said Larry Gross, an aviation professor at Purdue University.

Pilots can become disoriented because their inner ear tricks them into thinking they are level when in fact they are turning. At night or in cloudy skies, there are few visual landmarks to reorient the brain. If a pilot is not trained to use flight instruments, as Kennedy wasn’t, he can begin a dive -- even a steep one -- without realizing it. “Literally, you lose control of the plane and you can’t determine if you’re climbing or descending, turning or flying level,” Gross said. Experts view the inky skies, the dark ocean, the mid-summer haze, and the lack of landmarks as a deadly combination that may have sent Kennedy unknowingly into a descent from which he could not recover.

TO FLY SAFELY, A PILOT MUST TRUST THE PLANE’S INSTRUMENTS, EVEN WHEN THEY TOTALLY CONTRADICT HIS NATURAL INSTINCTS.

If his inner ear says, “You’re level,” but his altimeter says, “You’re going down,” it is the instrument which is right. The same is true in our spiritual life. One is not in a saved relationship with God just because he or she feels a certain way. Subjective emotions can be terribly misleading when they become the basis for faith or action... and the result can be fatal. Joy and confidence are the fruit, not the foundation, of our walk with the Lord. We must not confuse the two.

Our guilding instrument is the Spirit-breathed, living Word of God in Scripture. As the psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105; see Jer. 10:23; Prov. 14:12; Isa. 55:8-9).

Check it often. Fly accordingly. Arrive home safely.

________

Bellevue church of Christ bulletin, Nashville, TN

1. Jesus, Saviour, pilot me

Over life’s tempestuous sea;

Unknown waves before me roll,

Hiding rocks and treach’rous shoal;

Chart and compass come from Thee –

Jesus, Saviour, pilot me!

2. As a mother stills her child,

Thou canst hush the ocean wild,

Boist’rous waves obey Thy will

When Thou say’st to them, “Be still!”

Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea,

Jesus Saviour, pilot me!

3. When at last I near the shore,

And the fearful breakers roar

‘Twixt me and the peaceful rest –

Then, while leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me,

“Fear not – I will pilot thee!”

[Tune “Pilot”]

*

1. Holy Bible, book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine:

Mine to tell me whence I came,

Mine to teach me what I am;

2. Mine to chide me when I rove,

Mine to show a Saviour's love;

Mine thou art to guide and guard,

Mine to punish or reward;

3. Mine to comfort in distress –

Suff'ring in this wilderness;

Mine to show, by living faith,

Man can triumph over death;

4. Mine to tell of joys to come

And the rebel sinner's doom:

O thou holy book divine,

Precious treasure, thou art mine.

[Tune “Aletta”]

*

A Sunday School teacher asked her second graders if anyone could recite all of the ten commandments in any order. Melissa quickly jumped up and said, “3, 6, 1, 8, 4, 5, 9, 2, 10, and 7.”

’Fess up — did you go to your Bible index yesterday to look for Hezekiah? That was a trick question — there is no book of Hezekiah. I wanted to see how many people were alert.

Alert, according to Webster, means vigilantly attentive, watchful, mentally responsive and perceptive. That’s the way we should approach our Bible reading and/or study. How often do we almost force ourselves to read because we feel we have to? ’Fess up again. It happens to all of us.

Listen to this little phrase plucked from Psalm 12:6 (NLT) “And the words of the Lord are flawless…” That’s reason enough to depend on His Word for our guidance through life. Remember, David had a lot less of God’s Word to enjoy than we do, yet he depended on it. So can you!

Whatever your past has been, you have a spotless future – Melanie Gustafson – Cited in Bits & Pieces

When I look into the future, it’s so bright, it burns my eyes – Oprah Winfrey

It is natural to be religious; it is supernatural to be Christian.

I visited with two young men who were trying to decide on a place of ministry recently. Both were considering opportunities that would change the trajectory of their lives.

I shared with them five principles I use in seeking to know God’s will. Whether you are starting in ministry or coming to the end of your ministry, the principles still apply in determining God’s will:

The foundational principle in finding God’s will is the Bible.

Every Bible text has a primary interpretation and a practical application. Some Bible texts have a prophetic revelation. The following questions are important to ask to find the primary interpretation. Who is speaking? Who is the audience? What is the time frame? What is the occasion for the writing? What is the subject matter? Answering these questions correctly will give you the understanding of the historical context. Even the verses intended for ancient Israel or the early church have a practical application for us today. Not every text is to us, but every text is for us. God can speak from His Word directly into your current situation. Without allegorizing, you can find the answer you need. The psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Living inside every believer is the Holy Spirit to guide the child of God in truth (John 16:13).

