God, Guidance
God, Guidance and You
NO RIGHTS RESERVED As His Spirit leads
And for God's glory
You are encouraged to use this material
For the building up of His Body
And for the evangelization of the world
Cover design: Mark A. Cole
Typographer: Gelmis A. Cole
Dedication
To the sheep of God
who long to hear The Shepherd's voice
Introduction
T
hiS little booklet
is about God, Guidance,
and You. It is but
a brief
overview
of a subject
so vast
and profound
that it has engaged the attention of men and angels since the world
began. It involves the deep and inti- mate relationship
between Christ and His Church. It consid- ers His precious promise never to forsake us, and to provide us with a perennial source of instruction
and guidance.
Peter wrote that the prophets searched and inquired dili- gently to understand this mystery. Even the angels longed to look into these things, but were not able (1 Pet. 1:10 - 12). Paul considered the same great mystery and wrote:
"No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind
has conceived
what God has prepared
for those
who love him."
1 Corinthians 2:9
The primary
reference of this quotation
from Isaiah 64:4 is not
about
heaven,
it is about
the
relationship
that Christians
have with
Christ right now! This is the "hidden wisdom"
kept secret by God since the world
began. Now, however, God has revealed this wisdom to us by His Spirit. The intimacy of this relationship
is profound
and wonderful, like a marriage. Just as husbands and wives share intimate
thoughts with one another, the Sovereign of the universe has
condescended
to share His thoughts with all who join with Him in the intimacy of the marriage union.
Each reader is encouraged to approach this subject with skepticism. The Scriptures teach us to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21). We are not to blindly accept spiritual teaching, but like the noble Bereans we are encouraged to study the Scriptures daily to see if spiritual teachings are true (Acts 17:11).
Everything
God
makes
can
stand
careful
scrutiny. Snowflakes, for example, are not only beautiful
on a moun- tain top, but also under a microscope. The works of man, by contrast, become crude and ugly the more carefully they are examined. A painting, for example, that looks beautiful from across the room reveals many brush marks and imperfections when scrutinized
more closely.
If this teaching is of God, the more closely you examine it, the more beautiful it will become.
Each day we face a wide variety of decisions. What we choose each day will
either bring us closer to Christ or take us further away. Jesus not only wants us to have life, but life abundant
(John 10:10). His guidance
in our daily
lives can therefore be the difference between success and failure.
Even though this little
booklet
is brief, you are encour- aged to study and ponder each page. The Word
of God is like a seed. It cannot produce fruit until it has roots.
May the truths of this booklet provide you with access to His eternal power and glory:
"Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably
more than all we ask or imagine,
according
to his power
that is at work within
us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21
God, Guidance,
and You
•
There is a God (Ps. 14:1) and you were created in His image (Gen. 1:26).
•
Neither
you,
or God will
share intimate
information
with
a casual
acquaintance.
If you
become
a friend
of God
Like Abraham,
God may also reveal things to you.(Gen.
18:17 - 19;James. 2:23) .
•
Please consider:
" ...
No-one
knows
the Son except
the Father, and no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." (Matt 11:27)
If you are willing
to be yoked with Christ, He promises to teach you. Please consider these next verses:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matt. 11:28-30
•
This brief study is designed to help you receive guidance
and direction
from Christ.
- If you are in the yoke with Him, He promises to teach you.
•
Being yoked with
Christ is much better than merely having a map. Once you are in His yoke He promises
never to leave you or forsake you! (Heb. 13:5)
•
His yoke is "easy". That is, it fits you perfectly. This makes the burden seem light.
Please prayerfully consider the implications
of Matt. 28:28-30 in your own life.
The Bible
The primary way that God guides people is by the Bible. Please prayerfully
consider:
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Ps 119:105)
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuk- ing, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
2Tim3:16-17
"Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation.
For prophecy never had its origin
in the will
of man, but men spoke from
God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."
