God, Which Direction Should I Go? Part 2

Today on Summit life with Jeannie Greer. What's this promise he will direct your paths with me that I brought God told him to make the decision say thank you God that is not even on me to be real how to get this right, you promise you the Bible to mounting the events, you know, I've started to rely more and more on the different GPS app so I found and I know that I'm not alone in this phenomenon. I think we have all come to rely on these types of direction but I don't think it's because I don't know my way around, but more because they get real-time traffic information and can correct my course, it's more like a guide than just simply a matter and today Pastor JD lovingly shows us that what we need is a relationship with a constant guide like that who at every point can provide the next step in the next direction. So let's join if he concludes his message that we began yesterday from Psalm 25 God which direction should I go that in the moment. You just know what to do if you're looking for an action step on this one. Use that you get so saturated with Scripture that would like to cut you. You believe God's word and it just becomes a second nature to you, it becomes an instinct to you that your action step because, listen, you will never live out the will of God anymore than you know the word of God you cannot live out the will of God any more than you know the word of God and you tell me I want know the will of God. You're not devoting yourself the word of God when you're kidding yourself.

Because it is more than instinct that it is an instruction because as you become the kind of person who understands my ways and you end up choosing what I want you to choose.

So those who express the guidance of God are those were trained ways of God.

Second characteristic those he says were obedient to the commands of God is obedient to the commands of God.

Notice verse nine leads the humble and what is right and he teaches them his way. Verse 10. All the Lord twice a faith, love and truth to those who keep his covenant and decrees humble verse nine humble means you believe God's way is best done so.

That is pride right pride assumes that your way is better than God's way right obedient means that you are obeying God in the areas where you do know what he is that you take another try this down God's promise to give guidance in the area. Scripture doesn't address is extended to those who are obeying him. In those areas.

The Scriptures do address if you're the kind of person, and I imagine we have some this weekend is pray for God's wisdom and some decision over here about a job or a relationship or a future plan yet you got some area back here that you are living in defiance to what God has clearly said you need to stop talking about this because God that will talk about this until you have dealt with that we have we have couples that are sometimes praying about whether future father living together. Not married, my why you talking to God about his direction over here when you're clearly disobeying him back here to tell you what what what you're done address into your humble enough to obey what it does address so stop asking for my help when you're living in defiance to what I said, we have people were praying about God's wisdom for a job yet they're not obeying God and the principles of generosity. I got that why you talking about a provision in areas that I have an address when you are disobeying me in this area that I have addressed.

There is a humility that God leads that is demonstrated by obedience to God's commands. Third illustration here is an old book by George MacDonald and is a British writer last couple hundred hundred 50 years ago called the Princess and the goblet anybody read that the book Princess and the goblet it's a kids book but it's kind of hard for kids book reselling the rabbit tonight, necessarily, but some Princess and the goblin. There is a goblin King on let's try to take over you making the Princess and see this in a way so that she can be protected to the house of her fairy godmother and her godmother gives her says listen if the goblins come and attack you to give her a ring and a ball of yarn and she said this is a magical ball of yarn you put the ring on and follow this yarn and this yarn will guide you to safety. So whenever she scared as she hear something happening.

She puts ring on her pillow and starts to follow the and it usually takes her to her godmother who lives in the bedroom upstairs. What one night, she hears a goblin coming in to get her so she put the ring on but this time, this time the thread doesn't lead her upstairs to her godmother.

Instead, it leads her out in the woods which is really terrifying to her but she keeps politics like Shirley my godmother is is is is trustworthy so she fought and then it takes her to the entrance of the cave. Acacia recognizes as the entrance into the goblin King and then she she begins to follow it even farther and it goes deeper into the cave and it comes in this gigantic like prison and goes through a prison door and she's me she's freaking out you like what am I doing when she gets into this prison door.

She discovers a another friend of the goblins have taken captive and she's able to set him free. But she grabbed a hold of the on the thread and she keeps following it and it keeps going deeper down into the dungeon. This cave in and her friends like what we do and she's like I have to keep following this thread now will totally blow the story for you, but eventually it leads her to her godmother, and are able to destroy the goblin kingdom. And now with happily ever after George MacDonald point in the whole thing was when you're following God. There is a trust in following the thread sometimes lead you to places that you don't understand and that you don't want to go. For example, you been following the thread.

Even following the threat of what God wants and you always thought would lead you to marriage but it keeps leaving you for some reason to singleness and right now you like I want to follow that thread.

I'd rather put it down. I'd rather go over here and I'd rather deal with this and God says you gotta keep following that thread. That thread leads you want you to go but sometimes it's gonna take you to places that you weren't expecting to go and you had to trust me enough to keep going. Maybe you're in a business situation and you're tempted to compromise your integrity.

