Divine Guidance: God's Empowered Blueprint For Your Journey

When you go to build a house, you don't just start constructing how you picture it in your mind. You would sit down with an architect and share what you envision your house to look like and what you want on the inside. You would go into great details of all the things you want and don't want to be included. Some are key areas like the size of the home or how many rooms and bathrooms that are needed. But then you also tell them of the small details that you want including the specific style tub or shower, shelves, kitchen setup, and all the other amenities. Then the architect will sit down and show you what it would look like. And if it's possible to do those things, there may be some things that he will have to change because of codes or regulations that are required for you and your family's safety. The same is true in your spiritual life. I will be sharing with you about how God has a blueprint. To empower you on life's journey in this episode of the 318 project. This is the 318 project, a guide to equip men through godly principles and develop his husband's fathers and sons. And now your host, Ryan hair. Hello. I'm Ryan here and welcome to the 318 Project. So, how does each of us know that we are walking the right path that God has for our lives? Each person is unique and has their own personality, quirks, and talents, but God still gives us basic equipment and training tools through his word in the Bible to equip us as his servants. It is through God's divine guidance that he shows us the path that he has for each individual's life. This guidance comes from being discipled. This can be as a child and your parents teaching you the rights and wrongs for your actions and behaviors. Or it comes from a teacher or counselor in school helping you to learn skills for as you grow to be able to use in life. As Christians though, we get guidance from our pastors and evangelists that bring a word from God to strengthen, encourage, correct, or even rebuke us. But each of us should have a close relationship with a leader or mentor that is discipling us at the same time. Peter wrote letters to Timothy and Titus as their mentor to strengthen them as leaders in the churches they were a part of. This is what discipleship is about. This is evident when Paul told Timothy in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verses 16 and 17 that All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. You know that the Word of God is inspired, or God breathed. And that it is useful for the training and edification of the saints. So how does each person apply this in their individual life? There are four points that Paul shared with Timothy in those verses that I'm going to share with you. Two of them are on beliefs, what we should or shouldn't believe. The other two are on behavior, what each of us should or shouldn't do. The first is teaching. These are instructions through God's word. His word through his spirit to us. First Corinthians chapter two, verses 12 and 13 says, now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God, who that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. As you read and study God's Word, the Holy Spirit will teach and guide you to understand what you believe. Even Jesus told his disciples in John chapter 6 verse 64, But there are some of you who do not believe. It isn't about pushing personal convictions onto others, but simply sharing what God's Word says how each Christian or individual should believe. And that is where we encourage one another. David David then said in Psalms 71 verse 17, he said, Oh God, you have taught me from my youth and I still declare your wondrous deeds. David held onto those beliefs that God revealed to him as a young man in the fields that helped him as he later became a mighty warrior and king of Israel. Colossians 3 verse 16 says, Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Now, God's word will teach and instruct you as you grow in wisdom in those areas of your life that God is wanting to use you in. The second area is rebuking. Now, I know this sounds tough and harsh, but this is when God through the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sinful actions. This comes in many different ways, such as conviction while you are reading the word of God. Maybe you felt conviction when a pastor, a teacher, or evangelist was sharing a message or lesson that God had given them to speak. Or, maybe it was simply the Holy Spirit convicting your heart when you were doing something whether or not you knew it was sin. Paul instructed Timothy to not be deceived. In 1 Timothy 2, verse 14, he tells him, And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived fell into transgression. Yes, Eve was deceived by Satan. Adam didn't do what God wanted him to do in leading his family and marriage. As a leader or mentor, they must take the time to instruct those they are leading on what God's word says to help them watch for the attacks of the enemy and how to use God's word to fight against him. Paul would even tell the church in Corinth in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 33 of not being deceived. That of bad company corrupts good morals. Again, there are times when you may have those intentions to help, but you are led astray because of those things that are tempting and enticing to you. Each of us must develop discipline in our actions and beliefs. Proverbs 15 verse 32 says he who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. As you begin understanding God's word, it will reveal those false beliefs that were picked up from your old sinful nature. It is that sinful nature that Paul spoke of in Romans 8 verse 5 that says, For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. And he also said in chapter seven, verse five, that for while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the law were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. In 1 John chapter 2 verse 16, it says for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the father, but is from the world. It is that sinful nature of man that wants to rebel and go against what God truly wants. each of us to believe. Titus 3 verse 3 says, For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hatefully hating one another. When