Lighting the Future | Part 2

From the Love Worth Finding studios in Memphis, Tennessee, I'm Byron Tyler, here with the CEO of Love Worth Finding, Kerry Vaughn. Kerry, today, Adrian Rogers, part two in a message, lighting the future. And you know, we live in a day of guided missiles and misguided men.

That's exactly right. And I think God wants us to live in a way. He wants us to thrive, not just survive. Adrian Rogers says, God will go before you like a bulldozer. He will clear the way.

Right? And look, we believe that. That's John 14, 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If God is the way, Byron, He will make a way. Well, God has cultivated, Kerry, wonderful plans for each of our lives. And I love what Proverbs 3, 5, and 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. You know, if you think for a moment that God has created us, He has saved us, He has equipped us, He has providentially placed us where we are, not to keep us idled, but to give us purpose. We need to learn to walk in purpose.

Yes. And Kerry, I think the question, too, is to ask ourselves if we're really serious about knowing God's will for our lives, we've got to depend fully on Him and obey. It's trusting and obey. There's no other way to be happy in Jesus, right? Great song.

That's a great song. You know, God will call us to Himself first, and then He will call us to a specific task. You know, what's God's will for your life?

It's God. And I think as we learn to rest in Him, then His will will happen automatically. I like what Adrian Rogers says, the Word of God will show you the will of God. And that's what Love We're Finding is about, getting the Word of God into people's hearts so they can discover the will of God for their lives. And the will of God is the highest place you can be.

And boy, that's just beautiful. You know, we heard from a listener through Facebook that said, hearing sermons from Adrian Rogers makes me feel good inside. He gets right to the point in his sermons, and his messages are so right for this time as things are so unsettled all over the world.

We thank God for Adrian Rogers. That's such a good word. Well, it's just, you know, again, a reminder that he was an ambassador of the Word of God. And that's what Love We're Finding, that's our call.

That's what we do, right? We introduce people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and then we walk beside them, trying to disciple and mentor and try to move them in their faith and move them in ministry. Kerry, in a world that's trying to determine, is there truth? How can I know truth?

LWF has a special resource during the month of September at our LWF online store, Nothing But the Truth DVD. Nothing But the Truth, it's a 87-minute documentary film showcasing the teaching, preaching of Adrian Rogers, everybody from Dr. Tony Evans to Johnny Hunt, Ken Whitten, Dave Ramsey, Jennifer Rothschild, and much, much more, talking about what is truth? What is truth to the unbeliever, right? What is truth in your marriage? What is truth in your finances?

We know that the truth of God is the Word of God. And so this is a wonderful documentary. I've seen it about 10 times.

It seems like it's new every time I watch it. But go to the online store and obtain this copy of Nothing But the Truth. Use it in your neighborhood.

Use it at church on a Sunday night. But bring people together and just be a part of this discipleship series. Nothing But the Truth DVD, go to LWF.org.

Well, with Part 2 and a message lighting the future, here's Adrian Rogers. In Proverbs 3, verses 5 and 6, it says this, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, now listen, in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will direct thy paths. Now, that's God's Word. I submit to you it's either true or false. I believe it's true.

You believe it's true. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will, he will, he will, he will, I promise he will direct thy paths.

Now, let's just break that down and look at it. And the three basic things I want you to see in that text that you and I are to do. First of all, we must let God choose the way.

Now, we do that two ways. How do we let God choose the way? Well, there must be a full confidence in God.

Many of us don't trust the Lord enough to let him guide us. Sometimes my wife will say to me something like this, Adrian, will you do something for me? What's my first question?

What is it? But suppose she says, Adrian, will you do something for me? And I say, well, what is it? She said, nevermind, just trust me. I gulp and I say, okay.

Why? Because I love that girl. And I know her love for me.

And I don't have to worry. Have you ever had anybody say, close your eyes and open your mouth? Well, now you've got to know a person before you close your eyes and open your mouth.

Is that not right? But if you know them, if you love them and you know that they love you, then you can trust them because you know them. And the reason that many of us don't trust the Lord that intimately is that we really don't know him that intimately. And don't trust your own understanding. Look at it again, trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into your own understanding. And always, here's the way it is, over here is God and over here is our understanding, our reason.