I made you feel like I had a cheat to get ahead or maybe you know that if you tell the truth to your boss, it might cause you to lose your job or might change your career.

David actually addresses that when directly as verse three no one who waits for you will ever be disgrace. Those who act treacherously without cause will always be disgraced in other words, you gotta keep following the thread, even when it means telling the truth and be honest is going to cost you because that's the thread that keeps you in God's will and that's what God has promised to bless and take care of you. Ultimately you gotta decide who you trust with your future. Because waiting on God means doing things his way, even when it leads to into the woods and down into the cave and in the present. The enemy itself because you would rather be there trusting God and you would be good to be out of your own one more here for a move on. Maybe you have somebody in your pastor whom you refuse to extend forgiveness even know that she should. I'm telling you listen that is keeping you from experiencing God's blessing in his fullness in the present.

I know it feels like it's taking you into a dark cave, but that is the place at which you will experience the provision of the goodness of God. Think here of the Old Testament story.

I wasn't giving a lot of Old Testament stories and if you need a church like what all the stories about their awesome mystery to Bob, there is name and I am the Old Testament is a Syrian general who is Israel's enemy and he has a little girl on that is taken captive. The Hebrew servant girl, which means that he had likely killed her parents and taken her captive will name and gets leprosy. Now you imagine for this little girl this guy, who is your master your slave master got leprosy.

Your response and will be like.

Serves you right right I knew something to calm but instead, this girl goes to him Jesus. Oh, that my master would be able to find Elisha the prophet he could heal you, which shows the most remarkable thing about this teenage girl, which is that somehow she had developed the capacity to forgive him and she had forgiven him, even when it felt like it was taken her direction. She didn't want to go and through that forgiveness. Not only was name and cleansed of his leprosy ultimately led to a great act of deliverance for the people of Israel itself. What is showing you is that when you follow that thread and that thread is leading to forgiveness even though it feels like I don't know if I can go there when you go there you will experience the goodness and the blessing of God because God's promise goes with his instructions to obey towards those that are trained in the ways of God. Those who follow the thread of obedience to God. Whatever the cost. Here's number three. Those who are trusting in the promises of God. Those were trust in the promises of God. Verse three no one who waits for you will be disgraced weight implies that sometimes your in a place where you don't see it fulfilled yet.

That's a hard place to be a been there like I don't see it working I think is what you trust me.

Verse 14 one. My favorites the secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear him secret counsel implies that there's things that God will share with you and instruction you will give to you when you seek to be close to it. Tim Keller says this phrase indicates these are those special moments of spirit guidance that the spirit of God will sometimes supernaturally give you in a moment I don't have time to give your full message on this. I'm not trying to promote the book but that's what I wrote the book Jesus continued was to really try to explore a few of these things and show you how the New Testament revealed when the spirit will give you special guided but here's just a 30,000 foot flyover a lot of times in the Bible times in the New Testament that special spirit guidance comes from the church itself back is the number one way probably ask 13 verse two is your example, the Holy Spirit said to the church separate Barnabas and Paul for the work that I have for them.

What's interesting is that when God had something for Barnabas and Paul Intel to Barnabas and Paul told the church, which means that in my life I've had a lot of people in this church give me instructions that there like you have been praying for you and I was like a put this on my heart and it turns out it was a spirit given instruction about what I should do. I can tell you that if you cut yourself off from the fellowship of the church were cutting yourself off from the opportunity to be guided by the spirit and I don't mean just come and sit and listen to them each week. I'm in your involved in a small group you're connected in relationship that's the spirits means for speaking in your life. That's one way. Another way sometimes to do with their circumstances and look back to see Paul say about us whatsoever here but for the spirit of God close all these doors, and show me all supposed to go this other way.

1/3 way is inner promptings of the Holy Spirit puts in your heart when you pray Nehemiah not Old Testament guys your example here.

Nehemiah knows that God wants him to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. What's interesting is that you read the book of Nehemiah cover to cover in the Bible and you will never one time find God telling you my that's what he wants to do all it says Nehemiah 212 is is is the spirit of God put this on my heart gave me a burden give me a burden that I knew had to be from him a desire of passion.

Some of you will experience as you pray a passion for particular ministry or for a career to see Jesus made known in this area here and you will recognize that as a prompting of the spirit of God what he is promising and in Psalm 25 is whatever secret counsel you need.

God will make it known to you I see you got those who are trained in the ways of God. Yet those who are obeying the commands of God.

