Knowing God's Will - Choosing Wisely

The following material is taken from a PowerPoint presentation originally presented to a Junior/Senior high ministry. If you would like the original PowerPoint, drop me an email at robert.fox@alltel.com

1In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

Slide title: KNOWING GOD’S WILL

Subtitle: How to Choose Wisely

Graphic: picture of the old knight at the end of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”

When I was in college, a friend of mine, a fellow student, announced one day that he had “surrendered to the call.” This was quite a shock to me. I was used to hearing that phrase from church staff and missionaries, but not from my friends. The phrase is a strange part of the “church-speak” language we learn on Sundays, but no one really uses in the real world. What does it really even mean? What does it mean to be “called” by God?

For that matter, how does God talk to us at all? Some of the big decisions are pretty easy (should I steal from the company, should I cheat on a test). Other decisions are much harder (which college should I attend, is this the person God wants me to marry).

We make thousands of decisions each day. How do we know if we’ve made the right choices? How do we know God’s plan for our life? Remember the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”? At the end when Indiana Jones has to select a cup to drink from? Remember holding your breath waiting for the old knight to say, “you have chosen…wisely” Whew! Can’t you just imagine sometimes that eternal judgement will be something like that? I know it’s not biblically correct, but I can just imaging me standing in a long line of people. I finally get up to the front, and Saint Peter looks me up in the book. “Robert, you have chosen…” What!? Wisely, poorly? Do you really know what he will say? How do you know if you made the right choices?

Speaking as a parent, I can tell you that your folks are tearing their hair out trying to figure out how to help you become the kind of person who makes wise choices. How do you do that? How do you become the kind of person who makes good choices?

Slide Title: “What is God’s Goal for You”

Slide text:

Bullet 1: Have a personal relationship with him

Bullet 2: Be conformed to the image of Christ

28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31

God has a plan for you:

’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ’plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (Jer. 29:11).

Before we talk about how to determine God’s goal for your life, it must be said that, before anything else, God wants a personal relationship with you. If you don’t have that going on, you don’t need to be worried about whether God wants you to be a missionary, or whether he wants you to date that cutie in fourth period. None of that matters until you have a relationship with God.

We are going to talk more about the meaning of “salvation” and “redemption” in a couple of weeks. If you are unsure of whether or not you are going to heaven when you die, don’t wait. Come and talk to me right away. But what we’re talking about today is primarily directed toward those of you who are already saved. You have given your life to Christ, but you aren’t quite sure what you are supposed to do now. What does Christ want you to do?

What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Christ? The meaning of the word “Christian” is to be “Christ-like”. But how do we apply that to the decisions we have to make? How do you answer the question “what would Jesus do?” Does the creator of the universe actually communicate individually and personally with every believer? Does the God who set the planets in motion have some grand plan that requires your involvement? Does Satan also have a plan for you?