And we're torn between those two things. We say, well, we take the Word of God and we parade it past the judgment bar of human reason, our understanding, and we try to weigh it out and see if that is really best rather than just trusting. God is not saying that you're not to have understanding.

He just say, don't lean on your own understanding. Get in the Word of God. Search for God's way, just as you would silver and gold.

And God says that you will find it. Now, what we're talking about is letting God choose your way. And we're saying, first of all, there must be full confidence in God, trust in the Lord. Do you have that confidence in him? Not only must there be full confidence in the Lord, but there must be faithful compliance.

Now notice again, look, if you will, in this passage of scripture, in all thy ways acknowledge him in every situation. Now, you don't surrender to a plan. Most people want somebody to give them a plan for their lives. God's plan for your life is not a roadmap. It is a relationship. There must be a full confidence and a faithful compliance.

That's what he's saying. Let God choose your way. Are you really ready for God to do whatever he wants to do in your life? I mean, have you signed the contract at the bottom? Anywhere, anytime, any cost. Now, have you said that? Oh, you say, good night, pastor.

You want me to say, anywhere, anytime, any cost? How can I do that? Do you know why you're having difficulty with that? Because you don't trust the Lord with all your heart. So you're just afraid if you close your eyes and open your mouth, he'll put something in there you don't want.

You just really don't trust him. Now, folks, the only way this is going to work is the way it's written. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart. Lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct thy path. Point number one, let God choose the way. Point number two, let God confirm the way. Because, you see, it's one thing for God to choose the way, but it's another thing for God to confirm that this is the way he's chosen.

Now, there are a lot of folks here in this building that say, well, yeah, sure, I'll do God's will, but I don't know what it is. Yes, I'll say anytime, anywhere, any cost, but what is the time? Where is the place?

What is the cost? I don't know. All right. Now the Bible says he will direct your path. If you do this, he will direct your path. Now how does God confirm the way?

Once God has chosen the way, how does God confirm the way? I want to mention four ways that God will confirm his will to you for your life and how God will light your future. Number one, God directs your way by his Word, by the Bible. Let me give you some Scripture.

Remember, we're talking about lighting your path, lighting your future. Psalm 119, verse 105, thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The Word of God. God gave you his Word. Now many people are wanting to know the will of God for their lives when they are not obeying the revealed will of God in the written Scriptures.

And they're wanting God to show them something else when it is as plain as day what God does want in some areas and they've not done that. For example, let me mention three times in the Bible where the Bible specifically says this is the will of God. This is the will of God. First of all, concerning your salvation.

Listen to this. II Peter 3, verse 9, the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. That's the will of God for you. Have you repented of your sin?

Have you given your heart to Jesus Christ? Well, don't quibble with me about wanting to know the will of God for your life when the Bible clearly, plainly, black print on white paper says God is not willing that you should perish, but that you should have eternal life. Not willing that any should perish. God wants everybody saved. I believe that.

I hope you believe that. Some theologians don't believe God wants everybody saved. I believe he wants every mother's child saved. He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

All right. That's one place he just mentions the will of God. We're just talking about finding God's will in the Word. Let me give you another place where he mentions the will of God. Ephesians chapter 5, verses 17 and 18, wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, be not drunk with wine where it is in success, but be filled with the Spirit. Not only is it God's will that you be saved, but God's will that you be Spirit filled. That's what he says in that passage of Scripture. Don't be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is, don't be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit. Now, are you, now, sitting there listening to Adrian, are you filled with the Spirit? If not, you're out of the will of God, because he says clearly and plainly, that is the will of God.

I mean, look, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand that. God says, it is my will that you be saved and Spirit filled. Now, if you're not saved and Spirit filled, why are you coming and saying, oh, I wish I knew the will of God for my life?

There it is. You're going to find that in the Scripture. Let me mention a third time in the Scripture where he uses the specific phrase, the will of God. 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 3, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. What is the will of God?

Saved, Spirit filled, and sanctified. And in those Scriptures, he absolutely says, this is the will of God. By the way, if you just do those three steps, you'll find the rest of it's almost axiomatic.

