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By Rev Don Rivers
We have looked at directions, which way should we go, and connections, who are we going with. This week we’ll look at the need to have someone to help us as we go. Who is our navigator? We can get so focused on the destination we get lost along the way. When we need to stop and ask for help, who do we turn to? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Help comes in many forms and is available from many sources. There is always someone who is willing to share their opinion about what we should do. Not everyone who offers help has our best interest at heart. One of the first things we need to figure out is; who can I trust?
I have heard many discussions about help at the track. Sometimes we solicit help and other times it is offered for free. Knowing the source helps us qualify whether we follow or ignore the advice. We observe as the information received is processed and the decision on what adjustments to make is made. Sometimes the wrong help guides us in the right direction, it confirms what we know to be true and helps us move forward.
Think of it this way, if we know the motives of the one providing the help we can easily determine whether the advice is for our good or theirs. I think of the cartoon with the two angels speaking into each ear, one good in the right ear and one bad in the left. Which one do we follow?
Let me share this with you about the voice of God in our ear. If the voice calms, reassures, enlightens, encourages, comforts, leads, stills, or convicts you then it is the voice of God. But, if the voice rushes, pushes, frightens, confuses, discourages, worries, obsesses, or condemns you, it is the voice of the enemy.
There is a lot of noise in the world around us, every voice is wanting us to listen to them. Many of them have their own agenda, they want to instill in us certain thoughts and emotions. We need to have a filter so that we only pay attention to what is for our benefit. That is difficult. Many times we have to shut some of the noisemakers out. Many have decided not to watch or listen to the mainstream media because they have determined the information they present often comes with an agenda.
That is only one place in our lives where shutting some of the noise out can help us think more clearly. Let’s face it there are not many voices of truth in the world we live in. So where do we find the truth? We need some help. Remember the directions we received Jesus said;
John 14:6; NLT; Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the truth; his voice will help us know what is right and which direction is his. As he prepared to suffer and die on the cross for our sins he shared with his disciples that he would send his voice, The Holy Spirit, to us.
John 16:7; 13-15; NLT; But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate (the Comforter, the Encourager, the Councilor) won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
This is the connection we call the Holy Trinity, three in one. God the Father, Christ the Son and The Holy Spirit. All one in the same, one voice that helps us find the way to true satisfaction and fulfillment.
The Holy Spirit is described in Scripture as our advocate, comforter, encourager and councilor, our helper. Without His presence in our lives we cannot hope to find direction or the truth. He is necessary and provides a voice that counters the noise we hear from the world. Remember the cartoon, without the Holy Spirit there isn’t a good voice.
In the absence of the Holy Spirit the voices we hear are others, the world around us, and our own, the desires and thoughts of our own mind. The choice we make is not between good and bad, it is between what they want me to do and what I want to do. We need help!
We need an outside voice that will guide us in the way of the truth. A voice that will help us look beyond what we see and into the lives of others. A voice that will, when followed, provide true fulfilment and satisfaction. A voice that will lead us to life, an abundant life.
Some of us know that voice, we have made a decision to submit to God and let Him put that voice in our hearts. Some of us haven’t. The opportunity is there, it is a gift God offers us, free for the asking. God extends to each of us the opportunity to receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. When we do, Jesus promises to send us a helper, The Holy Spirit, to guide and connect us to Him and the Father.
The first step is to come humbly before God and ask for His help, confess our sin and ask for forgiveness. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God who gave his life for us and God raised him from the dead.
Romans 10:9-10; NLT; If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9; NLT; God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
John 15:26; NLT: 26 “But I will send you the Advocate (helper)—the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
As we look forward to celebrating Easter, the resurrection of our Savior, we must remember the cost, he gave his life as an atonement for our sin, so that we could be forgiven. He is the way, the truth and the life. Without being connected to Him we can do nothing.
Please let us know if you have questions or would like to make this decision in your life. We are here to walk alongside, support and encourage your new found faith in God.
Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.
