Road SignsRoad Signs““Some Things Bear Some Things Bear

Repeating”Repeating”

The Onion

GodThe enemy

CurseDisobedience

Foolishness

ONE WAY

Your direction, Your direction,

notnot youryour intentionsintentions,,

determines your destination.determines your destination.

The Path PrincipleThe Path Principle

Getting LostGetting Lost

1.1. Getting lost is Getting lost is nevernever part of the part of the planplan

2.2. We never know when we’re We never know when we’re gettinggetting lost; we just know when lost; we just know when we we areare..

3.3. The road you’re on ultimately The road you’re on ultimately determines where you end up.determines where you end up.

The Path PrincipleThe Path Principle

Your direction determines your Your direction determines your destination.destination.

Your feet go in the direction you Your feet go in the direction you point them.point them.

Your life goes in the direction of Your life goes in the direction of your choices.your choices.

The Path Principle is clear to us when we The Path Principle is clear to us when we are talking about driving…are talking about driving…

but we tend not to think this way in life. but we tend not to think this way in life. There is a disconnect.There is a disconnect.

We think that, somehow, we can get We think that, somehow, we can get around the Path Principle.around the Path Principle.

We think (and the world tells us) that our We think (and the world tells us) that our intentions matter more than our intentions matter more than our decisions.decisions.

The Path Principle applies to…The Path Principle applies to…

• DatingDating

• Choices of Choices of friendsfriends

• What you do on What you do on the weekendsthe weekends

• College College

• Your futureYour future

It is your direction It is your direction that matters, that matters, not…not…

• your intentions,your intentions,

• your hopes,your hopes,

• your dreams,your dreams,

• your prayers, oryour prayers, or

• your beliefs.your beliefs.

• We think that our intentions, hopes, We think that our intentions, hopes, dreams, prayers, and beliefs somehow dreams, prayers, and beliefs somehow trump the decisions we make on a daily trump the decisions we make on a daily basisbasis

• The truth is that the Path Principle The truth is that the Path Principle trumps our intentions, hope, dreams, trumps our intentions, hope, dreams, prayers, and beliefsprayers, and beliefs

Proverbs 7: 6-26Proverbs 7: 6-26

Proverbs 7:6-7Proverbs 7:6-7

• ““At the window of my house I looked At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment”men, a youth who lacked judgment”

Proverbs 7:8-9Proverbs 7:8-9

• ““He was going down the street near her He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in”fading, as the dark of night set in”

Proverbs 7:10-15Proverbs 7:10-15

• ““Then out came a woman to meet him, Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. (She is loud and defiant, her feet intent. (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) She the squares, at every corner she lurks.) She took hold of him and kissed him and with a took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: ‘I have fellowship brazen face she said: ‘I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. So I came out to meet you; I looked for you So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!’and have found you!’

Proverbs 7:16-18Proverbs 7:16-18

• ““I have covered my bed with I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink and cinnamon. Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!”enjoy ourselves with love!”

Proverbs 7:19-21Proverbs 7:19-21• ““My husband is not at home; he has My husband is not at home; he has

gone on a long journey. He took his gone on a long journey. He took his purse filled with money and will not be purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.home till full moon. With persuasive With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.”him with her smooth talk.”

Proverbs 7: 22-23Proverbs 7: 22-23

• ““All at once he followed her like an ox All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing a snare, little knowing it will cost him it will cost him his lifehis life””

Contrast of perspectivesContrast of perspectives

YouthYouth• ““It’s just a date”It’s just a date”• Focused on what Focused on what

he’s doinghe’s doing• Focused on the Focused on the

immediateimmediate• Focused on the here Focused on the here

and nowand now

Wise manWise man• ““No, it’s a path”No, it’s a path”• Focused on where Focused on where

he’s headedhe’s headed• Focused on the Focused on the

ultimateultimate• Focused on the Focused on the

futurefuture

Proverbs 7:24-25Proverbs 7:24-25

• ““Now then, my sons, listen to me; Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attentionpay attention to what I say. Do not to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her pathsstray into her paths””

• Wouldn’t it be great if we Wouldn’t it be great if we

actually saw actually saw

signs like that!!!signs like that!!!

• Blinded by desireBlinded by desire

• Bought into a culture that saysBought into a culture that says “ “Follow Your Heart”Follow Your Heart”

&& “ “It doesn’t hurt to look”It doesn’t hurt to look”

• The young guy is thinking: “Paths? The young guy is thinking: “Paths? It’s just an event. I just went to her It’s just an event. I just went to her house”house”

• We have thoughts like:We have thoughts like:

–““It’s just the prom.”It’s just the prom.”

–““This is just spring break.”This is just spring break.”

–““It’s just a movie.”It’s just a movie.”

• But Solomon is saying it’s not. But Solomon is saying it’s not. It’s a direction. It’s a path.It’s a direction. It’s a path.

Proverbs 7:26Proverbs 7:26

• ““Many are the victims she has brought Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng”down; her slain are a mighty throng”

Here’s the shocker…Here’s the shocker…

• This was written over 3,000 years ago.This was written over 3,000 years ago.

• Things are not so different. In fact they Things are not so different. In fact they are…are…

predictablepredictable

Here’s the point…Here’s the point…

• There is a disconnect in our cultureThere is a disconnect in our culture

• Culture says that “as long as your Culture says that “as long as your intentions are good, as long as you intentions are good, as long as you mean well, and as long as you find mean well, and as long as you find friends to justify your plan to end up friends to justify your plan to end up somewhere good, it doesn’t matter somewhere good, it doesn’t matter what path you take.”what path you take.”

What will you do?What will you do?

When that friend or leader or teacher When that friend or leader or teacher says, “Hey, says, “Hey,

I see what you are doing…”I see what you are doing…”I see your behavior…”I see your behavior…”I see you decisions…”I see you decisions…”““and I think you are going in a very bad and I think you are going in a very bad

direction.”direction.”

Will you listen?Will you listen?

• Is your relational or spiritual path going to take you where Is your relational or spiritual path going to take you where you want to go?you want to go?

Jesus said in John 14:6 Jesus said in John 14:6

I am THE PATH… no one gets to the destination of the Father I am THE PATH… no one gets to the destination of the Father but through me!but through me!

• Has someone tried to warn you and you ignored it? Has someone tried to warn you and you ignored it?

• Has someone tried to point out a Has someone tried to point out a warning sign but you thought…warning sign but you thought…

– you were smarter than thatyou were smarter than that

– or cooler than that or cooler than that

– or slicker than that.or slicker than that.

You’re not. It is a You’re not. It is a principleprinciple!!

• Has someone tried to point out a Has someone tried to point out a warning sign but you thought…warning sign but you thought…

– that somehow you would find a way that somehow you would find a way to work it outto work it out

– that somehow what happens to that somehow what happens to everyone else on that path isn’t going everyone else on that path isn’t going to happen to youto happen to you

– that you will somehow avoid the fact that you will somehow avoid the fact that everyone else on that path ends that everyone else on that path ends up at the same destinationup at the same destination

• You can’t avoid it; it’s a principle.You can’t avoid it; it’s a principle.• Your path determines your destination.Your path determines your destination.• The direction, not intention, determines The direction, not intention, determines

your destination.your destination.• So the question is: what path are you So the question is: what path are you

on and where is it taking you?on and where is it taking you?• Ask God to give you insight to see Ask God to give you insight to see

where you are and where you are not.where you are and where you are not.• If you need to make a change, pray for If you need to make a change, pray for

Him to give you courage to do Him to give you courage to do something about it. something about it.