Psalm 5:8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way
straight before me.
Psalm 32.8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will counsel
you and watch over you.
Psalm 37. 3-6 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: he will make
your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the
noonday sun.
HEARING GOD'S WORD
John Newton (1725-1807). who wrote 'Amazing Grace', has some helpful thoughts on how God
speaks to us and guides us, .(paraphrased and condensed from Letters of John Newton).
The Lord has promised to guide his people-with his eye, and to let them hear a word behind
them, saying 'This is the way, walk in it' when they are in danger of going off right or left. He
gave us the written word to be a lamp to our feet and encouraged us to pray for the Holy Spirit,
that we may rightly understand and apply it. The Holy Spirit cannot mislead those who are under
his influence; but we may think we are under his influence when we are not. Many have been
deceived as to what they ought to do, or how to think through an issue, by expecting direction in
ways not approved by the Lord.
Opening the Bible at Random
Even non Christian people, without knowledge of the Bible, have used some of their great
literature to make decisions, or predictions about their future, according to the passage they
happened to open at. It to dangerous to be controlled by the occurrence of one text of
Scripture, without regard for its context or properly comparing it with the general tone and
message of God's Word and your own circumstances. If you opened at 2 Samuel 7.13 when
Nathan said to David, 'Do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.' would that be
enough to decide that it was right or sensible to do anything? [especially when you compare the
Lord's correction of Nathan's message in vv 4 - 16].
A Text Seems to Leap Out of the Page
People take this as an infallible guarantee that they are right and that things will go just as they
want . Or if the passage has had a threatening tone, it has filled them with fears and worries
which were groundless and unnecessary. We can have a text highlighted in a way that humbles,
enlivens or comforts, and we get a vivid sense of the truth contained in the words. This is both
profitable and pleasant. But if impressions or impulses are received as a voice from heaven,
telling us to do something that could not otherwise be shown to be our duty, we might
unknowingly be misled into great evils and huge deceptions. Satan will, if we let him, provide us
with a pile of such scriptures.
Liberty in Prayer
It is not always easy to be sure that we do have spiritual freedom in prayer. Self is deceitful; a
great desire for something may put words and sincerity into our mouths. Too often we first
inwardly make our minds up and then come to ask God's advice; in such a frame of mind we are
ready to catch at everything that may seem to favour our pet scheme. The Lord by his Spirit
assists his people in what they ought to be doing.
If I am able to pray with great liberty for my distant friend, it may be a proof that the Spirit is pleased to help me in my weakness, but it is no
proof that .my friend is certainly alive, at the time that I am praying for him; if the next time I
pray for him I should feel restricted in my spirit, I am not to conclude that he is dead and that
the Lord will not assist me in praying for him any longer.
Vivid Dreams
I willingly grant that many wholesome and timely warnings have been received in dreams; but
though they may be taken note of it is superstitious and dangerous to pay great attention to
dreams, especially to be guided by them in shaping our feelings, conduct or hopes. The promises
are made not to those who dream, but to those who watch.
The Lord may give some people sometimes an unusual hint or encouragement, but to look
deliberately for his direction in such ways is unscriptural and dangerous. People have presumed
they were serving God, while acting against his clear commands. Others were infatuated to
believe a lie, declaring themselves sure beyond a shadow of a doubt about things which in the
end never happened. When at last they were disappointed Satan capitalised on the situation to
make them doubt the plainest and most basic truths. writing off all their previous experience as
a delusion.
Proper Guidance
The Lord guides and directs his people by granting them, in answer to prayer, the light of His
Holy Spirit which enables them to understand and love the Scriptures. The Word of God is not
to be used as a lottery; nor is it designed to instruct us in bits and pieces, which, detached from
their true context, have no clear meaning; the Word rather provides us with just principles and
right understandings to regulate our assessments, decisions and feelings, thus influencing and
guiding our conduct. Those who study the Scriptures in humble dependence on divine teaching,
are convinced of their own weakness, are taught to make a true estimate of everything round
them, and gradually acquire a character that submits to the will of God. The Word of God
dwells richly in them. It saves them from making mistakes, it is a light to their feet, and a
source of strength and comfort. They treasure it in their minds as the teachings, instructions,
promises, examples and challenges of Scripture. They daily compare themselves with the
standard by which they live, they develop habits and character which promote spiritual wisdom.
They acquire a gracious taste which enables them to judge right and wrong with a measure of
readiness and certainty as a musical ear judges sounds. And they are not often wrong, because
they are influenced by the love of Christ which rules in their hearts and by a concern for the
glory of God which is their overriding objective.
FORTUNE TELLING
(from New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology)
Moses warned against the danger of occultism as God’s people prepared to enter the promised
land. Deuteronomy 18.9-13. Occult practices are defined in terms of human sacrifice to a
heathen deity; divination or soothsaying in order to gain knowledge of future events; necromancy
which is the practice of extracting secret knowledge from the dead and disturbing their rest;
augury which interprets signs and omens in the sky; and sorcery which uses magic power
obtained through occult formulae, incantations and rituals. Such acts are seen in Scripture as
rebellion against God. Samuel said to the disobedient Saul. ‘rebellion is as the sin of divination,
and arrogance like the evil of idolatry’ 1 Samuel 15.23. In the New Testament ‘idolatry and
witchcraft’ are listed among the ‘sins of the evil nature’ Galatians 5.16-21. With the word against
disobedience is the warning of judgement in both the Old and the New Testaments: ‘those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.’ Galatians 5.21
See also Isaiah 8.19
Give yourself to Jesus Christ ‘a living sacrifice’ (Romans 12.1-2)
Let his word dwell in you richly (Colossians 3.16, Psalm 1)
Ask the advice of trustworthy friends.
Listen for the voice of the good Shepherd. (James 3.17)
Keep thanking him for what he has done and his promises.
It is only a tiny rosebud, / A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals/ With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers/ Is not known to such as I.
GOD opens this flower so sweetly, / When in my hands they fade and
die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud, / This flower of God's design,
Then how can I think I have wisdom / To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him for His leading/ Each moment of every day.
I will look to him for His guidance/ Each step of the pilgrim way.
The pathway that lies before me, / Only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments, / Just as He unfolds the rose.
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