Some might dismiss the inexplicable voice of the Spirit speaking to our hearts. The Holy Spirit will not reveal any new truth but He will confirm revealed truth. The Spirit of God never leads a person to do something that is contrary to the Word of God. Confirm the Holy Spirit’s voice by the written Word of God. Listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Seek out godly counsel (Proverbs 11:14).

Let longstanding believers who have lived a consistently faithful life for Jesus speak into your life. Spiritually mature believers will have experienced life’s challenges and can help you avoid pitfalls. Too much counsel can be confusing. Two or three people who love Jesus and love you are enough. God uses people to help us know God’s will.

Listen to God’s Word being preached or taught by a trusted source.

When a speaker brings out something obviously personal, you can sense God using the words spoken to help you make your decision. Divine appointments are possible when we have a listening ear. Serendipitous encounters can produce confirmation of God’s will.

Finally, circumstances play a part in finding God’s will.

A person might think that he should be on a seminary faculty, for example, but circumstances might prohibit him from doing so. He does not have a terminal academic degree. He is not credentialed in the proper field of study. There are no teaching positions open. Any one of a hundred different roadblocks could be in the path regardless of how strongly someone feels he should be in the position. Open doors are opportunities that arise out of circumstances when we walk in the Spirit. This does not mean we are immune to conflict. Anytime we are doing God’s will, the evil one will oppose us. Yet, God is able to work through circumstances and place you where you need to be.

There is no singular tool to finding God’s will when you are making major life decisions. Thankfully, we have several principles that enable us to seek out His perfect plan.

Ultimately, we must be willing to do whatever God tells us. He will not reveal His will to us out of our curiosity. He wants us to know Him and to know His will (John 7:17). We must put our “yes” on the table. When our will is submitted to His will, He will show us the proper path.

________

Jim Richards is executive director of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. This article first appeared at the Theological Matters website (www.theologicalmatters.com) of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

My son had dreamed about an old Mustang for years. I mean, the kind with four wheels, not four legs. He saw a great price advertised; he sold some of his baseball card collection, and he became the proud owner of a 1968 Mustang. Yeah, right, the kind that runs on gasoline, not oats. Right? I just wanted to make that we're clear on the Mustang thing. Now he invited me to take a drive, and I slid in. I turned the key. It whirred to life, and several nearby birds went for counseling as I started up the driveway. I mean, this thing had a roar to it! Now, when I reached the top of the driveway, I found out what I didn't like about that “cool”' car - turning it. See, I'm spoiled. I've got power steering. This car had power steering, except it was my power. When you want to turn that Mustang, it's like a total body operation. You sort of wrap yourself around it several times. You sort of call it corkscrew turning. Now, I never asked to drive the Mustang much after that. It was entirely too hard to turn!

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Hard to Turn.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Isaiah 30:1-2. “Woe to the obstinate children, declares the Lord, to those that carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin, who go down to Egypt without consulting me, who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge.” God's talking here about stubborn children.

James Dobson wrote a book called “Strong-Willed Children.” Well, God could write a book about me with that title. How about you? I mean, I read verses like this, and I start thinking about that Mustang, and how God might be saying, “Why are you just like that car, Ron? You are so hard to turn.” See, strong-willed children of God are the ones that are most likely to miss His best. We make up our mind what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, when it needs to happen, and we start driving full speed in that direction. But God's saying, “I want you to go this way, or I want you to wait, or to stop.” Maybe you consulted the Lord at the beginning of the trip. You got direction, and you're rolling that way, but He's changing direction right now, and you're barreling ahead on the road that He was leading you on, but He turned and you didn't! And you are now in the most dangerous frustrating position a Christian can be in. You are on your own.

This “hard to turn” problem is usually a struggle for gifted people, determined people, make it happen people, controlling people, maybe wounded people who won't trust even God. It's tough for fast-moving people. We blaze ahead in our project, or this relationship, or toward our goal. Or we blaze ahead with our plan, our schedule, our desire, and we carry out plans that are not God's - not consulting Him.

See, being in the will of God requires frequent consultation, and Holy Spirit flexibility. I call it “spiritaneity,” a constant sensitivity to whom, and what, and where the Holy Spirit might be prompting you. Let's call it “turnability.” The leadership of Jesus in your life is dynamic not static, and stubborn people can miss it so easily. If you go against God's plans, it's guaranteed pain - needless pain. No amount of rationalizing or spiritualizing can manipulate God to agreeing with your plans. You need to line up with His. That's where the peace is. That's where the happiness is.

I don't like to drive a vehicle that's “hard to turn,” and neither does God. Listen up to Him, relax in His plans, and stay tuned for any turn He wants you to make at any time. You don't want to end up speeding down some road that your Lord isn't on.