2 Pet 1:20-21
"For the word
of God is living
and active. Sharper than any double-edged
sword, it penetrates even to dividing
soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and attitudes
of the heart." Heb 4:12
"Consequently,
faith comes from
hearing the message, and
the message is heard through the word of Christ." Rom 10:17
These and other Scriptures could easily be multiplied
to show that God has given His word to provide guidance for His people (is. 55:11). When Jesus was tempted He quoted the Bible (Matt. 4: 4, 7, 10, etc.) So should you! If you want to be guided by God please study the Bible!
This is a picture of William
Tyndale.
On
October
6, 1536 he was strangled
and burned
at the stake for translating
the Bible into the English language .• His dying words were: "Lord, open the King of England's eyes".
A Brief Overview
•
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and His Spirit hovered over the waters (Gen. 1:2).
- Everything God made was good (Gen. 1:3,9,12,18,21).
•
God was so interested in His creation that He even gave a name to every star (Ps. 147:4).
•
Not even a sparrow can fall to the ground without His knowl- edge (Matt. 10:29).
•
Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered
(Matt. 10:30).
•
Of course, you are more valuable than many sparrows (Matt. 10:31).
Surely God is also interested
in you!.
He knows your name, and where you live, and also has a plan for your life. Please consider:
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in
the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed
body. All the days ordained
for me were written
in your book before one of them came to be."
Ps 139:13-16
..
Tbis is a sparrow. It does not sow or reap
store in barns (Matt. 6:26) Please prayerfully consider
the fact that if God is concerned about
sparrows,
He is even, more concerned about you!
Guidance in the Age
of the Patriarchs
•
The word "patriarch"
refers to rule by fathers. During this time in history the fathers ruled as prophets, priests, and kings.
•
God guided Noah and helped him prepare an ark and save his household (Gen. 6:9 - 22).
•
God guided Abraham to the land of promise (Gen. 12:1; Heb. 11:8)
•
God guided
the servant of Abraham
to find
a wife
for Isaac (Gen. 24).
- God guided Isaac and told him where to live (Gen. 26:1 - 6).
•
God guided Jacob and helped him to become wealthy
(Gen. 31:42).
The guidance of God at this time was not just for men like Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it was for all who would trust in the Lord and lean not unto their own under- standing.
This truth transcends all time:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge
him, and
he will
make your paths straight.
Prov 3:5-6
This is an artist's conception
of Noah's ark. God gave Noah specific instructions on how tOi~d
the ark. All who were in it were saved (Gen. 6:9',f;~~~i~i':A"
outside of
the ark perished (II Pet. 3:6). It seems to
have taken
years to complete
the
project
(Gen. 6:3). Noah built the ark to
save his family (Heb. 11:7). What are you will-
ing to do to save your family?
Guidance in the
Age of Moses
During
the Age of Moses God gave His people
a new kind
of government.
In this dispensation
they would
no longer be ruled by fathers, but by national
leaders. Neither would
the fathers
build
altars
and make sacrifices.
This responsibility
was now designated to the Tribe of Levi and the sons of Aaron.
•
Of course, God did not abandon His peopled during this time, but continued
to guide them.
•
While
many examples of guidance
could be given, one famil- iar example
is the way
God guided
His people
through
the wilderness.
•
He led them with a pillar of cloud
by day, and a pillar of fire by night (Ex. 40:34 - 38).
•
More
specific
guidance
came from
following
the ark of the covenant.
It was carried by the priests about a thousand yards in front of the people (Josh. 3:4).
•
The experience of God's people in the wilderness is specifically stated in Scripture to be an example for us (1 Cor. 10:1 - 13).
Truly, God continued
to guide His people in the Age of Moses.
•
It was during this dispensation that David was inspired to write that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Ps. 37:23).
This is how an artist
pictures
the cloud that guided God's people in the wilderness.
Guidance in the
Age of Jesus
•
Jesuscame to give us an example that we should follow
in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21).
His primary command
to His disciples was "follow
me". This command
is found 77 times in the four Gospels.
