It's been 2,000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated a world
veiled in darkness and confusion
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about the character of God.
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And still today, the
greatest need of mankind is a
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revelation of God's love as
revealed in the life of Christ.
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Amazing Facts presents
the "Everlasting Gospel"
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with Pastor Doug Batchelor,
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coming to you each week
from Sacramento Central Church
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in sunny California.
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Discover hidden
treasures in God's Word today.
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Somebody said one time, "The
safest place in the world to be,
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is in the middle of God's will."
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It doesn't matter if
you're surrounded by typhoons
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and tornadoes and
volcanoes and earthquakes,
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if you're in the
middle of God's will,
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you have nothing to worry about.
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I've often thought
about developing a list
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because one of the
most common questions that
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I get in ministry
is... "Pastor, how do I know
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what God wants me to do?"
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"How do I determine
the will of God for me?"
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And it's a very good question.
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So, what is the will of
God for my life specifically,
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and am I doing that will?"
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1 John 2:17, "And the world is
passing away and the lust of it,
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but he that does the
will of God abides forever."
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How do we
determine the will of God?
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How important is it?
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Those that do the will of
God, how long do they last?
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Forever! How many
want to live forever?
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Those that do the will
of God will last forever!
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In the Lord's prayer, Luke 11:2
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"When you pray, say,
"Our Father in heaven,
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hallowed be Your
name, Your kingdom come,
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Your will be done."
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How do we determine what the
will of God is for our lives?
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I think it was David Livingston
that said, "I'd rather be
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in the heart of
Africa in the will of God,
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than on the throne of
England, out of His will."
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I mean, if being in the
will of God means that you're
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struggling in some
lonely, distant, uncomfortable,
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mission field, you'll
have more comfort there.
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You've probably
heard of Adoniram Judson,
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a missionary to Burma.
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He was offered a
very comfortable pulpit
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in Boston, near his
family, and everyone said, "Oh,
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this is such a
wonderful opportunity,"
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and he said, "Well,
except I know God has called me
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to go to the mission field."
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"Oh but, wouldn't
this be much better;
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isn't this the wiser decision?"
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He said, "No, I'm much better
off being in God's will in the
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mission field, than being
in a comfortable, successful
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popular pulpit with
good pay in Boston."
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Are you where
you're supposed to be?
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We need to know the
answer to that question!
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So, we face a lot of
big decisions in our life...
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What school am I going to go
to, for some of our younger set.
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What will I study, once I
get there, beyond the basics?
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And then once you study
in your field and you have
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different job offers...
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How do I know
where to take that job?
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What state? What specialty?
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What's God's will for me?
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Who am I going to marry?
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Do I say "yes" to the
first person that comes
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along and asks me?
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Am I to marry at all?
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There's something to pray about!
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Maybe like me, you'll be
a Batchelor your whole life!
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Mrs. Batchelor got
married and became a Batchelor!
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So, how do you determine the
answer to these big questions?
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First of all, there
are some basics we know...
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God wants you to be
saved, that's His will.
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2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not
willing that any should perish,
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but that all should
come to repentance."
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And it's a mistake for you
to think that everything you see
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happening in the
world, must be God's will.
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You know, some of our
friends and neighbors of the
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Islamic persuasion,
when something happens,
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they say, "It's the will of
Allah, it's the will of Allah,
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whatever happens, it's the
will of Allah. That's not true!
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Not everything that
happens is the will of God.
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God is not willing
that any should perish!
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Are some going to
perish? That's not His will.
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There's a lot of things
that you and I decide to do
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when we're out of God's will.
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And there are
things that happen;
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you can't always say,
"Well it's an act of God,
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this typhoon there in
what used to be known as Burma,
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Miramar and all
these thousands of people,
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but, "Oh, it must
have been God's will."
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Not necessarily... did
the devil bring a storm
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in the story of Job?
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I think we'll be surprised
when we get to the other side
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and God pulls back the
veil... there's a battle
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between good and evil.
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And if God's will
was always being done,
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then why would He tell us
to pray that His will be done?
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Why would you
pray for something that
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you are already going to have?
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It's because His
will is not always done.
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It's something that
is to be prayed for.
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It's something
that is to be pursued!
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So how do we
determine the will of God?
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Now let me begin by...
before I get to my list
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of ways that I think you
can apply biblical principles
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to determine the will of God...
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I'd first like to talk about
some of the dubious methods
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that people use and
let's get that out of the way.
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When some people are
making major decisions,
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even Christians, they
resort to things as basic as
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flipping a coin.
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And, I'm not saying
that God cannot speak through
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the flip of a coin, and that
might work for those things,
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but if you're
making life decisions,
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I'd want more
evidence than flipping a coin.
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And so, you know, some
people do this, or maybe you've
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wondered about
casting lots in the Bible;
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just so that you have an
idea of what that means...
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Sometimes if they were
trying to determine between
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1 or 2 choices or
maybe multiple choices,
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they would take a clay
jar that had a narrow opening,
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and they would put a
number of black stones and
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1 white stone or a number of
white stones and 1 black stone,
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and they'd go around the circle
and they'd drop out the stone
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... the mouth was
just big enough to drop out
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1 stone at a time and
if the lot fell on you,
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it meant you were chosen.
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So they had a variety
of ways of doing that.
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You remember, they cast
lots for Jesus' clothing.
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Now casting lots when you're
making decisions for your life,
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is probably not advisable.
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One reason I say that is because
God wants you to use your brain.
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He says, "Come now,
let us reason together."
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You should not go through
your day and through your life
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... Who shall I
marry? Well I cast lots.
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First of all, don't tell
your prospective parents-in-law
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that's how you're
making your choice.
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That won't impress them.
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You want to be using a
number of criteria in making
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these important decisions.
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God gave you a brain because
He likes to see you use it.
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And, as-a-matter-of-fact,
when they were picking the goats
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on the Day of Atonement,
they'd select 2 perfect goats
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and then one would
be the Lord's goat,
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and one would be the scapegoat,
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and the Bible did say
they were to cast lots,
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and one of them would
be chosen as the scapegoat.
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Well, you're
picking between 2 goats,
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and something like
that, well that's okay.
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But, making big
decisions for life - be careful.
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By the way, do you know where
the word "lottery" comes from?
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Casting lots!
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Now some of you can
say, "I've got biblical proof
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for playing the lottery
now, it's in the Bible."
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That's not what I'm talking
about, I'm just saying...
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It's talking
about pure chance...
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Not to play the lottery,
you've heard me say before,
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"You probably have a
better chance of being bitten by
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a shark in Phoenix, Arizona
than winning the lottery,
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so don't waste
your money doing that.
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The practice of
casting lots is mentioned
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about 77 times in the Bible...
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But I think it's interesting
in 2nd-Selected Messages, 328,
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The author there writes, "I
have no faith in casting lots,"
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and she was speaking about
some churches were casting lots
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to pick their leaders...
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Because they said, "Well after
all, didn't the disciples pick
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a new apostle by casting lots."
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Well that was a
whole different story.
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First, they went
through a selection process
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of the best
candidates and they said,
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"We're going to pick
between the 2 of the best!"
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They were not casting
lots arbitrarily to pick,
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you know, church leadership.
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God wants you to
use criteria and wisdom,
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and we'll get to
those things in a minute.
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And again, you'll find
in Letter 37, from 1900,
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it says, "To cast lots
for the officers of the church
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is not God's order;
let men of responsibility
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be called upon to select
the officers of the church."
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They were to use their brains
and use a number of criteria.
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You probably heard this story
before of this old Scottish
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woman who used to travel
the countryside and she sold
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thread and yarn and one day
she came to a fork in the road,
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and she picked up a stick, she
threw the stick up in the air,
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and it fell back
down to the ground.
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She picked it up and
she threw it up in the air,
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and it fell back
down to the ground.
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Someone came along
while she was doing this,
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and they said,
"What are you doing?"
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She said, "Well, as
I go on my sales route,
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I want the Lord to
guide me in which way to go...
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So I take this stick and I throw
the stick and I go which way
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the stick points."
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He said, "Well why do
you keep throwing the stick?"
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She said, "Well, it
keeps pointing to the right,
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but that road is pretty
rough; I want to go to the left;
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so I just keep
throwing the stick!"
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Some people -
I've seen them do that.
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Let's flip coins; they
flip, they don't get the answer
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they want, they say 2 out of 3,
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and they just keep
on flipping the coin.
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I actually know someone, one
time, that was really praying
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about a big
decision, this is true...
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And, they weren't sure
whether or not they were
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to flip a coin, if that's
how they were supposed to pick,
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and they flipped a coin
and the coin rolled over
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against the wall
and stood upon its end,
00:10:03.74\00:10:05.67
and it's like God was
saying, "Don't do that,
00:10:05.71\00:10:09.10
you're just
giving Me two options,
00:10:09.13\00:10:10.53
I might have an
option you knowing about."
00:10:10.56\00:10:13.17
So sometimes, you
corner the Lord when you use
00:10:13.20\00:10:15.43
these methods
and you're limiting
00:10:15.46\00:10:17.33
how God is going to answer you.
00:10:17.36\00:10:19.37
So, I'd guard against that.
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What about
throwing out a fleece?
00:10:21.38\00:10:23.65
You remember Gideon,
when trying to get some
00:10:23.68\00:10:26.01
reassurance, that he
was supposed to go in battle
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against the
Amalekites and the Midianites,
00:10:28.89\00:10:31.89
and the people of the
East, he put out this fleece.
00:10:31.92\00:10:34.77
This is a big
sheepskin; they put it out and
00:10:34.80\00:10:36.73
this is normally what
they slept on at night,
00:10:36.76\00:10:38.69
it was their sleeping bag.
00:10:38.72\00:10:40.05
He said, "Now if I wake up
in the morning and there is
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dew on the fleece
and none on the ground,
00:10:42.19\00:10:44.36
that will be a sign."
00:10:44.39\00:10:45.79
Well that happened
and then he thought..
00:10:45.82\00:10:47.71
"Well, maybe that's
a natural occurrence."
00:10:47.74\00:10:49.48
"I tell you what Lord,
let's try this one more time."
00:10:49.52\00:10:51.63
"Tomorrow, let the fleece be
dry and the dew on the ground,"
00:10:51.66\00:10:55.58
or whatever the opposite was,
00:10:55.61\00:10:56.71
I think I maybe said
the same thing twice.
00:10:56.74\00:10:59.20
And the next day,
it was the opposite,
00:10:59.23\00:11:01.57
and he said,
"Okay, that's evidence."
00:11:01.60\00:11:04.16
And so, some people
have these different fleeces
00:11:04.19\00:11:07.21
that they put out for the Lord.
00:11:07.24\00:11:08.84
And you know,
sometimes that's not all bad
00:11:08.87\00:11:11.59
to say, " All right
Lord, I'm going to look for
00:11:11.62\00:11:13.61
providential evidence
and we sort of manufacture
00:11:13.64\00:11:17.33
these fleeces that we're
looking for God to guide us.
