Just Do Something

I picked up a copy of the book Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung yesterday at church. It's a small book, one that you could easily fit into your purse or pocket, with only 128 pages. Joshua Harris recommended this book on his website and he also wrote the Foreword for the book (read it here).

Since Gene and I recently had to make some big decisions about our future, I sat down last night to begin reading this book on "finding God's will." I read the first 42 pages straight through because I just couldn't put the book down! It is soooo good! I kept saying to Gene that I wish we would have read this book BEFORE we went through our big decision-making process a few weeks ago. The truth in this book certainly would have served my soul during that time.

The back of the book jacket says this:

Too often, he writes, God's people tinker around with churches, jobs, and relationships, worrying that they haven't found God's perfect will for their lives. Or--even worse--they do absolutely nothing, stuck in a frustrated state of paralyzed indecision, waiting...waiting...waiting for clear, direct, unmistakable direction.

But God doesn't need to tell us what to do at each fork in the road. He's already revealed HIs plan for our lives: to love Him with our whole hearts, to obey His Word, and after that, to do what we like.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book. For those of you in Gaithersburg, it was only $5 at the CLC bookstore.

Some Three Circles Examples

CASE STUDY #1:
Bonnie has been married to Clyde for quite some time and has grown tired of his lazy attitude. Clyde hasn't taken her out or commented on her looks in years since the birth of their second child. Clyde works all day and then comes home, grabs his dinner and goes into the living room to watch the game. Bonnie struggles to remain happy being married to Clyde and has often wondered if she made the wrong choice when she chose Clyde over Ed way back when. Bonnie is thinking about finding out what ever happened to Ed. She does end up finding his address and they meet a few times, unbeknownst to Clyde. Now Bonnie is thinking of leaving Clyde, because he doesn't compliment her and make her feel good like Ed does.

Okay what do the three circles say to Bonnie as she's pondering this choice? God's Word would say, "Thou shall not commit adultery." This falls under the first circle, which deals with things prohibited by God. Bonnie is basing her decision on her feelings rather than God's commands.

CASE STUDY #2:
Henry is thinking about changing his job as a construction worker to an office job because he'll be able to provide better for Harriet and their two kids. The office job will require him to be out of the house more and work two weekends a month. His construction job is a consistent nine to five, and he has the weekends off. Which option should Henry choose?

This is the second circle, where Henry needs input for wisdom. After talking with Harriet, Henry goes and discusses his options with a few other friends and Pastor Bob. They ask him why he wants to switch jobs, and Henry tells them that he'd be able to save more money each month to put away for his children's college education. His motives appear to be good, because he's thinking of his kids. Pastor Bob simply asks Henry what he'll be sacrificing if he takes the office job. Henry will miss his kids' hockey games and will miss the family picnics they have after church each Sunday. These have been key times to train and equip his kids. Henry would also be missing his Date Nights with Harriet on Wednesday nights. He takes all of the information he has gathered before God in prayer and then discusses it with Harriet. They decide that it'd be better if Henry keeps his construction job and works some overtime, which they can put towards their children's college.

CASE SUDY #3:
Here is the final example, which is a "fun one". Sally is attending Someoneloves U., a small university in northern Wisconsin. Sally has often wondered when and if she'll ever meet "the one". Who will that person be and how will she ever find him at such a small college where the girls out number the guys nine to one? Sally knows that she should be looking for a Christian guy who has the same values and desires for the future that she does. Sally attends a small church Bible study each week and there are a few guys there who she gets along well with; Bill and Rick. There's also Steve from her chemistry class, but she knows he's not a Christian (That goes against God's commands; the first circle). Then it all boils down to Bill or Rick. Bill leads the Bible study at their church and is studying to be an engineer. Rick is very passionate about his faith, also, and is looking to be a doctor. Sally gets along well with both Bill and Rick and she thinks that both of them have an interest in her. Friday after Chemistry class Rick meets Sally and walks with her. He says that he really likes her and asks her out on a date. Sally is elated. That is until she gets back to her dorm room to find that Bill has slid a note under her door which simply reads, "Do you like me, check yes or no?" Now Sally is in a quandary. Who does she choose?