Following Jesuswas both easy and hard. It was easy from the standpoint that all they had to do was keep Him in sight. It was hard because it demanded self-denial.
Fishermen, for example, had to leave their fishing nets to follow
Christ. Please consider:
•
Jesusguided His disciples in catching fish (Lk. 5:1 - 7) and also promised to guide them in catching men (Lk. 5:10)
•
Jesus was always reliable,
but never predictable.
He taught no rituals but never failed to help those who were sick or in need. Bible accounts of healing blind
men, for example,
indicate
it was never done the same way twice (See Mk. 8:22-26; In. 9:1- 7; Matt. 20: 29-34).
•
Even though
Jesus ascended
into
heaven,
He promised
His disciples that He would
not leave them like orphans. He would continue
to be with
them
and guide them
by means of the Holy Spirit (John 14;18).
•
Even as they travelled
to the ends of the earth Jesus promised to be always be with them (Matt. 28:18 - 20).
This is a picture
of fishermen
casting
a net on the Sea of Galilee. On at least three
occasions Jesus helped
His disciples
to catch
fish (See Matt. 17:14S:ti; Lk, 5:1-11 ;and
john 21 :1-14. Finally, jesus called
them to
be "fishers
of men"
(Matt.
4:19).
Please
consider
that
Jesus
can
also
guide
us to be
"fishers of men"
A New Kind of Guidance
•
On the night before His death Jesustold His disciples that He was going where they could not follow at that time (In. 13:36)
•
He was not going to abandon them, however, or leave them like orphans On. 14:18)
•
Jesuspromised to return to them as a Spirit On. 14:15 - 17). As a Spirit, Jesuscould be with all of His disciples everywhere.
•
In the Age of the Patriarchs and Moses, God's guidance came from without.
•
Now Jesus promised to guide His disciples from within.
He said:
"If anyone loves me, he will
obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."
John 14:23
•
With
God in our hearts our bodies are temples of His Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19).
•
Today His laws are not written
on stone tablets, but in our minds and hearts (Heb. 8:7 - 13).
•
Today, it is those who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14).
•
Anyone who is not controlled
by the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ ( Rom. 8:9)
If God guided His people in the Age of the Patriarchs and Moses, surely He can continue to guide His people today!
This
is anArctic
Tern. This tiny
bird
weighs-only
2/3 of a pound and yet flies
each year from within
the Arctic Circle to
the Antarctic
and back. The round
trip
is
approximately
22,000
miles.
This amazing
journey
is possible
because Go<;Lplaced a guid- ance system inside of each bird. tFtiod
can guide Hirds on lon"'g.and@ffieult jeurneys» can.He'fJelf:'3l-so-guide people?
Learning from Animals,
Birds, and Fish
God helps us to understand our guidance by the way He gives guidance to animals, birds, and fish. He inspired Jobto say:
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind."
Job 12:7-10
Insects like
butterflies,
moths,
and locusts
survive
by migrating great distances. Nothing is haphazard in the created world.
Each creature is designed by God with a mechanism for survival.
Animals
also have the ability
to migrate.
In Africa
the antelopes, zebras, and wildebeests travel over 1,000 miles in their
annual
migration.
In North
America
the caribou,
elk, mule deer, and sheep also migrate to survive. These creatures are not guided by a leader from without,
but by information that God has placed within them.
The fowls of the air also migrate great distances by means of internal navigation systems. Many birds fly thousands of miles over vast continents and open seato arrive at their destinations. Then they unerringly return and often nest in the same tree. Many
creatures
of the sea also survive
by migration. Whales spend the summer feeding on the rich concentration of plankton
in arctic waters, but travel thousands of miles to warm waters for mating and calving.
If God can give such guidance
to insects, birds, beasts, and fish, certainly He can also give guidance to you.
