GPS – REROUTING by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction:  One question that was often asked in this series is “What do you do when you realize you haven’t made the best decision?” We’re not talking about sin here. Based on your understanding at the time, you did the best you could, but it did not go as you intended. “What do you do when you have misunderstood the will of God?” We’ve all made decisions where we thought something was God’s will or God’s best, and it didn’t turn out to be so. Today’s message will show us how to reroute in such cases. It is a bonus message in our series “GPS: Knowing and Navigating the Will of God.” Main Point: God allows us to reroute our lives. Although our decisions may have consequences, by God’s grace, he will work all things together for the good. The goal is to let Jesus Christ and his gospel touch as many lives as possible in the rerouting journey.

Proverbs 24:16 “For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.”

Context: The Hebrew word for “fall” is “naphal,” which has many meanings including “falling accidentally.” In other words, this proverb is not just about a fall because of some sin. This could be a fall because of a misstep, losing one’s balance, or difficulty seeing. In other words, there is no ill intent, just an innocent action. Same word and concept is also found in Psalm 37      23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall (naphal), he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand” and Micah 7:8 “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall (naphal), I will arise…” In other words, this “fall” is about what we thought were good decisions but turned out to be not so good decisions. This is not about bad decisions because of sin. The Bible is replete with those examples:

• Abraham tried twice to pass Sarah his wife as his sister. Both times, it caused much damage to others, shamed Abraham, and almost jeopardized the plan of God.
• Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham, trying to help the plan of God, and it became a mess, and it continues to be to this day.
• David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah the Hittite murdered. This gave “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme,” brought judgment in David’s family, and even caused the innocent baby to die.
• Peter disobeyed Jesus, tried to follow him anyways, and ended up denying him three times.
• There are even instances where the whole body of people messed up with dire consequences. Think of the children of Israel who refused to go into the land and ended up wandering for forty years and dying in the wilderness. Also, Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit, faced God’s immediate judgment, and died. 

We can go on and on. In all such cases, the only solution is repentance. 1 John 1       8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Application: Have you made bad decisions or committed sins? Come to God in repentance. The only sin he will not forgive is the sin of unbelieving, refusing to receive Jesus as Savior and King. Have you received him? Have you repented of that sin in your life?

Having said that, today’s message is to answer the questions: “What do you do when you realize – overnight or overtime – that you haven’t made the best decision?” or “What do you do when you have misunderstood the will of God?” This can happen in the career you chose, the move you made, the person you chose to be your spouse, how you raised your children, how you handled a conflict, financial decisions you made, choice of a church, doctrines you believed, values you held, etc. Unfortunately, you realized later that it wasn’t the best decision. Sin may have been involved, but it was not your intention. 

A good example of that in the Bible is in Exodus 2 when Moses was grown in Egypt. Keep in mind that he was being raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, Queen Hatshepsut, to be the next Pharaoh. Those who have toured Egypt with me have learned how ancient Egyptian history shows much evidence of Moses, if you know what to look for. Of course, the ancient Egyptians tried to erase him from their history, but the evidence remains. He was given the best education of the time. He was trained as a warrior. His escapades and victories are mind blowing. He was a master builder. The temples he built are a marvel of architecture. His tomb (which was never finished) has detailed inscriptions of the stars and the planets, which astronomers are still trying to decipher. His responsibilities and titles are like no other in history. I can go on and on. Then something happened. He “went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens.” Of course, he knew he was a Hebrew, but it didn’t hit him until he was grown how his people were suffering as slaves. He decided to do something about it when he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Exodus 2:12 says, “So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” Good intentions, bad strategy. Next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting, and he tried to intervene, but it backfired. One responded – Exodus 2:14 “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Fear came over, especially when he heard that Pharaoh wanted to kill him, and he fled to the back side of the desert. 

Question: Did Moses sin in the process? I can see one big one – Murder! We can even add fear. But not so in the Bible. Hebrews 11       24 “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”

Principle: Sometimes we may convince ourselves that something was a sin when it is not so in the sight of God. Sometimes people will try to convince us that something was a sin when it is not so in the sight of God. Many times, Satan will try to convince us that something was a sin when it is not so in the sight of God.

