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The will of God - 11/5/2008 8:25:14 AM
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Prairiehiker
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Why is it so hard to discern the will of God when it comes to certain issues in our lives? Isn't the role of The Holy Spirit to guide us? If the Spirit is with us, then, why are His guidance not so clear a lot of times?
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 8:32:41 AM
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dianetavegia
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If we search scripture, God's will for our lives should be clear. God never contradicts Himself.
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 10:27:42 AM
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eaglesfeather
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Maybe try not having expectations of His guidence and just live for Him. I'm sure He will reveal very specific plans for you that you will achieve if you live for Him.
He also gave us the ability to chose many of our paths in life. If you over analyze you might miss spiritual and life opportunities.
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 11:16:40 AM
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d4nnyb0y02
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I believe when it comes to the will of God... we can definitely complicate it. God is good, and Jesus' burden is light. His yoke is easy. If we, being evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will God give to those who ask for His Holy Spirit?
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
I say, delight yourself in the Lord... seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness... then do whatever you want! God isn't going to give you a snake, or a scorpion. I trust that God is sovereign, and good, and that if we seek Him first, and delight ourselves in Him... then He will give us the desire of our heart, and all the things we need will be given to us. So, delight yourself in the Lord... then do whatever you want.
However, if you aren't delighting yourself in the Lord, and if you aren't seeking first the kingdom of God... please, do not do whatever you want, because that will not end good at all. :)
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(Gal 1:6;5:4) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 11:23:01 AM
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mvic
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Sometimes I do wish that God would speak clearly, in plain English, in words of one or two syllables.
But God isn't like that. And if He did speak clearly, telling us what to do and not do, then where would that leave our Free Will to choose? Apart from which, the very experience would probably give us such a fright we'd get a heart attack !!!
Of course, God does guide us. Through His Word in the Bible. By providing us with opportunities in our lives. Chance meetings with people. He speaks to us through events in our lives. He speaks through other people. And in some cases, He speaks to people directly - yes, directly. In a calm inner voice that some people can hear.
There are so many ways God speaks to us. Yet, we are not always receptive to His Word.
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 12:32:24 PM
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galadriel2
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Is there something specific that you don't know if God wants you to do or not? If we are forgiving and kind, keeping ourselves open to how we may sense the Spirit leading us, willing to serve, reading our Bibles and praying as we should every day, keeping our spiritual armor on, we will do pretty well, it seems to me.
God bless,
Galadriel
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 4:01:43 PM
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bravjim
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I'm am not sure what to tell you prairehiker, because I am struggling with this right now myself. I am struggling to figure some things out, and God isn't giving much direction. He has told me a lot of different stuff, but He never seems very specific when I do ask. He says to walk in my ways, put my kingdom first, trust in Me, and stuff along those lines, but He doesn't provide much direction when it comes to making a decision that will affect the rest of my life. I'm left with choices that do not pertain to choosing life or death, but has everything to do with choosing a direction for my life. These are the decisions that always seem to leave me falling on my own tail-end. I wish that He would direct me on specifics like this, instead of leaving me to fail again and again on things where I need direction so that I can go where He wants me to go and do what He wants me to do.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 4:45:52 PM
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Prairiehiker
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Guys, I’m not struggling with anything personal right now. I old belief is that the will of God is written in the bible and we should just follow that guidelines that were set before us. For example, if I am dating a non Christian, is there a point in asking God for guidance and direction about finding his will in this situation? Isn’t it written there already. Or if I want to pursue a relationship with a Christian. Isn’t that within the moral will of God and we don’t really need to struggle too much in this area. Lately, I’ve been reading so much arguments about asking for the Holy spirit’s leading and trusting God and it always goes back to the same conclusion. We’re not trusting God if we’re pursuing certain direction where we haven’t heard from the Lord. Is that really how it works? I mean, I subscribe to the belief that if it’s within the moral boundaries that were set before us, we have free will to act. We don’t need some heavy confirmation to go ahead.
