POST-ENCOUNTER LESSON 10

FINDING GOD’S WILL

INTRODUCTORY QUESTION:
Why is it important to know God’s Will?

Solicited thoughts:
basis of faith and trust
wisdom in decision making PAUNAN-O AN
assurance and directions PAGHIBARO HAN
key to being blessed and successful KABUROT-ON HAN
DYOS
IMPORTANCE.

G
If we want to have wisdom and assure a successful future, we need “Kay ano importante ha
to stop making hasty decisions that we might later regret. That is aton an paghibaro han
why we need to consult with God and seek His guidance. He never “kaburot-on han Ginoo”?
makes mistakes and chooses the best for us. He loves us and His
thoughts are good and not evil. IMPORTANSIYA
He wants to give us the things we dream of and happiness we long An pagtoo ngan pagsarig
for. ha Dyos amo an
pinakamaupay nga paagi
Jeremiah describes it in the following manner: pagkaada hin kasigurohan
JEREMIAH 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the ha aton kabubuwason. An
Lord,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you paghibaro han Iya kaburot-
a hope and a future.” on labaw han ngatanan
makakapahamutang ngan
magigin giya han aton mga
To believe God and trust Him is the best way to secure our future. katuyoanan ha aton mga
God is like a pilot that sees the whole picture. He knows the things desisyon ha aton tagsa nga
that benefit us and the things that would hinder us. Acting in kinabuhi.
wisdom is seeking His advice and obeying Him.
JEREMIAS 29:11
ROMANS 12:2 says “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of “Ako la an maaram han
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then akon mga larang para ha
you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- His good, iyo, mga larang hin
pleasing, and perfect will.” pagpakaupay ha iyo, ngan
diri karat-an niyo, mga
This verse expresses three truths about the will of God: larang nga magdadara
it is GOOD, PLEASING, and PERFECT. han kabubuwason nga iyo
ginlalauman.”
It is good because it comes from God whose nature is kind. He
desires to give us the best, so that we can fully enjoy the life that An maupay, hingpit nga
Christ won for us at the cross. kaburot-on han Dyos amo
an silbi maglilikom han
Pleasing means that it is satisfying for us in every respect. God katubtuban han aton mga
knows what we like and according to this He chooses the best for burohaton.
us. We shouldn’t be afraid to trust in God. He knows us better than
we know ourselves. An pagbuhat nga may
kinaadman naglalakip hin
Perfect means the experience of fullness, to be complete. We paghibaro han Iya sagdon
understand that by doing the will of god we develop ourselves to ngan an aton hul-os nga
maximum potential and understand our future existence under His pagsugot ngan pagsunod
will. ha Iya.

ROMA 12:2
“Ayaw na kamo pag-
uyon han mga paagi hini
nga kalibutan, kundi
tugoti pinaagi han
hingpit nga pagkabalhin
han iyo hunahuna. Ngan
mahibabarto na kamo
han kaburot-on han
Dyos – kon ano an
maupay, an hingpit
ngan nakakalipay ha
Iya.”
WITH APOLOGIES
*There are terminologies that will be strictly used in English version CERTAIN
as no adequate translation fits the expression intended for the said
thought.
*The critical use and comparison of both Traditional View and U NC E RT A IN T Y
Wisdom View
is without any divisive intent and so maintains no right or wrong
preferences as to principle so long as it upholds God’s word and
fulfill His revealed will.
*This position lecture intends to make the way of wisdom, in the
light of biblical truths, a practical approach in our daily decision
making and in affirming His will in our lives all for His glory.
DECISIONS
GOAL
DE

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

This lecture shares the overall goal: to help Christians

understand what the bible says about God’s Will as it GOAL MARKERS: PROOF
pertains to decision-making. *Pagklaro han mga
D E C IS IO N S DE
depinisyon
In our discussion, we will attempt to answer, thru scripture review, *Mga pamaagi o PROCESS
the following questions we will name here as our GOAL MARKERS to proseso paghibaro han
help us understand what the Bible says about God’s will: kaburot-on han Dyos
CERTAINTY
*Paghisgot han mga
1. DEFINITION: WHAT DOES “GOD’S WILL” MEAN? ehemplo
2. PROOF: DOES GOD HAVE A PLAN FOR MY LIFE? *Praktikal nga
3. PROCESS: HOW CAN I DISCOVER GOD’S WILL? aplikasyon
4. CERTAINTY: HOW CAN I KNOW GOD’S WILL FOR SURE IN A
SPECIFIC SITUATION? PAHINUMDUM:
Waray perpekto nga
As we discuss each point we will be able to review some already teoriya pagsigurado
familiar concepts known to most of us and discuss some applied nga sakto an giya,
biblical principles to answer our goal markers. an importante an aton
interes paghibaro ngan
No perfect formula exists for infallible guidance. Whatever means pagsugot han Kaburot-
God would lead us, the most important thing is to know His will. on han Dyos.