00:11:17.36\00:11:21.22
I know about a lady that...
have you ever met these people
00:11:21.25\00:11:25.18
that when they
want to make a decision,
00:11:25.21\00:11:26.56
they flip through their Bible
and wherever their eyes land,
00:11:26.59\00:11:30.70
and they say, "Okay,
that's going to be Your message
00:11:30.74\00:11:32.18
to me, Lord" - Be
careful about using
00:11:32.21\00:11:34.85
your Bible like a
deck of taro cards.
00:11:34.89\00:11:37.50
And you probably
heard of people that...
00:11:37.53\00:11:39.82
Now I'm not saying
God can't lead that way,
00:11:39.85\00:11:41.98
I know stories that the
Lord has lead some people.
00:11:42.01\00:11:46.50
A dear friend of
ours has passed away,
00:11:46.53\00:11:48.61
her name was Lolita Simpson.
00:11:48.64\00:11:50.19
You'll read in Testimonies
about a famous evangelist
00:11:50.22\00:11:53.59
called, "W.W. Simpson,"
and Lolita told me the story
00:11:53.62\00:11:57.09
one time when her
mother was trying to pray about
00:11:57.12\00:11:59.37
whether or not to marry
this young, handsome evangelist,
00:11:59.40\00:12:01.60
she said, "Lord, I've got
to know this is Your will,"
00:12:01.63\00:12:04.98
and she prayed and agonized.
00:12:05.01\00:12:06.80
She said, "I just
need reassurance that
00:12:06.83\00:12:08.46
this is the right man."
00:12:08.50\00:12:09.56
So she took her Bible and
she flipped her Bible open;
00:12:09.60\00:12:12.25
she's praying there by her
bed and she put her finger down
00:12:12.28\00:12:14.80
on a verse and this is
where she put her finger...
00:12:14.83\00:12:17.13
Genesis 24:58, "When they called
Rebecca, they said to her,
00:12:17.16\00:12:22.47
"Will you go with this
man? and she said, I will go."
00:12:22.50\00:12:25.77
Now when you pray about
who to marry and you flip the
00:12:25.80\00:12:28.63
Bible open and that is the
place where you're finger lands,
00:12:28.66\00:12:33.44
well that's a
pretty strong indicator.
00:12:33.47\00:12:36.25
Now some of you are going to
go home and try that now, right?
00:12:36.28\00:12:38.54
I'm not recommending
this, I'm just saying
00:12:38.57\00:12:40.25
God can use it, but I
don't think it's advisable
00:12:40.28\00:12:42.86
because you never know;
you might flip your Bible
00:12:42.90\00:12:44.56
opened and it will say,
00:12:44.59\00:12:46.34
"Judas went and hung himself,"
and you know, that's obviously
00:12:46.38\00:12:49.55
not His will for your life,
so be careful about doing that.
00:12:49.58\00:12:53.66
What about dreams and visions?
00:12:53.69\00:12:55.52
I'm trying to deal with
some of the dubious things
00:12:55.55\00:12:58.24
that people use to
make big decisions...
00:12:58.27\00:12:59.85
Can God guide
us through a dream?
00:12:59.88\00:13:02.27
And God can guide
us through a vision.
00:13:02.30\00:13:06.32
But you know I'm hoping
the majority of your dreams
00:13:06.35\00:13:10.43
are gibberish that come because
your brain is defragmenting
00:13:10.46\00:13:14.65
the things you've
experienced through the day.
00:13:14.68\00:13:17.97
And it sort of sorts
itself out when you reach that
00:13:18.00\00:13:21.20
point of rapid-eye-movement
and all kinds of bizarre things
00:13:21.23\00:13:24.12
may go through your
mind and some people
00:13:24.15\00:13:26.78
have weird dreams and they
go and they visit psychoanalysts
00:13:26.81\00:13:30.32
that help them to try and
understand what's going on
00:13:30.35\00:13:32.72
deep within because of
their dreams and it may just
00:13:32.75\00:13:36.56
mean too much pizza!
00:13:36.59\00:13:38.57
And some people just
put a little too much
00:13:38.60\00:13:40.86
emphasis on visions.
00:13:40.89\00:13:43.34
You probably heard about
the farmer that was out hoeing
00:13:43.37\00:13:45.51
in the field one day and it was
hot and he was a young farmer,
00:13:45.54\00:13:47.77
and he wondered if he was
supposed to spend his life
00:13:47.80\00:13:49.58
out farming and he
was pondering these things
00:13:49.61\00:13:52.12
and he looked up in the
sky and he saw that the wind
00:13:52.15\00:13:56.22
was moving the clouds
around and all of a sudden he
00:13:56.25\00:13:58.20
distinctly saw the
letters in the sky "PC"
00:13:58.23\00:14:03.97
And he thought
about that... "PC"
00:14:04.00\00:14:06.27
"Lord, you don't
want me farming anymore,
00:14:06.30\00:14:07.86
you want me to "preach
Christ." Preach Christ!
00:14:07.89\00:14:09.81
He threw down
his farm equipment,
00:14:10.43\00:14:11.99
and he went and
got his Sunday suit on,
00:14:12.02\00:14:13.60
and he started going
around the community preaching!
00:14:13.63\00:14:16.70
They said, "Zeb,
what's going on?"
00:14:16.73\00:14:18.08
He said, "God has
shown me in a vision,
00:14:18.11\00:14:19.83
I'm supposed to be a
preacher - I saw clouds
00:14:19.86\00:14:21.55
that said, "PC" and I know
that means "preach Christ."
00:14:21.58\00:14:24.18
So he spent several
months out there trying to
00:14:24.21\00:14:26.69
preach and didn't
have very big results,
00:14:26.72\00:14:29.65
and the family started getting
hungry and about 8 months later,
00:14:29.68\00:14:33.37
he was back out there in
the field hoeing the corn.
00:14:33.40\00:14:36.79
And someone said, "Zeb, what's
up, I thought God gave you
00:14:36.82\00:14:39.18
a vision, you're
supposed to preach Christ."
00:14:39.21\00:14:41.12
"So I made up my mind
that "PC" meant "plant corn,"
00:14:41.15\00:14:44.61
it didn't mean "preach Christ."
00:14:44.64\00:14:49.03
So be careful about
the dreams and the visions.
00:14:49.06\00:14:52.39
If you're going to
have dreams and visions,
00:14:52.42\00:14:54.13
make sure there's
other reinforcing evidence,
00:14:54.16\00:14:57.47
and I wouldn't make the
decisions just upon that...
00:14:57.50\00:14:59.85
But God can speak
through those things, right?
00:14:59.88\00:15:02.52
So, let's be careful.
00:15:02.55\00:15:05.16
Now, someone said
that in the U.S. alone,
00:15:05.19\00:15:08.23
there are more than
23,000 ways to make a living.
00:15:08.26\00:15:12.35
The odds are clearly not
in favor for you to decide
00:15:12.38\00:15:16.03
what you're supposed to
do as a career or who you're
00:15:16.06\00:15:19.21
supposed to marry - think
about all the options there,
00:15:19.24\00:15:21.84
based on pure luck.
00:15:21.87\00:15:25.29
You want divine
leading in your life, Amen?
00:15:25.32\00:15:28.69
And you want God to give
you wisdom how to discern
00:15:28.72\00:15:32.64
His providence and His will.
00:15:32.67\00:15:34.14
All right, I'm going to
give you now, a list of...
00:15:34.17\00:15:36.58
I have taken the best
lists I could find from the
00:15:36.61\00:15:39.13
people I respect the
most, the Bible, George Muller,
00:15:39.16\00:15:42.76
Tozer, The Spirit of Prophecy;
friends talked to our pastors
00:15:42.79\00:15:45.93
this week and we got a
few more points on the list.
00:15:45.96\00:15:48.23
I got about 15 points that
I'm going to share with you on
00:15:48.26\00:15:51.08
"How do you
determine the will of God
00:15:51.11\00:15:53.55
biblically and
using good reason?"
00:15:53.58\00:15:55.99
Here are, what I think some
of the most important things...
00:15:56.03\00:15:59.77
You may add to my list
later, but after years of
00:15:59.80\00:16:02.49
praying about it, this is
the first time I've really
00:16:02.52\00:16:04.24
preached a message like
this, here's the list...
00:16:04.27\00:16:06.68
I'm going to go through
these quickly because I want to
00:16:06.71\00:16:08.14
get this in one message.
00:16:08.17\00:16:09.93
1. Be surrendered and willing.
00:16:09.96\00:16:14.84
The most important thing,
if you want to know God's will
00:16:14.87\00:16:18.61
is be willing to do His will!
00:16:18.64\00:16:22.32
As-a-matter-of-fact, John 7:17,
"If anyone wants to do His will,
00:16:22.35\00:16:27.18
he shall know concerning the
doctrine whether it is from God
00:16:27.21\00:16:30.56
or whether I speak
of my own authority."
00:16:30.59\00:16:32.85
If you're wanting God's will,
Jesus said, "If he's willing,
00:16:32.88\00:16:36.68
He will know the doctrine.
00:16:36.71\00:16:38.04
You will understand, but the
first thing is to be willing.
00:16:38.07\00:16:41.80
Pray that God will give you
a pliable and a willing heart.
00:16:41.83\00:16:45.43
Step #1 is to be surrendered.
00:16:45.46\00:16:49.23
Surrender yourself before Jesus,
00:16:49.26\00:16:51.16
before you
expect Him to lead you.
00:16:51.19\00:16:53.72
If your heart is in a
state of rebellion and your not
00:16:53.75\00:16:56.04
surrendered to
God, then why is He
00:16:56.07\00:16:57.21
going to show you His will?
00:16:57.24\00:16:58.54
All He does is add to
your compounded guilt.
00:16:58.58\00:17:01.95
He shows you more that He
wants you to do and you're not
00:17:01.98\00:17:04.27
doing what He has shown you.
00:17:04.30\00:17:06.25
So - Be willing!
00:17:06.28\00:17:08.02
I heard about a native
in the Congo that prayed...
00:17:08.05\00:17:10.12
He said, "Dear Lord, You be
the needle, I'll be the thread.
00:17:10.15\00:17:13.26
You go first, I'll
follow wherever You lead."
00:17:13.29\00:17:15.97
That's the kind
of attitude we need.
00:17:16.00\00:17:18.42
Isaiah 45:9, "Does the clay
00:17:18.45\00:17:21.78
say to the potter -
"What are you doing?"
00:17:21.82\00:17:24.18
When God shows you
His will, then do it,
00:17:24.22\00:17:26.55
you may not like what
He shows you - Be open.
00:17:26.58\00:17:30.10
Psalm 25:9, "The
humble He guides in justice;
00:17:30.13\00:17:35.15
the humble He teaches His way."
00:17:35.18\00:17:38.03
If you want to know the
will of God and the way of God,
00:17:38.06\00:17:40.18
humble yourself before God,
00:17:40.21\00:17:41.79
and He'll teach you
His way. So - Be willing.