Quick Sally.....to the three circles! Sally thinks about Rick and Bill and they both meet God's commands for a Christian husband. On to circle two. Sally talks with her pastor at the church about both guys. Pastor Bob tells Sally that Bill is a great godly man, who loves to study God's Word. He has no reservations about Bill. But Rick is also a very godly man with a passion for God, his family, and puppies. "Wow Sally, you've got a tough decision." Okay all that's left is the third circle. Bill or Rick? Rick or Bill? Both guys seem like quality Christian guys whose future desires align with Sally. But which one is "the one". Don't flip that coin Sally! Here Sally has a choice to make. She has two options which both seem to align with God's plan for her future. Now she has to pray about it and choose one and trust that God will guide her and bless her with whomever she chooses. Sally must believe that God will bless her relationship and direct her in it, even in this quaint Wisconsin college of Someoneloves U.

I hope these 3 examples helped to clarify the three circles for ya.

The Three Circles of God's Will

When trying to discover God's will for a particular situation, how many of us just want God to give us a direct answer, a sign so crystal clear that we can't miss it? I have to admit I want that sometimes. But when discovering God's will and sovereign plan for our lives we need to make sure that our desires and thoughts are lining up with His commands in the Bible. We need to be careful that when we are making a choice we are aligning our selves with God's desires and not being led my our own selfish desires. Petty doesn't agree that there is an "ideal plan for our lives" and that we can miss the boat and be left with His second best. Because we live in a fallen world, sin is always a factor, and God doesn't just sigh and say, " Okay you missed my Plan A, my best plan for your life, so now I'll see what I can do now." God doesn't work that way. Petty puts it very well when he says, "Guidance is discerning God's moral and spiritual preferences as they apply to our life's situations. It is NOT a detailed plan to be discovered or or communicated by God in extra-scriptural communication." (p.101)

Another side note in determining God's will is that we're not supposed to test God. Uh Oh. I may be guilty of this one. Has anyone else not been able to decide on something and either flipped a coin or said, "God if such and such happens I know you want me to do this or that." Yep I foolishly have been guilty of that in the past. I remember the coin toss that landed me at Bloomsburg University, not Elizabethtown or Mansfield. Was this a good way to test God? Nope, but He chose to patiently work through that to give me an education, align my life with many of you, and lead me to my wife. You might say, but Gene how do you know He wouldn't have given you better friends and memories in Elizabethtown? You could have taken up medicine there instead of teaching and made more money. This may be true, but I can't imagine a better outcome. I know that I'm living out God's desires for my life, because I'm striving to live my life according to His word the best that I can. Do I make bad choices? (Let me count the ways) But for the most part I'm taking decisions that need made big or small to God's Word,Renee, my pastors, and other counsel to seek wisdom form them. (I no longer foolishly flip a coin, though it'd be easier.)

Coin tossing = Bad

Seeking God's Word =Good

I believe that Petty's three circles visual is very helpful in clarifying how to determine God's will. So picture with me a bulls eye that has three rings.

1) The center circle is Area of Things Prohibited by God in His Word.

These would be things were called to "put off", such as stealing, murdering, adultery, slandering, lying, etc... These are forbidden by God and He requires us to obey His laws. These are also things that require church discipline.

2) The next circle out is the Area of The Application of God's Positive Commands

Guidance by wisdom and discernment, can be in or out of God's will depending on the situation, motive, outcome, etc.

3) The outer circle is the Area of Christian Liberty.

These are choices between equally good alternatives, God seems to be opening doors in a certain direction, but the motive must glorify God.

Later I'll give an example which walks through the three circle which hopefully will be helpful.

Guidance and Promises of God

God seems very big and man very small when you think about the immensity of the universe. So you may be tempted to ask yourself from time to time, "Self, does God really care about little ol' me?" The answer is a hands down YES!