I’m at work so I can’t elaborate right now on my thoughts. But I’ll come back to this later.
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Wishing for a Steelers/Eagles superbowl.
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RE: The will of God - 11/5/2008 5:21:56 PM
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Liveloved
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Prairiehiker
Why is it so hard to discern the will of God when it comes to certain issues in our lives? Isn't the role of The Holy Spirit to guide us? If the Spirit is with us, then, why are His guidance not so clear a lot of times?
I've encountered this question a number of times here on the forum and I want to share what I learned about this from J. Oswald Sanders in his book, Spiritual Leadership. This book is a classic, perhaps the best book written on the topic.
We naively think that the more we grow as Christians, the easier it will be to discern the will of God. But the opposite is often the case. God treats the mature leader as a mature adult, leaving more and more to his or her spiritual discernment and giving fewer bits of tangible guidance than in earlier years. The resulting perplexity adds inevitably to a leader's pressure.
D. E. Hoste said to a friend: The pressure! It goes on from stage to stage, [changing] with every period of your life. . . . Hudson Taylor [once] said how in his younger days, things came so clearly, so quickly to him. "But," he said, "now as I have gone on, and God has used me more and more, I seem often to be like a man going along in a fog. I do not know what to do." (p.121)
Perhaps these words from those who loved and served Jesus will bring encouragement to all who 'wonder' about God's will. Bless you, LL 
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RE: The will of God - 11/6/2008 7:51:10 AM
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dianetavegia
Posts: 2031
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From: Southern Baptist, Non Calvinist, Pro Life Ga. girl
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
I'm am not sure what to tell you prairehiker, because I am struggling with this right now myself. I am struggling to figure some things out, and God isn't giving much direction. He has told me a lot of different stuff, but He never seems very specific when I do ask. He says to walk in my ways, put my kingdom first, trust in Me, and stuff along those lines, but He doesn't provide much direction when it comes to making a decision that will affect the rest of my life. I'm left with choices that do not pertain to choosing life or death, but has everything to do with choosing a direction for my life. These are the decisions that always seem to leave me falling on my own tail-end. I wish that He would direct me on specifics like this, instead of leaving me to fail again and again on things where I need direction so that I can go where He wants me to go and do what He wants me to do.
Bravjim, what does the Bible say? Can you be more specific? Work? Ministry? Marriage? Health issues?
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RE: The will of God - 11/6/2008 9:11:08 AM
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bravjim
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There are 2 points that I am wrestling with. I have felt a need to move back to Indiana for a couple of years now, and I am concerned about finding work. I just do not know what kind of job He wants me to get. I am very capable of doing a number of different types of job, but it doesn't seem matter what kind of job I do, I wind up going from one job to another for one reason or another. I need to find a stable job where I can stick with it like I had back in the first half of this decade, where I worked for about 3 years at the same job. I' ve been asking Him for direction on where He wants me to work, but get no answer.
I've also felt the desire to move to Indiana since my grandfathers funeral, just after getting saved. My dad and my step mom are both christians, as are a number of other family members, and I want to be close to them because I am having trouble connecting with my church here. It feels like going to a concert or a play or something when I attend church here. I am surrounded by strangers who come in, watch the show, then get up and leave. Yet the church back home very much has the kind of connection that you would see in a family atmosphere.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: The will of God - 11/6/2008 2:28:33 PM
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CANDYLADY
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I feel like god have left me cause I keep on having issues with employment 
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RE: The will of God - 11/7/2008 8:35:28 AM
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URForgiven
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
There are 2 points that I am wrestling with. I have felt a need to move back to Indiana for a couple of years now, and I am concerned about finding work. I just do not know what kind of job He wants me to get. I am very capable of doing a number of different types of job, but it doesn't seem matter what kind of job I do, I wind up going from one job to another for one reason or another. I need to find a stable job where I can stick with it like I had back in the first half of this decade, where I worked for about 3 years at the same job. I' ve been asking Him for direction on where He wants me to work, but get no answer.