00:17:41.83\00:17:45.50
2. Consult the Word of God.
00:17:45.53\00:17:48.09
Find out what the Bible
says on the particular options
00:17:48.12\00:17:52.56
or the direction
that you're praying about.
00:17:52.59\00:17:54.94
The Word of God has a lot
to say about a lot of things,
00:17:54.97\00:17:58.02
and so, acquaint
yourself with His Word.
00:17:58.05\00:18:00.44
You read, of
course, Psalm 119:105,
00:18:00.47\00:18:03.79
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my
feet and a light to my path."
00:18:03.82\00:18:07.52
And when you're
walking through life,
00:18:07.55\00:18:08.83
if you want guidance,
ask for the Word of God
00:18:08.86\00:18:11.54
to guide you - there
is Scripture on so many
00:18:11.57\00:18:13.11
different things.
00:18:13.14\00:18:14.17
And more specifically,
in the Word of God,
00:18:14.20\00:18:16.80
you have the Law of God.
00:18:16.83\00:18:18.73
So, a lot of things
you might see as options,
00:18:18.76\00:18:22.72
are clearly commanded
to be done or not done
00:18:22.75\00:18:27.03
based on what
the law of God says.
00:18:27.06\00:18:29.61
There are some things,
He gives us an emphatic NO,
00:18:29.64\00:18:35.68
and there are some
areas where He will give us
00:18:35.71\00:18:37.64
an equally emphatic YES,
00:18:37.67\00:18:40.34
so find out what
the law of God says.
00:18:40.37\00:18:42.58
If you're wondering...
00:18:42.61\00:18:44.32
You know, should
I leave my spouse
00:18:44.35\00:18:47.40
and go off with
this other person?
00:18:47.43\00:18:50.52
You don't need to pray
about God's will regarding that.
00:18:50.55\00:18:54.26
But you'd be
surprised... I've met people
00:18:54.29\00:18:56.74
... happened this
year, 2 married people,
00:18:56.77\00:18:59.81
members of the same
church, left their spouses,
00:18:59.84\00:19:03.23
got together and when
I counseled with them,
00:19:03.26\00:19:05.16
they said, "You know,
it just feels so right;
00:19:05.19\00:19:08.09
we just can see God blessing,
we've got so much peace."
00:19:08.12\00:19:10.92
"Those other relationships,
they just weren't good,
00:19:10.95\00:19:13.40
we just see this
is God's will for us."
00:19:13.43\00:19:16.24
And I'm going...
you don't need to wonder
00:19:16.27\00:19:19.49
if this is God's
will, He clearly commands
00:19:19.52\00:19:22.39
you not to do this! It's a sin!
00:19:22.42\00:19:25.48
So don't be praying
about the will of God...
00:19:25.51\00:19:27.57
"You know Lord,
should I steal this car?"
00:19:27.60\00:19:31.37
I mean, you don't
need to pray about that!
00:19:31.40\00:19:33.43
If God's Word
gives you some clear
00:19:33.46\00:19:36.02
direction on
that, then it's clear!
00:19:36.06\00:19:37.58
Now someone might say,
"Well you know, I've got this
00:19:37.62\00:19:39.38
job and in order to get
this incredible job opportunity,
00:19:39.41\00:19:44.05
I just need to work for 3
or 4 Sabbaths for one month
00:19:44.08\00:19:47.63
until I get the tenure
and then I've got the job."
00:19:47.66\00:19:50.19
You don't need
to pray about that.
00:19:50.22\00:19:51.57
I mean, if God says...
"Remember the Sabbath day,"
00:19:51.60\00:19:54.92
it doesn't mean when it's
convenient - you can break it
00:19:54.95\00:19:57.85
in order to get a better job.
00:19:57.88\00:19:59.84
I mean, the Word of God
gives us really clear guidance
00:19:59.87\00:20:02.24
in certain areas and it's a
slam dunk - it's a no-brainer!
00:20:02.27\00:20:06.33
So find out what the Word says,
and it may involve searching
00:20:06.36\00:20:10.12
through the Word a little bit.
00:20:10.15\00:20:12.33
Psalm 40:8, "I delight
to do Your will, oh my God,
00:20:12.36\00:20:18.38
Your law is
written within my heart."
00:20:18.41\00:20:21.37
So if you're wondering
about what the will of God is,
00:20:21.40\00:20:23.77
the Law of God
is the Will of God,
00:20:23.80\00:20:25.75
they're one in the same. Amen?
00:20:25.78\00:20:28.02
3. Be faithful to
His revealed will.
00:20:28.05\00:20:34.25
So if you're praying
about, you know, what school
00:20:34.28\00:20:36.62
do I go too, Lord, I
really need You to show me;
00:20:36.65\00:20:38.66
what do You want
me to take in college;
00:20:38.69\00:20:40.74
who is it that You want me
to date - I've got 3 options;
00:20:40.77\00:20:43.97
what country am I
supposed to go to?
00:20:44.00\00:20:46.95
You're praying about
making big decisions;
00:20:46.98\00:20:49.72
first ask yourself - Am I
doing what He has shown me?
00:20:49.75\00:20:54.61
Make sure that you're
living out what He has revealed.
00:20:54.64\00:20:58.19
John 12:35, "Then Jesus said
to them, "A little while longer
00:20:58.22\00:21:03.00
the light is with you;
walk while you have the light
00:21:03.03\00:21:06.14
lest darkness overtakes you."
00:21:06.17\00:21:07.70
Walk in the light that
you have, in other words.
00:21:07.73\00:21:10.08
And if you continue
to walk in the light,
00:21:10.11\00:21:12.19
He gives you more light,
but don't be praying about
00:21:12.22\00:21:15.38
perplexity regarding God's will
00:21:15.41\00:21:17.29
if you're not doing
what He has shown you.
00:21:17.32\00:21:19.54
Matthew 13:12, "For whoever
has, to him more will be given,
00:21:19.57\00:21:25.96
and he will have an abundance."
00:21:25.99\00:21:27.58
If you are embracing the will
of God that He has shown you,
00:21:27.61\00:21:30.63
He'll give you more because
He can trust you to follow it.
00:21:30.66\00:21:33.53
Some of you are saying, "I don't
know why God won't guide me."
00:21:33.56\00:21:34.94
Well, are you
doing what He said?
00:21:35.94\00:21:39.57
You ask what is the will of
God, well here's the answer true
00:21:39.60\00:21:43.39
... the nearest
thing that should be done
00:21:43.42\00:21:45.93
that He can do through you.
00:21:45.96\00:21:48.12
Sometimes you need to say,
"Am I doing what lies closest
00:21:48.15\00:21:51.52
at hand with all of my might?"
00:21:51.55\00:21:53.47
You and I have met people
before, they stand stationary
00:21:53.50\00:21:55.73
with their arms folded waiting
for God to show His will,
00:21:55.76\00:21:58.66
and they got stuff right
there they need to be doing.
00:21:58.69\00:22:03.00
Sometimes we're frustrated
looking for God's will because
00:22:03.03\00:22:05.16
we have not learned to
be content where we are,
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.55
and He may want you
right where you're at,
00:22:07.58\00:22:10.03
and He's just trying
to teach you contentment.
00:22:10.06\00:22:12.35
So, are you doing what He
has given you nearest at hand?
00:22:12.38\00:22:16.62
From Testimonies 3, page
428, "Those who are seeking
00:22:16.65\00:22:21.89
to know the truth and to
understand the will of God,
00:22:21.92\00:22:25.85
who are faithful to the
light and zealous in the
00:22:25.88\00:22:29.01
performance of their
daily duties, will be sure
00:22:29.04\00:22:31.67
to know the doctrine for they
will be guided into all truth."
00:22:31.70\00:22:34.57
If we're being faithful
to perform known duties,
00:22:34.60\00:22:37.68
God will help
us understand more.
00:22:37.71\00:22:40.15
Education p. 267- A
simple list of 3 from the
00:22:40.18\00:22:43.75
Spirit of Prophecy - "We
need to follow more closely
00:22:43.78\00:22:47.43
God's plan for our life."
00:22:47.46\00:22:49.61
#1- Do our best in the
work that lies nearest.
00:22:49.64\00:22:54.96
#2- Commit our ways to God.
00:22:54.99\00:22:57.87
#3- Watch for the
indications of His providence.
00:22:57.90\00:23:02.22
These are rules that
will ensure safe guidance.
00:23:02.25\00:23:05.77
Make sure you're doing
what you're supposed to do.
00:23:05.80\00:23:07.78
I mean, there's a simple
short list, if you will...
00:23:07.81\00:23:10.45
of how do you
know the will of God.
00:23:10.48\00:23:12.16
All right, but I've got
more detail because sometimes
00:23:12.19\00:23:14.72
our questions are more complex.
00:23:14.75\00:23:16.74
4. Obtain Christian counsel.
00:23:16.77\00:23:20.90
Find others who are
believers with good judgment,
00:23:20.93\00:23:24.25
that will be honest with
you and present your options
00:23:24.28\00:23:28.72
to them and say,
"Please guide me."
00:23:28.75\00:23:30.80
Proverbs 11, of course,
verse 14... you know this.
00:23:30.83\00:23:33.57
"Where there's no
counsel, the people fall,
00:23:33.60\00:23:35.94
but in the multitude of
counselors, there's safety."
00:23:35.97\00:23:39.28
What kind of
counselors? Any counselors?
00:23:39.31\00:23:42.63
You can go down to the
bar and ask for counsel?
00:23:42.66\00:23:45.43
No... You want to
get Christian counsel.
00:23:45.46\00:23:49.21
1 Corinthians 15:33,
"Don't be deceived, evil company
00:23:49.24\00:23:53.07
corrupts good habits."
00:23:53.10\00:23:54.74
Avoid bad
companions, get good people...
00:23:54.77\00:23:57.80
As-a-matter-of-fact,
that's a good policy for life;
00:23:57.83\00:23:59.51
surround yourself
with good counselors.
00:23:59.54\00:24:01.69
He who would be wise, makes
friends with the wise, right?
00:24:01.72\00:24:04.85
Psalm 73:24, "You will
guide me with Your counsel,
00:24:04.88\00:24:09.75
and afterward
receive me to glory."
00:24:09.78\00:24:12.41
So, look for people
that you can trust...
00:24:12.44\00:24:15.33
By the way, one way
to pick good counselors,
00:24:15.36\00:24:18.69
look for folks who look like
they got their lives together.
00:24:18.72\00:24:21.48
If you're taking
counsel from people whose
00:24:21.51\00:24:23.65
lives are a disaster, well
that might tell you something.
00:24:23.68\00:24:26.76
They might not be in the
best position to give you
00:24:26.79\00:24:28.91
advice if they're
lives are a train wreck!
00:24:28.94\00:24:31.72
And so, it's amazing to
me, I've met some people that
00:24:31.75\00:24:35.63
... I better be
careful what I say.