Those who are trusted in the promises of God. So if you like okay will but was that mean in the moment that actually make a decision in this moment. I gotta make a decision. What all these things mean to me it means that when you're in that moment was in this you take advantage of everything that you have at your disposal every every bit of wisdom your your consulting Scriptures. You're listening to the Vincent to the church you're your praying your you're making good tea charts and thinking what a wise decision here, but here's a catch and when you done all that you just make the decision whatever seems wisest to you make the decision and trust that God is guiding you in the decision is like he said he would bet that that that's the key writer. I love how acts expresses some of the decisions of the early prisons made at 15 and here's how they set it but it seemed go to the Holy Spirit in us. I love Canada was the flippancy of that what we we thought about it would write about menacing like this was good boy spirit us so we got the decision we met and it is trusting that the spirit of God is guiding that and if you wanted something different. He would have shown them the burden is not on you to figure it out. God says put that burden on me. I can guide you even when you're not a good listener. But here's out that one of my favorite verses on this in its pretty close ally first to make proper 356 trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean only what on what your own understanding or your own ability to figure out what God wants. Trust in God's ability to show you not in your ability to figure it out.

In all your ways acknowledge him and he will what his part director pass verse six is two phrases in it. What is yours one is God's yours is in all your ways acknowledge him, obey what you know to obey. Seek the wisdom that is at your disposal. What's his promise, he will direct your paths with me that after I've done everything God told me to do I just make the decision say thank you God that is not even on me to figure out how to get this right on doing everything you told me to do you promise to write my paths and I'm trusting you to do what you said you would do if led me to develop something over the years referred to as the sheep prayer the sheep prayer is proper, three, five and six put into my prayer for guidance. She's a sheep where we got chosen analogy for you in the Bible and animal what animal did he choose a word, even if the answer sheet right your spirit animal sheet okay I'm not a moderate liner in the sub at your sheep now bad news and good news bad news. Three. What Willie Weber bad news, bad news sheep are idiots. Anybody that no sheep knows cheap are like the dumbest animals but is busy walking feed bags. They don't lather that they can't defend themselves. I can't run their terribly bad eyesight. Think about 4 feet ahead of them, they just say that they step in the streams in the ground.

They turn over the back to the castle and the Way that they died. It was helpless when God in heaven was looking down at you and said I need I need an animal to represent them. I want you sheep.

I guess the bad news right is that even the wisest of you when it comes to guidance in figuring out they think you're an idiot right.

So, bad news, good news. You have an awesome Shepherd and his sheep get to where she'd need to go it's never because of their competence as sheep. It is always because of the competence and the compassion under Shepherd because even the licensee is still an idiot. Okay, here's how that comes out as a prayer Lord, I got this decision and I've done my dead level best. God to figure out and listen to you in every possible way. I got all kinds of counsel and prayed about it and got this one on the nominative as a guide in choosing this the guy you said I was a sheep which means I had no confidence in my ability to make this decision but I do have confidence in your compassion and your competence as a shepherd to guide me.

So if this is not the right decision.

I'm trusting you to take your rod and your staff and get me where I need to go and thank God. Proper 35 says it's not on you if you want to lean on your own understanding but you can trust in the Lord and his willingness to guide you. That's an awesome place to be and tell you it is stress-free, listen, God gave up on your decision-making ability. Back at the garden of Eden, and I forgot what you and said okay if there to get to where they need to go.

It's not to be because of their wisdom is sheep. It's going to be because of my willingness and my compassion to my competence to guide them. That is an awesome place to be in trusting God and that's what Psalm 25 is promising you. The question is not how I died you.

You have the capacity for that. The question is who God guides, that's what is showing you is the one who was trained in the ways God is are obedient to the commands of God's trust in the promises of God. That's what it means to all your ways acknowledge him and he promises he will direct your house I will more analogy for your the last one. Remember when these things are here. Remember this from your your blood pressures going out diplomas out enough. This is called a map for those you that under the age of 30 is what people used to use to figure out where to go. This led to more marital difficulty with our parents than any other thing that we've ever seen. It always have managers of driving it like you were 150.

I think it was back there just it was terrible to this overwhelming right number how overwhelming this was trying to figure out where the different roads were. This is what most people looking for when I asked God for his well that when a map of where to go. Maps can be overwhelming. I was listening to. I was reading a book by Elizabeth Elliott total slow in certain light, and she was a missionary done in Ecuador and in the Amazon jungle and she said that she ran across an American tourist in the middle the jungle who asked her for directions on how to go somewhere and she was like well this is the jungle directions. I can't tell you like it is a landmark to woods and stuff everywhere and I miss it will just cross a map and were confident will make it where we need to go. She said I'm confident you will and ends I should just give it to her so she's always drew a map which is an excellent that I never saw him again. So far as I'm concerned they might still be someone the jungle still wandering out there. She says in some places you'll need a map of me that died you to God who understands everything so well that they can guide you in places and in the map would just overwhelm you. What Psalm 25 offer she was on a map. It offers you a guide and it says this God will walk with you and if you trust in him and you obey him, he will control things and he will arrange decisions you will let other people he won't let you mess it up. If you commit yourself to him as your shepherd and trust in his ability to guide you. Let me close with one last thing here one last characteristic that may be may be the most important of all of them.