I've also felt the desire to move to Indiana since my grandfathers funeral, just after getting saved. My dad and my step mom are both christians, as are a number of other family members, and I want to be close to them because I am having trouble connecting with my church here. It feels like going to a concert or a play or something when I attend church here. I am surrounded by strangers who come in, watch the show, then get up and leave. Yet the church back home very much has the kind of connection that you would see in a family atmosphere.
God's will is that you trust and depend upon Him in all things. We live by faith, and our faith is in Him. When we are living by faith in Him, everything we do is in His will. We go, He guides. But we do have to go, He cannot guide what is not moving.
I have made many moves in my life, some good, some bad. Without a doubt, it has always been my motivation that determined the outcome. We are very good at deceiving ourselves about our motives, so prayer and Godly advice from others is important.
The bottom line is, would you be moving to something, or away from something? We cannot run away from ourselves. Believe me, I have tried. Wherever we go...there we are. It does not sound like you are running away, but only you can say for sure. Just be honest with yourself.
Peace
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"Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit,
are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?" Galatians 3:3
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RE: The will of God - 11/7/2008 8:37:58 AM
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Prairiehiker
Posts: 3264
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quote:
ORIGINAL: URForgiven
God's will is that you trust and depend upon Him in all things. We live by faith, and our faith is in Him. When we are living by faith in Him, everything we do is in His will. We go, He guides. But we do have to go, He cannot guide what is not moving.
I have made many moves in my life, some good, some bad. Without a doubt, it has always been my motivation that determined the outcome. We are very good at deceiving ourselves about our motives, so prayer and Godly advice from others is important.
The bottom line is, would you be moving to something, or away from something? We cannot run away from ourselves. Believe me, I have tried. Wherever we go...there we are. It does not sound like you are running away, but only you can say for sure. Just be honest with yourself.
Peace
Thank you for that, URForgiven. Very well thought out advice.
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Wishing for a Steelers/Eagles superbowl.
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RE: The will of God - 11/7/2008 8:48:26 AM
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DaveW
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I have found that the areas I have difficulty finding God's will in are the areas that I have my own strong opinions or feelings that can camoflage or completely bury that "still small voice." All I can hear are my own feelings.
In echo of URF's word, a friend and former home group leader once told me "God cannot steer a parked car. If you are going the wrong direction He can turn you around, but cannot redirect you if you are not moving."
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 3:04:19 PM
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bravjim
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I already know what you are saying. I'm not sure how to put what is in my mind into words. I do know that at this point in my life, everything that I used to be interested in or passionate about is pretty much been brought to nothing. I have trouble even getting into football or baseball games, which I spent most of my life watching and learning all that I could about them. It was a passion. Now that passion is nothing more than a mere interest, and this started after I got saved and realized that the sports had become like idols to me. I lived for them. But after I got saved, I started to change and lose everything that I was once passionate about, and I believe that God was intent on replacing them with something else.
That is just one area. At this point, every area of my life is like that, where I have no passion about anything other than my relationship with God. Nothing matters to me anymore. I think I am at a point where some would say that I have come to the end of myself, and I have no idea of where to go from here. It is time for a new beginning, where I commit to following God more closely than I have ever in the past. I am looking to God to direct me on what I should do so that I don't continue to fall on my behind, something where I can find a bit of success according to the way that He has made me and serving the purpose for which He made me. It is like a point where I am supposed to give my whole life to Him in some way, but I do not know how, or in what way. I have come to understand that nothing is a substitute for God, and that nothing, not a career, or a family, or a sport, or a hobby, anything brings me any kind of fulfillment. So I go in search of something, and yet can not find it.
