Dead End

1. Why is it important to allow God to guide your life? When people go on trips they usually have a guide because without one they’ll be lost or end up at a dead end. A dead is a position, situation, or course of action that leads to nothing further. God used Moses to save the Israelites from their dead end and God used Jesus to save all of humanity from their dead end. Unfortunately, some people just want to be stuck, they only see what’s happening now instead of looking at the big picture, the end goal. (Acts 7:35-38- And so God sent back the same man His people had previously rejected by demanding, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Moses was sent to be their ruler and savior. And by means of many remarkable miracles he led them out of Egypt and through the Red Sea, and back and forth through the wilderness for forty years. “Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up a Prophet much like me from among your brothers.’ How true this proved to be, for in the wilderness, Moses was the go-between—the mediator between the people of Israel and the Angel who gave them the Law of God—the Living Word—on Mount Sinai.) The Old Testament is literally a representation of what's to come in the New Testament. The Promised Land = heaven. When the Israelites didn't obey God and trust Him they didn't make it to the Promised Land. When we disobey God and don't trust in Jesus to save us we don't make it to heaven. Numbers 13 Numbers 14 They said the people were too strong, they would crush them, they wish they died in Egypt, etc. (Mark 7:20- And He said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.) (Proverbs 18:21- Those who love to talk will suffer the consequences. Men have died for saying the wrong thing!) It’s so important to watch what we say because the Israelites doomed themselves because of their words. * 2Pac was signed to death row and had many songs abut death: Death Around The Corner, If I Die 2Nite, Only Fear Of Death, Wanted Dead Or Alive, 16 On Death Row, Bury Me A G * Biggie had an album called Life After Death and songs called Life After Death, Somebody’s Gotta Die, You’re Nobody Til Somebody Kills You It’s not a coincidence that both of them died in their early 20s at 24 and 25. 2 Samuel 12:1-25 Matthew 15:10-19 (1 Peter 3:10- If you want a happy, good life, keep control of your tongue, and guard your lips from telling lies.)

2. What did y’all think about that? What stood out to you? The Israelites had to wander in the desert because they didn’t trust God. When you’re not trusting in God and doing His will for your life, you’ll be lost. The Israelites had the key to get into the promised land but they refused to go to the door. Matthew 25:1-12 The 5 virgins had oil, but they didn’t fill theirs up, they had the key to get in, but they didn’t have a spare so they were locked out. We need to be wise and be prepared. (Mark 5:13-16-You are the world’s seasoning, to make it tolerable. If you lose your flavor, what will happen to the world? And you yourselves will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.)We are the light of the world and the 5 foolish virgin’s lamps were going out. This parable is an example that if our light is not shining for the world to see we’re not doing God’s will for our lives. The opposite of light is darkness. (1 John 1:5-6- This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all. So if we say we are His friends but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying.)

In today’s society people think it’s cool to only trust yourself and nobody else. “People have done my dirty, people aren’t loyal etc.) Even if that is the case God will never do is dirty and God is loyal. The saying trust in God, not man is true and it also applies to yourself. When you trust in yourself, you finding yourself making many mistakes and taking many losses. It’s because we don’t know what’s best for ourselves, but God does and we should trust Him. (Proverbs 3:4-5- If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself.) The Israelites would’ve been prepared to go in the promised land if they trusted God to save them instead of only looking at their circumstances (how strong and big they were) depending on their own strength to conquer the land. When you know God is fighting your battles you know you’ll be okay. (Joshua 1:9- Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”) Your destination doesn’t have to be a dead end, God is a way maker, but you have to trust that He will make a way. Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. The only way to be saved is by trusting that Jesus will save you. (Romans 10:8- For salvation that comes from trusting Christ—which is what we preach—is already within easy reach of each of us; in fact, it is as near as our own hearts and mouths.) (Luke 19:41-44- But as they came closer to Jerusalem and He saw the city ahead, He began to cry. “Eternal peace was within your reach and you turned it down,” He wept, “and now it is too late. Your enemies will pile up earth against your walls and encircle you and close in on you, and crush you to the ground, and your children within you; your enemies will not leave one stone upon another—for you have rejected the opportunity God offered you.”) This is similar to what God said to the Israelites. He offers to be everyone’s guide, for everyone to have a personal relationship with Him because He doesn’t want us to be lost, but if we reject the opportunity we are doomed. Luke 23:38-43 The thief on the cross told Jesus to remember him when He goes to heaven because He trusted that Jesus would save Him. This is just a reminder for us to continue to trust God, even when nothing makes sense and when our circumstances seem like there’s no way out. Also that we watch what we say and remember that life and death is in the power of the tongue, stop speaking yourself into a dead end. Also, because you reach a dead end doesn’t mean that you have to stay there, allow God to be your guide and get back right on track.