00:24:35.66\00:24:39.83
Some people I know, who
have gone into counseling,
00:24:39.86\00:24:45.79
their personal lives
are a disaster and I think,
00:24:45.82\00:24:49.36
"How come they're
going into counseling,
00:24:49.39\00:24:51.22
maybe that's sort of a
subconscious way for them
00:24:51.25\00:24:53.18
to try and find
answers, so they're
00:24:53.21\00:24:54.87
counseling everybody else!
00:24:54.90\00:24:55.99
Make sure, when you pick
people to be your counselors,
00:24:56.03\00:24:59.28
say - "What is
their personal life like?
00:24:59.31\00:25:01.85
What is their
spiritual life like?"
00:25:01.88\00:25:03.36
And if they are blessed like
Joseph, and you could see the
00:25:03.39\00:25:06.87
hand of God is with
them, that's a good person
00:25:06.90\00:25:09.04
to pick as a counselor.
00:25:09.07\00:25:10.31
And say you know,
I'd like to go to them,
00:25:10.35\00:25:11.86
I'd like to be more like them.
00:25:11.89\00:25:14.16
And those people
often give you good advice.
00:25:14.19\00:25:17.76
It doesn't mean you
always have to listen to it.
00:25:17.79\00:25:19.39
It doesn't say a counselor,
counselors - get a few
00:25:19.42\00:25:23.63
different opinions.
00:25:23.66\00:25:24.71
You know, if someone has
got a life-threatening disease,
00:25:24.74\00:25:26.98
and they go to the doctor
and the doctor is recommending
00:25:27.01\00:25:29.08
something - What
does someone often say?
00:25:29.11\00:25:31.32
Get another opinion.
Maybe even a third opinion.
00:25:31.35\00:25:34.65
Because it's life and
death, sometimes one doctor
00:25:34.68\00:25:37.62
might be seeing things wrong.
00:25:37.65\00:25:39.86
So get a multitude of
counsel when you're looking for
00:25:39.89\00:25:44.60
making these decisions.
00:25:44.63\00:25:46.68
Godly friends will help
you take inventory of yourself;
00:25:46.71\00:25:50.08
help you to discover
your gifts and talents,
00:25:50.11\00:25:52.89
and they may
encourage you to try new things
00:25:52.92\00:25:55.11
you're not even thinking of.
00:25:55.14\00:25:56.79
I mean, several people
might look at you and say...
00:25:56.82\00:25:59.00
You know one reason I'm in
ministry, nobody, growing up,
00:25:59.03\00:26:02.84
thought Doug was
going to be a pastor,
00:26:02.87\00:26:05.73
but after I became a believer,
and it never occurred to me
00:26:05.76\00:26:08.82
right away... After I became
a believer and I started sharing
00:26:08.85\00:26:12.21
with my friends and had some
success in giving Bible studies,
00:26:12.24\00:26:14.75
more and more people,
that I respected said, "Doug,
00:26:14.78\00:26:16.99
have you
considered the ministry,
00:26:17.02\00:26:18.08
and I didn't know how
that would ever happen...
00:26:18.11\00:26:19.80
But they said, "You
need to pray about it,
00:26:19.83\00:26:21.66
you know, we think you've
got gifts in those areas."
00:26:21.69\00:26:23.97
And so, it was
through collective counsel of
00:26:24.00\00:26:26.67
godly people that I
moved in this direction,
00:26:26.70\00:26:29.58
and He will do the same
for you if you ask Him to.
00:26:29.61\00:26:33.97
5. Observe providence -
look for providential leading.
00:26:34.00\00:26:41.13
God often shows what He wants
you to do by events that happen.
00:26:41.16\00:26:45.68
One example I always
think of in Ruth 2:20,
00:26:45.71\00:26:49.31
You know, Ruth and Naomi came
back to the land of Bethlehem;
00:26:49.34\00:26:52.57
they were destitute and
they had to glean in the fields
00:26:52.60\00:26:55.59
just to get food
for their daily bread.
00:26:55.62\00:26:58.14
And, there was only one person
in all of Israel that had the
00:26:58.17\00:27:04.30
right of a redeemer that had
the inclination to redeem them,
00:27:04.33\00:27:09.38
and it just so happened
that when they went out into the
00:27:09.41\00:27:11.62
fields to glean, that it
happened, that Ruth ended up
00:27:11.65\00:27:14.83
in the field of
Boaz, which was the one man
00:27:14.86\00:27:17.91
who had the inclination and
the ability to be her kinsman
00:27:17.94\00:27:21.88
redeemer... I mean she
didn't know what field it was,
00:27:21.91\00:27:25.45
and when she came
home and told Naomi,
00:27:25.48\00:27:28.40
she said, "This is
the providence of God,
00:27:28.43\00:27:30.27
don't go to any other
field - that's the one,
00:27:30.30\00:27:32.52
God led you there."
00:27:32.55\00:27:33.78
And you can see many,
many stories in the book...
00:27:33.81\00:27:35.51
Of course, she
ended up marrying Boaz,
00:27:35.54\00:27:37.60
and redeemed the
family of Elimelech,
00:27:37.63\00:27:40.02
and it ended up
being a great blessing.
00:27:40.05\00:27:43.63
So look for the
providence of God.
00:27:43.66\00:27:45.34
Look for doors that open.
00:27:45.37\00:27:47.16
God often guides us in His
will regarding door opening,
00:27:47.19\00:27:49.66
and doors closing.
00:27:49.69\00:27:50.91
And sometimes you
say, "Well I guess this is
00:27:50.94\00:27:52.86
not God's will because
that door slammed shut,"
00:27:52.89\00:27:55.04
and He often opens something
else along the way, right?
00:27:55.07\00:27:59.16
Some people are always
trying to kick down doors
00:27:59.19\00:28:01.12
that God has closed
because it's what they want.
00:28:01.15\00:28:05.15
And they've got the door
of opportunity right there,
00:28:05.18\00:28:07.61
they are neglecting it.
00:28:07.64\00:28:08.87
2 Corinthians 2:12, "Furthermore
I came to Troas to preach Christ
00:28:08.90\00:28:14.49
and a door was
opened to me by the Lord."
00:28:14.52\00:28:17.32
All these
opportunities came to Paul.
00:28:17.35\00:28:19.75
And, you know, especially if
you're willing to work for God,
00:28:19.78\00:28:22.84
He will show you -
open doors of opportunity.
00:28:22.87\00:28:25.90
I prayed, many, many
times... I said, "Lord, you know
00:28:25.93\00:28:28.35
I'm on the road, I'm
traveling and I'll say,
00:28:28.38\00:28:30.06
"Help me to recognize
opportunities to be a witness
00:28:30.09\00:28:33.26
for You in some way."
00:28:33.29\00:28:36.15
And just yesterday, my
neighbor might be watching this,
00:28:36.18\00:28:41.45
but I'll be careful...
00:28:41.48\00:28:44.11
We got the best
neighbors in the world,
00:28:44.14\00:28:47.15
and we've got one
neighbor that lives right by us,
00:28:47.18\00:28:49.84
and we got a cat that goes back
and forth between our houses.
00:28:49.87\00:28:54.19
You know, you
don't really own a cat,
00:28:54.22\00:28:55.86
they decide who they belong to,
00:28:55.89\00:28:58.12
and it's sort of the
neighborhood cat, and we don't
00:28:58.15\00:28:59.95
take care of him, so he and
I were talking about the cat.
00:28:59.99\00:29:01.68
Whenever I see this
brother, he's an ornithologist,
00:29:01.87\00:29:05.63
is that what it is,
dear? A studier of birds.
00:29:05.66\00:29:07.90
Yeah - I didn't know whether
to say that or orthodontist,
00:29:07.93\00:29:11.82
or something like
that, but anyway...
00:29:11.85\00:29:13.37
He is one who studies
birds and a really nice family,
00:29:13.40\00:29:17.79
and I've always thought,
you know, I've looked for
00:29:17.82\00:29:19.50
opportunity to share with them;
00:29:19.53\00:29:20.68
a very educated couple;
they travel around the world;
00:29:20.71\00:29:22.79
he's a specialist in birds...
00:29:22.82\00:29:24.40
And saw him out front, we
were talking about the cat
00:29:24.43\00:29:27.05
and I'm thinking, "Lord, I
wish I had some opportunity
00:29:27.08\00:29:29.38
to say something and just,
you know, turn the conversation
00:29:29.41\00:29:32.53
towards spiritual things
and he comes over to me while
00:29:32.56\00:29:35.12
I'm weeding my flowers and
says, "Doug, I need to ask you
00:29:35.15\00:29:37.84
to do me a favor."
00:29:37.87\00:29:39.26
I said, "Sure, anything."
00:29:39.29\00:29:41.27
And he said, "I'm going
on another birding trip,
00:29:41.30\00:29:44.29
I got some friends and
they are Seventh-day Adventists
00:29:44.32\00:29:47.20
and they live in Montana
and he said, I told them that
00:29:47.23\00:29:50.75
"Oh yeah, I've got a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:29:50.78\00:29:52.06
friend who lives across the
street, a guy named "Batchelor"
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.83
and he said, "Doug Batchelor,
oh, we watch his programs."
00:29:54.86\00:29:57.71
And he said, "If you'd just
sign a little card for them."
00:29:57.74\00:29:59.67
And so, it just gave me
an opportunity to give him a
00:29:59.70\00:30:02.34
book and I just
prayed... That's providence!
00:30:02.37\00:30:05.44
When you pray that
and oh, somebody says,
00:30:05.47\00:30:08.12
you know, "By the way,
I'm going to Montana and I'm
00:30:08.15\00:30:09.54
staying with Seventh-day
Adventists that know you...
00:30:09.57\00:30:11.93
And so, He'll open
doors for you if you ask;
00:30:11.96\00:30:14.95
doors for ministry,
doors for opportunity,
00:30:14.98\00:30:17.51
doors for careers,
doors for relationships,
00:30:17.54\00:30:19.87
and sometimes He closes doors.
00:30:19.90\00:30:22.67
And some of us, we don't want
to admit the doors are closed...
00:30:22.70\00:30:26.46
Like Balaam, we're on our donkey
riding with all we've got,
00:30:26.49\00:30:30.16
and we're beating the
donkey, we don't know there's
00:30:30.19\00:30:32.09
an angel in the way - you
know what I'm talking about?
00:30:32.12\00:30:35.75
We're just trying to plow ahead.
00:30:35.78\00:30:37.50
It's like the guy who
told everybody at the office,
00:30:37.53\00:30:40.28
he said, "Look, I'm going
on a diet, I know it's time,
00:30:40.31\00:30:42.57
and I'm giving up
donuts, no more donuts!"
00:30:42.60\00:30:46.04
He shows up the next
day, he's got a big box of
00:30:46.07\00:30:48.52
2 dozen donuts.