This is the European freshwater eel. It is born in the Sargasso Sea south of Bermuda. In the early stages of its life it drifts across the
Atlantic Ocean to Europe. For the next 6
- 20 years it lives in the fresh water rivers of Europe, but then returns back across the Atlantic Ocean to spawn and die at the place of its birth. If God can guide an eel across thou- sands of miles of the ocean,
can He not also guide you?
Learning from the Ant
The Scriptures teach that we can also learn from the ant.
"Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander,
no overseer
or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions
in summer and gathers its food at harvest."
Prov 6:6-8)
Ants are among the most numerous creatures on earth. There are 8,000 known species and their number is thought to exceed ten million billion. This number is greater than all of the mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians combined.
The legendary army ants move their nest site once a day and are voracious hunters. Thousands of these ants function as one and are capable of killing
every insect and small invertebrate in their path.
Most ants, however, have a fixed nest. These ants have different
colors,
shapes and sizes and different
roles to perform. Smaller worker ants may tend the larvae, while fierce soldier ants with large mandibles protect the colony. Though
these colonies
contain
thousands
of individual
ants, and though they are amazingly complex, they still operate asone.
All of these ants, according to Scripture, accomplish their amazing work without a "commander, overseer, or ruler".
If God can guide an ant so that it will work in unison with other ants, surely He can guide you to work in cooperation with other Christians.
This ~s a Pictu.re of a.: Ie ';: ...•....
' ..t.t~~a.nt. These amazmg creatures acn
..,',
»a-:
'~ a farm- ing operation with the '"
'
~c' carrying the leaves to the nest and the smaller ones ~paring
them for food. Please consider ant and be wise!
"
God Is a Jealous God
•
The first commandment
of the Ten Commandments
is that we are to have no other Gods before Jehovah (Ex. 20:3)
•
Over
and over we are reminded
in Scripture
that God
is a Jealous God (Ex. 20:5; Deut. 4:24, 5:9; etc.)
•
The most important
commandment
in all the Bible is that we are to love God with
all of our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mk. 12;30).
God does not promise to reveal Himself to everyone, but only to those who seek for Him with all of their heart:
"You will
seek me, and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."
Jer.29:13
•
Jesus taught that if any man would
come after Him, he would have to deny himself and take up his cross (Matt. 16:24).
Surely if you search for God with
all of your heart, you will find Him.
When you trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding,
He has promised to give guidance and direction for your life (Prov. 3:5 - 6).
Our relationship
with
God is like a marriage. Obviously no marriage
can be successful
unless both the bride
and groom
are completely
devoted
to one another.
God
is completely
devoted
to you
(Rom.
8:31
- 39).
Are you completely
devoted to Him?
You Must Be Born Again
•
God created living
plants on the third day
(Gen. 1:11). Each living thing has seeds and reproduces after its own kind.
•
Jesus used this truth to teach Nicodemus
about spiritual
life. He said: "flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit" (John 3;6).
•
This is why it is necessary to be born again (John 3:1 - 8).
The only way we can have Spiritual
life is to get it from a Spiritual seed.
•
The first time Jesus is mentioned
in the Bible He is called the "seed of woman"
(Gen. 3:15).
•
Jesus is also called the seed of Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, David, etc.
- When Jesuscomes into our heart we are born again.
•
Peter put it like this: "For you have been born again, not of perishable
seed, but of imperishable,
through
the living
and enduring word of God" (1 Pet. 1:23)
•
Both the Bible and Jesus are called the "Word
of God"
(John 1:1; Lk. 8:11)
•
Because we come from the seed of Adam we have the likeness of Adam.
When
we receive the seed of Jesus, we bear also have the likeness of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:45 - 49).
•
Our life is dramatically
changed when His seed abides in us (1 In.3:9).
•
When you receive Jesus into your life, He will
give you spiri- tual life and guidance.
