Our God, Our Guide
Griffith Baptist Church – 3/15/09
P.M. Service
Text: Psalm 48
Key verse: Psalms 48:14 - For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
Premise: We all need direction to get us where we need to go and the divine compass and guide of our lives will show us every step of the way, if we will only let Him lead.
The Introduction
Elizabeth Elliot tells of two adventurers who stopped by to see her, all loaded with equipment for the rain forest east of the Andes. They sought no advice, just a few phrases to converse with the Indians. She writes: ’Sometimes we come to God as the two adventurers came to me, confident and, we think, well-informed and well equipped. But has it occurred to us that with all our accumulation of stuff, something is missing?" She suggests that we often ask God for too little. ’We know what we need, a yes or no answer, please, to a simple question. Or perhaps a road sign. Something quick and easy to point the way. ’What we really ought to have is the Guide himself. Maps, road signs, a few useful phrases are things, but infinitely better is someone who has been there before and knows the way." Elizabeth Elliot, A Slow and Certain Light
God guided so many in the Bible:
• The children of Israel out of Egypt
• Jonah to his destination, Nineveh (albeit reluctantly)
• Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matt. 4:1)
• Paul on His missionary journeys
When we take trips, we generally plan ahead; how much it will cost, where we will go, what to take, what we will do when we get there, what kids to leave at home, etc.
We are going to look at one particular verse, verse 14.
Let’s take a look at four (4) aspects of our spiritual journey:
Body
1. The Destination
Going on a trip for a vacation is an exciting adventure in planning. Of course, in order to go anywhere, there ultimately has to be a destination It is not like in Alice in Wonderland. When Alice comes to a junction in the road that leads in different directions, she asks the Cheshire Cat, “Cheshire-Puss...would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to go to,” said the Cat.
“I don’t much care where,” replied Alice.
“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.” Daily Walk, May 31, 1992
A. Maturity – Ephesians 4:13 - Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
i. When Pablo Casals reached 95, a young reported threw him a question: ’Mr. Casals, you are 95 and the greatest cellist that ever lived. Why do you still practice six hours a day?" And Mr. Casals answered, ’Because I think I’m making progress."
Your goal is to make progress every day of your life. Dr. Maxwell Maltz, quoted in Bits & Pieces, June 24, 1993, p. 12
ii. In this life, this is what God desires of us, that we grow up.
iii. These are the steps we take in our lives toward the ultimate destination
B. Heaven – John 14:2-3 - 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
i. One day when George MacDonald, the great Scottish preacher and writer, was talking with his son, the conversation turned to heaven and the prophets’ version of the end of all things.
“It seems too good to be true,” the son said at one point.
A smile crossed MacDonald’s whiskered face. “Nay,” he replied, “It is just so good it must be true!” Disappointment With God, PhilipYancey, Zondervan, p. 97
ii. This is our final destination
iii. As Christians, no matter how we get there (rapture or death) we will end up in the presence of God in His abode
2. The Compass
A. The Word of God – Psalms 119:105 - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
i. While in a convenience store one time there was one of those tabloid newspapers with this bold headline: “Bible Prophecies the US Government Doesn’t Want You To Know”. You don’t need a Top-Secret security clearance to read God’s word—it’s no secret!
ii. Basis Instruction Before Leaving Earth
iii. We cannot live without it or see with it.
iv. It points us in the right direction and keeps us on the right path
B. The Holy Spirit - John 16:13 - However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own [authority], but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
i. Moody was to have a campaign in England. An elderly pastor protested, ’Why do we need this ’Mr. Moody’? He’s uneducated, inexperienced, etc. Who does he think he is anyway? Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?"
A younger, wiser pastor rose and responded, ’No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."
ii. He is the inner compass
iii. When we pay attention, we will stay on the path we are supposed to be on.
C. God’s Will – James 4:13-15 - 13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
i. A minister received a call from a church that offered him a salary four times what he was then receiving. Being a devout man, he spent much time in prayer trying to discern what God wanted him to do. One day a friend met the minister’s young son on the street. “Do you know what your dad is going to do?” he asked. “Well,” replied the youngster, “Dad’s praying, but Mom’s packing!” Source unknown
ii. Nothing is as mysterious as God’s will.
iii. It is the one aspect of God we ought to be most concerned with.
