2011_01_25 Session 03 Directions

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The Promise of Reality Spiritual Sat-NavDo you remember the day you discovered your life wasn’t going in the direction you had always thought it would? Perhaps you thought that you would continue on the road you were on until you reached your destination. Perhaps you thought there might be a couple of bends in the road, or maybe the odd pothole; then one day you reached the junction and had to decide which way to turn.

Or perhaps when you reached the junction you saw a sign that said “diversion, turn here” and you knew there was no other way to go!

Do you remember the day that did not turn out quite the way you thought it would? It happens to everyone sooner or later. All of us have had dreams, wishes, goals, and expectations that, for a variety of reasons, have not come to fruition. Plans fizzle. Expectations come to nothing. Trusted people let us down—or we let ourselves down. Dreams shatter or slip away. Has it happened to you? Has there ever been a season in your life when you looked at your circumstances and wondered if God really cared?

Even as Christians there are days that do not go as we expect them to go. Often small things break in to our routine or big things appear in our journey. Maybe personal illness or even death; a terrifying diagnosis, the sudden loss of a close friend or family member. Perhaps a disillusioning church experience, a financial problem, or maybe a shattered dream.

Sometimes our disappointments are clearly our fault—we made a poor decision or took the wrong path. Sometimes another person’s poor decisions are to blame. Sometimes, if we are honest, it’s a little of both. And then there are the times when life just seems to suddenly fall apart with no explanation. To us it seems totally random and maybe without warning.

When you watch a movie on TV or in the cinema how can you tell when something terrible is about to happen? The movies give fair warning when something terrible is about to happen. The camera angles shift, the music grows sinister, a shadow looms. Something tells you, “Watch out.”

Do you wish the warnings in your life happened like the movies? Reality is different to the movies. Our lives can often change when we least expect it. There’s no warning. You can’t explain it. You can’t blame it on someone else. It just happens, another reminder that so much in life often appears to be unexplainable.

Taking the road God calls us to be onTo get to where God wants you to go and be what you know God wants you to be, there are several directions we need to take that will get you help us on our journey. Let’s use our “spiritual sat-nav” for the directions to get us to our destination.

Living the Promises of God Session 3 25 January 2011

There may be times when you find it difficult to reconcile God’s truth to your own opinion or worldview, God’s truth is eternal, it does not change, our understanding of the truth does change as we allow God to work in our hearts and minds.

These sessions are not about opinion, they are about learning truth, the truth contained in the Bible, together we are going to focus on how we apply God’s truth, black & white in a grey world. To set godly priorities, grow in Christian character and live according to God’s standards so that we are a living witness to others. Notes from previous sessions are available from the Bible Study Section of www.ashingdonelim.co.uk.

Faith Service Worship Vision

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God instructs us, “call to Me!”Who is the “Me” in this passage? The “Me” in this verse is none other than God Himself. He is:

n Elohim, the One to whom all power belongs.n El Shaddai, the Almighty God.n El Elyon, the Most High God above whom there is no

other.n El Olam, the Everlasting God who is without beginning

or end.n El Roi, the God who sees me.n Jehovah, the self-sustaining all sufficient One.n Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, the Guardian and

Helper of those who fear Him.n Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider.n Jehovah Rapha, the Lord our Healer who gives us

health and deliverance from disease.n Jehovah Nissi, the Lord my Banner, the One who gives

me victory over my enemy.n Jehovah MQaddishkhem, the Lord that sanctifies or

separates us unto Himself.n Jehovah Shalom, the Lord our Peace.n Jehovah Rohi, the Lord my Shepherd, the One who

protects me, provides for me and who is present with me.

n Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness, the One who through the sacrifice of Jesus gives me rightstanding with Himself.

n Jehovah Shammah, the Lord who is there, the One who is with me day and night.

n Abba, my Father.n Immanuel, God with us.n The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.n The Way, the Truth, and the Life.n The Resurrection and the Life.n The Word.n The great High Priest.n The Head of the Body.n The good Shepherd.n The only begotten Son of the Father.n The Living Bread come down from heaven.n The faithful Witness.n The Prince of the kings of the earth.n The Bridegroom.n The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last.n The Lion of the tribe of Judah.n The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.n The King of kings and Lord of lords.n The bright and morning Star.n The Lord of glory.n He is JESUS!

God’s direction is the bestThe best direction for us is the direction God chooses for us. is God is the one we need to allow to be in control of the direction of our lives. We need to be led and directed in life by having a close connection with our Lord.

