You Can’t Trust Your Circumstances to Lead You

[You Can’t Trust Your Circumstances to Lead You](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Current Teaching Series [Living in the Goodness of God](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [You Can’t Trust Your Circumstances to Lead You](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) By Rick Warren — March 17, 2019 [Facebook](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Twitter](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Pinterest](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Email](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) “I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8 NIV). If you want to know God’s will, you have to stop being led by your circumstances. You may be scratching your head and thinking, “Wait a minute—doesn’t God direct my circumstances?” Yes, God does want to direct your circumstances, but you should never let just your circumstances be your guide. For instance, think about the story of Jonah. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach there. Jonah told God he wasn’t going and even headed in the opposite direction. Here are the circumstances: There was a ship waiting in the port to head for Tarshish. Jonah had the money for a ticket. They had space on board for him to join them. Jonah gets on board. With everything lined up for him to go to Tarshish, he could have easily thought, “It must be God’s will!” But, boy, did it turn out to be the wrong move! You can’t trust circumstances only. The Bible is filled with examples of when circumstances looked promising yet led to disaster. In Acts 27 Paul was being taken to Rome as a prisoner. The night before his ship was scheduled to leave, God told Paul in his prayer time that the ship would head straight into a storm. Paul told the sailors and the captain, “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also” (Acts 27:10 NIV). Unfortunately, circumstances kept the men from listening to Paul’s warning: “When a gentle wind from the south started blowing, the men thought it was a good time to do what they had planned . . . Then a very strong wind named ‘The Northeaster’ blew against us from the island. The wind struck the ship, and we could not sail against it. So we let the wind carry the ship . . . We had a hard time holding the lifeboat in place” (Acts 27:13-16 CEV). That is the story of many a believer who trusted in circumstances. The circumstances looked good but turned disastrous. Circumstances can lead you the wrong way. You can misinterpret them, put unwarranted trust in them, and Satan can manipulate them. So always check your circumstances against God’s Word.[PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Talk About It - Think of a time when you thought something circumstantial was an open door. Did those circumstances confirm God’s will or lead you astray? - Why is it sometimes easier to follow our circumstances rather than God’s Word? - How can God use your circumstances to help direct you in the way you should go? [Facebook](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Twitter](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Pinterest](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Email](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) 6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r [Our Gift: Living in the Goodness of God Complete Audio Series](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) How can you learn to have God’s favor on your life? You trust in him and in his Word, which confirms it over and over. “The Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and his faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation.” – Psalm 100:5 (TLB). That’s why we created the Living in the Goodness of God complete audio series. In this 12-message series based on the 23rd Psalm, you’ll hear Pastor Rick share how God’s goodness and favor toward us aren’t based on our performance, but instead on what Jesus already did for us. You’ll hear messages including . . . 1. Is God Really Good All the Time? 2. Letting God Meet My Needs 3. Relaxing in God's Goodness 4. How God's Goodness Can Restore You 5. How to Be Led By God's Spirit 6. The God of My Valleys 7. How Jesus Treats His Sheep 8. How God Lifts Me Up When I'm Worn Down 9. Living an Anointed Life 10. From Overwhelmed to Overflowing (Mother's Day) 11. Why You Don't Need to Fear Your Future 12. Heaven: God’s Eternal Goodness to You [LEARN MORE](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) 6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Includes 12 full-length teaching CDs from Pastor Rick's series Living in the Goodness of God. [LEARN MORE](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) 6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r [Series Summary](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Message 1: Is God Really Good All the Time? Message 2: Letting God Meet My Needs Message 3: Relaxing in God’s Goodness Message 4: How God’s Goodness Can Restore You Message 5: How to Be Led by God’s Spirit Message 6: The God of My Valleys Message 7: How Jesus Treats His Sheep Message 8: How God Lifts Me Up When I’m Worn Down Message 9: Living an Anointed Life Message 10: From Overwhelmed to Overflowing Message 11: Why You Don’t Need to Fear Your Future Message 12: Heaven: God’s Eternal Goodness to You [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r)[Twitter](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Instagram](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) [Linkedin](6vO0P-YNA:m:1:2618166767:AA9DCA65DB8CC7F665329C018378FE71:r) Enjoy today's Devotional? 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