A Word To The Wise On Finding Your Way Series

On a straight road, there’s only one direction to worry about.

There may be little side roads and diversions and rest stops along the way, but as long as you walk along that straight road you’ll always know where you’re going.

That is… as long as you stay on the road.

But, what if you got “off road?”

What if you took a side trip and really messed things up?

Could God fix that?

Yes, He can!

When a person seeks to honor God in his life, if he trusts God will all of his heart, if he leans on God’s way of thinking, if he looks to God in what he does, Proverbs 16:4 tells us “The LORD works out everything for his own ends...”

In other words: Even if we mess up - when we belong to God - God will work it out.

One man explained it this way:

If God wants 10 and all we can manage to give Him is 7… He supplies the other 3.

If all we can give Him is 5… He supplies the other 5.

This is what Romans 8:28 tells us: “… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

• Notice, that passage doesn’t say all things are good.

• And it doesn’t say all things are brought about by God.

BUT it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter whether the things in our lives are “good” or “bad”. It doesn’t matter if the things that happen in your life are from God, or from your own foolksh choices. It doesn’t matter. Because whatever we give God - whatever pitiful or pathetic things we may offer Him - IF we love Him and belong to Him He promises He will work with that for the good of those who love Him. For those whom He has called.

BUT, without God guiding you, you might think you know where YOU want to go, but the destination won’t really be some place you would like ending up being.

ILLUS: One man described how most non-Christians live (and way too many Christians)

“The world would have our lives guided towards the ‘S’ words – Self & Success.

Success in our careers.

Success in what we own – cars, clothes, houses.

Success in how others see us – status.

Success in how we view ourselves.

Success. Success. Success. Success. Success for me, me, me! (Steve Moore)

Jesus said that if we build our lives around that type of thinking all we’re going to have is despair and disappointment. If those are our goals, our lives will be empty.

Jesus said: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:19-20 (ESV)

You can’t hang onto those things.

The things of this earth are going to rust, decay or get lost and stolen.

There’s nothing in that this world values that is going to last.

But, Jesus said, if you really want what you need in this world, then you must “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33 (ESV)