you allow the Holy Spirit to rebuke or bring conviction, it brings a change in your life, in your beliefs, your actions, your manners, and your behavior. The third area is correction. This is a revealing of bad behavior that comes from that conviction I was just telling you about. of those sinful natures and sinful actions. Solomon wrote many proverbs on correcting wrongful behavior and what you and I should or shouldn't do. Proverbs 15 verse 32 says, he who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who Listens to reproof, acquires understanding. When you are truly repentant of your past deeds, you listen to what God is telling you and you begin to gain an understanding of what the father is teaching his child. Proverbs 10 verse 17 says he is on the path of life who heeds. instruction. But he who ignores reproof goes astray. There are those, just as Jesus said, that followed him, yet some didn't believe or ignored his teachings to change. Proverbs 3, verses 11 and 12 says, My son, do not reject the discipline. of the Lord, or loathe his reproof. For whom the Lord loves, he reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. As a parent, correction should come out of love and not anger. This is to help teach the child that there are consequences for bad behavior, but that the correction is in love to help them grow and learn from those mistakes and actions. Even in Proverbs 19 verse 20, Solomon said, listen to counsel and accept discipline that you may be wise the rest of your days. When you receive godly counsel and allow it to bring correction and freedom, it will bring a change in your life for God's glory. Even as a parent brings that correction, it may be painful and harmful and hurt even the parent to bring that correction and punishment. But they are doing it out of love and not out of hate. Now, finally, there is righteous training. This is developing the right behavior for what God wants you to do and act. Romans 7 verse 6 says, But now we have been released from the law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit, and not in oldness of the letter. Peter wrote in first Peter chapter 3 verse 16. He says and keep a good conscience So that in the thing in which you are slandered Those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame There will be those that come against you when their lives are convicted by the righteous behavior you lead. There are times that it isn't about condemning others for their actions or behaviors, but to simply live a holy and righteous life before them as an example in love and not in pride. Paul would encourage Timothy and Titus to godly behavior. 1 Timothy 4 verse 12. He says let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example to those who believe. It is being that example to others, even at whatever stage of life you're in, whether you are still a young person in your middle age or as an older person that has gone through life, you can still show yourself as an example in those areas in your life. In Titus two, verse one, he said, but as for you speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine, again, it is that sound doctrine that lines up with the word of God, that as you speak, it is corresponding with what God's word says and not just what you are, how you think it should be or what others have told you, but when you have truly sought what God is telling you to share with others, We must also display godly behavior in times of trials and temptations in first Peter chapter 1 verse 15 He says but like the Holy One who called you be holy yourselves in all of your behavior Even when you are being tested and tried it is holding to those convictions that God has given you Through his word Peter also said in first Peter Chapter three, verse 17, for it is better if God should, will it so that you suffer for doing what is right rather than doing what is wrong. There are those times that the enemy will test and tempt you to see if you will hold to the righteous life and standards that God has called you to live. Satan will do whatever he can to destroy your testimony. We are then to imitate Christ in our behavior. Ephesians chapter 5 verses 1 and 2 he says, Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. He would then also tell the church in Corinth in first Corinthians chapter 11, verse one be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ as a leader and mentor. You are. Taking what you have learned from God's word and you are now training and showing it to others leading them but also as someone that is being Discipled you are looking to your mentor and you are wanting to make sure that their character and their behaviors are lining up with how God's character and behavior was. So again, it is lining up our faith, being in imitators of God in Christ. Finally, we see that the writer of Hebrew said, remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith again, as we look to those that. Are leading and guiding us. Do they line up what they are saying? Is it lining up with the word of God as a child of God? We must look to those that walk in a godly and righteous manner that is in accordance with God's word and follow them. It is then that your life will mirror what God has for you. In conclusion, I want to go back to those verses in 2 Timothy chapter 3, but I want to challenge you to this, that as you read it, insert your personal name where it says man of God. It would sound something like this. All scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training righteousness. So that Ryan hair. May be complete equipped for every good work, and that's what God has for each of us that we can be that completely equipped person that God can use for his kingdom to bring his kingdom on earth. I hope this has blessed and encouraged you to continue to seek how God wants you to seek his divine guidance to empower your journey. It is seeking and finding that blueprint that he has for your individual life. And as always, please remember to like, subscribe, and share this episode with others. And as always, I want you to have a blessed and wonderful day. Thank you for joining on this adventure of integrity and honor in godly masculinity. Be sure to like, subscribe, and share this podcast with other men. And remember to keep building faithful men.