I. WHAT IS “GOD’S WILL”?

DEFINITION OF GOD’S WILL

Now our first question is ”What does the term ‘God’s Will’ mean?”
In normal conversation people aren’t aware of using the term ‘God’s D
Will’
in several different ways. Consider these:
When my father died from a fatal Cerebral Stroke, I had this to say;
“ The Bible says that everything that happens is part of God’s will, and
though we may not understand why these things happen, we can receive comfort
from the knowledge that a wise and loving God is in control”
In another situation, you warn a Christian friend who is considering
marriage to an unbeliever: “If you marry her, you will be violating God’s will.”

The expression “Will of God” is used in the Bible in two ways: God’s
Sovereign Will and God’s Moral Will. To these biblical usages, a
GOD’S S for a

third has been added. It is presupposed that for EACH PERSON, God  It is hidden- t
has an INDIVIDUAL WILL – an ideal, detailed life-plan for each
person.

GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL is defined as “His predetermined

“H is
 believe
plan for everything that happens in the universe.” When we say as pa
that God is Sovereign, we are saying that He is the Almighty Ruler
of the universe. (P33 CHART) These are just few of the passages in GOD’S  S
b
scripture which tell us about God’s sovereign will.) that ha
becaus
SCR
incl
 In eternity past, God formulated a perfect plan for all history. He determines
how nations will act and how their kings rule. The world was created by His
sovereign will and our salvation is the result of God working all things after the
counsel of his sovereign will. No one or no thing can resist or frustrate His
sovereign will. And yet, though God determines all things, HE DOES SO WITHOUT
BEING AUTHOR OF SIN, WITHOUT VIOLATING THE WILL OF MAN, AND WITHOUT
DESTROYING THE REALITY OF DECISION MAKING. Each one is held responsible for
every decision we make. This is great mystery but it is true. If we are not able to
D
grasp it, we may rest assured that it all fits together perfectly in the mind of God.

GOD’S MORAL WILL consists of the moral commands

revealed in the Bible that tells how men ought to believe and live.
The Bible, which is our final authority of faith and life, reveals 100%
of God’s moral will. GO D ’S
 a body of gene
THE NATURE OF GOD’S MORAL WILL:
a. It is the expression, in behavior terms, of God’s character.
b. It touches every aspect and moment of life:
GOALS, ATTITUDES, MEANS (WHY, HOW AND WHAT)
“Tersh
 believ
c. It is able to equip every believer for every good work

The moral will of God is fully revealed in the Bible and is our final
reve
and complete authority for faith and practice. Since it expresses
God’s own character, touches every aspect and moment of life, and
contains God’s complete revelation pertaining to faith and life, the
th
by failu
Bible is able to equip believers for every good work:
oug
ough
 it was h
reveal
“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, GOD’
equipped for every good work.” 2Tim3:16-17.
While there is agreement about the reality of God’s Moral will, there
and canbe
are differences about the extent to which that moral will applies.
SCR
 it was r
The TRADITIONAL VIEW holds that GOD’S MORAL WILL gives MOST
of the guidance, but there are many things the moral will does not
declare – specific situations in which you must make choices. throug
Additionally, knowing GOD’S INDIVIDUAL WILL is necessary; a
detailed and ideal blue print uniquely designed for you. (For
instance A Christian is prohibited from marrying an unbeliever by
 its directi D
the moral will of God; but the scripture cannot specify who, when 1T“
(e.g.
and why marry?)
1T
In this traditional view, it presupposes that the key to decision
 GOD’S SOVE
making is to discover God’s individual will, and then do it. But the
concept of an individual/specific will is not taught in the scriptures.  GOD’S MOR2
(Accordingly, the burden of most books on such a guidance is to
explain how God’s specific leading is to be discerned in each  a body of gene
situation.)
We will try to briefly differentiate the distinctions between the SOVEREIGN WILL w hatALL
PLUS about
abouOT
and MORAL WILL, and a comparison and contrast of the MORAL WILL and  believers
INDIVIDUAL WILL as recognized by the traditional view. ***(FIG 4-5, pp38-39)
***(Descriptive Circle: “Center of God’s Will” FIG 3, pp36) God’s “IND
***Consider a concrete situation: Marriage (2Cor 6:14) 
PROVERBS 3:5-6 says,”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him by failu
and He will make your paths straight.” (KJV “He will direct thy “ …a det
G
itod’srev“eal
IN
paths.”)
was
PRINCIPLES OF DECISION MAKING (TRADITIONAL VIEW) unique
1. PREMISE: For each of our decisions God has a perfect plan or and canbe
will.
2. PURPOSE: The goal of the believer is to discover God’s SCRI
INDIVIDUAL WILL (find the DOT) and make decisions in  it was r
accordance with it.
3. PROCESS: The believer interprets the inner impressions and throug
GOD’S SOVEREIGN W
outward signs through which the Holy Spirit communicates GEN
His leading.  its directi
a detailed plan
4. PROOF: The confirmation that one has correctly discerned the for all eventsPROVERB
in the univ
individual will of God comes from an inner sense of peace and
outward results (success) of the decision.
(e.g. “
It is hidden –
the believer cannot find and
EPHESIA
The possibility of such an individual plan is not contrary to reason,
but the NECESSITY of such an individual plan IS NOT REQUIRED BY
REASON.
***Consider this illustration: It is reasonable to think that a man might drive his
car down REAL ST on his way to officework at downtown. But he does not have to
God’s “I
go that way. He may, in fact, take a longer route, the Diversion road, which
because of lower volume of traffic and fewer signal lights, allows him to reach his
office quickly. Reason permits either alternative.