The physical body of this baby came
a physical seed. It received a DNA code from its parents. When we are born again with God's seed, we also have His "image" or DNA code in a spiritual
sense (see 1 Cor. 15:45 ~49). This code is not vvr!tten in our but 'in our minds and hearts (Heb:' 8:1 0). You must be "born again" in oTd~o see the. kingdom'of
6odtlohn
3:3)
Transformation
The Bible word for "transformation"
is the Greek word "metamorphosis".
It literally
means to change into another form. We use this word to describe what happens to a cater- pillar when it becomes a butterfly.
•
This word
is found four times in Scripture. Two times it refers to Jesus (Matt. 17:2; Mk. 9:2) Two times it refers to Christians (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 3:18).
•
The transformation
of Christ was the miracle
that convinced Peter he was not following
cunningly
devised fables
(2 Pet. 1:16-21).
•
Please consider that today the greatest proof of the reality of God may very well be the transformation
of a sinner from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:16 - 26) The transformation
that happens in a convert to Christ is so dramatic that it is called in Scripture a new creation:
"Therefore
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
2 Cor. 5:17
When the butterfly comes out of the cocoon it has a new mind,
new desires,
and new abilities.
So does the new Christian!
If God can guide
a butterfly
from
Canada to Mexico, surely He can also guide you.
This is a monarch
butterfly.
MiJlions
of these
butter- flies begin
their
life cycle on a tQJJkweed plant in Mexico,
and
Wind upcStWeral
generations later
in Canada.
In the
Fall of the year
will
guide
these
butterflies
back
to M
wbere
they
came
from.
If God
can
guide
a butterfly, can He not also guide you?
You Must Have a New Heart
•
Jeremiah
described
unconverted
man as having
a heart that was deceitful
and desperately wicked
(ler, 17;9).
•
Because the heart of man was corrupt,
it was easy to predict that his actions would
also be corrupt (Matt. 15:19). For exam- ple, the people of God were rebellious while Moses was alive, and he predicted
that their rebellion
would
grow worse after he died (Deut. 32:27). He was right.
God
promised,
however,
that
some
day
He would
give
His people
a new
heart.
Please consider:
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will
put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."
Ezek 36:26-27
Just as you
can
predict
that
a man
with
a corrupt
heart
will
do corrupt
things,
you can also predict
that a man with
a
godly
heart will
do good
things.
Jesus said:
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." " ...
But they will not follow
a stranger."
John 10:5, 27
Paul wrote:
"He
who
began
a good
work
in you
will
carry
it on to completion
until the day of Christ Jesus."
Phil. 1:6
If you
are one
of Jesus'
sheep,
you
will
hear
His
voice
and follow
Him
(John 10:27).
This is a pi
code. Our human nature comes directly
from, this
DNA
code.
The
Christian,
however, is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). God puts a new covenant, or "code" in our hearts and minds (Heb, 8:7-13). Our new nature in Christ co th-isnew code. Has He written Hls new
heart ar4amiAdl
God's Guidance in
the Life of Peter
•
Jesus gave Peter a new
name because
He saw in him the potential
to become a new person (In. 1:42). He also guided Peter for three years during His earthly ministry.
•
The night before Calvary Jesus said He was going where Peter couldn't
follow
now (John 13:36)
•
Peter bragged that he would
lay down
his life for Christ, but instead denied him three times.
•
Peter needed the help of the Holy Spirit in order to follow
the risen Christ, and so do we!
•
After Peter repented he confessed Christ three times (lohn 21:1-14). Then he asked what John was supposed to do (lohn 21:21).
•
Jesus told
Peter that what John did was none of his business. Peter was to follow
the guidance
of Christ in his own life and not worry about John.
•
The Scriptures warn us about measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing ourselves among ourselves (2 Cor. 10:12).
•
What someone else does, or does not do, is not our primary concern.
To their
own
master they will
stand or fall
(Rom. 14:4). Our primary
responsibility
is to discover and follow
the leading of God in our own lives.