00:30:48.55\00:30:50.54
They said, "What happened, Fred,
00:30:50.57\00:30:51.67
we thought you
swore off the donuts?"
00:30:51.70\00:30:53.02
He said, "Well, it was God's
will that I get these donuts."
00:30:53.06\00:30:56.95
"Well how did
you figure that out?"
00:30:56.98\00:30:58.38
He said, "It was providence."
00:30:58.42\00:30:59.68
"Well, what do you mean?"
00:30:59.72\00:31:00.95
He said, "Well before I
left for work, you know, I often
00:31:00.98\00:31:04.38
drive by the donut
shop and it's just packed,
00:31:04.41\00:31:06.53
you can't ever find a
parking place and I said,
00:31:06.56\00:31:08.08
"Lord, if there's a parking
place right in front of the door
00:31:08.11\00:31:11.93
then I'll know it's
Your will for me to get this
00:31:11.96\00:31:15.09
box of donuts."
00:31:15.12\00:31:16.73
He said, "You know, I only
had to drive around the block
00:31:16.76\00:31:19.42
10 times and then a
parking place opened up,
00:31:19.45\00:31:22.53
and I knew it was God's will."
00:31:22.56\00:31:26.19
Now I'm telling you that
story because some of you do
00:31:26.22\00:31:28.80
... you use those incantations.
00:31:28.83\00:31:30.74
You say, "You know,
is this Your will, Lord?"
00:31:30.77\00:31:32.87
And you just keep pushing
the door down... You sure, Lord?
00:31:32.90\00:31:34.84
Sure, you'll kick it
open eventually sometimes!
00:31:34.87\00:31:37.92
And you wonder why
everything went wrong
00:31:37.95\00:31:39.60
and say -
"Wasn't this Your will?"
00:31:39.64\00:31:41.45
Well, you were
pushing awful hard.
00:31:41.49\00:31:43.27
And you know, Balaam
finally got where he wanted
00:31:43.30\00:31:45.61
the donkey to go, didn't he,
00:31:45.64\00:31:47.28
and he lost his
life in the process.
00:31:47.31\00:31:49.91
And God will often
permit you to do something
00:31:49.94\00:31:52.50
that is not His will
because you're pushing for it!
00:31:52.53\00:31:55.07
I remember one time, going
down in the street after I just
00:31:55.10\00:31:58.54
learned about the Bible
and the Lord and I sort of
00:31:58.57\00:32:00.97
accepted the Lord
and I also drank beer!
00:32:01.00\00:32:03.69
And I kept panhandling until
I got enough money to get beer.
00:32:03.72\00:32:06.83
And I said, "Well it
must have been God's will
00:32:06.86\00:32:08.17
for me to get beer
because I got the money!"
00:32:08.20\00:32:10.76
And I'm sure that same
logic is used by people who
00:32:10.79\00:32:13.10
stand at the intersections
around Sacramento all the time.
00:32:13.13\00:32:17.09
So, you know, sometimes
when you say, "providence,"
00:32:17.12\00:32:20.68
be sensitive to let
God lead and don't be
00:32:20.71\00:32:22.68
pushing the doors down.
00:32:22.71\00:32:23.84
There might be an angel in the
way with a drawn sword. Amen?
00:32:23.87\00:32:28.94
Then, I'm not putting these
necessarily in sequential order.
00:32:28.97\00:32:33.82
6. Pray. Pray that
God will guide you.
00:32:33.85\00:32:37.75
1 John 5:14-15, "Now this
is the confidence that we have
00:32:37.78\00:32:42.52
in Him, that if we ask
anything according to His will,
00:32:42.55\00:32:45.99
He hears us and if we
know that He hears us,
00:32:46.02\00:32:53.38
whatever we ask, we
know that we have the
00:32:53.41\00:32:55.23
petitions that
are asked of Him."
00:32:55.26\00:32:56.73
So when you pray, pray according
to the revealed will of God.
00:32:56.76\00:33:01.06
Again, John 15:15, Jesus said,
"I no longer call you servants
00:33:01.09\00:33:05.34
because a servant does not know
what his master's business is.
00:33:05.37\00:33:08.19
Instead, I called
you... what? friends...
00:33:08.22\00:33:12.02
for everything I've
learned from My Father,
00:33:12.05\00:33:14.44
I've made known to you."
00:33:14.47\00:33:15.67
If you want to know the
will of God, be a friend of God.
00:33:15.70\00:33:18.53
How do you
become a friend of God?
00:33:18.56\00:33:20.09
You talk to Him all the time!
00:33:20.12\00:33:21.73
You remember when the angels
were on their way to Sodom
00:33:21.76\00:33:24.50
to destroy it - God stops
by to see Abraham on the way!
00:33:24.53\00:33:27.12
He said, "Abraham, shall I
hide from you what I'm about
00:33:27.16\00:33:29.72
to do because you're my friend?"
00:33:29.75\00:33:31.60
Friends talk about their
plans together, don't they?
00:33:31.63\00:33:34.74
If you want to know the
will of God for your life,
00:33:34.77\00:33:37.24
then be a friend of God!
00:33:37.27\00:33:38.76
Spend time praying
and talking to the Lord.
00:33:38.79\00:33:42.65
God reveals His
will to His friends.
00:33:42.68\00:33:47.16
And that, by the
way, was Genesis 18:17
00:33:47.19\00:33:51.71
The secret things of God
are with those who fear Him.
00:33:51.74\00:33:55.71
Now praying may also
include fasting and praying.
00:33:55.74\00:33:58.59
There is different
intensity of knowing God's will.
00:33:58.62\00:34:01.16
I mean, you might say, "Where
shall we go for lunch today?"
00:34:01.19\00:34:03.78
"Shall we do
Mexican; shall we do Italian;
00:34:03.81\00:34:05.68
shall we do Chinese?"
00:34:05.71\00:34:07.04
Well, you might pray
about God's guidance in that,
00:34:07.07\00:34:09.78
and I think God even cares
about those things... I do.
00:34:09.81\00:34:13.36
I've prayed, "Lord, where shall
I go today and I look for God
00:34:13.39\00:34:16.10
sometimes to guide
me in little decisions.
00:34:16.13\00:34:18.24
But some things are big
decisions, for instance...
00:34:18.27\00:34:20.66
You know - Who shall I
marry; what move shall I make;
00:34:20.69\00:34:24.63
what job shall I take?
These are big decisions.
00:34:24.66\00:34:27.09
7. You might want to invest some
time in fasting and praying.
00:34:27.12\00:34:29.89
If you're praying about
God's will for someone else's
00:34:29.92\00:34:33.38
life too, you
might fast and pray.
00:34:33.41\00:34:35.96
When it's life and death
decisions you are making,
00:34:35.99\00:34:39.37
I recommend you fast and pray.
00:34:39.40\00:34:41.01
2 Chronicles 20:3-4,
When Israel was surrounded
00:34:41.04\00:34:45.54
by millions of enemies,
Jehoshaphat, he commanded
00:34:45.57\00:34:49.55
that the people fasted and
they prayed throughout Judah.
00:34:49.58\00:34:53.28
Acts 13:2-3, When
the disciples were
00:34:53.31\00:34:56.92
wondering what was the
next missionary endeavor...
00:34:56.95\00:35:00.29
The Bible says, "As
they ministered to the Lord,
00:35:00.32\00:35:03.82
and they fasted, the Holy
Spirit said, "Now separate
00:35:03.85\00:35:07.07
to me Barnabas and Saul for
the work that I called them to.
00:35:07.10\00:35:10.61
Then having fasted and prayed,
00:35:10.64\00:35:12.59
they laid hands on them
and they sent them away."
00:35:12.62\00:35:14.98
They knew the direction,
they knew the will of God,
00:35:15.01\00:35:17.34
as they listened and
they fasted and prayed,
00:35:17.37\00:35:19.76
and I'm sure they
applied the other criteria.
00:35:19.79\00:35:21.85
8. In determining the
will of God, have faith.
00:35:21.88\00:35:26.36
If you're going
to pray for His will,
00:35:26.39\00:35:29.57
then believe that
He'll show you His will.
00:35:29.60\00:35:32.09
Proverbs 3:5-6,
"Trust in the Lord."
00:35:32.12\00:35:36.22
What is trust?
It's to have faith.
00:35:36.25\00:35:38.31
"Trust in the Lord
with all your heart,
00:35:38.34\00:35:39.89
lean not on your
own understanding,
00:35:39.92\00:35:42.10
in all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will direct your paths"
00:35:42.13\00:35:47.24
The Bible says, "The
just shall live by faith."
00:35:47.27\00:35:51.54
So believe!
00:35:51.57\00:35:52.72
God has a plan for you
and that He's going to show it
00:35:52.75\00:35:55.26
to you in His time.
00:35:55.29\00:35:56.77
In the 3rd Bible
Commentary, p. 1155,
00:35:56.80\00:35:59.96
"When you've
sought to know His will,
00:35:59.99\00:36:02.35
your part in the
operation with God is to believe
00:36:02.38\00:36:05.57
that you will be led and guided
00:36:05.60\00:36:07.33
and blessed in the
doing of His will."
00:36:07.36\00:36:09.47
Think about it for a second...
00:36:09.50\00:36:10.78
If you're
willing to do His will,
00:36:10.81\00:36:13.48
then God is responsible
to reveal His will to you.
00:36:13.51\00:36:17.45
You must believe He is
going to do that, right?
00:36:17.48\00:36:20.82
I mean, if you're willing,
that's our biggest battle is
00:36:20.85\00:36:23.27
step #1- just be
willing to do God's will
00:36:23.30\00:36:25.42
and He will reveal it to you.
00:36:25.45\00:36:31.63
Now, it takes faith
sometimes to do the will of God
00:36:31.66\00:36:35.87
once it's revealed.
00:36:35.90\00:36:37.27
Some people are praying
about the will of God...
00:36:37.30\00:36:39.96
You don't need to pray
- "Well, shall I return a
00:36:39.99\00:36:41.89
full tithe."
00:36:41.92\00:36:44.23
You need faith to
do the will of God.
00:36:44.26\00:36:47.00
You know what the will is.
00:36:47.03\00:36:48.94
Or, do I need to pray
about the will of God to
00:36:48.97\00:36:52.26
follow His Word?
00:36:52.29\00:36:58.40
No, if it's revealed
in His Word, then you know
00:36:58.43\00:37:01.08
that it's His will.
00:37:01.11\00:37:02.27
Now, I put #9 right
where I did after #8 because
00:37:02.30\00:37:06.36
while you should have faith,
you should not be foolhardy.
00:37:06.39\00:37:10.78
When you're seeking the
will of God, be faithful,
00:37:10.81\00:37:14.23
be courageous,
but don't be foolish.