While most bible teachers recognize the distinction between Sovereign and Moral
Will, many treat the Moral and Individual Will under the same heading.

The ALTERNATIVE VIEW, also known as the WISDOM VIEW on the

other hand, maintains that the Bible is fully sufficient to provide all
the guidance needed for a believer to know and do God’s will. The “THE VER
idea for an INDIVIDUAL WILL of God for every detail of a
person’s life is not found in Scriptures.

What are the implications of the differing opinions?

Depending on one’s mind-set, the differing opinion can either be
liberating or unsettling. But in either case, our intention is to
objectively evaluate the opinions on the basis of a single standard –
the final authority of His Word.
Quest f o
The point is this: God does guide His people (like a father, a
shepherd, and king) through the basic principles of life He has given
in the Bible (His moral will), thereby teaching His children to wisely
use their freedom in application of those principles to the decisions
of life.
AN IND
THESIS STATEMENT

THE BIBLE CONTAIN ALL OF GOD’S MORAL WILL, IT ALSO

INSTRUCTS THE BELIEVER REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF
T Fh
GOD’S WILL TO DECISION MAKING.
OF
***(p86, FIG 12: The nature of Parental Guidance (Galatians 4:1-11) “T
Throughout history, God has dealt with His people the way a wise father would
rear his children. As children grow, they are given increased responsibility. With
increased responsibility comes greater freedom and less restrictive rules.
all ofI
In application, in the progress of His revelation, God moved from a highly
structured system of regulations governing a wide range of specific behaviors TO
It also
A SYSTEM WHERE BEHAVIOR IS TO BE DETERMINED BY PRINCIPLES AND
GOVERNED BY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. There was a progress from LAW to regar
CHRIST; from BONDAGE of close, restrictive supervision appropriate to immature
and willful children TO THE FREEDOM OF RESPONSIBLE ADULTHOOD. of GOD’S
II. HOW DO WE KNOW GOD’S WILL?
DECISIO
Now, we will consider the third question in the outline: “How can I
discover God’s Will? (If the contention of the alternative view is
by G ar
right, we stand with the presupposition that there’s no such thing as
an ideal individual will and that such is in fact not necessary for
making good decisions in the Christian life.)

When we want to know the will of God about a particular situation,

the first question we must ask ourselves is,

” What do I already know about God’s Will for me?”

Where do we learn about God’s Will?

ANS: From the BIBLE, where He has carefully laid out guidelines for
living.
By contrast, human traditions do not have this authority and often
divert people away from God’s moral will by encouraging violation
of it.
(Matt 15:1-6, Col 2:8,16-23)

A. THE REVEALED WILL OF GOD (MORAL WILL)

If the moral will of God is the expression of His character, then one
would expect that it would encompass much more than the
legislation governing merely external behavior. In point of fact, the
imperatives of God’s Moral Will TOUCH EVERY ASPECT AND
MOMENT OF LIFE. This is so because they prescribe the believer’s
GOALS AND ATTITUDES AS WELL AS HIS ACTIONS.

To put it differently, God is not simply concerned with WHAT we do;

He is equally concerned with WHY we do and HOW we do it. The
PURPOSE, the PROCESS, and the PRODUCT are ALL DIRECTED BY
HIS MORAL WILL.

(PRINCIPLE 1: In those areas specifically addressed by the Bible,

the revealed commands of God (MORAL WILL) are to be obeyed.)

1. It is God’s Will that you be SAVED.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not…wanting anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repentance.”
(John3:16) The Bible clarifies that God created mankind for
eternal life, and it is His will that all people be saved. 2
Peter 3:9 specifies that anyone who perishes does so against
the Will of God.

It is the moral will of God that each person believes on Christ and
have eternal life. Believing in God is not enough, you have to be
certain of your eternal life, all that is necessary is to full trust in
God. ***most important decision

***ILLUSTRATION: the difference is like that of believing in doctors over trusting

your doctors in major surgery. The first is commendable, the second
is life saving.

2. Love God and Surrender to His Will.

The first commandment, according to our Lord, is that you
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind” Matthew 22:37. Such
comprehensive love for God naturally results in total
submission.