Application: Are you living under self-imposed, people-imposed, or Satan imposed bondage?

As you know, Moses stayed in the back of the desert for the next 40 years (imagine 1984-2024). He was content with raising his family with Zipporah and tending to the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law. But God was not finished with Moses. In fact, he was just getting started. The angel of the Lord (pre-incarnate Jesus) appeared to him “in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush.” What’s interesting is that the bush was burning but “not consumed.” There are two implications here.

• It is a reference to the Hebrews. God’s promise to Abraham to bring his salvation in the world had not burned out. 
• It is also a reference to Moses. God’s plan to use Moses to free his people had not burned out.

What was Moses’s response when God called him from the midst of the bush? Exodus 3:6 “…And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.” Moses’s fear may have come first and foremost from being in the presence of the Almighty and Holy God, but Moses was not stupid. He knew what God was calling for. His fear was probably from the apprehension regarding what was coming, but it could also be because he may have thought that he had disappointed God. Of course, God reinstated the call, but how did Moses respond?

• Who am I? 
• What is your name?
• What if they do not believe or listen?
• I am not eloquent (slow of speech and slow of tongue, could have been his PTSD).
• Please send someone else.

Exodus 4:14 “So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses…” and he sent Aaron his brother to go with him. Of course, Moses went, and you know the rest.

What do you do when you think that you have missed God’s best for your life, especially when you misunderstood God’s will? 4 things to consider in such cases, that Moses also had to:

1. Recognize God’s sovereignty.

God is in charge, and he allowed you to make that decision. God declared that to Moses in his “I Am Who I Am” statement. God is the all-powerful Creator, he preserves and governs everything in this world. Hebrews 1:3 says, “who (Christ) being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power…” The word for “upholding” is “phero” in Greek which has the idea of actively carrying along all things. Ephesians 1:11 says, “…being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will…” The word for “works” is “energeo” which means bringing about all things according to the counsel of his will. In which areas does God do this work? Inanimate Creation (Psalm 135:6-7), Animals (Psalm 104:27-29); Random Events (Proverbs 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”); Nations (Prov. 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” Job 12:23 “He makes nations great, and destroys them; He enlarges nations, and guides them.”); Our personal lives (Psalm 139:16 “…And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” Jeremiah 10:23 “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” Psalm 33      14 “From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; 15 He fashions their hearts individually…”)

Clarification regarding evil (Joseph’s brothers did evil against him, and his response was Genesis 50:20 “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…” In Exodus, God repeatedly hardened Pharaoh’s heart. So also, he hardened the hearts of the Canaanites to come against the people of Israel. It doesn’t mean that God caused evil. He simply used the evil that is in the world because of sin and because of Satan to fulfill his greater purpose. He doesn’t cause evil, but he causes evil to work for our good and for his glory. Ultimately, he governs the whole world, especially our lives, to accomplish his purposes.

Application: Do you believe in the sovereignty of God, especially in the moments when you haven’t made the best decision or when you have misunderstood the will of God?”

2. Recognize your limitations.

By virtue of being a finite human being, you made the best decision you thought possible. Moses’s response shows that he understood that. We are marked by sin, damaged by the fall, and bound by time. We are products of our upbringing and creatures of habit. We are limited by our knowledge. Even though through Christ we are a new creation, we are still works in progress. 

Psalm 103      13 “As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. 14For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.”

Application: Do you accept your limitations? Can you accept that being who you are, you made the best decision you thought possible?

3. Lean on God’s grace.

Just when we think we deserve the law, God offers us his grace abounding. God didn’t come to Moses in judgment but in grace. So also, when he feel least deserving, he gives us grace.

2 Corinthians 12        9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Application: Have you received God’s grace in your life? If you were someone else, how would you offer them grace?

4. Look for God’s hope.

Hope means something better is on the way. Moses had to realize that his initial call was still there, and the time for deliverance had come. So also, you’ll have to reject your thoughts, other’s opinions and condemnations, and Satan’s lies. You have to believe what God has promised through his Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Application: Can you see that God has something better on the way for you? It may be in this life, or it may be in the life to come.

Invitation: Do you need God to help you reroute? Have you come to the cross of Christ? Are you saved?