Follow The Yellow Brick Road

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ choices that you're still paying the consequences for see that's what happens. That's the principle of the yellow brick road, using whatever road you're on, it's taking you to your destination. The destination of that road. It has nothing to do with your intention for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word. 70 years the Wizard of Oz has continued to astound. After all, has a very simple plot. Dorothy 12-year-old girl in Kansas wants to go home because there is no place like home early in the movie at Starkey's house falls on the wicked witch of the East accept her feet. The only thing showing the encounters the good which of the north, Linda and Linda tells Dorothy that there's only one who can help her with her problem to get home. The great and powerful Wizard of Oz. Unfortunately, he resides in Emerald City so Dorothy asked how I got Emerald City in Glendive. You remember with her head tilted and arms out says it's always best to start at the beginning. All you have to do is follow the yellow brick road. The rest of the movie has a lot of twists and turns adventures and misfortune. But in spite of it all, Dorothy makes it to the Emerald City and she doesn't make it because of the uniqueness of Dorothy and her friends as unique as they were no she makes it because he chose to follow the yellow brick road when the great have your own yellow brick road to take you where ever you want to go. All you have to do is get on the road and follow it and you will be at the destination you want to be at every area of your life yellow brick road to better health.

Yellow brick road to financial security yellow brick road to great marriage yellow brick road to good friendships yellow brick road to a clear conscience and I would imagine if that were the case, you would stop looking for solutions and start looking for the yellow brick road to get on it. Military this morning that the yellow brick road is a principal for life. You see the yellow brick road takes you to where it's going you get on the yellow brick road you end up in Emerald City. How many of you when you were younger. Even now really in your heart want to be happy.

How many of you want to have a good family good marriage good friends of the job. How many of you want to wake up every day filling meaningful and have a purpose in your life. How many of you said that's what I want for my life. How many of you thought that way. I'm guessing virtually all of you what, like reliving how happy are you every morning how happy is your marriage. You see how secure are your finances. How good is your health, how many friends you really have using that's the question that's the principle you see yellow brick road is not so easy to see. Looking ahead, as it is to realize that you missed that. Looking in your rearview mirror.

You remember choices you made in your life choices in your teen years, early 20s to 30s choices you regret choices that you're still paying the consequences for see that's what happens. That's the principle of the yellow brick road, using whatever road you're on, it's taking you to your destination. The destination of that road. It has nothing to do with your intentions. You see, we are so naïve as people that we actually believe that we have good intentions, we have big dreams that somehow believe is the where were going, it will not leave you to where you're going. The road on right now you get on that road, you're going where you're going. That's the principle of the yellow brick road open your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 14, one verse launches verse 12 is a verse that should be highlighted in your Bible. If it's not to be part of every decision-making process. Your involvement is a verse 12 Proverbs 14 says this, there is a way that Hebrew word for weight could be translated path for Mike purposes this morning are translated road there is a road which seems right to a man or woman, but its end is the way of death or literally destruction. There is a way that seems right but ends in destruction. There are choices that we make that we seem like were making the right choice, but it doesn't work out that way at all. I think all of our lives are littered with those kinds of choices. Choices we made. It seemed right. Using that's one of the problems Dorothy could not be on her own divine Emerald City. Dorothy had to be specifically told there's only one way to get there, but the choice of eternal life if that's your immensity what the Jesus Christ say I am the yellow brick road that's exactly what he said I am the way the truth and the life. No one come to the father but by me. Not a people try on the roads.

Of course they do it, what it ends in destruction and death. Using Jeremiah said that the heart of a man or woman is desperately wicked.

It is deceitful above all things and upset over the years. It means it deceives you. There is a way that seems right at the time, but it isn't. You pay the consequences. You see your intention or goodwill or dreams never established the destination the road you're on, that's the road that establishes a destination. It's a principle of life and it works in every situation is much like Paul writing but God is not mock whatever a person sows so shall they reap. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction for every choice there is a consequence you see, you make a choice. You get a consequence I can member years ago, Mark Bailey, the president of Dallas seminary.

I remember a message that he gave many the message was intriguing to me. He said you can pick your choices or you can pick the consequences but you don't get to pick both. I had to think about that what you're saying is, once you want a certain consequence in your life, all the choices are made for you. You can make other choices using I can't choose that I want to be hundred and 58 pounds and do my quiet time at Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I can do that using that's the way it works in your life. You can pick the choice or you can pick the consequent. You don't get to pick both amazing how this works. When it was straight and I want to turn the Proverbs 7 with me as only Solomon the wisest man who ever lived can illustrate this. This is one of the more intriguing colorful chapters in the Bible and it must be extremely important because notice how Solomon starts it. My son keep my words is a commitment by the way, in Hebrew is PO intensive stem its commandment. My son keep my words. He says treasure my commandments within you don't just keep them treasure them. He says keep my commandments and live me doesn't mean breathing means live like Christ that I've come to give you life and give it to you abundantly live humans know what I'm saying right now. You can have a life in my teaching. As the Apple he said of your I make it special to you. Bind them on your fingers. He says write them on the tablet of your heart say to wisdom. You are my sister and call understanding your intimate friend that they may keep you from the adulteress from the foreigner who flatters with her words. This has an application yes about adultery, but it has application about every other path other than the yellow brick road. Solomon is teaching in a parabolic or parable form here. He said that's why want everyone to listen to this how important this is because I want to show you how easy it is to be enticed and persuaded off the yellow brick road, so we start the story.

