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.
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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 1st essential
question: “What is God like?” If the
choice or opportunity violates God’s true revealed character, do not pursue.
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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).
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Three: More
General: In deciding between two good choices:
- Research the issue since God has given us minds to use.
- 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
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