Paul’s words in Romans 12:1-2 contains perhaps the best-

known challenge to present your body totally to God’s will, a
clear description of
an attitude of surrender even before His will is revealed.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2

You can surrender gladly to God’s will because you can trust
that His will is good, acceptable and perfect. Because He
is a loving Heavenly Father, you never need to worry about
His design for your life.

***The best bargain I ever made was when I totally surrendered my life to
God on Oct 30, 1986. He has done with it “exceedingly abundantly above
all that I could ever ask or think.” Eph 3:20
 What do the great men and women of the bible have in
common?
ANS. Their love for God caused them to surrender to His will
for their life, and their success can be measured in direct
proportion to their surrender.

3. Live a Sanctified (Holy) Life.

Paul defines what this sanctified life should be in his letter…
1 Thessalonians 4:3-6” For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual
immorality, that each of you should know how to possess his
own vessel in sanctification and honor not in passion for lust,
like the gentiles who do not know God; that no one should
take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter.”

No lesser purpose defines God’s ”NEW CREATION” which is, being

progressively renewed thru the redemptive and re-creative work of
the Godhead, to ultimately be conformed to His image (Gen 1:26-
31, Colo 3:10, Rom 8:29); a manifestation of His character granted
by His grace (2Peter 1:3-4)

For the reason that these characterizes the Godhead, the following
traits are to characterize the believer:
a. HOLINESS (1Pet 1:15-16)
b. RIGHTEOUSNESS (1John 3:7)
c. PURITY (1John 3:3)
d. LOVE (Eph 5:1-2)
e. FORGIVENESS (Col 3:13)
f. COMPASSION (Luke 6:36)
g. ENDURANCE (Heb 12:2-4)
h. SUBMISSION (1Pet2:21-24)
i. HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE (Phil2:5-8)
j. KINDNESS (Luke 6:35)
k. GENEROSITY IN GIVING (2Cor8:1-9)

4. Be controlled by His Word and His Spirit.

Ephesians 5:17-18 ” Do not be unwise, but understand what
the will
of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is
dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”

HOW TO BE FILLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

When you were born again, God’s Holy Spirit came into your
life.
God’s Spirit want to fill you, or control you, as verse 18
suggests.
Just as a drunk is controlled by wine or alcohol, so the child of
God should be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
How do we let the Holy Spirit control us?
The answer, according to the comparison of Ephesians 5:18
and 6:9, is to be filled with the Word of God. The results of a
Spirit-filled or Word-filled life are compared:
Spirit-Filled Life Word-Filled Life
Ephesians 5-6 Colossians 3-4
5:19 A SONG IN YOUR HEART 3:16
5:20 A THANKSGIVING ATTITUDE 3:17
5:21-22 A SUBMISSIVE SPIRIT/WIVES 3:18
6:1 CHILDREN OBEY PARENTS 3:19
6:4 FATHER’S DON’T PROVOKE 3:21
PARENTS’ NURTURE CHILDREN
6:5 SERVANTS OBEY 3:22
6:6 PLEASE GOD, NOT MEN 3:22
6:6 DO THE WILL OF GOD 3:23
6:9 MASTERS – SINCERITY 4:1

Obviously, the Spirit-filled life and the Word-filled life are identical!
To find
God’s will we must learn think His thoughts; but to think His
thoughts, we must be filled with His Spirit, which means we have to
be filled with His Words.

5. Obey Legitimate Authority.

God’s will calls for Christians to be obedient to government
authorities, laws, even employers, as long as their
requirements don’t cause us to violate the higher laws of God

As Christians grow in his understanding of God’s moral will, he must

also grow in his obedience of it. Obedience to the moral will of God
is of supreme value. It is not optional.

6. Be a Thankful Person
1Thessalonians 5:18 “ In everything give thanks; for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The Scripture specifically admonishes us to have a mental
attitude of thankfulness always and at all times. Other verse
quotes “rejoice ever more”, ”pray with thanksgiving”, “be
thankful’.
By nature, none of us is thankful. It’s almost always easier for
us to gripe, complain, or express our discontent than be
grateful. By developing a me
an attitude of thankfulness, you are opening your heart and
mind for God’s specific directions for your life.

These revealed God’s will must be viewed as commands to obey,

not options to consider. These, of course, does not total all of God’s
commands revealed in the Bible. But you’ll find that all other
commands will fit neatly under one of these categories. The
believer’s ultimate goal is TO GLORIFY GOD IN ALL THINGS. (1Cor
10:31, 2Cor 5:9, Colo 1:10)

(PRINCIPLE 2. In those areas where the Bible gives no command

or principles (NONMORAL DECISIONS), the believer is FREE BUT
RESPONSIBLE to choose his own course of action. Any decision
made
within the moral will of God is acceptable to God.)

B. PRINCIPLES OF FREDOM within revealed limits

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE

Read: “The First Supper Anecdote” (Ch 10, pp165-167)

The principle of freedom of choice within the revealed limits was

clearly part of God’s design from the very beginning. And it is a
principle that continuous to be applied routinely in everyday
situations.