All of us has, at some time in our life, chosen to ignore God’s directions. From childhood, we are taught to “Do it ourselves”. The world tells us to live our lives as independent people.

Are there specific situations where you find yourself trying to handle a problem in your life, without reference to God, God’s Word or God’s will?

Someone described trying to live life without God being “as stupid as holding your breath because you are upset you need to breathe.”

Why do we often find it difficult to believe that God will always guide us in the best direction?

Call to God for directionWe serve a God who gives incredible answers to prayer. The prophet Jeremiah put it this way in Jeremiah 33:2-3: ‘This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it – the LORD is his name: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”’

This is a conditional promise that God begins with a command, it is a command based upon two significant realities:

n the person praying is admitting their limitations. This is implied by the phrase, “great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

n the person praying is admitting that God is the answer to their need. God’s word to those who are looking for direction is, “Call to Me.”

God’s word to them is, “Ask me to do what you cannot do.” Is it our own pride that stops us asking the question?

We’re instructed to call upon God. Not our own strength, not our own wisdom, not on our friends or neighbours, Budda, Confucious, Mohammed, Baal, Yoda or anyone or anything else!

When Jeremiah wrote this God given promise he “was still confined in the court of the guard” (33:1). He is in prison and Jerusalem has been conquered and destroyed. The longed for restoration is beyond his grasp. There is nothing that he or the disposed inhabitants of Israel could do to restore the fortunes of Israel or the fortunes of Judah.

The promise from God has not changed, He is still interested in the details of our lives, even in the small things He offers help.

The promise of Exodus 33:14 is ours: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you life”.

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God’s instruction to us is “Call to Me.”n If you are in the red, He says, “Call to Me, Jehovah-

Jireh, and I will supply your need.”n If you are sick, He says, “Call to Me, Jehovah-Rophe,

and I will heal your body.”n If you are confused, He says, “Call to Me, the Mighty

Counselor, and I’ll give you counsel.”n If you feel alone, He says, “Call to me, Jehovah-

Shammah, for I am the Lord who is there.”n If you are going through the valley of the shadow of

death, He says, “Call to me, Jehovah-Rohi, for I am the good Shepherd who is with you.”

n If you are hungry, He says, “Call to me, the Living Bread.”

n If you are thirsty, He says, “Call to me, the fountain of living waters, and out of your belly will flow rivers of living water.”

Knowing who He is should motivate us to respond to His direction.

I. THE PROMPTING. God instructs us, “Call to Me.” The Hebrew term here is qara (kaw-raw). In Psalm 147:9, it is used to describe the “cry” of the young ravens for food. When used with reference to prayer it carries the idea of an urgent cry for help. In Psalm 50:15, the Psalmist records the following invitation, “And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honour Me.”

In Psalm 91:14 and 15, God speaks to the one who trusts in the Lord and says, “Because he has love Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known my name. He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honour him” (Psalm 91:14-15).

This is what Bartimaeus did in Mark 10:46-47 : And they came to Jericho, and as He was going out from Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. And when he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out (krazo, the cry of a raven) and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”’

God’s word to us is, set aside your pride and cry out to Me. Admit your inabilities and call Me to your aid. To those who yield to God’s prompting, God makes a promise.

II. THE PROMISE “I will answer you” The Prophet Micah concluded, if God does not answer prayer, then the prophets will have no message to offer, the prophetic light will go out, the seers will be without vision and this will thrust the nation into chaos. (See Micah 3:6-7). In Micah 3:8 he declares, “But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might.”

Not only does God promise to answer us, He promises:

“I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

The term “tell” is a translation of the Hebrew word “nagad” and means to make conspicuous. Something that was previously unknown or unknowable is made known.

The Hebrew term translated “great things” is betsuroth and in its earliest usage it referred to a “sheepfold,” but with time it came to mean a “fortress.” In common usage it was used to refer to that which was inaccessible, either because it was hidden or well protected.

Do you need direction for your life? Do you need deliverance from a bad habit? Do you need God’s answer for your problem? Do you need of something that is immediately inaccessible? Then ask God who gives to those who call upon Him access to hidden things.

How does it make you feel that whatever you need, God has an answer for you if you will call upon Him?

God answers those who call upon Him and His provisions are greater than our petitions.

III. THE PROVISION. God’s provisions are greater than our problem. The Apostle Paul echoed this in his letter to the Ephesians when he wrote, “Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think to Him be the glory” (Eph. 3:20, 21).

