Psalm 121 “Guardrails”
Andy Stanley says guardrails are, “a system designed to keep us from straying into dangerous or off-limit areas.”
Have you ever had a problem going across the new River Gorge Bridge? When I'm going across I know there are huge drop-offs on either side of the bridge, but I never once have hugged the guard-rails or bumped into an iron barrier one on the way across. I can drive 70 miles an hour never bothers me
But take away the scaffolding --- take away the guard rails, the concrete and steel side girders, the bumper-barricades on the bridge - and I'm now a different driver. I'm crawling across that bridge 5 or 10 mph at best. Without any protection to keep my car from driving right off the bridge, I'm not sure I could even make it 100 yards across any bridge.
1. Guardrails have a purpose the purpose of a Guardrail is to prevent
• One purpose of the guardrail is to prevent They prevent injury, prevent serious accidents, from falling into a ravine, Guardrails prevent us from driving into oncoming traffic, they serve as dividers of the highway. the
• God is always trying to prevent us from traveling the wrong routes of life He told Joshua 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua stays on the straight and narrow
2. Guardrails are there to Prevent they are also there to protect us
A. Guardrails can protect us from falling "don't let your foot slip" Church can cause ones foot to slip
• make sure we are pursuing God before pursuing “beliefs” about Him, or church/religion. We need to get past religion and into a relationship
B. Guardrails are there to protect us if we fall asleep-he that keepeth thee will not slumber
• What causes us to fall asleep on God? Media things like Internet, TV, movies, music, video games, newspapers, magazines
C. Guardrails are there to protect us if our eyes veer off the right road keep eyes on the hill
• I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help .
• Keep your eye on Remembrance 9Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 10Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb
• Keep your eyes on Belief and Faith The Psalmist says 3In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
3. Guardrails are there to Prevent, Protect us and to Preserve us .
• Guardrails are able to maintain my life The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil : he shall preserve thy soul . The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore
• God is Able to give us Grace that is sufficient “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed” (2 Corinthians 9:8).
• God is Able to Preserve me when I am Tempted “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).
• God is Able to Preserve us by saving us “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
• God is Able to Preserve even My Soul “Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 1:24).
4. Guardrails are there to Prevent, to protect us, to Preserve us, and to keep us The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day , nor the moon by night .
• Keeper on Hebrew refers to To watch to preserve, to support to aide to guard
• God has given us guardrails to watch us, preserve us, support us , aide us, and to guard us.
• God has given me a church as a guardrail let me attend it.
• God has given me a personal relationship with him may I always maintain it
• God has given me His Holy Spirit as a guard rail may I keep the fire burning and never let the flame dim
• God has given me a guardrail called the Bible may I always read it
• God has given Me Calvary may I never forget it.