__________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

==============================

Version from January 30, 2002:

It was a "dream car" for our teenage son - a blue '66 Ford Mustang. He saved for it ... he sold off valuable baseball cards for it - but eventually, he owned it. And it really was a pretty "hot" car. I actually got to drive it once. Our son needed it driven from Chicago to New Jersey and somehow my wife and I were the lucky winners. And I have to admit, it was a lot of fun to drive. People would pull up next to us on the Interstate just to stare. Some would honk and wave. Folks would come over to check it out and talk to us about it at gas stops. I felt like a celebrity! Actually, the car was the celebrity. But as much as I enjoyed that Mustang, there was one thing I really didn't like about it. I had forgotten what manual steering felt like. And that hot little car was a "bear" to turn! I mean, I felt like a corkscrew by the time I finished wrapping myself around the steering column to make a turn.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "Hard To Turn."

I was thinking one day about how hard that Mustang was to turn. And it hit me - I'm the same way. Hard to turn, that is. Maybe there's someone like me listening today, and I'm glad there's at least two of us.

I didn't appreciate a vehicle being so hard to turn. God doesn't appreciate it in us either. He's supposed to be driving our life - that's what that word "Lord" is all about. But some of us just don't turn very easily.

Here's how God feels about that. It's in our word for today from the Word of God in Isaiah 30:1. Let me remind you and warn you, this is a sobering verse for those of us who tend to be "make it happen" people. "'Woe to the obstinate children,' declares the Lord, 'to those who carry out plans that are not Mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin.'" That's one of those "ouch!" verses, don't you think?

If you're an aggressive, goal-oriented person, it's easy to unwittingly, even unknowingly, be one of God "obstinate children" - and to be working very hard on plans that are actually yours, not God's. We can be victims of our own cleverness, our own credentials, our own drive, our own resourcefulness - ultimately of our own stubbornness. It could be that God is trying to turn you right now - but, like that old Mustang my son had, you really resist being turned. God has to just keep increasing the pressure.

Sometimes we're "unturnable" because we just want something so badly. Or because we're victims of our own momentum - we're all accelerator, we're no brakes, often resisting the people God has placed in our lives to be brakes for us. The sad result of refusing to turn the way God wants us to turn is that we heap "sin upon sin." One mistake after another. One mess after another.

I wonder if God is trying to change your direction right now - in that relationship you're in, in your business, in your goals, in hanging onto some of those old methods, in those attitudes or those ways of treating people that are hurting you and hurting them. God's plans are different from your plans right now - and you were made for His plans, not yours. Your Lord is supposed to be driving. And the driver decides where you go. Don't fight the Lord anymore - He's trying to turn you in the direction you were made to go.

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. 'Practical Answers to Real Life Issues'

*

[Original illustration here was a duplicate in HolwickID 25837-26027]

“For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice” Jer 11:7

There are just times when you are about to do something and you know it’s wrong. Somewhere deep inside there is a nagging voice that says “don’t do it!” We most often call it our conscience. We picture it as a little angel perched on our shoulders. What it really is the “persistent” voice of God saying “Listen to My voice.”

Jeremiah reminds the people of Israel that this voice, this warning is nothing new to them. It started way back in Egypt — no even farther back than that. Remember Cain? He knew he was wrong on two matters. He knew his sacrifice was insufficient for God. He also knew that killing his brother was wrong. Still he continued. Later he heard the voice of God saying “Where is your brother?”

So what value is there in listening to the voice of God? I can think of several. 1) It is the voice of wisdom. God knows all and knows what to do with that knowledge. That’s wisdom. If we listen to Him, we can’t go wrong.

2) It is the voice of peace. When we obey His words, His commands, His directions, we are at peace. There is no more pressure on us than when we are doing something on our own — without authorization. If we succeed, we may be praised. If we fail, … well, the boss won’t be too happy. Obedience takes the pressure off our lives. That brings peace.

3) It is the voice that never fails to direct us aright. Imagine getting into your car and it knows exactly where you want to go, how to get there, and is able to tell us every turn to make. That’s like the voice of God. He knows. And He never fails.

So stop during the busy, frustrating, hardest part of you day and listen to the voice of God. You’ll be better for it if you do.

And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. (Acts 16:10 AV)

God often guides His people by providence. That is, He brings certain conditions and circumstances to pass that make it clear to the Christian what God would have him do. It may be a chnge of employment, or of location, or of a field of service for the Lord that faces a believer. As he studies God’s Word, waits upon God prayerfully, seeking divine guidance, and allows nothing to hinder the Spirit of God from directing him, the Christian will discover that God, by His providence, will make the way plain, and he can say with Abraham’s servant, “… I being in the way, the LORD led me …” (Genesis 24:27 AV). Like Paul, he can “assuredly gather” that God is definitely leading and go boldly forward.

Lord, obediently we’ll go,

gladly leaving all below;

Only Thou our Leader be,

and we still will follow Thee.