Can you give an example of when God provided for you in an amazing way?

When the little boy placed his tiny lunch in Jesus’ hands, it fed 5000 and there was enough left over to fill 12 baskets.

After the woman gathered empty pots, shut the door and began to pour oil into the pots from her little bottle of oil, the flow of oil stopped only after she had no more room to contain God’s provision.

Look for God’s promiseDon’t focus on the problems, focus on the promises. Find a promise in God’s Word to claim in the situation, for example God has said, “I’ll be with you no matter where you go.” God is always with you whether you feel it or not. You just need to claim the promise.

The size of your God determines the size of your problem. Don’t look at your limitations; look at the promises of God.Ask yourself, “What promise can I claim?”

Ask God to help youOnce you have found your promise in God’s Word, pray and ask God .

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God answers are bigger than our prayers!George Mueller looked at the streets of Bristol and he saw 100’s of homeless children. He was moved with concern for them and decided that something must be done.

He had only two pence in his pocket, but he decided to start an orphanage. In 60 years, beginning with two pence, George Mueller took care of 10,000 orphans. He looked out & saw homeless kids. He could have said, “ I don’t have any money. There’s no way to care for them, to meet their needs, to buy the food.” Instead, he looked at them & said, “I will reach out & help them.” And God blessed his efforts in a mighty way.

During his 60 years of ministry, George Mueller never solicited funds from anyone. Instead he committed himself to pray and ask God for what he needed to keep the orphanage running.

During his 60 years of ministry George Mueller kept a record of his prayers, & his prayer records filled more than 3,000 pages. His notes show that more than 30,000 prayers were answered.

One night there was no food in the orphanage to give to the children for breakfast. At 3:00am in the morning a baker called him up & said, “I just can’t sleep. I’m going down to the bakery to bake some bread. Would it be all right for me to bring some over to you this morning?”

On another occasion a milk truck broke down in front of the orphanage on a day when they had no milk. The truck driver came in & said, “All this milk is going to spoil. Would you like some of it?” And their need was met.

Time & time again, 30,000 times in 60 years, God answered George Mueller’s prayers.

Let God directPray. Paul exhorted Timothy, “Let your request be made known to God.” James declared, “You have not because you ask not.”

If we do not have what He wants us to have it is only because we have not asked! “Call to Him.”

Know where you are starting from –determine your present positionYou’ve got to know where you are before you can know where you are going.

Where are you now? Where are you spiritually, financially, emotionally, relationally, physically, and occupationally? What would you like to change? In all of those areas you identified, what would you like to be different? Be specific about what you want in order to get to where you want to be, you need to describe exactly what you want. If you only have a vague destination, you won’t know when you get there! Ask yourself these four questions: What do I want to be? What do I want to do? What do I want to have? Why do I want it? You can’t just

know the what, you need to know the why - that’s your motivation. If you don’t know why, you will give up when it gets tough.

Are you praying about your direction? Are you praying about your future? Are you praying about your dreams or are you just kind of keeping them to yourself?

Here is what the Bible says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God and there we will receive mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT).

What do your prayers reveal...Do your prayers reveal how serious you are about your goals? If you don’t pray about something then you probably don’t care much about it.

If you only pray about something once, then was it a heart-felt desire or just a quickly forgotten whim?

The other thing your prayers reveal is how much you are depending on God to reach your destination. If you never pray for direction, never pray about your goals, never pray about your job, never pray about your finances, then you are you actually depending on God in any of those areas or relying on yourself?

The more you depend on God, the more you’ll pray. So determine your present position, decide what you want, find a promise from God to hold onto, claim it, and then ask God for help.

Identify the barriers What are the barriers, obstacles, and road blocks in your way? It may be a financial problem or a relational problem or an educational problem holding you back. For some people, it’s an emotional barrier. A lot of people sabotage their own success because they think they aren’t worthy of it. Whatever your barrier is, you need to identify it before you can move forward.

You can either drift through life or you can be directed through life by taking the time to think through where God wants you to be. Is your future worth the effort? Yes, absolutely!

Be patient and persistent“These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will sure come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” Habakkuk 2:3 (LB)

Nothing great is ever accomplished without persistence and patience. The people who succeed in life are the people who are willing to do what they don’t feel like doing. They are not mastered by their moods, they are mastered by the Master, and they establish their goals and plans according to God’s will.