Did you know that? If you just do that. And it's amazing that he says, this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication. What is fornication? It is sex apart from the marriage. Sacred bonds are marriage.

Sometimes in counseling, if you've ever been a counselor, ever been a pastor, you've had a man come to you, or sometimes a woman with this proposition. You know, I am married, and my wife and I are not getting along. We really should never have gotten married.

We don't really love one another. And our marriage is a disaster. And I have discovered true love. I have discovered a God-given love.

There is a woman that I love with all of my heart, and she loves me. And, Pastor, I prayed about it, and I really feel it's God's will that I marry this other woman, because God doesn't want me to be in bondage to da-da-da-da-da. You know, God wants me to be happy, and this is where happiness is. Pastor, would you give me some advice?

I said, no, I won't give you any advice. You're out of the will of God. Do you think God is a liar? I mean, do you think that God is just going to take His Word and set His Word aside and say, now, I know this is what I said, and I know this is my will, but since you prayed, I've changed my mind.

No, absolutely not. You say, oh, Hadrian, you're so narrow-minded. Well, some people are so broad-minded that their mind gets thin in the middle. I'm just simply saying, folks, God gives His will. And you say, oh, I've got to do the will of God. Friend, God's will is best for you. God's will is what you'd want for yourself if you had enough sense to want it. God is a good God. The Lord thy God is the Son and the Shield. The Lord will give grace and glory.

No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. I'm just talking to you about how to let God confirm His way. Number one is the Scripture. You'll find so much of the will of God in the Scripture, but not everything is found in His Word.

I mean, some of you guys and gals are thinking about where you're going to go to college or who should you marry or whatever. You're not going to find in the Bible, go to this and such university. The second way that God guides you is through prayer, and God will guide you through prayer beyond the shadow of any doubt. Let me give you some Scriptures that teach that. For example, in the early church in Acts chapter one, they were wanting an apostle to take the place of Judas who fell.

And now listen to what it says here. And they prayed and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, show whither of these two thou hast chosen. They prayed and said, Lord, show us. Now, prayer is a two-way street. So many of us want to say, listen, Lord, your servant is speaking. Rather than speak, Lord, your servant listens.

Do you have a quiet time in your prayer? This is a lost art of listening to God. God will speak directly to your heart, directly. We give you another Scripture. Acts chapter eight and verse 29. Philip was a deacon, was actually holding an evangelistic crusade, and the Holy Spirit spoke to him.

Listen to this. Acts eight, verse 29. Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. Philip is out there in the wilderness now being led of the Spirit. Here comes the Ethiopian eunuch riding by in a chariot, and the Spirit says, That's the one.

Go join yourself to him. Now, the point I'm making is this, that God will impress your Spirit with the Holy Spirit. That's very mystical. But I can tell you time and time again when I have felt God speak to my heart in that sweet communion. It's almost, again, like I say, guiding you with His eye.

When the first missionaries were chosen, Acts 13, verse 2, and they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me, Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereinto I have called them. The Holy Spirit speaks. God guides through His Word. God guides when we pray, and the Holy Spirit of God speaks to us. Now, let me tell you a third way that God will guide you. I'm talking about four ways now to confirm God's will. The Bible, through prayer.

Number three, through the wisdom that God gives. One of the great, great, great promises in the Word of God is James chapter 1 and verse 5, and it says this, If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. They give liberally to all men, and it braideth not, and it shall be given him. Now, there's not a one of us that doesn't want and need wisdom.

Well, here is an unqualified promise. If any of you, that applies to all of us, lack wisdom, that applies to all of us, let us ask of God. They giveth to all men, not some men, how, liberally, and it shall be given him.

I submit either that is true or that is not true. Now, what is wisdom? Wisdom is not reading something in the Scripture, although that's valid. Wisdom is not praying and letting the Holy Spirit impress our hearts, though that is valid.

Wisdom is sanctified, common sense. Do you know many of us are afraid to use our mind when it comes to knowing the will of God? Do we think that if we use our mind that we're leaning to our own understanding?

No. No, when your mind is filled with the Spirit of God, don't be afraid to trust it. Get your heart clean, get your motive clear, search the Scriptures, pray, and then do what you think you ought to do. Donald Gray Barnhouse said, 90 percent of the will of God is found between your ears. God gives wisdom. What is wisdom? Wisdom is not emotionalism. It's not getting wet around the lashes and warm around the heart.