He said for at the window of my house I looked through my lattice went great imagery here.

Is this wise king, the wisest man who ever lived any creations imagery that is at nighttime, and he is at the window looking through the lattice down the street and down the street.

He's gonna see a scenario layout. He said I saw among the naïve. I discern among the use a young man lacking sense that term young man is probably somewhere between about 15 and 20. He is a young man lacking sense as he see the DC somebody knows some commentators think Solomon sees himself as memory is very possible.

I think Solomon when he says, lacking sense and naïve. I think he means all young men that's what he means. And then he goes on, and he says, passing through the street near her corner. He takes the way to her house in the twilight in the evening in the middle of the night and in the darkness. All this happens from twilight to the middle of the night. You often know how that works. Teenage man young man walking in the middle of the night going toward her house. You see, you can see it coming. Can't even see the problem.

The only problem is this. So it's always this easy to see that other people were not on the yellow brick road probably you have as you can see that you're not how many times have you heard a scenario or been involved in a scenario is apparent with your own kids and you soon as they describe what they were going to do that night or that day. You thought I saw it coming. You just knew how this was going to turn out. That's what Solomon is saying I could see this coming and going at night and then he says, and behold, a woman comes to meet him dressed as a harlot that should've been assigned. But it's not that she's not a harlot she's a wife she doesn't make a living doing this Jesus dress like one. You know why teenage boys love that he likes sense you see here is this young man thinking. If you imagine him. Oh what a night this is going to be way to I tell my friends about this night. He's actually thinking something good is going to happen in his life.

That's what he's doing. CB had an iPod on, he's probably listening to Steppenwolf born to be wild. See that's what he's listening to what he should have been listening to the soundtrack. The jaws because that's was going to have notice she's known addresses a harlot she's coming apart. She is boisterous, loud see this is putting in image any man with wisdom sees a woman dressed like a harlot.

The middle the night was loud and boisterous things. This is not a good person to spend my time with, but not someone is not even lacking sense. He says he is boisterous and rebellious. Her feet do not remain at home. She's now in the streets. Now the squares and works on every corner that start give you an indication he's talking more about much more than about an incident here.

He's talking about how were also loose away how we all accents.

How easy it is for this to work for us how obvious it should be. To what this is not the yellow brick road that will not take me to Emerald City but will accents says Circe seizes him. Notice he takes the initiative and kisses him, and with the brazen face says that him I was to offer peace offerings today and I have paid my bounds. Therefore, I come out to meet you to seek your presence earnestly I found one is that what this is, she's actually inferring and what Solomon is teaching us is that people will actually manipulate their own faith in order to be seduced off the path. What she is saying is I paid my bath. I took all my sins of the temple. I dump them on the altar. I gave up your box and now Bodnar fine you an amazing capacity we have for this all if I just go to the service I just say these words that I can get done with this thing.

I can bring my sins to God and then I glanced it again because like all clean again and start over.

That's what you doing anybody would see through this, but not one lacking sense like this young man is she's a native right come to meet you to seek your presence earnestly and I have found. She says let me entice it. I have spread my couch with coverings. She says with colored linens of Egypt, teenage Jewish boy Egypt Egypt.

The worldliness place in the world.

Wow, still enticed that icebreaker my bed with murder in aloes, and cinnamon.

While this is perfect spider's web is in it, let us drink our fill of love love love, that's love everyone yellow brick road to go to the Emerald City of love with another person of the opposite sex. This is a there's nothing about love your but sounds right. To him who would believe that mine people will accents. They believe it every day. Oh I'm in love. I feel like I did when I was 1800 love I'll come on, it is even close to love well after she does this she says let us delight ourselves with caresses me entice you even more. The man is not at home he is gone a long journey he has taken a bag of money with them and at full moon. He will come home. You got time you got time. You're not going to get caught.

You got time to spend the night. We have breakfast tomorrow. You see what he's doing. She's doing so she's painting this picture this amazing picture.

He's buying it. He's buying it hook line and sinker that goes what Solomon goes on then it says with her many persuasions. She entices you see that's the problem people.

