Guidance

Proverbs 3:5-8, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Acts 2:42-47, Acts 13:1-3, 

In Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster puts guidance as a corporate discipline. That means it is done in group settings, as the gathered saints. We often hear in the Christian world a desire to be like the church in Acts 2. To be that kind of people, we have to give up our individualism. In truth, that should be given up when we say yes to following Jesus. Our life is no longer our life, but it wholly belongs to God, and therefore we become the Church. We are the Church, which is our collective identity, so when we are disciplined together, we surrender our ability to make decisions alone. We bring what we’ve heard from God, where we think God is moving, and test it among other saints in the Church. We guide one another by leaning on understanding who God is, who we are individually, and who we are collectively. Guidance comes from study, prayer and fasting together and separately. We love God and love people so much so that we surrender our lives for the sake of seeking God’s will on behalf of one another. We sacrifice money, time, and food so that we may accurately hear God. 

Let me put a caveat here - the Church as individuals should be disciplined in their daily lives as beloved children and committed disciples of Christ. We ask for guidance among those who we trust, who have committed to walking intimately with you, and who have rich lives of study, prayer, and fasting. Cultural Christians, lukewarm Christians, agnostic people who use Jesus for a name and are not the Lord of their lives are not people you should seek guidance from. This primarily means your huddle - the three to four other people who sit in a living room and ask the hard questions. Who leaves that living room to think, pray and encourage you outside of the formal meeting. 

Guidance is seeking a collective identity to confirm God’s will over one another. Guidance comes from prayer, from study of God’s character and fasting to seek God diligently. We do that together so that we may not allow brothers and sisters to stray into darkness or heresy.

How can you pray for your huddle this week? 

When will you fast for your huddle this week?

What Word will you study, meditate and speak over your huddle this week?