00:37:14.26\00:37:16.79
9. Sometimes the answer is
do the safe thing, that's #9
00:37:16.82\00:37:20.30
When you're
looking at all the options,
00:37:20.33\00:37:22.26
and one of them may be
risky, when it comes to
00:37:22.29\00:37:25.68
living the
Christian life, don't say,
00:37:25.71\00:37:27.69
"I'm going to see how
close to the edge I can get,"
00:37:27.72\00:37:30.19
and still - you know, like some
people want to walk like this,
00:37:30.22\00:37:33.10
the Christian life and
say, "Lord, is this Your will?"
00:37:33.13\00:37:35.03
No, get as far away from
that edge as you can get!
00:37:35.06\00:37:37.74
And if, you know, sometimes
if I'm getting ready to speak,
00:37:37.77\00:37:41.52
and I've got an
illustration I want to share,
00:37:41.55\00:37:43.45
and I think, "Boy, that
illustration is a little
00:37:43.48\00:37:45.00
on the edge, Lord -
should I share that or not?"
00:37:45.03\00:37:46.97
A little voice says,
"Doug, do the safe thing,
00:37:47.00\00:37:48.65
don't share it, I'll
give you something else."
00:37:48.68\00:37:50.23
From audience -
"Or else I tell you"
00:37:50.26\00:37:51.87
Or Karen - yeah...
Well, yeah - that's under the
00:37:51.90\00:37:56.94
category of "Spirit-led" or
the "Multitude of counselors"
00:37:56.97\00:38:00.50
that's that category.
00:38:00.53\00:38:03.35
You got the multitude
of counselors and you got
00:38:03.38\00:38:05.24
a spouse that gives
you a multitude of counsel!
00:38:05.27\00:38:10.52
... I'm sorry dear, but yeah,
that's what it's all about.
00:38:10.55\00:38:14.34
So, you want to be
cautious and you know,
00:38:14.37\00:38:17.63
... "Lord, is
this dress too short,
00:38:17.66\00:38:19.65
should I wear that to church?"
00:38:19.68\00:38:21.01
Do the safe thing -
lengthen your hem or
00:38:21.04\00:38:23.74
get a different
one... You know what I mean?
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.43
And so when you're
praying about the will of God,
00:38:25.47\00:38:27.19
just consider that,
don't take unnecessary risks
00:38:27.22\00:38:30.78
is what I'm saying there.
00:38:30.81\00:38:32.08
10. Again, these aren't
in order because this is very
00:38:32.11\00:38:35.59
important... Make
sure that God is glorified
00:38:35.62\00:38:38.40
in your decision.
00:38:38.43\00:38:39.79
Make sure your decision
will bring glory to God.
00:38:39.82\00:38:42.77
If it's going to
dishonor God and His kingdom,
00:38:42.80\00:38:45.86
then it's the wrong decision.
00:38:45.89\00:38:48.13
1 Corinthians 10:31,
"Therefore, whether you eat
00:38:48.16\00:38:52.00
or drink or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of God."
00:38:52.03\00:38:56.32
Keep the kingdom priorities.
00:38:56.35\00:38:58.85
Matthew 6:33, "But
seek ye first - in making
00:38:58.88\00:39:02.81
the decisions of God - seek
ye first the kingdom of God,
00:39:02.84\00:39:05.80
and His righteousness
and all these things
00:39:05.83\00:39:09.41
shall be added to you."
00:39:09.44\00:39:11.22
You might be saying, "Lord,
in this decision I'm making
00:39:11.25\00:39:14.87
regarding a career in my
life, or a choice in my life,
00:39:14.90\00:39:17.67
or someone I'm going to
marry or, you know, whatever
00:39:17.70\00:39:19.79
the decision might be
you're grappling with,
00:39:19.82\00:39:22.12
what is going to
reach the most people?
00:39:22.15\00:39:24.94
What will make the
biggest impact for Your kingdom?
00:39:24.97\00:39:27.57
How will I be
the best advertizing
00:39:27.60\00:39:30.04
agent for Your glory?
00:39:30.07\00:39:32.50
And make sure that's a major
factor in your decision process.
00:39:32.53\00:39:36.60
Now in keeping with that,
00:39:36.63\00:39:38.60
not just the glory of God,
what's the great commandment?
00:39:38.64\00:39:41.68
Love the Lord with all your
heart, mind, soul and strength.
00:39:41.72\00:39:44.70
And what's the second
part? Love your neighbor.
00:39:44.74\00:39:46.75
So, #11... In making a decision
about the will of God...
00:39:47.27\00:39:51.47
11. How will my
decision affect others?
00:39:51.50\00:39:54.70
I'm amazed sometimes when
people are making decisions
00:39:54.73\00:39:57.80
that all they're
thinking about is -
00:39:57.83\00:40:00.25
What's this
going to mean for me?
00:40:00.28\00:40:01.59
How much will I get paid?
00:40:01.62\00:40:02.78
How much do I like that climate?
00:40:02.81\00:40:04.16
How do I like the environment?
00:40:04.19\00:40:05.62
Or, what do I
think of the school?
00:40:05.65\00:40:07.65
And their decision,
they've got a family...
00:40:07.68\00:40:10.80
And their decision is going to
affect everybody in the family,
00:40:10.83\00:40:13.39
and I'm concerned sometimes,
I'll hear - often a man,
00:40:13.42\00:40:17.73
he's got some career opportunity
and it will mean uprooting
00:40:17.76\00:40:22.26
the family and taking
them away from all of their
00:40:22.29\00:40:25.00
family and the kids
out of school just before
00:40:25.03\00:40:27.67
they're ready to graduate
and all these tremendous
00:40:27.70\00:40:30.56
volcanic upheaval.
00:40:30.59\00:40:32.85
And, the husband is
thinking "Well, you know,
00:40:32.88\00:40:35.97
how much will I get
paid, what are my promotion
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.54
opportunities, and
yeah, they've got jet skiing
00:40:37.57\00:40:40.81
on the lake nearby and
they're just not thinking about
00:40:40.84\00:40:44.15
what it's going
to do to the family.
00:40:44.18\00:40:45.95
And so that's
something very important.
00:40:45.98\00:40:47.71
Christians should
be governed by love;
00:40:47.74\00:40:50.09
not just love for
God, but love for others.
00:40:50.12\00:40:52.34
And God wants us to
be considerate of how
00:40:52.37\00:40:55.75
your decision - and it may
not even be your family members,
00:40:55.78\00:40:58.49
it might be other people.
00:40:58.52\00:40:59.85
Romans 14:7, "For
none of us live unto
00:40:59.88\00:41:03.74
himself and no
one dies to himself."
00:41:03.77\00:41:07.02
And again, Galatians 5:14,
"For all the law is fulfilled
00:41:07.05\00:41:10.72
in one word, even this
you should love your neighbor
00:41:10.75\00:41:13.64
as yourself."
00:41:13.67\00:41:15.00
12. Be guided
by the Holy Spirit.
00:41:15.03\00:41:21.80
Pray that God's Spirit will
00:41:21.83\00:41:23.68
guide you in
making your decisions.
00:41:23.71\00:41:26.25
Now that sometimes is
one of the harder factors
00:41:26.28\00:41:28.46
to enunciate.
00:41:28.49\00:41:30.73
It's a very important one.
00:41:30.76\00:41:32.43
But for mature Christians,
you've heard that voice,
00:41:32.46\00:41:35.42
you know the
voice of the Spirit.
00:41:35.45\00:41:37.29
I mean, how else did
Abraham know when he was
00:41:37.32\00:41:39.55
supposed to take his son?
00:41:39.58\00:41:40.71
I'd want to know that
was God speaking to me,
00:41:40.74\00:41:43.47
and the Holy
Spirit will guide you.
00:41:43.50\00:41:46.24
Isaiah 30:21, "Your
ears will hear a voice
00:41:46.27\00:41:50.07
behind you saying, "This
is the way, walk ye in it"
00:41:50.10\00:41:53.93
whether you turn to the
right hand or to the left."
00:41:53.96\00:41:57.44
And so, when you're praying
about, "Lord, what is Your will"
00:41:57.47\00:42:01.19
regarding something, then
say, "How am I feeling led
00:42:01.22\00:42:06.58
by God's Spirit."
00:42:06.61\00:42:08.29
I understand that, years
ago, when some of the Arabs were
00:42:08.32\00:42:11.97
crossing these vast
deserts, that frequently,
00:42:12.00\00:42:15.48
someone in the caravan
would keep a dove with them
00:42:15.51\00:42:18.37
and they had a
long piece of string,
00:42:18.40\00:42:20.01
and if they got all
turned around somewhere
00:42:20.04\00:42:22.69
because of a sandstorm and
didn't know where they were,
00:42:22.72\00:42:25.22
they would release this dove...
00:42:25.25\00:42:26.61
and, you know, doves and pigeons
have these homing instincts
00:42:26.64\00:42:29.77
and as soon as
it would take off,
00:42:29.80\00:42:31.09
it would circle a little
bit and then start pulling
00:42:31.12\00:42:33.35
in the direction of home.
00:42:33.38\00:42:36.17
And you know, the Holy Spirit
sometimes is compared to a dove,
00:42:36.20\00:42:39.27
and you just want to have
that tug of the Holy Spirit
00:42:39.30\00:42:43.33
that is guiding you...
00:42:43.36\00:42:45.16
And, you know, John tells
us, "You don't need that any man
00:42:45.19\00:42:48.67
should teach you anything,
the Holy Spirit, the same,
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.61
will teach you."
00:42:50.64\00:42:51.87
And so, as we have
lived Christian lives of
00:42:51.90\00:42:54.30
walking in the Spirit,
we'll have the confidence
00:42:54.33\00:42:57.06
when God's Spirit is
telling us what to do.
00:42:57.09\00:42:58.90
Many times, you'll
see what Paul was saying,
00:42:58.93\00:43:01.36
The Spirit said - "Go here."
The Spirit said, "Come this way"
00:43:01.39\00:43:04.35
The Spirit said, "Don't go."
00:43:04.38\00:43:05.87
They were really in
touch with the Spirit of God.
00:43:05.90\00:43:09.20
And... the Spirit
of God, by the way,
00:43:09.23\00:43:11.66
will never guide you differently
from the Word of God, Amen?
00:43:11.69\00:43:17.37
So listen to the
voice of the Holy Spirit.
00:43:17.40\00:43:19.75
Now, what number
was that, that was #12.
00:43:19.78\00:43:23.40
Going on #13... this is
going to be a tough one!
00:43:23.43\00:43:26.25
Be patient.
00:43:26.28\00:43:28.75
In deciding the will of
God, you want to be patient.
00:43:28.78\00:43:32.95
James 5:11,
"Indeed, we count them
00:43:32.98\00:43:35.95
blessed who endure;
you've heard of the patience
00:43:35.98\00:43:39.07
of Job and seen, in the
end, the Lord that He is very
00:43:39.10\00:43:42.92
good and
compassionate and merciful."
00:43:42.95\00:43:45.56
And sometimes, when you're
praying about the will of God,
00:43:45.59\00:43:49.56
we become restless and
we want to do something,
00:43:49.59\00:43:51.52
and God is going to show you
His will, but you have to wait.