God gave Peter guidance in many ways:
•
From Scripture
(Acts 1:15 - 26; 2:14 - 39, etc.); Through
the urging of his fellow
apostles (Acts 8:14); Through
angels (Acts 5:27 - 20; 10:1 - 23; 12:1 - 11); Through visions (Acts 10:9 - 16); Through the rebuke of Paul (Gal. 2:11 - 21). Perhaps also in other ways.
Jesus is Sovereign. He could help and guide Peter any way He wanted to. He is also Sovereign today and can help and guide you any way He wants to.
This is a global position system receiver. It can provide guidance to you anywhere in the world.
If man can devise
such a system, don't you think GOd can devise one that is even better?
God's Guidance in
the Life of Paul
•
Before Paul was born God selected him to be an Apostle to the gentiles
(Gal.
1:15,
16). Obviously
God was interested
in everything that happened to Paul.
•
At just the right time,
God spoke to Paul on the Damascus Road. It was at this time that Paul received his official call to be an apostle to the gentiles. It was also at this time God began giving Paul very specific
instructions
(Acts 9:1 - 19; 22:6 - 21; 26:4 - 23).
Just as in the example
of Peter, God guided
Paul in a variety of ways.
•
Through the help of friends who lowered him over a wall in a basket (2 Cor. 12:30 - 33).
•
Through prophetic
revelation (Acts 11:27; 13:1; 15:32; 21:10, lTim.1:18;etc.)
- Through visions (Acts 16:9, 10; 18:9; 26:19, etc.)
- Through angels (Acts 27:23)
- And in other ways wI? are not aware of.
•
On one occasion Paul was caught up into the third heaven and heard words he was not permitted to repeat (2 Cor. 12:1 - 6).
God is Sovereign and could help and guide Paul anyway He wanted to.
God is also Sovereign in your life and can help and guide you any way He wants to!
This is the picture of
can be guidea'\fO
of miles away' with
incredible
accu
tt.man
can devise a system to guide
rocket, don't you think God has a system to guide you?
God's Guidance in
the Book of Acts
•
The Gospels record what Jesusbegan to do and teach. The book of Acts records what He continues to do and teach (Acts 1:1).
•
Jesus told
His disciples
not to leave Jerusalem until they had received the power that the Father promised (Acts 1:4).
•
Once
they received
this power
they would
be energized
to witness
in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8)
•
Just as God hovered
over His physical
creation
to insure its proper development,
He also hovered over the spiritual
devel- opment of His Body, the church. The identity of Christ with His church is unmistakable
(Acts 9:4).
•
The story of Paul's
ship wreck
is like a parable
to help
us understand
that God guides us even we are not aware of it. The ship that carried Paul was caught in a storm and "driven before the wind".
It seemed out of control.
They had not seen the sun or stars for many days and were totally
unaware as to where they were. God, however, was in complete
control
and informed
Paul that they were destined
for an island that He had chosen.
He also reassured Paul that he would
someday standbefore Caesar(Acts27:23 - 26).
There has not been a time in the in history when God was not in control of what happens in the lives of His children. When you are beset by the storms of life, it is comforting to know that God is still in control.
This is a radar screen. Planes and ships can receive guidance from radar to navigate through
storms.
Isn't it obvious
that God has a better
system
than
this to guide you through the storms of life.
Promises of God's Guidance
in the Epistles
•
The Word of God is an energizing force that works in believers (1 Thess. 2:13; ;Heb. 4:12).
•
The indwelling
presence of God teaches us to love one another (1 Thess. 4:9).
•
Believers have an anointing
from the Holy One that helps them to know the truth (1 John 2:20).
•
Believers have an anointing
that remains in them and teaches them (1 John 2:27).
•
The natural man does not receive or know the things of God but the spiritual
man is able to make proper judgments
about them (1 Cor. 2:14, 15).
•
If any man lacks wisdom
he can ask God for it. God promises to grant this wisdom to those who ask in faith (James 1:5 - 8).
•
As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14).
•
The peace of Christ will "rule",
or be an umpire in the hearts of believers (Col. 3:15).
•
God can make clear to believers things they otherwise
might not understand (Phil. 3:15).