*** Beach signages on restrictions that must be observed for safety reasons;
there is an assumed freedom and a regulation of the same freedom. Historically,
the major difference between the Code of Hammurabi and the Law of Moses is its
model of simplicity and conciseness. When the Lord gave the law at Mt Sinai,
rather than attempting to cover every conceivable situations that may arise, He
first give TEN ABSOLUTE PRINCIPLES that were sufficiently concise to fit on 2
transportable tablets of stone. Then He EXPLAINED HOW TO APPLY THOSE
COMMANDMENTS in various situations. The approach taken by God TO GUIDE the
people of Israel in their social, civil, and religious affairs was TO GIVE LAWS THAT
BOTH ASSUMED AND REGULATED FREEDOM.
“From ANY tree of the garden you may eat FREELY; BUT FROM THE
TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL YOU SHALL NOT
EAT, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” Gen
1:16-17

This first direct commandment conforms perfectly to God’s original

design for mankind. For when God created man, He created him in
His own image (Gen 1:26-27).That image accounts for man’s great
value to god and distinguishes human beings from all other earthly
creatures. Only man was outfitted with the determinative features
of personality: having intellect, emotion and will. Only man was
assigned a position of responsibility requiring the exercise of those
attributes of the soul. If man were to make his decisions as a
function of instinct, he would be no different from the animals. If he
required direct input from the Creator for every choice, he would be
no more than a manipulated robot. By God’s design, only the
image-bearer approaches decision” in the same manner as the
Creator”. Within boundaries prescribed by God’s own character,
man ANALYSES, EVALUATES, JUDGES and FREELY DETERMINES his
CHOICES. Only man was given the competence to make free
judgments. And only man was given the dignity of bearing full
responsibility for the consequences of his choices.

TO SUM UP: We recall that the distinctive element of the Traditional view is the
Individual Will of God, represented by a “DOT” in the center of God’s Will. The key
decision in the traditional approach is to “find the dot” – discover God’s individual
will for that decision.
By way of contrast, the Scripture indicates that the “dot” should be replaced by
an “area of freedom” where genuine opportunity of CHOICE is granted to the
believer.
For God’s children, all things within the moral will of God is LAWFUL
(1Cor 6:12, 10:23), CLEAN (Mark 7:19;Luke 11:41; Rom14:14, 20)
and PURE
(Titus 1:5) .
In decisions that are made within that moral will, the Christian
should not
feel guilty about his choice; neither should he fear that his decision
is unacceptable to God. God has made it clear what He wants: His
plan for His children is for them to enjoy the freedom that He has
granted. It is a freedom that is clearly established in the Scripture
from the nature of laws, the nature of sin and direct statements of
the Bible.

COMPETENT TO CHOOSE

If there is no ”divinely-determined RIGHT choice” to make a

decision, then it follows that the his FREEDOMTO CHOOSE brings
RESPONSIBILITY and presupposes ACCOUNTABILITY.
“Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind… For we shall all
stand before the judgment seat of God… So then each one of us
shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14: 5,10,12

These realities beget a single question: “ON WHAT BASIS IS THE

BELIEVER TO MAKE HIS DECISION IN NONMORAL AREAS?” That
crucial question assumes that if God granted the privilege of choice,
and the dignity of accountability, He has also given appropriate
instructions for the exercise of our responsibility. TRUE.

We commonly hear Expressions of Conviction: God showed me, He

wanted me, God’s will, God called for. Surprisingly, such
expressions are not found
in the New Testament when they made their decisions. What they
did say reflect a much different mentality…
1Thes 3:1-2 … we thought it best;
Phil 2:25-26… I thought it necessary;
1Cor 16:3-4… if it is fitting;
Acts 6:2-4… It is not desirable
Acts 6: 28-29… it seemed good
 Titus 3:12… I have decided

Observation of apostolic decision making has revealed that they did

not attempt to discover God’s individual will for such decisions.
Clearly these men were exercising their freedom of choice within
God’s moral will on the basis
of Spiritual Expediency.

“Spiritual” means that the ends in view, as well as the means to

those ends, are all governed by the moral will of God. In that sense,
every goal and procedure, in every aspect of life the end point is to
glorify and please God.

“Expediency” refers to the quality of being suitable or

advantageous to the end in view. Simply put, it means what works
best to get the job done,
within the moral will of God.

(PRINCIPLE 3. In nonmoral issues, the objective of the Christian

is to make wise decisions on the basis of spiritual expediency.)

C. THE WAY OF WISDOM (THE BIBLE: YOUR ROAD MAP FOR

LIVING)

In addition revealed commands, numerous principles in the Bible

will establish your walk with God; which gives you the reason to
study
the scriptures regularly.

The better you know the Word, the more easily you will discover
God’s will for your life.

