Need Direction? | Liberty at Home

Buckle up. It's time to hit the road on

this week's edition of Liberty at Home.

Hello and welcome to our latest episode of Liberty at Home,

produced by Liberty Baptist Church of Easton and broadcast

from global headquarters here at ECAT.

I'm your host, Adam Rivera, and I'm the pastor of LBC here in

Easton. And Speaking of Easton, did you

know that Easton's Quiset Brook powered one of the first

primitive forges in the colonies around 1650, producing iron for

tools and weapons that help settle the frontier?

But it was so low key that even colonial maps barely noticed it,

earning Easton a quiet reputation as a forge hamlet

before the Ames era. Man, isn't the Internet great?

Today I want to talk to you about how we find places like

the Queen Set Brook Course. Once Upon a time, the map was

king, helping us find local landmarks and helping us to be

able to drive to them with ease. Well, at least a little bit of

ease. But today it's all about the

GPS. There's little doubt that the

Global Positioning System is one of the greatest modern marvels

yet. Not so long ago, navigating was

done the old fashioned way. You know, I have fond memories

of going to the AAA with my dad when I was growing up, eager to

pick up a triptych paper map that would show us a customized

route for our destination. Flipping through page after page

of maps made me feel like an adventure was about to begin.

Unfortunately, paper maps have severely been relegated to the

dust heap of history, softly weeping as they were mercilessly

shoved aside by the GPS. I have to admit, in a lot of

ways I miss them. And yes, I know I'm being a

curmudgeon and you can stay off my lawn.

Although I miss maps for the sake of nostalgia, even I have

to admit that the modern GPS is most often far superior and

easier to use than the paper map.

However, if you're not careful, your car's GPS can get you into

trouble in ways a paper map never could.

Our family experienced this a while back as we were driving

from southern New Jersey back home to Easton.

As we drove N on the Jersey Turnpike, we decided to use the

Garden State Parkway and the Tappan Zee Bridge or whatever

it's called now to skip the gridlock in New York City.

As we began our trip on the Parkway, my GPS spit some

information out of me. It said this.

Click the screen to choose this new route, which will save you 5

minutes. The GPS informing.

Reflexively, I almost blindly chose the new route, but I

quickly glanced first at the screen to see where it wanted me

to go. Surprisingly, it was directing

me back towards New York City. Not only was that route not

going to save me time, I knew it was going to take me through the

infamous Holland Tunnel, which costs almost $15.00 to use some

shortcut. I knew that my paper map, neatly

folded in the glove compartment, was uncontrollably laughing at

my GPS. As we continued our drive up the

original route on the Parkway, though, I had a thought.

So many times. Satan loves to give directions.

He tells us little shortcuts we can take to fulfillment and

happiness. However, the Bible makes it

abundantly clear that he cannot be trusted.

His first encounter with mankind in Genesis 3 was one big lie,

and He's been lying ever since. Fact, Jesus said of Satan in

John 844. He was a murderer from the

beginning and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth

in him. When he speaketh a lie, he

speaketh of His own, for He is a liar and the father of it.

In the short term, Satan's directions bring pain and

heartache to people in this world.

That's why Hebrews 1125 tells us that there is pleasure in sin,

but it only lasts a season. The bondage and destruction that

follows is never disclosed by Satan and is never worth a small

amount of pleasure. When the devil gives directions,

he never tells you the pain his path will bring.

And like my GPS, he hides the true cost lurking behind his

so-called guidance. However, the long term

consequences are even more severe.

The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death in Romans

623. This is why Hebrews warns us in

Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 27 that it is appointed unto men wants

Hebrews 9:27

to die, but after this the judgment.

Thankfully, the paper map of the Scriptures can show us the

correct path. Jesus Christ, in the world's

most spectacular display of love, died on the cross to take

away the penalty of sin, death, and hell.

Isaiah chapter 53, verse 5 explains it this way.

Isaiah 53:5

But He was wounded for our transgressions.

He was bruised for our iniquities.

Chastisement of our peace is upon Him, and with His stripes

we are healed. So it is up to each one of us to

call upon Christ to save us, repenting of our sins.

When we do, He sets us back on the proper route, which is the

one that leads to heaven. This is God's desire, which is

why Second Peter chapter 3 verse 9 says that God is not willing

2 Peter 3:9

that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The next time your GPS tries to take you on the wrong route, use

it as a reminder of Proverbs 3, five and six.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine

own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him,

and He shall direct thy paths. Oh, and don't forget to keep a

paper map in your glove compartment.

Well, we are overtime for today's episode, so it's time to

wrap. But before we do, I want to give

you a quick reminder to visit us some Sunday or Wednesday at

Liberty Baptist Church, 800 Washington St. in Easton.

Learn more about us and find all of our many digital platforms at

my libertybaptist.org. Well, this Pastor Adam Rivero

signing off from another episode with this weekly reminder that

where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's Liberty.

Catch you next week right here on Liberty at home.