Knowing God's Will Series

Today – We Will Refocus on the Series Derived from the Questions that Were Submitted by YOU

Looked at Salvation...Trinity...

TODAY – KNOWING GOD (HIs Will & Voice)

How He leads...Does he lead...

How far is God into that leading?

QUESTIONS

Scripture

Ps. 23

PRAY

I. Can I Know God’s Will

1982/3 – Found me in Tennessee attending college...

At a revival I gave my life to Christ...

I didn’t follow through with my commitment...

1985 – Found me in Great Bridge giving my life to Christ again - this time for good...

1991 – I was able to begin our church - FAM.

Funny thing is – I knew I was called into Ministry the very week after being saved...

It’s not that I knew "God’s Voice" as some would claim...Or that I was special – I JUST KNEW in my knower...

I Believe that God’s Will in 1982 & 1985 were the SAME – for me to pastor FAM

Over the PAST 16 Years – I have (Shawn & I) Sought to KNOW God’s Will for Our lives in MANY Instances...

AND Have Found His WILL...

His Voice...Insight...Spirit...& MORE

AT the SAME time – I haven’t Gotten up Every Day – Asking God to Tell me what to eat...Where to Shop...

Yet I Believe that He has Guided me in these very issues more than once.

I’m Saying – To Know God’s Will There has to be –

A VOICE (God’s WILL) that Guides me & an INTENT on my part to FOLLOW

PROBLEM is –

We don’t Understand how to Process that in to OUR lives – Functional...Working Truth...

KNOW THIS –

God Created YOU & Therefore He Knows Best How to:

Speak With You.

Guide You.

IN knowing God’s will:

1. Problems Abound

In the Church (Christians)

There are 3 Schools of Thought

· Constants – They seek God 24/7 for every piece of their life. They claim that God does call every shot in their life.

· Casuals – They Seek God on Special Occasions

Looking for a WORD on something.

· Care-LESS – They take it as it comes – seeing God as in Complete control or not really caring enough to find out

They aren’t sure that God will or does lead a person’s life...

TRUTH is Hearing God is a Dangerous Concept – Too often it’s used at times to keep people from asking...challenging...

Or it’s an idea that seems bigger than most

2 Questions

What if we are created to know God & his will for our life?

Isn’t living without it more dangerous?

Bible makes it clear that God is the Initiator of this Concept & is therefore More Interested in it than we typically are.

Therefore We can Expect it to be something that HE PURSUES & HELPS US UNDERSTAND

Why?

We will live & die on our own beliefs...Concepts...Faith...Insights...

Though at times God will transcend them – we will bring ourselves back into what we feel...believe...accept...

God will always be interested in us moving to different levels in understanding with him. –

Because he wants us to Experience our destiny – his presence...voice...direction...love...

NOTE – Hearing God is BUT 1 Piece of a Multi Faceted Relationship. Like any other relationship that you have – the speaking is but 1 small part of it.

You see – Hearing God can be void of knowing God.

i.e. We can hear God & not know Him. We can hear him & not listen to him. We can know God’s will & not be in it

2. There are also Personal Challenges to Hearing God

A FEW Problems relative to hearing God

· I can’t hear God

We see ourselves (or others) as inferior...Weak...Lacking...

This tends to Divide people without saying so...Truth is - God Spoke to ME LONG before I was ever Saved.

· Bible Roulette

Opening the Bible & just stick your finger on the page & you’ll know God’s will...

· It’s God’s Will

We take everything that comes our way as God’s Will. Forgetting that often we get to play a role into things LONG before they go south

· It’s Not for me

Again – seeing yourself as not one of "them"...

SCRIPTURE

Jn. 10:4 Sheep follow him for they know his voice...

We learn voices by Relationship

I know my children’s voices - even in a crowd.

Dan. 11:32 The people that KNOW their God shall be strong & do exploits...

Confidence comes from the VOICE that Comes from KNOWING the SPEAKER

Ps. 23 The Lord is MY shepherd – I shall not want...He makes ME to lie down in green pastures. He leads ME beside still waters. He restores MY soul. He leads ME in the paths of righteousness for his names sake. Yea – though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil – for you are with ME; your rod & staff comfort ME. You prepare a table before ME in the midst of MY enemies. You anoint MY head with oil and MY cup runs over. Surely goodness & mercy shall follow ME all the days of MY life & I will live in the house of the lord forever.