INTRODUCTION:
Around here, I really don’t use my GPS a lot. It is hard to get lost going from Magnolia to McComb or Magnolia to Hammond. But when Anne and I went to Nashville about a month ago, we didn’t turn off our GPS. We needed it to go from one place to another because that town is one of the most confusing towns to drive in. I believe that they had three interstates and they all connected, and you went from one to the other wherever you went in Nashville. And when you were getting off the interstate, you didn’t know if you were to exit to the right or to the left because exit ramps were sometimes on the left side of the interstate and sometimes on the right side. And all that confusion make me appreciate the GPS I had on my phone. I don’t believe we would have survived Nashville without it.
And it made me think, this life is just as confusing as Nashville. We must make decisions all the time without all the information we need to make the best decision. Let me give you a couple of examples: like which job do I take- how do you make that decision after just a couple of interviews; is this the person I am to marry and spend the rest of my life with- how do you make the decision you are going to spend the rest of your life with him or her even if you have been together for a year; where am I supposed to live- how do you know that this is the house, this exact location, this school district, these neighbors where you are supposed to be live. It would be nice if we had access to Divine Directions because we got a hold of God’s Divine GPS.
Well, in my personal Bible Study the past several weeks, I have been searching for God’s Direction and I think I found the Scripture that leads me to God’s GPS. Let me show it to you. And I am going to make this the central Scripture on which this whole series revolves around.
Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
I want you to see the contrast that God showed me. You and I focus on plans. Plans involves dates, times, places, and duration. We are looking at the big picture. That is how we want to look for directions from God. Show me the big picture, God.
But that Scripture tells me that God’s GPS does not compute plans; it computes steps and small distances. And I think what happens is that we don’t connect to God’s GPS a lot of times because we are looking for something bigger than God’s GPS is going to give us. To plug into God’s GPS, we need to be looking at something smaller…steps.
So, I began to look at steps because I have become convinced that God gives us direction through small steps. And I discovered that I am making use of God’s GPS if I am walking upward.
I want us to look at two Scriptures-one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament:
SCRIPTURES
Proverbs 15:24 (NIV)
24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave.
Philippians 3:14 (NKJV)
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
POINT #1
IF I CHOSE TO FOLLOW GOD’S GPS AND THE STEPS THAT HE IS ASKING ME TO TAKE ARE UPWARD STEPS, THEN I NEED TO KNOW THAT HE IS ASKING ME TO REMOVE THINGS FROM MY LIFE THAT HINDER ME FROM SERVING CHRIST.
Paul tells us in the Scripture that we just read that he realized that God’s GPS was telling him to take steps upward. Paul tells us those upward steps are not easy steps; in fact, he says that they are met with pressure; they are forced steps. They are meet with resistance. I picture in my mind the weatherman who is trying to walk forward in a hurricane to give us a picture of what he is up against.
What Paul is saying makes sense, because if you are going upward, you are always going to be met with resistance. But if you are to advance upward, you must get rid of some things that hinder you from advancing forward.
And Paul describes that a little earlier in that same chapter. Listen to what he says:
Philippians 3:7-8 (NKJV)
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Jesus described the upward steps a little bit differently in:
Mark 8:34-35 (NIV)
34 … If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.
Do you realize that God might be desiring that someone in this room move upward in their Christian walk? They might have been on a spiritual plateau for some time and God is saying to you today, I want you to go upward. I want you to get closer to me.
But that means that we got to find that thing or things in our life that is hindering us from moving forward and remove it. It might be a relationship with someone who is not a Christian? It might be the things that you own that are keeping you too busy and your relationship with God is suffering. I hate to tell you this but things that we own sometime own us. It might be an addiction to something that you haven’t been able to let go. If you ask Him, the Holy Spirit, will tell you what it is that is hindering your upward walk.
If it means getting closer to God, are you willing to let whatever it is go? Now I got to give you a warning. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:1, things entangle us and when something entangles us, it is hard to break free and press forward.
POINT #2
IF I CHOSE TO FOLLOW GOD’S GPS AND THE STEPS THAT HE IS ASKING ME TO TAKE ARE UPWARD STEPS, DON’T BE SURPRISED THAT SOME PEOPLE YOU LOVE WILL FALL BEHIND.
The Old Testament Scripture that we read says “the path of life leads upward.” Notice it didn’t say the superhighway to God, or the interstate, or the two-lane road, or that one lane country road where if someone is coming the other way, you must pull over to the side, instead he said “path”.
If the writer said superhighway or interstate or two-lane road, I can bring a lot of people along with me. But a path, it is only going to be wide enough for one to two.
That tells me if you want to take the upward steps don’t be surprised if you become misunderstood. You may hear things like: why are you becoming all spiritual on us? You have changed. I don’t like the new you.
And here is my answer to those who say such things: you may not like the new me, but I like the new me and I love being closer to Jesus.
POINT #3
IF I CHOSE TO FOLLOW GOD’S GPS AND THE STEPS THAT HE IS ASKING ME TO TAKE ARE UPWARD STEPS, LET ME GIVE YOU TWO KEYS TO KNOW IF YOU ARE TAKING THOSE UPWARD STEPS.
1. Consider how you pray. Do you pray to try to bend the will of God for you to what you want out of life? Do you want to know if you are taking upward steps, listen to what you are praying? If it always about me and what I need and what I want, then probably you are not taking upward steps. Or, are your prayers about wanting to be closer to Jesus; are your prayers concerned about those who are lost in this church. God, what do I need to do to make my church better? When was the last time did your prayer include the phrase and mean it in your heart “not my will but your will?”
2. Consider how you respond to spiritual correction from God.
Proverbs 9:8-9 (NIV)
8 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
Remember, the path upward is narrow. So, we are going to need instruction to stay on that narrow path. Don’t get too close to that edge. Watch out for that hole. If you say “no” I got it. I don’t need instruction. You are not going to keep moving upward.
CONCLUSION:
Do you feel that upward call in your life today? Then God’s inviting you to turn on His GPS and let Him lead you upward.
Will you come to the altar today and tell God I will go where you want, do what you want, be the person you want me to be?
Can you say my prayers will be going forward from my heart not my will but your will? Lead me upward Lord. Lead me upward Lord. Lead me upward Lord.
