There was a preacher who was on a diet and prayed as he drove to work- “Now, Lord if it is your Will for me not to have any donuts this morning You make sure there are no parking places in front of the donut shop.” And he later said, “I ate the donuts because there were two places right up front on only my 8th trip around the block.” We need to make sure we don’t play the game of making God’s guidance fit what we want rather than seeing if what we want actually fits His plans.
When I talk with Christians the subject of how to determine God’s will always comes up. How do you discover God’s will for your life? We must recognize that God is far more interested in revealing His will to us than we are concerned about seeking it. He is far more interested in leading us than we are to be led. He wants to guide and direct His children and has promised to do that. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go..” (Psalm 32:8). But through what means does He guide us?
- 1. Circumstances
One obvious means of guidance found in Acts 27 is the simple unfolding of circumstances. God made a promise to Paul and then step by step He arranged the circumstances which accomplished His will. So Paul boarded a ship bound for Rome. God can guide us through circumstances by either opening or closing doors.
I high school I surrendered to be a preacher and was ready to go Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in southern California in January of 1979. However, in the Fall I had a car accident that left me without a vehicle to drive. I couldn’t afford to go to California, so I took the money I had and bought a plane ticket to Springfield, Missouri to go to Baptist Bible College. On Day One I got in the registration line with hundreds of other students and found myself behind a cute girl. It was Judy. God closed the door to California so I would go to Missouri to meet my wife.
- 2. Word of God
Another means in which God reveals His will is through His Word. God had made a promise to Paul – he would stand before Caesar to present his case. In spite of the circumstances, Paul believed God’s Word.
Have you seen those GPS guidance systems that you can get for your car? Some are built in and some are portable. You can plug them into your lighter or cell phone connection in your car. Then you can touch the screen and tell it where you would like to go and it will give you the directions. My son gave me one for Christmas last year. I don’t use it often, but it comes in handy. It talks to you I have a pleasant ladies voice that speaks to me. And if I miss turning at the street or intersection where I am supposed to go, she will talk to me and tell me where to go or what to do next. Many times in life we don’t know which direction to turn or what to do. We all need some kind of spiritual GPS guidance system. Psalm 119:9-11 “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands (or direction). I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” There is our spiritual GPS system
- 3. Presence of Jesus
Another means of guidance found in Acts 27 is the presence of Jesus, or as we understand it – the Holy Spirit. On the trip to Rome, all on board realized their lives were in danger and began throwing their worldly goods overboard. People will gladly sacrifice material possessions to save their own lives. Although many of the passengers feared the worst, Jesus never abandoned Paul. He reminded the crew that he had advised them not to leave Crete and added that Jesus had told him everyone would be kept safe. As the storm raged, Paul never lost his faith. Paul knew he was safer on a storm-tossed sea, while living in the will of God than if he was resting comfortably at home, living disobediently outside the will of God. When a Christian is where God wants him to be, he is safe in the Lord. The power and assurance of his presence and guidance is always with us. God said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5).
Erwin McManus, a pastor in Los Angeles, tells a great story about recognizing God’s voice. My son, Aaron, was five or six when he began asking me, “What does God’s voice sound like?” I didn’t know how to answer. A few years later, Aaron went off to his first junior high camp. In the middle of the week, I went up with another pastor at Mosaic to see our kids. Aaron, I learned, had started to assault another kid but had been held back by his friends. He was unrepentant, wanted to leave camp, pulled together his stuff, and shoved it into the car. I asked him for a last talk with me before we drove away. We sat on two large rocks in the middle of the woods. “Aaron,” I asked, “is there any voice inside you telling you what you should do?” “Yes,” he nodded. “What’s the voice telling you?” “That I should stay and work it out.” “Can you identify that voice?” “Yes,” he said immediately. “It’s God.” It was the moment I’d waited for. “Aaron,” I said, “do you realize what just happened? You heard God’s voice. He spoke to you from within your soul. Forget everything else that’s happened. God spoke to you, and you were able to recognize Him.” I will never forget Aaron’s response: “Well, I’m still not doing what God said.”
We have the hardest time finding God in the middle of the storms, but that is when He is most evidently at work in our lives.
There is a certain Italian harbor that can be reached only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals. Over the years, many ships have wrecked, and navigation is hazardous. To guide the ships safely into port, three lights have been mounted in the harbor on three huge poles. When the three lights are perfectly lined up and seen as one, the ship can safely proceed up the narrow channel. If the pilot sees two or three lights, he knows he’s off course and in danger. God has also provided three beacons to guide us. The same rules of navigation apply – the three lights must be lined up before it is safe for us to proceed. The three harbor lights of guidance are 1. Circumstances (divine providence) 2. The Word of God (objective standard) 3. The Holy Spirit (subjective witness). Together, they assure us that the directions we’ve received are from God and will lead us safely along His way.