00:43:51.55\00:43:55.03
Sometimes He just
wants you to wait.
00:43:55.06\00:43:57.22
I mean, Moses wanted
to deliver his people,
00:43:57.25\00:43:59.61
and tried to do it
his way and it backfired.
00:43:59.64\00:44:01.46
He waited 40 years before
the next opportunity came along.
00:44:01.49\00:44:05.18
When you're praying about
a big decision, be patient!
00:44:05.21\00:44:09.03
You know what, periodically
people are thinking about
00:44:09.06\00:44:11.81
making some dramatic move
in their life and they've got
00:44:11.84\00:44:14.56
ailing parents and
they need to consider them,
00:44:14.59\00:44:18.59
and perhaps they
need to wait for them.
00:44:18.62\00:44:21.26
Or they have children
that are young and they can't
00:44:21.29\00:44:24.04
handle this kind of move or
this career change right now.
00:44:24.07\00:44:26.61
Give them a
couple of more years.
00:44:26.64\00:44:28.26
Wait on the Lord
and He'll guide you.
00:44:28.29\00:44:30.73
Sometimes you
haven't gotten an answer yet
00:44:30.76\00:44:32.45
because God wants you to
stay right where you're at,
00:44:32.48\00:44:34.68
and just be patient.
00:44:34.71\00:44:36.09
Yes, He's got a
big plan for your life!
00:44:36.12\00:44:38.11
He's got a big change!
00:44:38.14\00:44:39.51
He's got that person you're
supposed to spend the rest
00:44:39.54\00:44:41.66
of your life with - you haven't
met yet and you're wondering if
00:44:41.69\00:44:43.28
you're ever going to... Wait!
00:44:43.62\00:44:46.06
"Yeah, but Pastor Doug,
I've been waiting so long!"
00:44:46.09\00:44:48.16
Be glad - because you
are better off waiting
00:44:48.19\00:44:54.27
for God's will, having the
right job, the right spouse,
00:44:54.30\00:44:58.01
the right school, than
rushing ahead of the Lord
00:44:58.04\00:45:00.93
and having the wrong
job, you'd be miserable;
00:45:00.96\00:45:05.24
the wrong
spouse, the wrong school,
00:45:05.27\00:45:08.52
do you know what
I'm talking about?
00:45:08.55\00:45:09.78
And so you want to pray,
wait on the Lord, be patient.
00:45:09.81\00:45:13.62
Luke 21:19, "By your patience,
00:45:13.65\00:45:17.88
possess ye your souls."
00:45:17.91\00:45:20.71
And, part of following the
Lord and looking for His will
00:45:20.74\00:45:23.32
is standing still.
00:45:23.35\00:45:25.36
Remember those stories
in the Bible - Exodus 14,
00:45:25.39\00:45:27.58
Moses said to
the people, verse 13,
00:45:27.61\00:45:29.98
"Do not be afraid, stand still."
00:45:30.01\00:45:32.25
They didn't
know which way to go;
00:45:32.28\00:45:33.62
where they were supposed to go.
00:45:33.65\00:45:34.93
Nowhere - they were
supposed to stand still.
00:45:34.96\00:45:38.12
Sometimes God's
leading is your standing.
00:45:38.15\00:45:41.39
2 Chronicles 20:17,
"You will not need to fight
00:45:41.42\00:45:45.91
in this battle,
position yourselves,
00:45:45.94\00:45:48.10
stand still and see
the salvation of the Lord."
00:45:48.13\00:45:51.27
In other words,
sometimes the will of God
00:45:51.30\00:45:52.96
is not you going to it.
00:45:52.99\00:45:54.74
Sometimes the will of
God is it coming to you!
00:45:54.77\00:45:57.54
You just stay where you
are and watch what happens.
00:45:57.57\00:46:00.24
Sometimes you think that,
"I've got to get out of this
00:46:00.27\00:46:03.22
circumstance and I don't
know what I'm going to do,
00:46:03.25\00:46:05.42
and Lord, which way
am I supposed to go,
00:46:05.45\00:46:07.67
and what phone call do I make,
00:46:07.70\00:46:08.93
and which direction, what door?
00:46:08.96\00:46:10.57
And God is
saying... "Stay right there,
00:46:10.60\00:46:11.98
I'm going to change everything
without you moving anywhere."
00:46:12.01\00:46:14.80
So part of God's
leading is your being patient,
00:46:14.83\00:46:18.25
and trusting and
just stand still,
00:46:18.28\00:46:20.90
and see the
salvation of the Lord.
00:46:20.93\00:46:22.93
You know, the
generals, years ago,
00:46:22.96\00:46:25.43
you've often heard it said,
during the Revolutionary War,
00:46:25.46\00:46:29.14
their muskets
were very inaccurate,
00:46:29.17\00:46:32.61
and it took
forever to load them,
00:46:32.64\00:46:34.57
and what would the
general say to his troops
00:46:34.60\00:46:37.13
as they were itching fingers to
fire at the approaching enemy,
00:46:37.16\00:46:40.64
they'd say, "hold men, hold,"
00:46:40.67\00:46:42.97
and Washington said,
"Do not fire till you see
00:46:43.00\00:46:46.10
the whites of their eyes!"
00:46:46.13\00:46:47.78
And the patience -
you've got to wait for timing.
00:46:47.81\00:46:51.48
And so sometimes God says,
00:46:51.51\00:46:52.91
"You know you're wanting
to jump, it's not time, wait."
00:46:52.94\00:46:55.63
He'll tell you when the time is.
00:46:55.66\00:46:56.81
I've seen many times,
I've ran ahead of the Lord,
00:46:56.84\00:46:58.90
if I had just waited!
00:46:58.93\00:47:00.69
Now after you do
all these things,
00:47:00.72\00:47:02.83
I'm adding one more here,
well I'm adding a couple more.
00:47:02.86\00:47:07.61
14. Tally the evidence.
00:47:07.64\00:47:10.04
I've just given you a number
of criteria from the Bible
00:47:10.07\00:47:12.79
and good judgment on how do
you determine the will of God.
00:47:12.82\00:47:15.15
Sometimes it's not
any one of those things,
00:47:16.11\00:47:18.93
but it's the
addition, the accumulation of
00:47:18.96\00:47:21.87
many of those things that
helps you make a decision.
00:47:21.90\00:47:24.90
You kind of add things up,
it's like with those little
00:47:24.93\00:47:29.58
handheld GPS satellites
you use and you can use them in
00:47:29.61\00:47:32.58
your airplane - you can
use them when you're walking
00:47:32.61\00:47:34.66
on the trails now.
00:47:34.69\00:47:36.19
You first turn one
on; it will tell you your
00:47:36.22\00:47:38.95
exact location - it will
tell you which way to go,
00:47:38.98\00:47:41.35
but you've got to
wait a minute while it
00:47:41.38\00:47:43.42
acquires satellites.
00:47:43.45\00:47:44.65
You turn it on and it
will say it has one satellite,
00:47:44.68\00:47:47.04
you can't even triangulate
until you get 3 satellites.
00:47:47.07\00:47:50.15
You get real good altitude
and all kinds of information
00:47:50.18\00:47:54.22
if you get 5 or 7 satellites.
00:47:54.25\00:47:56.08
So you just wait until
you get all the satellites
00:47:56.11\00:47:58.19
and when it's picking
them all up and it says,
00:47:58.22\00:48:00.00
"we got 7 satellites
now," you can know pretty sure
00:48:00.03\00:48:02.37
where you are
within a couple of feet.
00:48:02.40\00:48:04.10
And so, when you're
praying about this big decision,
00:48:04.13\00:48:06.91
and say what does
the Word of God say...
00:48:06.94\00:48:08.24
It's not always
precise on everything...
00:48:08.27\00:48:10.13
So, well I got
some background there,
00:48:10.16\00:48:12.07
what do my Christian counselors
say; how will this glorify God?
00:48:12.10\00:48:15.50
And you just
start going through the
00:48:15.54\00:48:17.61
different
evidence - Make a list!
00:48:17.64\00:48:18.68
Karen and I, when we
were dating each other,
00:48:18.71\00:48:20.37
we made a list of what
the pros and cons were!
00:48:20.40\00:48:24.04
I hope she still
remembers the pros!
00:48:24.07\00:48:27.78
So, you know, you add
these things up and you say,
00:48:27.81\00:48:29.88
"Well you know, here
are the things to consider,
00:48:29.91\00:48:31.59
and you want,
hopefully, there'll be a
00:48:31.62\00:48:34.44
preponderance of
evidence on the right side
00:48:34.47\00:48:37.36
when you add up the list.
00:48:37.39\00:48:39.17
And by the way,
something everybody can do...
00:48:39.20\00:48:42.59
You might say, "Doug,
this is an interesting sermon,
00:48:42.62\00:48:44.36
it doesn't apply to me, I
am where I'm supposed to be,
00:48:44.39\00:48:46.57
I'm in the will
of God right now,"
00:48:46.60\00:48:48.20
but you always need
to be adjusting yourself
00:48:48.23\00:48:52.43
into the will of God... Always!
00:48:52.46\00:48:55.84
You know, they've got
these oil-drilling ships,
00:48:55.87\00:48:59.17
they used to just use
these platforms that they
00:48:59.20\00:49:01.25
would route and anchor
down in the seabed floor,
00:49:01.28\00:49:03.77
but now they got ships that
have these computer-controlled
00:49:03.80\00:49:06.88
propellers all the way around
the ship and the ship is not
00:49:06.91\00:49:10.56
anchored, the ship is
not tethered to the ground.
00:49:10.59\00:49:12.73
The ship is able to control
its location through constant
00:49:12.76\00:49:17.30
adjustments; micro milliseconds
adjustments of a computer
00:49:17.33\00:49:20.74
that are keeping it so
that it stays over the same spot
00:49:20.77\00:49:23.62
while it's drilling.
00:49:23.65\00:49:24.91
And you know, it's
sort of how a Christian is.
00:49:24.94\00:49:27.49
We are constantly measuring
that we're in the will of God
00:49:27.52\00:49:31.29
based on all these
things, all the time!
00:49:31.32\00:49:33.74
Because it's real easy for us
to do something called "sliding"
00:49:33.77\00:49:37.47
You stop calibrating that
you're in the will of God,
00:49:37.50\00:49:40.05
and you can start
sliding off center,
00:49:40.08\00:49:42.88
and as those
ships I just described,
00:49:42.91\00:49:45.01
if they don't make
continual adjustments,
00:49:45.04\00:49:47.12
the drill line
and the pipe cracks!
00:49:47.15\00:49:50.20
And so you want to constantly
be centered in God's will.
00:49:50.23\00:49:53.86
Some of you are sort
of in the right vicinity,
00:49:53.89\00:49:55.98
but you're not
centered in God's will.
00:49:56.01\00:49:58.72
And so, take a look at the list!
00:49:58.75\00:50:00.88
Now! I've got good news
for you in the last one here.
