DEALING WITH CROSSROADS

DEALING WITH CROSSROADS

WHICH ONE IS YOUR CROSSROADS?

Jeremiah 6:16 NIV

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'

DEFINING CROSSROADS

Crossroads are places where two roads cross each other, or one road diverge into two. In most cases that place is very dangerous.

The place is likely to become a black spot.

Crossroads are critical points where it is difficult to find the right direction.

Crossroads are places where we face tough decisions based on choices that need a good judgment.

We all want to make a wise and quick decision. But is that possible?

We can't take both ways, because the two worlds cannot coexist.

THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CROSSROADS.

1. NATURAL CROSSROADS

2. THE MAN-MADE CROSSROADS.

THE TWO DANGERS

1. DIVERGING CROSSROADS.

2. SIDETRACKING CROSSROADS.

DIVERGING CROSSROADS: IS TAKING A NEW ROUTE FOR YOUR OWN REASONS.

It is true that occasionally we get to a point in our lives where we see pathways diverging in front of us. Whatever happens right there, will either lead to Life or lead to Death.

SIDETRACKING CROSSROADS: IS WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR ROUTE SLOWLY IN A WAY THAT IS UNNOTICEABLE.

IT GIVES YOU THE IMPRESSION THAT IT IS WELL.

IT IS HOW IT WAS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN.

IT IS BECAUSE THE WHOLE WORLD IS CHANGING.

NATURAL CROSSROADS

Examples of Natural Crossroads:

1. Our Culture. Which one should we subscribe to? The African or the Australian culture? How about our kids? Can we choose a culture, or it is by default?

2. Death. Should we be buried here or back in Africa? The question of cremation.
3. Religion. What is Religion? Are we free to choose our own Religion? Why is it sensitive to talk about Religion in some places?

THE MAN-MADE CROSSROADS

Examples of Man-Made Crossroads:

1. Should man marry a man? Why is it too sensitive? Why trying to impose it to everyone?

2. The question of Democracy. Is it the answer to our problems?

THESE ARE THE CRITICAL JUNCTURES IN OUR PRESENT WORLD.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE CROSSROADS THAT WE HAVE LIVED WITH FOR YEARS.

NOW WE CANNOT DEFINE WHETHER THEY ARE NATURAL OR MAN-MADE.

Examples of Such Crossroads:

1. Unexpected crisis, e.g. divorce or family disintegration. The blame is on men, because we are the center of power. THE CENTER IS NOT HOLDING.

2. Unemployment, eg being fired from work. MEN IS THE BREAD-WINNER.

3. Long term injury or serious illness, eg life threatening. WE PANIC.

4. Legal or Social Entrapment, e.g. being sued by your Child, Wife or close Relative. THIS CROSSROADS IS A BLACK SPOT.

5. Bereavement, eg losing our loved ones back home has never been easy.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

6. Heartbreaking Suffering: Seeing our loved ones suffering, e.g. it is heartbreaking to see my wife crying with pain. WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO REACT WHEN IT HAPPENS.

CROSSROADS THAT WE SEEM TO IGNORE.

1. Family Setup & Our Culture: There is a lot of confusion.

2. The Educational Curriculum For Our Kids & Their Future.

3. Business Ethics & Economical Culture.

4. Politics & And Our Social Life.

5. Modern Technology.

WE ALSO EXPERIENCE CROSSROADS IN THE FOLLOWING STAGES OF OUR GROWING IN REAL LIFE.

Leaving studies,

Getting married,
Starting a family,
Starting a new career,
Entering retirement.

All these and many more can be crossroads where we must consider our future and make important decisions.

Sometimes it’s more dramatic behind the scenes, than what we see in the public life.

What people can see in our every day life is nothing compared to what the majority of people live with in their secret lives.

HOW CAN WE KNOW THESE CROSSROADS?

1. When parting ways suddenly appear in front of us, and we have no idea which way is right.

2. When we are faced with critical issues, where our choices are not guaranteed to be correct.

THINK ABOUT IT.

Sometimes even without any of the above Crossroads life is complicated.

Let us think deep about our lives.

Are we not feeling the need for a critical shifting to stop ourselves from drafting away from the rightful way of life.

Isaiah 2:2-4 NLT

2. In the last days, the mountain of the LORD's house will be the highest of all- the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
3. People from many nations will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob's God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the LORD's teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.

4. The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore.

THEREFORE, HOW CAN WE MANAGE OUR CROSSROADS TO BRING OURSELVES BACK INTO THE RIGHT PATHWAY.

Deuteronomy 30:15-16 NLT

15. "Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.

16. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy.

HOW DO WE CHOOSE OUR PATHWAY?

BECAUSE:

Proverbs 16:25 NLT
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.

WE NEED THE LAMP THAT LIGHTS UP OUR WAY.

Psalm 119:104 - 105 AMP

104. Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

The paths where God's word shines may be old paths, but they remain the best paths, because they lead along the good way.

Ephesians 4:17-19 NLT
17. With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

19. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

LETS LOOK AT THE NIV VERSION

Ephesians 4:17-19 NIV
17. So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

19. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

LET'S REMEMBER THIS WHEN WE COME TO THE CROSSROADS:

When we are at the crossroads in life; let's remember what Prophet Jeremiah say:
Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old or ancient paths, wherein is the good way, and walk therein" (Jeremiah 6:16).

Prophet Daniel 7:9 & 22 reveals to us that Jesus Christ is the Ancient of Days.

And John 14:6, then say; 'Jesus Christ is the Way, and the Truth and the Life.'

Daniel 7:9, 13, 21-22 NIV

9. “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.
13. “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
21. As I watched, this horn was waging war against the holy people and defeating them,
22. until the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the holy people of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.

DON'T EVER DO THINGS ANYHOW: ASK OR CONSULT!!

Jeremiah 6:16 NIV

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'

SEEK WISDOM.

Proverbs 8:11-12 NLT
11. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.
12. "I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.

THE LORD GIVES WISDOM:
Proverbs 2:6 NIV
For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

AND HIS WORD IS LIGHT, AND GIVES GOOD JUDGMENT.

Psalm 119:104 - 105 AMP

104. Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Ephesians 4:17-19 NLT
17. With the Lord's authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused.
18. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
19. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

John 14:6 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

WHERE IS THE PROBLEM?

Many times, we are not able to break out of our problems because we approach them with faulty lenses.

The issue here is that these faulty lenses are the precise cause of our problems.

Approaching our problems with these faulty lenses will only perpetuate our problems due to faulty solutions we come up with.

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

1. WE SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR HEARTS.

2. OUR HEARTS ACTS AS THE COMPASSES FOR OUR LIVES.

3. OUR CONSCIENCE SHOULD TELL US THE RIGHT WAYS.

4. WE SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON OUR CONSCIENCES.

5. AND WE SHOULD ACT ON OUR DECISIONS.

I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE ANSWER TO ALL THE PROBLEMS THE WORLD IS FACING TODAY.

THEREFORE, LET US GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO CONTROL OUR WAYS.

HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH , AND THE LIFE.

MAY GOD BLESS YOU. 

 

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