Pastor’s Corner January 2006

The following was published in our monthly newsletter, the Redeemer Report.

First, let’s consider the most common (and wrong) way Christians determine God’s will. For example: I need to make a decision. I’ll pray about it and be humble. Therefore whatever decision I make will be God’s will. This is how many well-meaning Christians make decisions. But let me ask this question – How can you determine if the decision you just made is really God’s will or just your own? If you just relied on prayer and humbleness – you can’t know, because your way to determine God’s will is incomplete. You might even say, “I know because I have faith.” But what if your faith is incomplete? What is true faith based in? What makes faith stronger? You see – If you cannot answer these questions, then you can’t truly be sure what you are doing is of God. You might think it is right based on a false sense of self assurance, but it’s not based in reality. You could be sure of something that isn’t God’s will, thinking that it is His will.

So how do you know God’s will and not just try to feel it ? Let me suggest four principles in determining God’s Will.

#1. Scripture.
God has told us what he wants us to do in the Bible. What commands has he given us? Do you know them all? How do they all
relate? How do these commands affect you in your family, job, work and play? What is God’s purpose for mankind? How does one Christian fit into the larger scheme of the universe? If you do not know these things, you will find it very hard to find God’s Will. Should I date this person? Well, what does God say about it? Should I listen to this type of music? What does the Bible say about it? Should I go to college? What does the Bible say about careers? How much should I give? What does the Bible say about finances? Too often Christians neglect to search their Bibles at all! So what is the alternative? Pray, be humble, fool yourself by saying you are relying on God, and do what you think is best anyway.

To solve this dilemma, you must study God’s word. When faced with a decision, you must not be lazy, but do biblical searching on the subject in question. You must constantly be growing in your knowledge of the Bible, and ultimately of God.

#2. Prayer
What is prayer? According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism-

Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God, (Ps. 62:8) for things agreeable to his will, (1 John 5:14) in the name of Christ, (John 16:23) with confession of our sins, (Ps. 32:5–6, Dan. 9:4) and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies (Phil. 4:6).

We are to spend careful time before the throne of mercy and grace, lifting our petitions to our Father. In most cases, our number one request should be for the Glory of God to be a result of our decision and godly wisdom to discern what to do.

#3. Godly Wisdom.
Wisdom is “Knowledge Righteously Applied.” You can have all the Bible knowledge possible, and decide not to use it. Satan knows the Bible better than you do, but he obviously does not follow its teaching. You must take God’s word and apply it in your life.

With wisdom, you also will be able to determine what to do when faced with two Biblical options. Should I go to college or go to Africa and be a missionary? Wisdom will be able to take the knowledge of the Bible and apply it to your life situation.

#4. Godly Counsel
God did not create us to be alone. He created us in fellowship with one another. He set up the family so that the parents can teach, train and equip the children how to worship and serve God. He placed elders to do the same in the church. He gave us other brothers and sisters to teach us how to live more Biblically. Godly counsel can help us know God’s will more clearly.

I’m sure some might think this suggested process of determining God’s will is too much like a checklist and takes faith out of the picture. But God is the one who gave us the Bible, He is the one who tells us to pray and ask for wisdom, He is the one who placed us in relationship to other Christians and His Church to teach us what to do and how to live and He is the one who provides peace and joy. He gave us all these things to grow our faith. As one wise person observed- Having greater faith is not knowing less so that you can have more to believe in. But greater faith is knowing the source of that faith even more.

To discern God’s will better you must know God more as his disciple. So go forth and study your Bible, ask for wisdom, seek learning from the Church and other believers. Know God more and you will better know what his will for you is. Have a blessed 2006!

In the Lamb,
Pastor Tony Felich