That's why the yellow brick road is a road less traveled. It's so easy to entice people off knows what Solomon says with her flattering lips.

She seduces him. Suddenly he follows her and then he can't say enough. He says as an ox goes to the slaughter.

When an image you see when I think of that imagery.

I in my mind always think of the windiest priest in Israel. I always think of a guy was 5 foot 115 pounds.

He's a priest is not the option to bring me off so slaughter the temple ground.

Now the odds about 1400 pounds of muscle and this little guy got and are going to take him over here with a crisis call and carve them up and burn. What does the ox do. He goes to the ox not go oh yeah, and also doesn't want to go was a pretty hard thing to move around and but this is an ox letter slaughter secret of this board not been there.

Yes, could be turned around.

Yes, but he doesn't.

Solomon says it's kind of pathetic is like a not to be in letter slaughter he cities like one in fetters of the discipline of a full he's like one who in a sensitize himself until an arrow pierces through his liver. That's a fatal blow.

By the way, like a bird hastens to a snare to the little trap with a droplet on your little food and Erica comes the bird nothing about this how hard a bird usually work for food is going to dig in the soil bought a grub you know he has to work at all the sudden your yard is a piece of red light under a box he should be thinking right now. Something's not right here. But he goes in to get Scott and it gets eaten. That's what Solomon said happens to us when we get off the yellow brick road. He says so he does not know that is going to cost them his life now Holly means that were not sure it could mean his future.

See what he should be for a woman he's going to spend his life with will never be again.

You will not be that but also can mean something else in Solomon's day. If you got caught having a relationship with a married woman. You were stoned to death. It was a capital offense. So he said he is not nobody's gonna pay for this. He has no idea how great the consequences are going to be no idea how great they are and ethically run into it all the time going. We have no idea the choices we make such great consequences just terrible things we've done.

He then says this now therefore my nosy changes sons means all of us. He says see this is just a story.

I have a lot of experience this by the way, nobody could be, by the way, more representative of this young man in Solomon.

This was a place where he failed over and over again is life. He knew women, but he did not know how to make good choices with regards to women.

He said that was me, but he says here now, therefore, my sons listen to me is I need you to listen to me, paint, pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Do not let your heart be torn aside by her ways noticed do not do not stray into her path. Don't get on her road.

Don't get off the yellow brick road.

Don't you dare do that don't like yourself stray over there to that path. He says for many are the victim. She is cast down, see that's why call the series road less traveled.

The other roads have heavy traffic but the yellow brick road is less traveled. He says many are the victims. She is cast on and numerous or all her slain. He says her house is the way to seal her house is a highway to the grave as one translation. Her house is a highway to the grave. You see, that's what likes all about you start making the choice for Christ because that's the Emerald City of salvation and forgiveness of sins, but once your Savior start on the Emerald to the Emerald City of living life and living it abundantly.

But you gotta stay on the yellow brick road and you don't stay on the yellow brick road you'll never get there your intentions your wishes in your dreams are irrelevant. Zealot works. I don't care how sincere you are, it won't matter.

You know you're going you're going where the road you're on is leading you. You know anyone financially. The road you're on is leading you. There marriage the road you're on your family, your children the road you're on your help the road you're on, that's where you're going to go on the road you're on, and less you get off the road get on the yellow brick road and interesting that the psalmist writes that God's word is a path is a path you see it's a path where we can live our lives.

I hear people say this, I want to marry a devout Christian. If you're single and you're saying that that's your intention. Let me ask you question who you date that's a road going. Don't give me that all just cute guys because of that's the road you're on you to be like a lot of women in this world he found out during acute guys not exactly what it's cracked up the big you say things to yourself like I want to have a great marriage with and tell me how much you sacrifice for that how you get every day say my spouse is more poor than I am. You doing on that road you have a great marriage but wanting to have a great marriage. Not willing to make the sacrifice to have a great marriage. You'll get agreement you get the marriage the road on when financial security of your savings account. But see if you have one. I want Christ to be the most important thing in my life.

Okay then show me your priorities. Show me your priorities. You see, when push comes to shove in your life but has priority like Christ or something else. You see, that's the only way to be on the yellow brick road is actually due on the yellow brick road. There's nothing else you can do wishing to be wanted, wanting to be on it, intending to be on it is not the same as being on every area of your life you're already one road that road will establish a destination that wishes not your intentions when leaving by having you ask yourself this question, are there discrepancies between what I desire in my heart and what I'm doing with my life. Other discrepancies between what you desire in your heart when you're actually doing. If there are listening to Pastor Brogan on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever missed one of our broadcast or maybe you just listen to the message one more time. Remember, you can Google great website called one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen the fellowship and the word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast so many of our previous audio programs as well. Had Fellowship in the Word.

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