•
Those who live in the Spirit are to keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
These and other promises in the epistles are not just for the apostles, or First Century Christians, they are also for you.
With this cell phone you can call for
help,
order
something
you
need,
or
receive
advice.
The privilege
of prayer, however, is far superior 19 anything man is capable of inventing. By means of prayer God can understand our thoughts ~fore
we speak them in words.
Common Sense
•
Jesus is the Head of His Body, the Church (Col. 1:18). When we are baptized into Christ we become members of His Body (1 Cor. 12:13 - 31). It is only common senseto believe that the Head of the Body can direct and control the members of His body.
•
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Believers are His sheep. It is common senseto believe that the sheep of Jesushear His voice and follow
where
He leads. This is precisely
what Jesus promised (John 10:27).
•
Jesus is the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10). We are like soldiers in His army (2 Tim. 2:3, 4). Common sense teaches us that soldiers in the army receive guidance from their leader.
•
When we become Christians we also become sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26). It is only common
sense to believe that the Father in a family can give guidance and help to His own children.
There are also many other analogies
in Scripture
that indicate
that
God can influence
and direct
the lives
of believers:
King-subjects;
Master-slave;
Husband-wife; Vine-branches;
Teacher-disciple;
etc.
When you become a member of His Body, both Scripture and common sense tells us that you will partake of His Spirit, His energy, His wisdom, and His guidance.
These
athletes
have
well
disciplined
and coordinated
bodies.
Just
as their
heads control
their
bodies,
your
head
controls
your body.
If you can
control
YOLlrbody,
does
it not also
make
sense
that Christ can
also control
His Body?
The Necessity of Diligence
•
The Scriptures
admonish
us to be careful
how we live (Eph. 5:15).
The word
used here describes
an acrobat.
Lazy and slothful people are in danger of falling.
•
Satan has the ability
to appear
as an angel of light
(2 Cor. 11:14).
•
Satan sends out false apostles and deceitful
workers
(2 Cor. 11:13).
•
We are commanded
to "test"
the spirits
to see if they truly come from God (1 John 4:1).
•
We are commanded
to prove or test everything
(1 Thess. 5:21).
•
Jesus sent out His disciples
like sheep in the midst of wolves (Matt. 10:16)
- We are to endure hardship like a good soldier (2 Tim. 2:3).
•
We are to diligently
compete for the prize like an athlete (2 Tim. 2:5; 1 Cor. 9:24 - 27).
•
Like pilgrims
in a strange land we are to abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul (1 Pet. 2:11).
Sheep
in the midst of wolves
need to be diligent
and stay close to the Shepherd.
Acrobats
have to be very careful what they do.
So does the Christian!
Are you beirig
careful
and
diligent
about
your obedience to Christ?
Do Not Be Like the Horse or the Mule
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will
counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you."
Ps 32:8-9
God wants
to guide
us, but He also wants
us to be sensi- tive to His leading
and guidance.
He does
not want
to deal harshly
with
us like we were
horses
or mules.
Horses
and mules often have to be forced to obey. God does not want us to be like that.
•
God sent Noah to give guidance to the people. They refused God's guidance and perished in the flood. (2 Pet. 2:5).
•
God sent Moses to give guidance to Pharaoh. Pharaoh refused that guidance and brought destruction upon all of Egypt (Ex. 7:1-12:51).
•
God sent Amos to guide
Israel. God also sent starvation, drought, and plagues but the people considered them only as "natural"
disasters. Their refusal to accept God's guidance brought them judgement (Amos 4:6-12) .
•
God wanted to guide Jonah but Jonah rebelled. Three days in the belly of a grea fish helped him hear the voice of God more clearly (Jonah 1:1-3:3).
•
Balaam was so insensitive to what God wanted in his life that God had to enable
a donkey
to speak in order to get his attention (Nu. 22:21-34).
What
will God
have
to do to you
in order
to get your attention?
