Are You Looking for Direction in All the Wrong Places?

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Wherever you live in the world, your nation and its people are dealing with a plethora of troubling issues. These may involve the economy, crime, unemployment, homelessness, poverty, inflation, corruption, food and fuel scarcities, illegal immigration, war, terrorism and other major issues. You may be asking: What is going on? Why are these dilemmas continuing without solutions and even growing worse by the day?

Furthermore, on a personal level, you may be looking for how to proceed in matters of marriage, morality, parenting, personal finances, debt, healthcare, housing and security. And what are you to do in matters of addictions, disability, loneliness, fear, anxiety, stress, sadness and anger? Again, where can you find needed direction when it comes to such pressing matters?

Many depend on schools, universities, psychologists, financial advisors, social service agencies and other organizations for guidance. It's also common practice to turn to government and religion to deliver us and lead us. But are these truly reliable? Where can we find unfailing direction?

Seeking rescue in politics and religion

The Economist Intelligent Unit's annual Democracy Index reported that in 2024 the inhabitants of almost 60 of the nearly 200 countries in the world live under authoritarian or dictatorial rule (WorldPopulationReview.com). In other nations, political parties vie for dominance among the electorate. In both cases, people look to governing authorities to enact laws and policies leading to solutions to numerous problems. And in both cases, needs are unmet and promises are broken.

In surveying 53 countries in 2024, the Political Party Database Project lists 280 significant parties-an average of more than five per national government (PoliticalPartyDB.org). Amid the contrasting philosophies and agendas of all these factions, there is no unified vision on anything. There is no agreement on how to solve difficult problems. So whose decision should we accept? Consider the extensive discussions and tense arguments by politicians in producing legislation. Moreover, their proposals are often debated intensely in the media, on podcasts and in forums. Since finding perfect solutions is nearly impossible, the outcome is compromise-effectively a mélange of halfway measures fully pleasing to no one.

Again, who or what can lead us to the answers to so many troubling issues in human life?

What about through religion? One might think that, surely, wise and harmonious solutions could readily be found there. But sorry! Human religious experience and teaching are hopelessly conflicted and divided and have, in fact, been a source of confusion and disagreement throughout world history. According to Christianity.com, "there are so many religions that no one has a clear answer to how many exist. Experts have estimated anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000 or more."

Even the major religions are themselves divided-including Christianity. Wesleyan University has pointed out on its website: "A recent compilation lists 33,089 Christian denominations world-wide, including the massive Roman Catholic Church (with a billion adherents), 25 principal forms of Eastern Orthodoxy, numerous varieties of Protestantism, and tiny store-front churches with fewer than 100 members. These include churches whose governance is democratic, conciliar, or authoritarian; churches whose worship is ceremonial, ecstatic, or mostly silent; churches whose politics are conservative, liberal, radical, or quietist."

Since all these church organizations purport to believe in the same God, why are they so splintered? The apostle Paul satirically asked a congregation beset by factionalism, "Is Christ divided?" And he encouraged the members to "all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you" (1 Corinthians 1:10; 13). In addition, Paul wrote that "God is not the author of confusion" (1 Corinthians 14:33).

And since the conflicting beliefs of churches today cannot all be true, how can they be relied on to wisely answer people's questions about the purpose and meaning of life and how to conduct oneself righteously? Added to all this are reports of scandals, corruption and hypocritical leadership in various churches and ministries, creating a major credibility crisis in the eyes of many people.

Corrupted through the wrong choice

Given all the divisions, disagreements and inconsistencies in both the secular and religious domains, it's not hard to comprehend why so many issues are habitually left unsolved and people are confused about what to do. Although this may leave you feeling disheartened, here's an important question: Could people be looking for direction in all the wrong places, having discounted what's truly needed?

There is actually a source you can always count on to lead you in the right direction. But people have resisted it for nearly as long as mankind has existed. To learn about that, we need to travel back in time to the creation of the first human beings, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:7,18). The decisions and actions of humanity's first parents set in motion the state of world society up to our day.

In the midst of the garden, the Eternal Creator placed two special trees of vital significance. The "tree of life" was emblematic of submission to God and receiving from Him eternal life, while the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" was symbolic of self-

determination and self-will leading to death (Genesis 2:8-9). God explicitly instructed Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden except for that of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:2-3).

But one day when Eve was alone in an area of the garden, Satan the devil appeared to her in the form of a serpent and tempted her with the beauty and desirability of the forbidden fruit. In doing so he cunningly implied that God was not fair in denying her this pleasant food. In falling for the deception, Eve ate the fruit and also gave some to Adam, who was not deceived and willingly disobeyed God, bringing the couple under the penalty of death (Romans 6:23). Due to their misconduct, God expelled them from the garden and prevented them and their offspring from further access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24).