WE NEED DIRECTIONS. Psalms 119:105

*** No one would think of driving across the country without a detailed road map.
Yet many people travel the road of life with little more than the guidelines in their
parents and other models. No wonder they wander off on so many detours!

God has given us 66 volume road-map that provides not only

guidelines and principles enabling us to make correct choices in life
but also examples of real-life people – some who obeyed those
guidelines and succeeded; and others who rejected them and failed.
The Bible is “a lamp to our feet and a light for our path” Psalms 119:105.
However, on a dark night, the best flash light in the world will be worthless if you
don’t
know how to use it.
God has given us the scriptures to help us make thousand of decisions as we
travel the increasingly complex road of life. Unfortunately, most Christians today
seem rather ignorant of the Bible’s relevance, so they base most of their
decisions on human reasoning. They fail to see that knowing God’s Word is one of
the most important prerequisites to finding His will.
God always leads His children within the confines of the principles of His word.
The more thoroughly we know those principles, the easier it will be to make life’s
decisions.

“THE WISDOM OF GOD” 1Cor. 1:18-30

“THE WISDOM OF THIS AGE/ OF THIS WORLD/ OF THE WISE”

“May seem right to you”, but it is limited, unscriptural, and
wrong.
By nature we don’t think God’s thoughts! 1Cor 2:14
When you became a Christian, you were not freed from your old sin-
nature. Instead, God added to your nature a spiritual side that must
enlighten and direct you if you wish to make right judgments. Our
spiritual nature must be saturated and filled with the Word of God,
which your new inner nature will receive as a message from Him.
From this point on, decision making on all levels becomes a lifetime
practice of discovering God’s will according to His word and obeying
it.

KNOW THE WORD AND DO IT. Joshua 1:8-9

When God chose Joshua to be Israel’s leader, he gave him the

classic key to success, a key that has served thousands more of
believers in their walk with God;
Joshua 1: 8-9 ”Do not let this book of the Law depart from your
mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to
do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and
successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous;
do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will
be with you wherever you go.”

The key to success is knowing and doing God’s word.

DISCOVER GOD’S WISDOM. Job 23:12

The following passages describe the importance of learning God’s wisdom for
decision making: PROVERBS 8:12-21, 32-35 and PROVERBS 4:3-13 on the
wisdom God gave Solomon and the wisdom he gleaned from his father David.

There is no easy way to learn the wisdom of God. It’s a STRENOUS,

PAINSTAKING, DEMANDING TASK. But if you want to become a WISE
Christian
who makes the proper life choices, you have to SCHEDULE part of
your time EVERYDAY, for READING and STUDYING the WORD OF
GOD.

JOB, a man of God who faced many perplexing decisions, has this to
say;
“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary
food.” Job 23:12. Studying God’s word is a matter of habit. Read the
Bible everyday for 2 months, and you’ll develop Job’s appetite for
God’s Word.

WHAT IS THE WISDOM LITERATURE? 2Timothy 3:16

While all scripture is given by inspiration of God… you’ll find that some passages
are more valuable than others; Genesis thru Esther is historical, the wisdom
literatures in the old testament includes Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song
of Solomon. In the new testament passages James, 1 and 2Peter, Ephesians,
Galatians, and Collosians , add to that John 14-17 and Matthew 5-7 you will have
identified an effective body of God’s wisdom without having to negotiate through
the entire Bible BEFORE MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS

FIVE WAYS TO LEARN WISDOM FROM SCRIPTURES

(Dawson Trotman of The Navigators)

1. HEAR THE WORD

Luke 11:28 “How happy are those who hear the word and obey it.”
Of all the methods of learning God’s wisdom, the one most often used is
“hearing”. It’s probably the way you first learned of your need to receive Christ.
Now that you are a Christian, add to your “hearing” the following;

2. READ THE WORD

Rev 1:3 “ Happy is the one who reads this book… and obeys what is
written in it.”
Reading is the foundation of all learning. Make it the pattern of your life to read
God’s Word daily.
3. STUDY THE WORD
2Tim 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman
that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The difference between a strong, effective Christian and a weak person who
stumbles down the highway of life is usually the degree to which the person truly
studies the word. One can learn almost any subject by regularly studying it. That
is particularly true of God’s Word.

4. MEMORIZE THE WORD

Psalms 119:11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might
not sin against You.”
Memorizing one verse of scripture a week is not difficult for anyone who will
consistently review the verses. Nothing will speed the learning process and help
you safeguard our life from needless mistakes of judgment like memorizing God’s
Word.

5. MEDITATE ON THE WORD

Psalms 1:1-2”Blessed is the man … whose delight is in the law of
the Lord, and in His law He meditates day and night..”
To meditate means to THINK. Those who think over the concepts they’ve heard,
read, studied and memorized will be able to apply God’s wisdom to the decisions
they must make in life.

(PRINCIPLE 4. In all decisions, the believer should humbly

submit,
in advance, to the outworking of God’s sovereign will
as it touches each decision.)