The liver shivers. Wisdom is sanctified, common sense. It is seeing life from God's point of view. There's certain things that you don't have to pray about. Now, I'm not against prayer. How many of you prayed about the necktie you would wear this morning? Now, some of you should have, but, I mean, how many of you prayed about that?

No, I mean, you've got enough sense to know when I get up, I shave, I wash my face, I do this, I do that. God gives you a mind. Why would God renew your mind and then not use it? I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your body to a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Now, the fourth way that God is going to guide you, and that is not only through the Scripture, not only through prayer and the Holy Spirit impressing your heart, not only through the sanctified wisdom that God gives to you, but by providence.

You're going to find out that God will providentially guide you when you get in the stream of his mercy. Put down this Scripture, Revelation chapter 3, verse 8, I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee an open door. I am he that openeth, and no man shutteth.

I am he that shutteth, and no man opens. You're going to find out that God will open doors, and God will shut doors, and God will open doors, and God will shut doors. Now, here's the third and final thing, and this is very important. Number one, let God choose the way. Number two, let God confirm the way. And number three, let God clear the way. Now, most of us think, well, if I just knew the will of God, then it all, and surrendered to the will of God, then it would all be fine.

No, no. God's got to make a way for you. He's got to clear the way.

Now, look in verse 6, and it says there, and he will direct your paths. Now, the word there is yasher. It's a Hebrew word which literally means to clear the way. As a matter of fact, the New American Standard translates it this way, make your paths straight.

That's what some of you may be looking at right now. I looked it up in another translation. Moffat translates it this way, and he will clear the road for you. Now, the word direct, that's used there. He will direct your path.

It is a word that has the idea of clearing obstacles. Let me show you another place where it is used in the Bible, and this will make it crystal clear. It's found in Isaiah chapter 40, verses three and four, and it speaks of the ministry of John the Baptist clearing the way for Messiah to come. And it says, the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.

Now, what's the idea? It's like John the Baptist was a bulldozer making a way for the Messiah. Here is a mountain. He moves it out of the way. Here's a boulder.

Everybody moves it out of the way. Here's a crooked road. He straightens that road.

Here is a depression. He fills it with dirt until you have a smooth highway for Messiah. Prepare ye the way of the Lord. Now, the same phrase that is used, prepare ye the way of the Lord, is the same way, same phrase that is used for direct your path, same word. What he is saying is this.

Listen. God will choose the way. God will confirm the way, and hallelujah, God will clear the way. When you get in the will of God, God will go before you. God, like a bulldozer, will clear the way. God will open, and no man will shut.

And God will shut, and no man will open. And God Himself will take away the obstacles that keep you from His will for your life. Are you telling me that there's a God in the glory that has something He wants you to do, but it can't be done because God's not able to make it happen for you?

Oh, no. God, I promise you, will clear the way. That's what our Lord does. That's what our Lord does. If our God gives us a burden, our God will pick us up. And He is the one who carries us, and He is the one who clears the way when we get in the stream of His will. God has a plan for you.

God wants to light your path. If in all of your ways you will acknowledge Him, don't lean to your own understanding. Trust Him with all of your heart. Give Him not just one-tenth, give Him ten-tenths.

Give Him not one-seventh, give Him the whole week. Give it to Jesus and trust Him. And I'll tell you, He will choose the way, He will confirm the way, and my God will clear the way for you, for you. He has a plan for you. What an encouraging message for each of us today. God has a plan for your life.

Do you trust Him with all your heart? If you have questions regarding your faith in Jesus Christ, we'd love to offer an insightful resource. It's on our website, the Discover Jesus page. There you'll find answers you may need about your faith.

We have a response section. You can share how this message or others have made a difference in your life. Simply click Discover Jesus when you go to lwf.org slash radio.

We can't wait to hear from you. Are you serious about knowing God's will for your life? Express your full dependence on Him and receive His faithful direction. Begin by knowing and trusting Him, then by obeying Him. We hope you'll join us next time for more timeless truth from Adrian Rogers right here on Love Worth Finding.