8.02.2008.Sermon.Guidance by Cloud and Fire
By William Akehurst, HSWC
Clouds by day – Moving Forward
Songs “Where He Leads me I will follow”
“Everywhere I go I See You” Michael W. Smith
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Whether in a fog or darkness, our Lord will lead and guide us. He uses different ways to lead and guide us along the way, but as long as we follow Him, He will lead us.
Clouds by Day
Day = when it is light and we can see clearly
Clouds=shade, and protection,
Protection-Compare Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Cloudy can also mean, foggy, hazy, can’t see through.
Cloudy, foggy
Can’t see far
Can’t see through
But can be led by it.
Acknowledge the LORD, and he will direct you.
How many times has your direction in life been a little bit foggy, or cloudy?
But you needed to put your trust in the Lord even though you couldn’t see the ‘future’ due to the cloud.
God reveals to each of us, what we are to see, and hides what we are not, until His time and purpose.
Driving in fog, slow down, lights on low, watch the road carefully. Keeping an eye on the lines, keeping on the path.
As you drive through a cloud, or fog, you see just enough to keep going, but you go carefully.
Fire by Night
Surrounded by darkness, led by the light, can see the light and as we near it, it gets brighter and brighter. We can see to move forward towards the light.
Psalm 43:3
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me…
When we are in darkness and despair, God is the light at the end of the tunnel.
John 8:12 Jesus said
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
God is the light
Keep moving forward, towards HIM.
I SEE YOU by Michael W. Smith
G/E (throughout whole verse)
Lord You’re leading me
With a cloud by day
And then in the night
The glow of a burning flame
C/A
And everywhere I go I see You
(And everywhere I go I see You)
G/E
And everywhere I go I see You
(And everywhere I go I see You)
And You take my hand
And You wash it clean
I know the promised land
Is light years ahead of me
And the eagle flies
And the rivers run
I look through the night
And I can see the rising sun
Well the grass will die
And the flowers fall
But your word’s alive
And will be after all