“WISDOM SIGNS” FOR DECISION MAKING

THE WAY TO GOD’S MORAL WILL AND WISDOM

1. SURRENDER (YIELD)
The Lord has given us the gift of WILL POWER, the ability to choose.
When we lived without Christ we made decisions ignorant of His
will. Now that we are Christians, it is necessary for us to die to what
we think is right, to our feelings, to our own way of doing things and
submit to His will. We must not try to manipulate God through
prayer; Let your will be done, Lord, but please let you will be what I
want.

God doesn’t make mistakes. The way to wisdom is to die to

ourselves and wait on God instead of clinging to what we want. He
knows what is best for us.

The Lord says to Isaiah:

ISAIAH 55:8,9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither
are your ways my ways.” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are
higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and
my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We need to die to doing things our way, and submit ourselves to

the will of God.

To SURRENDER or YIELD is to determine in advance that you will

obey His will even before you know what it is being fully convinced
that He holds the best intentions for you.

This act of surrender was modeled by Jesus Himself when He prayed

to God the Father ”Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth
as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:1

2. PRAYER
The Word of God challenges us to
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and
it will be opened to you.” MATTHEW 7:7.
The apostle Paul added, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything
by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God.” PHILIPPIANS 4:6.

And to the Collossians he declared “For this reason, since the day
we heard about you, we have not stopped PRAYING for you and
ASKING GOD TO FILLYOU WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in
order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please
Him in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
COLOSSIANS 1:9-10.

God wants us to pray when seeking his direction, He wants us to

pray about everything and “to pray without ceasing”
1THESSALONIANS 5:17.

Prayer should be our first resort in seeking God’s will. Prayer is an

integral part in helping us to make proper choices. But God has
something else in mind in teaching us to pray when seeking His
leading. He wants us to draw closer to Him, to acknowledge him in
all our ways.

3. HOLY SPIRIT
When we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, His presence within us
directs us to God’s will. He himself promised us,
“The Spirit of truth … dwells with you and will be in you… He will
teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I
said to you.”
JOHN 14:17, 26.

ROMANS 8 further explains how the spirit in us leads us in our

lives, decisions, desires, and happenings … even when we are not
aware of it.

4. BIBLE
The traditional view places a great emphasis on understanding the
Bible for most of God’s will are known, but focuses on identifying
the individual will thru other road signs. The wisdom view says
100% of God’s will has been revealed in the Scriptures; this fact
makes THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S WORD THE MOST
IMPORTANT ASPECT OF EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING.

The teaching of Scripture may be summarized by these BASIC

PRINCIPLES:
PRINCIPLES OF DECISION MAKING, THE WAY OF WISDOM:
1. In those areas specifically addressed by the Bible, the
revealed commands of God (His Moral Will) are to be
obeyed.
2. In those areas where the Bible gives no command or
principles (Amoral Decisions), the believer is FREE BUT
RESPONSIBLE to choose his own course of action. Any
decision made within the moral will of God is acceptable to
God.
3. In amoral issues, the objective of the Christian is to make
wise decisions on the basis of spiritual expediency.
4. In all decisions, the believer should humbly submit, in
advance, to the outworking of God’s sovereign will as it
touches each decision
 5. INNER IMPRESSIONS

Nudges, hunches, impulse, inner impressions can come from any

source: God, satan, flesh, immaturity, past experiences, illness,
anxiety, ads, fad, adinfinitum. No inner impression has the authority
to function as an indicator of divine guidance. It has to be judged by
the moral will of God and by wisdom. Impressions that conform to
God’s moral will and wisdom may be followed; those that are sinful
and foolish are to be ignored.
Peace or lack of peace, “concerned feeling” or any emotional make-
up are to be judged by wisdom and it’s conformity to God’s moral
will.

6. DESIRES

Desire is not authoritative. All desires must be judged by God’s

moral will and wisdom (believers have godly desires, sinful desires,
foolish desires, proud desires, etc). Personal desires that have been
declared acceptable by God’s moral will and by wisdom can be
excellent source of wisdom. For the scripture says that we are to
serve God eagerly with all our hearts. This command can be more
easily obeyed if one’s decision are in harmony with one’s personal
inclinations. This will make a significant impact on one’s Spiritual
growth.

7. SPECIAL GUIDANCE

Wisdom considers that if anything more is necessary for special

guidance, such as audible voice, dreams, visions, or any other form
of supernatural revelation
He will supply just when it was necessary as in times past.

8. CIRCUMSTANCES

Circumstances provide the context in which a decision is made,

they are a key source of wisdom but can not be read as
“providence”. They must be evaluated, not to determine some clue
from God, but to help decide the advisability of a given course of
action. “Circumstances” is a word that covers a multitude of
specifics: cost, people available, time, problems, opportunities, etc.
WISDOM RECOGNIZES THAT EVERY OPTION “HAS ITS ADVANTAGES
AND DISADVANTAGES”. Circumstances indicate many of the pros
and cons, but they carry no ”YES” or “NO” TAGS.