Just a beautiful one.

It's number for his last characteristic. Those who were depending on the grace of God right so we got those that are trained in the ways God there's a meeting of the commands of God is trust in the promises of God now gathers depending on the grace of God several times the Psalm.

David is good talk about God's rescue of him by God's deliverance is forgiveness. McKenna comes to a climax in verse 10.

Never such urge you all the Lord's ways show faithful love and truth that your Hebrew Bible open notice that were faithful love is the word has said has said in his covenant love unconditional love. I know that everything that God is doing in my life now is based on unconditional love.

She listened what haunts many of us in our pursuit of God's will is the suspicion that God still has mixed feelings toward us is that maybe, maybe he's still holding some grudges against us because of sins we've committed are mistakes we made in the past, or maybe so disappointed with us and so when you're when you when you're looking to guide your boys probably hear what you don't want like to be all blessing for me because I deserve some bad things doing you know that. Here's what it looks like it means that any blessing that you go through any good chapter of your life. You're always waiting on the other shoe to drop. Right you will see God in heaven going well. You can expect life to be that good use. There you don't deserve that you get this good thing must pay you back a little bad thing over here and I'll get even with you friends what King David would tell us what the good news of the gospel is that how God guides you from this point on and what God gives to you is no longer based on the worthiness of how you live is based on the worthiness of how Jesus lived. That's has said that covenant love is that Jesus took the punishment so that you can get the blessing of how David could say all the Lord's ways, all of them show faithful love and truth because all the route was poured out on Jesus in my place. The New Testament Way of saying that Romans 81 there is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus means that all that God had against me all the reason he would have to condemn all the bad things poured out on Jesus. That means I don't need to wait for the other shoe to drop in a blessing because the other shoe dropped on Jesus and dropped on him so that all that remains for me is blessing and goodness, which is why I so love that verse I gave you the beginning and told you to pray for me. Proverbs 1022 the blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it because he poured out all the sorrow on Jesus, the man of sorrows that would remain for me is nothing but joy and happiness so that I could say that all the promises of God are yes in Christ Jesus, that he is blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. I could know that in everything that I'm doing that I'm walking in his blessing that every good and perfect gift is coming from above, from the father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning. Which means there is no mixed feelings in him there is no second thoughts. It's all prior all goodness, all blessing all day long. To quote David one final time. That surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. All the condemnation and all the evil was poured out on Jesus so that I could walk in the assurance of his constant intention to bless me every second of every day for the rest of my turning. That's a Great Pl., God guides is not as much. Something God gives to you as something he does for you. Are you the kind of person that he guides your listening to JD Greer on Summit life and I think we can all agree that 2021 was not significantly better in 2020. Our world continues to face heartache and hardship and uncertainty. It may feel like hope is in short supply, that thankfully it doesn't have to be yellowish. Me and Molly. We have all had to find a new normal.

As we enter yet another year of not knowing what the future holds. I would say my family could not have made it through thus far without the support and encouragement of our family, our local church or the summa church and folks like you are our Summit live audience in the Christmas season.

It reminds us that our God is not a God who is a far off got a God who is unfamiliar with paying a God who leaves us alone in her loneliness he enters into it with us and we been able to make that known to a lot of people around the country because of your support, but that's a financial donation whether it's it's your your ongoing prayer or if it's just simply engaging with the content that we share share with others so as we close out 2021. I would love to ask you to consider becoming one of her first 500 gospel partners in the new year. That's a monthly giving commitment that enables us to take the gospel new places. One thing to say about her summa life is you don't give two summa life is much as you give through seven like you're giving to impact people with the gospel is our joy to be able doing that so thank you for this you that are involved. That way, and I want to invite you to prayerfully consider being one of those 500 gospel partners going into this year that will enable us to take the gospel to more people in more places, there's still time to join our team of monthly gospel partners and be glad to get you a copy of our new 2022 Summit life planner and our way of saying thank you, when you donate once or give monthly to support this ministry and suggested level of $35 or more. Give us a call at eight 663-3550 T-20 eight 663-3550 T-20 or get online. JD Greer.com JD GRER.com I Molly minutes inviting you to join us next time when we're learning about how to approach God not listening is another message from her series help Friday on Summit life with Jeannie