Today’s New Journey
Elmer L. Towns
A. WE’RE ALL ON A JOURNEY
1. You can’t change where you have come from, but you can change where you are going.
2. Your future destination doesn’t need to be a carbon copy of your past, nor does God want it to be.
3. God wants to give you a new path and a better path . . . His path.
4. This year is the next year that you anticipated last year. But will this year be what you really want? Will this year be what God wants?
• As an architect must draw blueprints.
• As a composer must write out music.
• As a chef prepares a menu.
• So God has a road map for your life.
• Just as the house must be built, and the music must be played, and the menu must be prepared; so you must follow the road map.
5. Every road has a beginning, a middle journey, and an end.
6. Young people don’t think about the end, they focus on the journey.
But death comes equally to all
And equally influences us all
7. Try as you like, the journey is a one-way street and there is no turning back. You will never be a grade school student again. You can’t go back to get the foundation you missed.
8. What is your journey?
• Constant pressure, to curse.
• A series of unrelated events, some good – some bad.
• A boring drag – emptiness.
• A fight to get free of parents or the old gang.
• Striving to make a name – become famous.
• A struggle to make money and pay bills.
• Just to do what’s expected of you.
9. Deep down many say their life is not what it is supposed to be, and not what they expected.
10. You only make this journey once, so make it good.
B. THREE INEVITABLE FACTS
1. God put you on your road; you didn’t get there by chance.
• God chose who you should be. “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jer. 1:5).
• God has a plan for your life. “All the days planned for me was written in your book, before one of them comes into existence on your journey” (Ps. 139:16, ELT).
2. God wants to be invited on your journey.
• “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there” (Ps. 139:7-8).
• “The Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deut 31:8).
• “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
3. God is calling you to a new and better path.
• “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).
Four Aids to Guidance
1. Bible
2. Prayer
3. Counseling
4. Yielded to His plan
C. THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR ON YOUR JOURNEY
1. Rebellious paths never deliver what they promise.
2. Watch out for warning signs . . . curves . . . R. R. Crossing . . . deer . . . high water . . . schools.
3. Respect the speed limits. Too fast – hurt yourself. Too slow – hurt others.
4. Don’t fall in love with any place and quit growing. “Do you have 10 years experience, and one year repeated 10 times?”
5. If you get side-tracked, stalled, or wrecked; God is there to help get you back on track.
6. There will be many forks in the road. Usually two choices when facing decisions.
7. God’s path gives fullness. “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16:11). “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10)
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
For more information on the TRBC Pastor’s Bible Class, log on to the Internet for TRBC Home page at www.trbc.org/pbc.