A deceived world gone astray

The sin of Adam and Eve introduced death into the world, and all their descendants, including us, have likewise been destined to die, having also sinned (Romans 5:12; Hebrews 9:27). However, because of God's great mercy, He instituted a plan to redeem humanity from that ultimate death sentence through the priceless shed blood of His Son, Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22; Ephesians 1:7). (To learn more about this vital subject, request our free study guide What Happens After Death?)

Since Adam and Eve's time to the present day, human beings have emulated the actions of their original parents by stubbornly choosing willfulness and selfishness while disbelieving and disobeying God. In view of this, humanity has experimented with every conceivable social structure and philosophy, as well as countless economic, judicial and governmental systems to find the way forward. And what has been the result? It's all that we see around us today, an entire world filled with conflict, disarray and confusion-with people doing what "seems right" but is actually foolish and fatal (Proverbs 12:15; 14:12).

In this context, consider the example of the ancient Israelites. God specifically selected them as His special people and offered them His perfect guidance and protection. He wanted them to be an example nation for other nations to follow. To this end, He gave the Israelites His Ten Commandments, statutes and judgments and asked them to faithfully observe this way of obedience so that it would be well with them (Deuteronomy 6:3,18). Nevertheless, the people turned away from God and chose to go their own way-with disastrous results. As the prophet Isaiah wrote: "Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward" (Isaiah 1:4).

Yet, even as they acted in this disdainful manner, God sent prophets to the nation's leaders and people, encouraging them to repent and return to Him in obedience (Isaiah 59:1-2). But they still would not listen or obey. Isaiah describes their condition: "Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace" (verses 7-8).

The same applies to all nations today, as they ignore their Creator while vainly searching anywhere and everywhere for how to be led out of their dilemmas.

Follow God and the truth of His Word through Christ

While the nation in which you dwell will not likely turn in repentance to God, you individually can! You have the personal opportunity to reject the disastrous, well-worn, destructive pathway of men and nations. You can instead build your life on the solid foundation of knowledge-the revelation of truth from God, available to us now through His perfect Word, the Holy Bible.

It states, "Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help" (Psalm 146:3). And as Isaiah 2:22 says, "Stop trusting in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for of what account is he?" (World English Bible). The prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write, "It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23).

These passages apply to human reasoning, politics, philosophy, ideology and man-made religious beliefs. The perfect alternative to all of these is to put your full trust in God and His Word and no longer look for answers to life's questions and direction on what to do in other places. It is God's great desire that you would "acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6).

So, are you seeking something? Maybe it's right before your eyes here in Beyond Today magazine and on our Beyond Today television programs. We boldly teach the truth of Holy Scripture despite criticism received from traditional Christianity. We are not afraid to contradict long-held professed Christian beliefs that do not conform to clear biblical teachings. While we understand that many people are sincere in their beliefs, we also recognize that those beliefs can be sincerely wrong.

Therefore, we encourage you to examine what we teach. Prove it-check and verify it to be the actual truth of the Bible, which is the foundation of all knowledge. The Bible provides the correct framework of essential knowledge through which all other useful information can be properly understood. Without this crucial foundation, no one can understand the purpose for human life or discern the true values from ones that are false. Not knowing or understanding God's Word has left humanity muddled and confused-not knowing what to do (Matthew 22:29). As Jesus Christ clearly stated, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).

And Jesus further declared of Him-self, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). As He foretold, He will at His future return be King over all the world. But He can be your King today-ruling your life if you submit to Him.

Would it not be valuable, then, to reexamine the direction of your life regarding both secular and religious beliefs and traditions you adhere to? It's time to ask yourself if you've been looking for direction in all the wrong places. If you have, now is the moment to begin making the necessary changes to put yourself on the biblically correct path to God. Doing so will take spiritual strength and courage to not only confront your own beliefs, but to graciously deal with people who may not understand your purpose and mission.

As you take this pathway, God will be with you to lead you if you willingly ask the Father through Christ for help in sincere prayer. We sincerely hope you will do so, and we stand ready to be of help on your journey.

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Are You Looking for Direction in All the Wrong Places?

Amid a lost world, where can you turn in the face of mounting troubles? Will politics bring needed guidance? How about religion? Or are these all part of the problem? Discover the one source you can always count on to provide the right way forward.

Seeking rescue in politics and religion

Corrupted through the wrong choice

A deceived world gone astray

Follow God and the truth of His Word through Christ