3. The Path
A small girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where her brother enjoyed playing. But when she came within sight of the steep, rough path, she drew back in dismay. ’Why, there isn’t a smooth spot anywhere. It’s all bumpy and stony!" she exclaimed.
’Yes," said her more experienced older brother, ’but how else would we ever climb to the top if it wasn’t? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there." Source Unknown
A. Our Life – Psalms 16:11 - Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
i. The first part of this begins at conception
ii. The most important aspect of this begins at salvation – Ephesians 2:1-5 - 1And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
iii.
B. Our Journey – Job 23:10 - But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
i. There were two men traveling in the WAY The first man said to the other man: “How long have we been traveling in the “Way?” The other man answered: “Not long enough to get to where we are going but far too long to only be as far as we are. Have you ever looked back on your Christian walk and found you were not as far along as you thought you would be when you started? When we start this new walk, we go all out. We have all the strength imaginable to take the journey. We see the distance we need to travel and say “no problem”. Then something happens, the truth is we have lost sight of our goal, the prize has lost the allure that the distractions of this life now present; refocus on the prize Christ Jesus, this journey is a process.
ii. The journey is not always pleasant
iii. The journey is different for everyone but the same destination
iv. The journey is rewarding (1st Cor. 3:11-13)
4. The Guide
I heard about an 83 year old man the other day who had lived his entire life as a bachelor. One day this man gathered his four nephews and announced that he was planning to be married. His nephews were in shock. One spoke up and said, "Uncle are you getting married because this woman is beautiful?" He said, "No." Another nephew asked, "Uncle are you getting married because this woman is a great cook?" Again he said, "No." The third nephew questioned, "Are you marrying this woman because she is rich?" "Of course not," was his reply. The final nephew said, "Uncle if your not marrying this woman because she is beautiful, or because she is a great cook, or because she is rich, then why are you marrying her?" With a wink he said, "I’m marrying her because she can drive at night!" We have a God who can guide us, no matter what.
A. Righteousness - Psalms 23:3 - He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
i. He leads us in the right way
ii. He leads us in a holy way
B. Comfort - Psalms 23:4 - Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You [are] with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
i. Because of the treacherous nature of the journey, he is careful to never take us to places we cannot handle.
ii. He takes us on a walk, not a run.
iii. It is better for us in the long term.
C. Fairness - Psalms 25:9 - The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way.
i. A socialist once came to see Andrew Carnegie and soon was railing against the injustice of Carnegie having so much money. In his view, wealth was meant to be divided equally. Carnegie asked his secretary for an assessment of everything he owned and at the same time looked up the figures on world population. He did a little arithmetic on a pad and then said to his secretary. “Give this gentleman l6 cents. That’s his share of my wealth.” God’s concept of fairness (or justice) is balanced and perfect and far different from what we might think. We need to trust Him.
ii. The humble should be us and I hope it is.
iii. He is a just and fair guide, even though it doesn’t appear that way sometimes.
D. Wisdom - Psalms 73:24 - You will guide me with Your counsel, And afterward receive me [to] glory.
i. God’s wisdom is truly amazing and perfect, even when we don’t think so at the time - Elizabeth Elliot, in her book Let Me Be a Woman, records the story of Gladys Aylward unable to accept the looks God had given her. Ms. Aylward told how when she was a child she had two great sorrows. One, that while all her friends had beautiful golden hair, hers was black. The other, that while her friends were still growing, she had stopped. She was about four feet ten inches tall. But when at last she reached the country to which God had called her to be a missionary, she stood on the wharf in Shanghai and looked around at the people to whom He had called her. “Every single one of them” she said, “had black hair. And every one of them had stopped growing when I did.” She was able to look to God and exclaim, “Lord God, You know what You’re doing!” Elizabeth Elliot, Let Me Be a Woman
ii. We can trust our guide with every word, every step, every counsel.
iii. He will never steer us wrong
iv. Earthly wisdom is not adequate and is often governed by the flesh
E. Constantly - Isa 58:11 The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
i. We don’t have to worry that our guide will take off on His own adventure and leave us stranded.
ii. He will never abandon us, even when we sin (Heb. 13:5)
Conclusion:
How far of a reach does God have in your journey of life?
Are you letting God guide you or are you trying to guide God?