It's like, say a doctor, is fulfilled by doing good by healing others. A lawyer may find fulfillment from fighting injustice. An accountant finds fulfillment from working with numbers. A pastor finds fulfillment from preaching the word. A teacher finds fulfillment in shaping the minds of the young. It is like a higher purpose for them. That is what I am looking for, and struggling to find. A way to dedicate my life to doing something good, being a part of something bigger than myself, and not just working to pay my bills. It is direction, and nothing less. I am willing to do whatever He intends for me to do, but He doesn't answer me as to what I am to do. I know that if I strike out on my own, and it isn't part of His will for me, then I will wind up right back at this point again. So it kind of freezes me, because I do not know what to do.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 3:15:42 PM
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freeholder
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Read the word of God, the Bible is the first place to look for the Spirit's guidance. You will find the answer there someplace. Use the concordance and look it up. I'm being dogmatic or fatuous, the is the truth. I hve never not found an answer there. I haven't always listened...
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 3:34:18 PM
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terryjohn
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The will of God is simple in that His will is that we be transformed into the image of His only begotten son Jesus the Christ. Now many run here and there looking for the will of God but in reality the will of God can and should be enacted wherever you are and in whatever you are doing or want to do for scirpture says He will give you the desires of your heart. So why say the will of God is so hard to determine, do you not know Christ? If you do know Christ than be Him and you have fulfilled the will of God wherever you are and in whatever you are doing.
Don't be burdened with thinking that the will of God is outside of you, for the kingdom itself is not made of bricks and walls but of people of faith and love in every place and in every good work.
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 3:59:45 PM
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bravjim
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Now see, you all do not comprehend what I am saying. I do know exactly what you are talking about, having read and studied the bible myself many times over. The answer that I am seeking is not there. It is specific direction on whether I should move back to Indiana, or what job I should be seeking out. To say that He will give you the desires of your heart is to miss the boat. All of my desires have died. I have none left, but to serve Him in some capacity.
Oh, and by the way, the kingdom is yet to come. The promised land is available to us today, but the kingdom as described in the bible does not come to the earth until Christ returns following the great tribulation. Till then, we are in the world, but not of the world.
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I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfilll the lust of the flesh.
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 4:06:19 PM
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misty35
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From: Arkansas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: bravjim
Now see, you all do not comprehend what I am saying. I do know exactly what you are talking about, having read and studied the bible myself many times over. The answer that I am seeking is not there. It is specific direction on whether I should move back to Indiana, or what job I should be seeking out. To say that He will give you the desires of your heart is to miss the boat. All of my desires have died. I have none left, but to serve Him in some capacity.
Oh, and by the way, the kingdom is yet to come. The promised land is available to us today, but the kingdom as described in the bible does not come to the earth until Christ returns following the great tribulation. Till then, we are in the world, but not of the world.
I understand what you are saying here, and as you know, I have been faced with some difficult times as well, but Im learning just what patience means when it comes to God's timetable, and thats not easy for me!! But He is teaching me how to trust Him and how to hear His voice, and I have learned, when He answers, there is no doubting Him. So, I believe the same for you, more patience and trusting.....that He will answer you. I think we all magnify our problems and situations a little too much, and forget God is much bigger than anything we face. And thats not directed at anyone personally.....Im at fault for this as well, but again...its a process, and He's teaching us.
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"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 
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RE: The will of God - 11/8/2008 7:30:04 PM
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RamiRedeemed
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Brav,
I completely understand where you're coming from. I have no idea what to do either but I totally hear what you're saying. I kinda feel like what my gram used to say... 'darned if you do, darned if you don't.' Especially knowing that whatever you try is going to fail if it's not what God has intended. GRRR! But sitting around doing nothing isn't helping either. Shoot, I dunno Jim, wish I knew what to tell ya but I'm just as frustrated as you are. Ooo, and answer your PM please lol the question meant a lot to me.
I'll pray for ya tho!
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Others talk because they have to say something.
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RE: The will of God - 11/9/2008 11:08:29 AM
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wearhisname
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Prairiehiker
Why is it so hard to discern the will of God
I belive that it is because we have been given free will.
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