Knowing God’s Will

Do you want to know God’s will?

 

If so we must first answer this question. “Why do I want to know God’s will?” To decide if I want to do it? Or to actually do it quickly?

 

We will struggle to know God’s will as long as we believe we cast the final vote. God is in charge not us. Everything our loving Father does leads us by the hand to know our Family-of-Three more easily and return His love more readily. This loving relationship is the good goal and end of our life. All of our choices are means, steps toward enjoying and partnering with God. With our end-goal now clearly in sight, we are able to tackle the art of decision-making.

Filter One: God’s Character: God will never call us to do anything contrary to who He really is. No wonder why we need to sharpen our answer to the 1^st essential question: “What is God like?” If the choice or opportunity violates God’s true revealed character, do not pursue.

Filter Two: God’s Love-letter, the Bible: God does not hide His will from us but for us. So in His Word He reveals a number of specifics from Scripture that tell us His will (some, not all). We don’t have to guess. Major on pursuing these. We know for certainty these are God’s will.

1.      Salvation and Sonship (1 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 1:5);

2.      Saying thanks, praying and rejoicing always (1 Thess. 5:16-18);

3.      Sacrifice toward sanctification (Romans 12:1-2, 1 Thess. 4:3);

4.      Submission (1 Peter 2:13-15);

5.      Suffering (1 Peter 4:19); yes, God invites us into a fuller life;

6.      Supplication for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2-3 + 8);

7.      Serving others (Ephesians 6:6);

8.      Spirit filled living (Ephesians 5:17-18).

Filter Three: More General: In deciding between two good choices:

1. Research the issue since God has given us minds to use.
2. Ask counsel from appropriate people. I don’t ask, “What should I do?” Rather, “From your view, what have I overlooked anything?”

Trust your “reasoning heart.” Psalm 37:4 states: when we delight ourselves in God, He gives us the desires of our heart. Why?

 

Now our heart-desires align with His. Don’t be tripped up by an OT view of our hearts as untrustworthy (Jeremiah 17:9). In Christ, God has redeemed and restored His image-bearers. The NT now calls God’s people holy and complete. We have the mind of Christ and everything pertaining to life and godliness…and also are still in-process. Are you consistently delighting yourself in the Lord? Then trust your “reasoning heart.”

Bottom-line: our Father loves us intensely and has our best on His heart. I trust His ability to speak more than my ability to hear.

This is Reflection #41 in my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com