Solution of Guidance
Sunday | August 18, 2024
ray@crossroadsny.org
Proverbs 8:29 / NLT, “I was there when he set the limits of the seas, so
they would not spread beyond their boundaries. And when he marked off
the earth’s foundations.”
1. Beware of buying the lie that says “running from God’s way is a good idea.”
Jonah 1:1-3 / CSB, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their evil has come up before me.” 3 Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence.”
bârach: to flee, run away,
Proverbs 23:23 / ESV, “Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.”
Psalm 119:33 / TLB, “Guide me with your laws so that I will not be overcome by evil.”
Isaiah 55: 8-9 / ESV, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
2. God sends storms to wake us up
Jonah 1:4-16 / CSB, “But the Lord threw a great wind onto the sea,
and such a great storm arose on the sea that the ship threatened to
break apart. 5 The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his god.
They threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. Meanwhile,
Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel and had
stretched out and fallen into a deep sleep. 6 The captain approached
him and said, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up! Call to your
god. Maybe this god will consider us, and we won’t perish.” 7 “Come
on!” the sailors said to each other. “Let’s cast lots. Then we’ll know who
is to blame for this trouble we’re in.” So they cast lots, and the lot
singled out Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us who is to blame for
this trouble we’re in. What is your business, and where are you from?
What is your country, and what people are you from?” 9 He answered
them, “I’m a Hebrew. I worship the Lord, the God of the heavens, who
made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were seized by a
great fear and said to him, “What have you done?” The men knew he
was fleeing from the Lord’s presence because he had told them. 11 So
they said to him, “What should we do to you so that the sea will calm
down for us?” For the sea was getting worse and worse. 12 He
answered them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea so that it will
calm down for you, for I know that I’m to blame for this great storm that
is against you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry
land, but they couldn’t because the sea was raging against them more
and more. 14 So they called out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, don’t let us
perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent
blood! For you, Lord, have done just as you pleased.” 15 Then they
picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its
raging. 16 The men were seized by great fear of the Lord, and they
offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.”
exegeírō: raise up from sleep
3. Remember that where God guides, He provides.
Jonah 1:17 / CSB, “The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah,
and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.”
mânâh. to assign; command; to appoint
Psalm 32:8 / NLT, The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best
pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”