00:50:00.91\00:50:05.47
Oh, by the way,
another verse for #14...
00:50:05.50\00:50:07.75
"By the mouth of
2 or 3 witnesses,
00:50:07.78\00:50:09.93
shall
everything be established."
00:50:09.96\00:50:11.24
So you add up all the evidence,
one more verse for you...
00:50:11.27\00:50:14.89
15. When you're
deciding the will of God...
00:50:14.92\00:50:18.27
What is your heart's desire?
00:50:18.30\00:50:20.40
Yeah... don't
be ashamed of that.
00:50:20.43\00:50:24.41
What do you want?
00:50:24.44\00:50:26.24
Sometimes God places
things on your heart because
00:50:26.27\00:50:29.71
He's wanting
you to do something,
00:50:29.74\00:50:31.28
and He's putting it in
your heart where actually
00:50:31.31\00:50:33.92
you want the
same thing God wants.
00:50:33.95\00:50:35.35
Everyone
automatically assumes...
00:50:35.38\00:50:36.68
"All right Lord,
where do You want me to go."
00:50:36.71\00:50:38.81
"Oh, I got to
marry him, all right."
00:50:38.84\00:50:41.89
"What school?"
"Oh, this is the job,
00:50:41.92\00:50:44.03
oh man, I hate teeth,
but You want me to be a
00:50:44.06\00:50:46.39
dentist, I'll be a dentist."
00:50:46.42\00:50:48.06
And we're always thinking
that God's will is for us to do
00:50:48.09\00:50:51.35
what we don't want to do.
00:50:51.38\00:50:52.66
That's a myth!
00:50:52.69\00:50:53.88
God... if you're converted,
He will often then implant
00:50:53.91\00:50:57.63
within your heart, this burning
desire to do the very thing
00:50:57.66\00:51:00.17
He wants you to do.
00:51:00.20\00:51:01.69
If you're converted,
your desires are going to be
00:51:01.72\00:51:04.23
lining up with His desires.
00:51:04.26\00:51:06.29
Now let me give you
some Scripture for that
00:51:06.32\00:51:07.77
because you already feel
guilty about believing that,
00:51:07.80\00:51:10.11
but that's good news!
00:51:10.14\00:51:11.42
1 Chronicles 17:2,
David wanted to build a
00:51:11.45\00:51:15.41
temple for the Lord
- that was his desire,
00:51:15.44\00:51:17.35
to see a temple to
God's glory, and Nathan said,
00:51:17.38\00:51:19.97
"David do all
that's in your heart."
00:51:20.00\00:51:21.92
Well it turns out that it
was done through David's son,
00:51:21.95\00:51:24.31
but his desire
was still fulfilled.
00:51:24.34\00:51:26.04
Build a temple for the
Lord, God put it in his heart!
00:51:26.07\00:51:29.45
Psalm 21:2, "You have
given him his heart's desire,
00:51:29.48\00:51:34.91
and have not withheld
the request of his lips."
00:51:34.94\00:51:38.30
Psalm 20:4, "May
He grant you according
00:51:38.33\00:51:41.42
to your heart's desire
and fulfill all your purpose."
00:51:41.45\00:51:45.54
Many times, you'll pray
about something and you want it,
00:51:45.57\00:51:49.21
and God says,
"You know, I love you,
00:51:49.24\00:51:50.82
I want to give
you what you want."
00:51:50.85\00:51:52.33
Psalm 37:4, "Delight
yourself in the Lord...
00:51:52.36\00:51:55.60
... Now here's the key -
"Delight yourself in the Lord,
00:51:55.63\00:51:58.62
and He will give you
the desires of your heart."
00:51:58.65\00:52:01.58
If your delight is God
and His will, and His glory,
00:52:01.61\00:52:06.34
you'll be finding
out He's giving you
00:52:06.37\00:52:08.55
the desires of your heart.
00:52:08.58\00:52:10.26
That's exciting when you think
00:52:10.29\00:52:12.36
about that...
He'll surprise you!
00:52:12.40\00:52:14.36
God doesn't
what's worse for you.
00:52:14.40\00:52:16.32
He wants what's best for you!
00:52:16.35\00:52:18.29
And you have to
trust Him that in the end,
00:52:18.32\00:52:20.65
you'll always be happier being
in the middle of God's will
00:52:20.68\00:52:24.49
and doing what He asks.
00:52:24.52\00:52:26.75
I've got an
appeal for you here...
00:52:26.78\00:52:27.95
Romans 12:2, This
is a good verse I saved
00:52:27.98\00:52:31.91
and highlighted for
the end of this message.
00:52:31.94\00:52:34.83
Romans 12:2, "And do not
be conformed to this world,
00:52:34.86\00:52:39.81
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind."
00:52:39.84\00:52:44.20
And that's a
continual renewing of your mind.
00:52:44.23\00:52:46.70
Why? "That you might prove
- that means "test-evaluate,"
00:52:46.73\00:52:50.95
what is that good and
acceptable and perfect."
00:52:50.98\00:52:56.56
Now some people are doing
00:52:56.59\00:52:58.50
the imperfect will of God.
00:52:58.54\00:53:00.42
You should strive for
that good and that acceptable,
00:53:00.45\00:53:03.42
and that perfect will of God.
00:53:03.45\00:53:05.51
And that's where you're
going to be the happiest,
00:53:05.54\00:53:07.13
is when you're
where God wants you to be.
00:53:07.16\00:53:09.67
When you're right
directly smack-dab in the middle
00:53:09.70\00:53:11.91
of where God wants you to
be, you'll be happy! Amen?
00:53:11.94\00:53:16.10
Now we're going to do something
different here at the end.
00:53:16.13\00:53:18.26
I know I put in your hymnal
that we were going to sing
00:53:18.29\00:53:23.60
a hymn but we're going
to sing a song instead.
00:53:23.63\00:53:27.65
Stand up - we're going
to put this on the screen.
00:53:27.68\00:53:36.10
Does it scare you when I
come out here with my guitar?
00:53:36.13\00:53:41.83
Any of you remember the
Net '99 Program that we did?
00:53:41.86\00:53:46.48
We sang this
song, it's called...
00:53:46.51\00:53:48.02
"Help Me to
Know Your Will, Lord"
00:53:48.05\00:53:50.08
and I'll do it through
with you, Debbie knows it,
00:53:50.11\00:53:52.10
she was with us in New York.
00:53:52.13\00:53:53.91
I'll do this through
with you once and then I think
00:53:53.94\00:53:56.28
they're going to put... Yeah
they've got it on the screen.
00:53:56.32\00:53:58.09
Thank you
Cheryl, that's fast work!
00:53:58.12\00:54:00.23
All right...
00:54:00.26\00:54:07.53
Help me to know Your will, Lord,
00:54:11.20\00:54:15.71
That I may follow Thee.
00:54:15.74\00:54:20.14
Make me to hear
that still, small voice,
00:54:20.17\00:54:24.86
Tenderly calling me.
00:54:24.89\00:54:29.53
If when that waves are mounting,
00:54:29.56\00:54:33.90
Speak the words Peace be Still.
00:54:33.93\00:54:38.28
Give me the mind of Jesus,
00:54:38.31\00:54:43.14
Show me the truth that frees us,
00:54:43.17\00:54:47.57
I want to do what pleases You,
00:54:47.60\00:54:52.07
So help me to know Your will.
00:54:52.10\00:54:56.05
Lord, please help
me to know Your will.
00:54:56.08\00:55:01.10
Now you want to try it
again? You all sing it with me.
00:55:01.13\00:55:03.24
It's a good song, I
hope it sticks in your head.
00:55:03.27\00:55:06.57
Help me to know Your will, Lord,
00:55:08.94\00:55:13.36
That I might follow Thee.
00:55:13.39\00:55:17.86
Make me to hear
that still, small voice,
00:55:17.89\00:55:22.45
Tenderly calling me.
00:55:22.48\00:55:27.15
If when that waves are mounting,
00:55:27.18\00:55:31.32
Speak the words Peace be Still.
00:55:31.35\00:55:35.62
Give me the mind of Jesus,
00:55:35.65\00:55:40.52
Show me the truth that frees us.
00:55:40.55\00:55:45.15
I want to do what pleases You,
00:55:45.18\00:55:49.71
So help me to know Your will.
00:55:49.74\00:55:53.86
Lord, please help
me to know Your will.
00:55:53.89\00:55:59.73
Amen! Is that your
desire, friends? Yes!
00:55:59.76\00:56:03.01
Are you willing to do His will?
00:56:03.04\00:56:04.34
Step #1- Be
willing to do His will.
00:56:04.37\00:56:07.42
And don't forget
to follow the Word.
00:56:07.45\00:56:09.23
You're usually home free
if you've got those two down.
00:56:09.26\00:56:12.59
Is that your prayer?
00:56:12.62\00:56:13.91
Let's ask Him now.
00:56:13.94\00:56:15.38
Father in Heaven,
Lord, we know that real
00:56:15.41\00:56:20.16
happiness comes from
praying with sincerity,
00:56:20.19\00:56:24.13
Not my will, Thy will be done.
00:56:24.16\00:56:27.84
Lord, I pray that you'll
help all of us to recognize
00:56:27.87\00:56:31.66
how crucial it is
that we constantly check to
00:56:31.69\00:56:35.54
calibrate our lives
to make sure that we are
00:56:35.57\00:56:38.20
in the middle of your will.
00:56:38.23\00:56:39.97
Thank you for the
promise in Your Word -
00:56:40.00\00:56:42.31
That if any man is
willing to do His will,
00:56:42.34\00:56:44.87
He shall know.
00:56:44.90\00:56:46.15
Lord, we want
to be Your friends;
00:56:46.18\00:56:48.32
we want to know that
we are doing what You have
00:56:48.35\00:56:51.27
planned for us.
00:56:51.30\00:56:52.35
And if there are any
who are here or listening,
00:56:52.38\00:56:54.97
if some area of our lives,
we're getting off track, Lord,
00:56:55.00\00:56:58.13
I pray that we will
humble ourselves before You;
00:56:58.16\00:57:00.83
be pliable clay in the
Potter's hands and be willing
00:57:00.86\00:57:03.66
for You to direct and to
mold us into that pattern.
00:57:03.69\00:57:07.61
Lord, make us
willing to follow Your will.
00:57:07.64\00:57:11.23
Have Your own way
in our lives every day,
00:57:11.26\00:57:14.70
for when we see
Jesus on Calvary's Hill,
00:57:14.73\00:57:18.21
we want to be willing,
with Your Spirit filling,
00:57:18.24\00:57:21.37
willing to follow Your will.
00:57:21.40\00:57:24.12
In Jesus name we pray... Amen
00:57:24.15\00:57:27.71
Thank you for joining
us for this broadcast.
00:57:27.74\00:57:30.12
If you've missed any of
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00:57:30.15\00:57:32.38
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00:57:32.41\00:57:34.91
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00:57:34.94\00:57:37.55
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