S.R. James 4:13-17

Introduction

  1. Personal Questions:
    1. Does God have a will or purpose for your life?
    2. If yes, how should you make personal decisions? On what basis?
  2. Is That You, Lord? Hearing the Voice of the Lord: A Biblical Perspective by Gary E. Gilley. (2007)

Outline

  1. How Did God Speak to People Before Jesus?
    1. A quick survey of the Old Testament shows that in the beginning, God did indeed speak “in many ways.” “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets!” (Hebrews 1:1)
  2. How Does God Speak to People Now?
    1.  “But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world!” (Hebrews 1:2)
  3. The Role of the Apostles
    1. Jesus knew that He would leave earth and return to the Father in Heaven (John 17:1-5), so before that time He selected apostles.
  4. The Scriptures ARE the Word of God (Position Accepted)
    1. The truth is that the Bible IS the word of God! (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
  5. How then do we discern the will of God in our personal lives?
    1. What do we mean by the “will” of God?
      1. Deuteronomy 29:29 “"The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.” (NNAS)
      2. Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
      3. Has God instructed us to search for His specific will? Personal and unique?
      4. No teachings, examples or commands in New Testament are given to Christians to seek God’s individual will for their lives.
      5. On the other hand, if God chose to redirect someone, it was clear and direct. a.   (Acts 15:36; Acts 16:6-10)
    2. Does God grant us “choices” in accomplishing His will in our lives?
      1. Note the pattern in the New Testament.
        1. Titus 3:12 “come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.”
        2. 1 Thessalonians 3:1 “Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,”
        3. Philippians 2:25 “But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus,”
        4. 1 Corinthians 16:3-4 “whomever you may approve”… he saw it as “fitting for me to go also.”
      2. Marriage; (1 Corinthians 7:39)
      3. Occupation: (Ephesians 4:28)
    3. How do we discern what are the better and best choices?
      1. Discernment involves judgment between alternatives.
        1. Hebrews 5:14; Philippians 1:9-11
      2. We must look to Scripture to discern God’s will for our lives
        1. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “
      3. We must renew our minds by “true knowledge.”
        1. 2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
        2. Ephesians 5:17 “understand what the will of the Lord is” (cf. Ephesians 3:3-5)
        3. 2 Timothy 3:17 “for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
      4. Pray for wisdom (James 1:5-8) then act with your best judgment and don’t look back.
      5. Seek Wise Counsel – not infallible counsel (Proverbs 12:15; 13:10; Romans 15:14)
    4. God’s will is discerned in Scripture, not in life events.
      1. Ecclesiastes 8:14, 17; 9:11 - 12
  6. God Speaks to Us Today Through the Scriptures (2 John 9; 1 Corinthians 4:6)
  7. Conclusion
    1. The Bible nowhere teaches that God has a specific will for every believer’s life that is to be found by “extra – biblical” means.
    2. People could and can say no to God. (Acts 2:41; 26:17-20)
      1. Even when there was supernatural communication, they had a choice.