God's Word says that He knows each hair on your head. We ARE important to God. We are called to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Our small size simply shows how much we really need to trust in our almighty God. This is an outstanding quote by Petty, "We should not project onto God the qualities we desire. Rather, we ought to examine carefully what He has revealed about Himself and then base our lives on that."

God's guidance can be categorized as how God used to guide individuals in the Old Testament, such as how how led Abraham or Moses through more direct conversations. In the Psalms it talks about how God promised to guide and care for David, and those promises still hold true for us today.

After Christ came to Earth in the New Testament God promises to shepherd His people in grace and mercy not through thundering commands as He did in times of old. We are part of God's chosen people. After Christ rose again and return to heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to help guide us. So now we no longer need a pillar of fire like in the days of Moses, because we have the Holy Spirit guiding us from within. This is now how God speaks to each of us in our day-to-day lives.

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks anything let him ask God who gives generously to all who ask."

So people, let's make it a point to ask God for guidance and trust that He is and will continue to guide us. Yay!

Three View of How God Guides Us

This is the second installment of How to determine God's Will. In James C. Petty's book, Step by Step, he lists three different views that different people in the church hold in this area. I'll list all three views and add some key points under each.

1) The Traditional View

* The most popular view
* God has a "specific and detailed plan for each Christian life. Guidance involves discerning that plan." (p.29)
* God's plan can be discerned by analyzing circumstances, spiritual prompting, inner voices, counsel, and peace of mind.
* God would never lead a Christian into sin.
* God wants us to His plan and want to reveal it to us if only we ask Him.
* God won't directly show us His plan so we must take great care in trying to discern it.

2) The Traditional Charismatic View

* Similar to the first one; we need to try to discern God's plan for our lives.
* God communicates directly with people, families, and churches to let them know His plan for them.
* God normally and clearly communicates with us in plain simple English.
* Happens through prophecy, dreams, and visions.
* "Each means of revelation that God used to give us the Scriptures is still available to individual Christians today." (p.33)

3) The Wisdom View

* " Although God does have an individual and specific plan for every Christian, this plan is strictly secret. God does not normally reveal anything about it to us. "(p.33)
* Guidance comes by God granting us divinely inspired wisdom.
* No need for direct words or to seek clues about God's plan.
* His guidance comes through the illumination of our hearts and minds by the Word.
* It's like turning a light on in a room. Once the lights are on you can walk comfortably around the room because it has been illuminated. God's Word is the light inside that room, without it you'd be lost.

So which view are you? Hopefully this gets ya'll thinking just a lil more about how to be finding our what God wants for you as you try to answer the myriad of questions that life brings; Where should I go to college?, What should I do with my life?, Will I ever find "the one"?, Which house should I buy?, Do these jeans make my butt look big?,or Should I move to Antarctica and be a short hand cook? There are lots of questions and regardless of which view above you are more inclined to, God is sovereign and will guide and direct your path. Do you believe that? :)

How Do You Determine God's Will?

Have you ever wondered, "What does God want me to do?" or "Is this a sugn from God that I should do this or that?" Well, I wanted to start sharing more about what God has been teaching Renee and I lately. We have been reading the book, Step By Step, by James C. Petty. It's all about different theological views about determining God's will; what's a biblical way to view things and what's not. So over the next few blog entries I'll be taking you chapter by chapter, giving you key points that Petty makes about God's will. I know this has always been a big question in my mind, as I really want to choose things that glorify God.

When I have a big question, like "Who should I marry?" (when I was single) or "Where should we live or work?" My first incling is to pray that God would just give me a direct answer, so that I can be 100% sure BEFORE I move forward. So I'll pray, open one eye, strain for a vision or sign from God, and usually nothing. I've found that God really doesn't usually let us off that easy. When I get upset at not receiving a direct answer from God, I know I'm just being lazy and impatient. I don't want to wait and pray and get counsel. So what views are there about determining God's will since the lazy approach usually doesn't work? There are three views that I'll share with you tomorrow. See ya'll then and have a great Valentine's Day