9. GODLY ADVICE/MATURE COUNSEL

Wisdom seeks for competent advice where it is most needed.

Caution: counsel of others must be carefully evaluated rather than
simply adopted,
not viewed as omniscient or determinative. The searcher of wisdom
not\
only asks for a counselor’s opinion but the reasons behind the
viewpoint expressed. It can put matters into a proper and
manageable perspective.

TWO GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK TO A GODLY ADVISOR:

Do you know of any scriptural or biblical principles that apply to the
decision
I am making?
Have you gained practical insight thru your experience in making
similar decision that would be of value to me?
 10.COMMON SENSE

The believer may confidently apply common sense to every single

decision, as it is regarded as one form of wisdom endowed by God.
The only time common sense is set aside is when it contradicts
God’s revealed (moral) will. Man’s perspective must always give
way to God’s moral will when the two come in conflict. *** Noah’s
ark, Abraham’s sacrifice, Joshua and Gideon’s battles, etc .
*** Luke16:8, nonbeliever, e.g. mechanic, electrician… can
be a valuable source of common sense

11.RESULTS

It is wise to gain wisdom from the “results” of previous decisions-

whether those of others or our own. For those results may reveal
factors that may have not previously been taken into consideration.
So it is good to ask questions to others who have been down similar
paths: “How long did it
take you to get approval of your business?” “What is the board
passing percentage of their graduates?” “Are there opportunities to
further training
in that workplace?”

Results can reveal wisdom to the careful observer (in business, they
are secret markers for windows of opportunities). But they must be
viewed within the framework of God’s sovereignty. Situations
change and impact of different factors vary. Wisdom seeks to gain
as many information from the past failures and successes, carefully
evaluates options, sets his plan in motion and LEAVES THE
OUTCOME TO THE SOVEREIGN DISPOSITION OF GOD.

READ: “A KEY TO FINDING KEYS” pp275-276.

Keeping track of the important items

TO SUM UP: Everyone utilizes essentially the same sources of

information in the process of knowing God’s will. So whether the
believer is following the traditional view or wisdom view, he will
study inputs from all sources.

The two views do not look at the data in the same way, but since
the sources are the same it is not surprising that the conclusions
reached by the two approaches are often the same. The differences
come in the final goal.

The traditional view is looking for the individual will of God, while
the wisdom view is seeking a wise decision within the moral will of
God.

The differences also come in the way the sources are

viewed/interpreted.
To the traditional view they are “road signs” pointing to the
individual will
of God when interpreted properly. To the wisdom view, Scripture
reveals
the moral will of God and the other sources are “wisdom signs”
corporately pointing to a moral and wise decision.

APPLICATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF HIS MORAL WILL &

WISDOM IN OUR DECISION MAKING.
According to the Bible, God is involved in our decision making in
several levels:
1. He has provided the resources for making decisions
that are acceptable to Him
2. He has revealed His moral will in its totality.
3. He has instructed us in His word to seek wisdom for
making decisions, and informed us how to do it.
4. He has given us a new nature which makes
obedience to His moral will possible.
5. He has equipped us with everything we need to
make the decisions that are pleasing to Him.

Our portion is to reckon . This is faith applied: “God said it, I believe
it, that settles it, so I’m going to do it.” – that is how one
appropriately respond in accordance to God’s moral will.

As we work thru the process of decision making, God is continually

present and working within us. The words of Paul reminds us
“ It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His
good pleasure.”Phil 2:13.

Specifically, ”His grace enables us to trust Him.” Acts 18:27

THE PROCESS: God exercises control, we express the

confidence by faith and trust.

1. SOVEREIGN GUIDANCE

We demonstrate FAITH when we conscientiously obey what we

understand of God’s moral will, and seek to apply the principles of
God’s Word to our decisions.
It is manifested in our PRAYERS FOR OPEN DOORS and our
expectations that He is working for our good by his Sovereign
Will.

2. MORAL GUIDANCE

We express TRUST when we take seriously God’s intention that

decisions within the AREA OF FREEDOM are to be made under His
Moral Will.
Trust is expressed in our PRAYER FOR WISDOM as we approach the
decision at hand, an act of surrender and obedience to His will and
Wisdom.

3. WISDOM GUIDANCE

And our careful pursuit and evaluation of the wisdom sources He

has provided reflect our CONFIDENCE in the reliability of the
guidance He has prescribed.

4. SPECIAL GUIDANCE
We also trust God that if anything more is needed for our guidance
– such as audible voice, dreams, visions, angelic messengers or
other form of supernatural revelation – He willsupply it just as He
has in the times past.

The resolution of this process lies in the realization that “WE WALK
BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT” 2Cor 5:7

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: ”Fear God and keep His
commandments, because this applies to every person.”
Ecclesiastes12:13