5 Kinds of Guidance

According to Psalm 32:8 God guides; but, what kind of guidance does He offer?

1. Divine Guidance “I”

2. Promised Guidance “will guide”

3. Personal Guidance “you”

4. Specific Guidance “in the way”

5. Optional Guidance “you should go”

Finishing Strong

Races are won at the finish line not the starting line, and so it is with life, marriage, investing and everything else in life that's important.  It is not how you start, it is how you finish that matters.

John 2 records the story of a wedding that started good but was about to become an embarrassment when they ran out of wine. Yet in miraculous fashion, Jesus helped them finish strong when He turned water into wine.  Then it was said, "You have saved the best for last." 

And isn't that what we want? We want our last years to be our best years.

1. To finish strong we must pray. Mary wisely brought the concern to Jesus. "They are out of wine." Is prayer your first response or last resort?

2. To finish strong we must obey. The servants did as Jesus directed. They filled the water jars with water, and notice they filled them to the brim. How is your obedience bucket? Is it half-full or do you fill it to the brim?

"Trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey."

Where are YOU going?

Hagar ran for her life and sat down by a spring of water in the desert. Then the Angel of the Lord found her and asked her a two-fold question, "Where have you come from AND where are you going?" (Genesis 16:8).

Hagar answered only the first part of the question. "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."

I fear that too many of us are similar to Hagar. We know what we are running from, but not what we are moving toward.

Her objective had been mere survival. The Angel of the Lord cast a vision for multiplication. "I will multiply your descendants exceedingly" (Genesis 16:10).

The Lord moved her from escapism to engagement. Hagar moved from the "now" to the "then." God moved her from a self focus to focusing on others. 

SUGGESTED PRAYER: "God give me a vision for more than just my safety and comfort. Lord help me to see into the future and appreciate how my actions today can impact others tomorrow."

Be Still and??

Many Christians know the first part, but not the second part of Psalm 46:10. It says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Notice, THE PLEA: "Be still" (quiet down, quit striving, rest).

THE PROPOSITION: "and know that I am God" (God is God, not you, nor anyone else. Quit acting like everything depends on you, because it doesn't. God is sovereign. He is in charge and He's got everything under control).

THE PROMISE: "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (Victory is coming, worldwide acknowledgment of Christ is inevitable, hallelujah the battle will be won. The end result is here announced)!

Beneath this banner of certain conquest Christians labor and proclaim the name of Jesus, but we do it not stressing, but resting in the promise of God. 

The Best Investment Strategy

In Matthew 24:35, Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."

According to Jesus three things will pass away.

• Earth, v. 7, 35
• Heavens v. 29, 35
• Religion v. 2, 5, 15, 23-26

But three things will never pass away.

• Jesus, v. 30
• Bible, v. 35
• Christians, v. 22, 31, 34

Where are you investing?

This Will Happen

Anyone with spiritual senstivity realizes God is judging our land. During fear-filled moments when things look out of control we can be comforted by the words of 2 Peter 2.

1. GOD WILL JUDGE THE WICKED. 
   • God judged the angels who sinned (verse 4)
   • God judged the ancient world prior to the flood (verse 5)
   • God judged Sodom and Gomorrah (verse 6) Notice: God's judgment is high, wide, and deep.
   • The Lord knows how to judge the unjust (verse 9)
2. GOD WILL DELIVER THE RIGHTEOUS. 
   • God delivered Noah (verse 5)
   • God delivered Lot (verse 7) Notice: Neither Noah and Lot were perfect. 
   • The Lord knows how to deliver the godly (verse 9).

Don't worry about evil, no one is going to get away with anything. And don't worry about security, God knows how to protect His people.

10 Indicators of Christ's Imminent Return

Jesus said He's coming back, and in Matthew 24 He gave us signs to watch for signaling His soon return.

1. Deception (verses 5, 11, 23-26)
2. Conflict (verse 7a)
3. Disaster (verse 7b)
4. Persecution (verse 9)
5. Apostasy (verse 10)
6. Wickedness (verse 12a)
7. Hatefulness (verse 12b)
8. Perseverance (verse 13)
9. Missions (verse 14)
10. Desecration (verse 15)

Preparing for Tomorrow

Got any exciting dreams for the future? Learn a lesson from Joshua 3.

The Hebrews dreamed of a better future for their families. They longed for a land that flowed with milk and honey. But before they could experience God's blessings they had to do something.

Joshua told them, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you (Josh. 3:5)." Notice the sequence.

Just as surely as today comes before tomorrow, sanctification comes before miracles.

Today is the foundation for tomorrow. If you want God's blessings tomorrow, live holy today.