This mule is guided by pain;
1f it does not respond
correctly,
it may have to be whipped.
God wants to give us guid- ance,
but He prefers not to do it like men guide horses a mules. Are you sensi- tive to the leading of God in your life?
God's Promises Are for You
In the struggles of life we are energized
and helped by His exceeding great and precious promises. Peter reminded his readers that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge
of God. By means of His glory and goodness
...
he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through
them you may participate
in the divine
nature and escape
the
corruption
in the world
caused
by evil desires.
2 Pet 1:4
These great and precious promises assume a new signifi- cance when we are able to appropriate
them personally
in our own lives.
It was approximately
3,000 years ago that God inspired David to write the 139th Psalm. Please prayerfully
consider that the message of this Psalm has been especially preserved to help YOU in the struggles you are facing today:
o LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely,
LORD. You hem me in-
behind
and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge
is too
wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will
hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created
my inmost
being;
you
knit
me together
in my mother's
womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully
and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed
body. All the days ordained
for me were written
in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, 0 God! How vast is the sum of them! Were
I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.
Ps 139:1-18
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight..
Prov 3:5-6
One Example of Many
Since every child of God is led by the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:14), we have an unlimited
number of examples to illustrate God's guidance in His people. We have chosen the late Dr. George Washington
Carver,
however,
because he proves that the principle
is true regardless of poverty, prejudice,
and other overwhelming
disadvantages.
Dr. Carver was born a slave, and spent the first years of his life as a sickly child with
no opportunity
for any formal education.
In spite of these, and other obstacles Dr. Carver became one of the most famous scientists in the world and is credited with
being
the "Father
of Synthetics".
The discovery
of synthetics
came
in his laboratory
at Tuskegee
which
he called "God's little workshop".
According
to the story Dr. Carver took his Bible into his labratory
and
prayed
for
God
to teach
him
about
the universe. The Lord seemed to say that this was too compli- cated for him to understand. Next Dr. Carver prayed that he might
understand
man. This also was deemed to difficult. Finally the submissive
Dr. Carver prayed to at least under- stand the peanut. The Lord seemed to say that He would help him do this.
Dr. Carver was said to have stayed in his laboratory for 48 hours. Concerned students knocked on the door to see if he was all right. He was!
Dr. George Washington Carver
Born around 1861 - no birth records available Passed away Jan. 5, 1943
When Dr. Carver came out of God's little workshop there were four kingdoms instead of three. Now, in addition to the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, there was also the kingdom of synthetics.
Here are some of the more than 300 things that God showed Dr. Carver how to synthesize from the peanut:
BEVERAGES- blackberry punch, cherry punch, peanut lemon punch, peanut orange punch, etc.
COSMETICS - all purpose cream, antiseptic soap, baby massage cream, face bleach and tan remover, glycerine, hand lotion, shampoo, shaving cream, etc.
DYES, PAINTS, and STAINS - 30 dyes for cloth, 19 dyes for leather, paints, 17 wood stains, etc.
STOCK FOODS - molasses feed, hen food, peanut hay meal, peanut hull bran, peanut stock food, etc.
FOODS - bar candy, bisque powder, buttermilk, caramel, cheese cream,
dehydrated milk flakes, dry coffee, mayon- naise, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, oleomargarine, mock oyster, instant coffee, etc.
MEDICINES - castoria substitute, goiter treatment, iron tonic, laxatives, tannic acid, quinine, etc.
GENERAL - axle grease, charcoal, diesel fuel, bricketts, gas, gasoline, glue, insecticide, linoleum nitroglycerine, plas- tics, rubber, laundry soap, etc.
(A more complete
list can be obtained
from
Carver Birthplace District Assn. P.O. Box 38, Diamond, Mo. 64840) Dr. Carver believed that God was broadcasting informa- tion
all around the world
in something
similar
to radio waves. He believed that God would give guidance when we
"tuned in to Him". Are you ready and willing to "tune in to God"?