INTRODUCTION
Do you know if you are heading in the direction that you should be going? Maybe we need to stop; plug into God’s GPS; and see what way we ought to be going. With that short introduction, I want to remind you that I began a new series called God’s Divine Directions (Finding God’s GPS).
I learned an important thing about my car’s GPS; the destination does not pop up on my screen until I am very near it. What shows up on the screen is the next very short distance I need to navigate in order to eventually get to my next short distance and then the next short distance and so on until eventually the destination show up in the screen.
And the same way that my car’s GPS system works is the same way that God’s GPS system works. Let me show you the Scripture. Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)
9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. We tell God, we want to know the destination; we want to see the destination in front of us, and God responds I will show you the steps forward. In other words, with God’s GPS you don’t know the destination to where the Father is taking you until you follow the steps.
And so last time we met two weeks ago, we started looking at the steps because steps are an important way to find God’s direction. And the first steps we looked at were the upward steps. And we discovered when God’s GPS is calling for upward steps, He is asking you and I to move from the plateau that we have been on to a higher level. And we saw that in order to do that, most times, we must remove some things out of our life that hinder us from going upward. It stands to reason; you don’t want to carry along anything that is going to make it harder to get to your destination.
Today, we want to look at the second type of steps you may discover on God’s GPS- forward steps. Each one of us got to answer the question: “Are we taking forward steps spiritually in our life? If not, then I can tell you that you are stagnant or going backward. Turn with in your Bibles to Philippians 3:12-13 and Exodus 14:12 then 15 and 16.
SCRIPTURE
Philippians 3:12-13 (NKJV)
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
Exodus 14:12 then 15-16(NKJV)
12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness"…15 And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
Let me tell you three things according to those two Scriptures we just read that we must do in order to take those steps forward.
Point #1
PEOPLE STUCK IN THE PAST CANNOT STEP FORWARD. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE STUCK IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY LONG FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS. AND THEN, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE STUCK IN THE PAST BECAUSE THEY CANNOT FORGIVE OTHERS OR THEMSELVES.
Paul tells us to forget what lies behind. And in your life, one of two things may have you stuck in the past. There are people, possibly some in this church, that look back at yesterday years and thing of them so endearingly that they long to go back and live in those years rather than living in the present moment.
The Bible in Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NKJV) says
10 Do not say, "Why were the former days better than these?" For you do not inquire wisely concerning this. You heard people reminisce about those bygone days as the good old days, the glory days.
Songs have been written about yesterday. Remember this one: Once upon a time there was a tavern
Where we used to raise a glass or two
Remember how we laughed away the hours
And dreamed of all the great things we would do
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
For we were young and sure to have our way
La la la la
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
But the reality is no matter how great those days were; the greatest day in your life is today. Going back to the past you can not change anything; but living in the present, you can change everything. Today is the day of salvation; today is the day you can take that step forward.
And there are others that lives are just frozen in the past because someone has hurt you and you have not been able to forgive them; or even worse, you made a bad decision in your life and you cannot forgive yourself and step forward. The only thing that will break that hold is forgiveness.
Matthew 18:21-22 (NKJV)
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Jesus is telling us that it is so important to live in the present that you always must forgive one more time including yourself.
Point #2
YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE GREATEST OF YOUR GOD BY STANDING STILL. YOU WILL SEE THE GREATEST OF YOUR GOD BY STEPPING FORWARD.
The Israelites would have never seen the greatest of their God if they did not move forward. Look at the Scripture from Exodus with me and see what came first. God did not tell Moses to raise the rod and part the sea and then tell the children of Israel to walk forward.
Instead, God said tell the Israelites to walk forward and then he told Moses what to do as they came up upon the Red Sea.
From personal experience, I don’t believe if I did not first step out of the pew and give my heart to the Lord Jesus Christ that I would have overcome my addiction to gambling. If Anne and I did not both make that step forward by giving our hearts to Him, we would have never seen our 45th wedding anniversary that we celebrated this year.
I don’t believe I would have ever found the enjoyment in my heart of serving the Lord if I did not first step out and tell God I surrender to the ministry.
What I am trying to tell you is that sometimes you need to step forward to see the greatest of God at work. You say that I have not seen God do great things in your life; my answer to you is maybe you have not stepped forward.
POINT #3
NOT ALL STEPS ARE THE SAME. PHYSICAL STEPS FOR SOME OF YOU TO LEAVE THE CAR AND ENTER THE CHURCH ARE EASY, BUT FOR OTHERS IT TAKES EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE. PAUL SAYS FOR ME TAKING FORWARD SPIRITUAL STEPS TAKE EVERYTHING I HAVE. AND I HAVE LEARNED FOR ME, I AM JUST LIKE PAUL. SPIRITUAL STEPS FORWARD TAKE EVERYTHING I HAVE.
Let me explain what I am saying. When Mike Spears gets out of his truck and walk into the church house, it is not that draining to him; but when Raymond Holmes gets out of his Jeep and walks to the church house, it hurts and takes effort because both of his knees are bad.
Paul tells us in Philippians that his spiritual steps are more like Raymond’s steps than Mike’s steps. It is hard to walk forward spiritual. Paul says that when he takes spiritual steps; he must reach forward. In other words, it is a strain; it is difficult.
Have you ever gone to Wal Mart and you want a certain kind of two litter drink and there are only one or two left and they are at the back of the shelf? If you want that drink you are going to have to reach forward. You are going to have to strain. You are going to have to get out of your comfort level to get what you want.
Paul says we need to step out of our comfort level to step forward with God. If you want God and His mighty power in your life you are going to have strain or as Paul says press forward.
Ae you willing to do that today? Let us pray!
