I hope yesterday’s post was in someway beneficial to you. All the time we hear “I don’t know if that is God’s will for me” or “I am waiting on God to show me”.
I totally understand that there are some decisions we need to wait and weigh heavily with God's Word…these decisions require prayer and often fasting and very wise counsel.
More often, it is just day-to-day decisions we must make. In these cases we get bogged down and burdened. I freeze or if I move forward there is guilt. Whether we watch TV or do sports on Sunday even worship on Saturday…Christians differ on these issues.
In addition to the “Three Lighthouses” approach to discerning God’s will, I want to suggest a series of questions we can ask ourselves to discern what is God’s will for us.
In addition to the “Three Lighthouses” approach to discerning God’s will, I want to suggest a series of questions we can ask ourselves to discern what is God’s will for us.
These questions are taken from a sermon by John MacArthur at his Grace Community Church.
1-Will it be spiritually profitable?
1 Cor 6:12 says “All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial” Paul here is talking about the things Scripture does not explicitly warn us to keep away from. The warning we receive in Scripture we are to obey. What he is speaking of here, are the “non-moral” issues, the things Scripture is silent about. So, I ask myself the question that Paul is posing right here, will my doing this enhance my spiritual life? Will it cultivate godliness? Will it be profitable to me? Will it be to my spiritual advantage? In other words, I'm not looking at life from the standpoint of--Boy, can I do this and get away with it? I'm looking at life--Can I do this and have it increase my godliness? 1 Cor 14:26 “Let all things be done unto edification”
1 Cor 6:12 says “All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial” Paul here is talking about the things Scripture does not explicitly warn us to keep away from. The warning we receive in Scripture we are to obey. What he is speaking of here, are the “non-moral” issues, the things Scripture is silent about. So, I ask myself the question that Paul is posing right here, will my doing this enhance my spiritual life? Will it cultivate godliness? Will it be profitable to me? Will it be to my spiritual advantage? In other words, I'm not looking at life from the standpoint of--Boy, can I do this and get away with it? I'm looking at life--Can I do this and have it increase my godliness? 1 Cor 14:26 “Let all things be done unto edification”
2- Will it slow me down in my spiritual race?
Paul often refers to his life as a race. (1Cor 9; Hebrews 1:12) We are exhorted to putt off things that would weigh us down. The idea is things that would distract us from finishing the race. It is something that weighs us down, diverts our priorities, takes our attention, sucks our energy, dampens our enthusiasm for the things of God. Often it is more a matter of taking things out of our lives that are draining our energies and dimming our focus. Often we begin our day with a caffeine jolt in the hopes that we get everything in! Then at the end of the day, we see we had no quiet time or time to pray. We have been distracted.
3-Will it bring me into bondage?
This is one we have to be careful about. It is looking at choices from the view is this my weakness? Would this be a crack that the adversary could come in and destroy? I think right away of the wicked temptation that the Internet can be…so many catch just a glimpse of pornography and they are hooked. They think it begins innocently enough and before you know it…you are hooked…in bondage. Marriages are broken, children are seduced and lives are destroyed…all from one innocent look…and then a second…and then….
I think also of prescription drugs…we begin taking them to relieve pain and then many combine and self-prescribe and soon addiction. Sports, cooking…eating can quickly control us. There are many things that can enslave us that come from creation which God designed to be ruled by us. How many people could have avoided the dreadful circumstances they are in, had they just avoided that first inclination.
This is one we have to be careful about. It is looking at choices from the view is this my weakness? Would this be a crack that the adversary could come in and destroy? I think right away of the wicked temptation that the Internet can be…so many catch just a glimpse of pornography and they are hooked. They think it begins innocently enough and before you know it…you are hooked…in bondage. Marriages are broken, children are seduced and lives are destroyed…all from one innocent look…and then a second…and then….
I think also of prescription drugs…we begin taking them to relieve pain and then many combine and self-prescribe and soon addiction. Sports, cooking…eating can quickly control us. There are many things that can enslave us that come from creation which God designed to be ruled by us. How many people could have avoided the dreadful circumstances they are in, had they just avoided that first inclination.
4-Will this cover-up my sin?
1 Peter 2:16, "Don't use your freedom for a cloak to cover your evil."
Ask yourself, is this really something that benefits me spiritually. Is it for my spiritual profit? Is this something that builds me up? Is this something that is not unnecessary bulk but something helpful? Is this something that will not lead me into bondage? Or am I really cloaking over my evil desire? Look at your motive. Having an excuse to "buy" because of a special event or because "I deserve it" can cover up an addiction to shopping. Lack of hospitality can cover-up the sin of laziness. Eating can deceive us when we are eating to fill an empty void...whether it is lack of time with God or lack of affection. A neglected friend can be a cover-up for a hurt she may have inadvertently committed.
5-Will it violate my conscience?
Our conscience is a very valuable tool that God has designed and given us for protection. We tell our kids all the time, listen quickly to your conscience because if you don’t and you suppress it soon does not function properly. Once in a while, our second daughter will come home from a High School party early and say “They started to drink so I left” Now she was not drinking, but her conscience told her, something could happen here so “get out!” and she listened. Another time a group of band members went on a trip and she said “I don’t think I should go” We supported her insight and found out later that the trip’s highlight was sneaking out and getting drunk. Several kids were put in probation and the band’s next trip was canceled. Her conscious warned her and she responded.
1 Peter 2:16, "Don't use your freedom for a cloak to cover your evil."
Ask yourself, is this really something that benefits me spiritually. Is it for my spiritual profit? Is this something that builds me up? Is this something that is not unnecessary bulk but something helpful? Is this something that will not lead me into bondage? Or am I really cloaking over my evil desire? Look at your motive. Having an excuse to "buy" because of a special event or because "I deserve it" can cover up an addiction to shopping. Lack of hospitality can cover-up the sin of laziness. Eating can deceive us when we are eating to fill an empty void...whether it is lack of time with God or lack of affection. A neglected friend can be a cover-up for a hurt she may have inadvertently committed.
5-Will it violate my conscience?
Our conscience is a very valuable tool that God has designed and given us for protection. We tell our kids all the time, listen quickly to your conscience because if you don’t and you suppress it soon does not function properly. Once in a while, our second daughter will come home from a High School party early and say “They started to drink so I left” Now she was not drinking, but her conscience told her, something could happen here so “get out!” and she listened. Another time a group of band members went on a trip and she said “I don’t think I should go” We supported her insight and found out later that the trip’s highlight was sneaking out and getting drunk. Several kids were put in probation and the band’s next trip was canceled. Her conscious warned her and she responded.
Our conscience when properly guided by the Holy Spirit is a great warning mechanism. We must respond quickly and NOT suppress the thoughts.
In 1984 an Avonca Jet crashed in Spain. As always after a crash like that, investigators study the accident scene looking for the black box. The black box was found and they reconstructed the conversation to determine why the accident happened. When the found the black box and they played it, it showed that several minutes before the plane crashed a computer voice from the plane's automatic warning system told the crew repeatedly "pull up, pull up, pull up, pull up." The pilot sarcastically snapped back "shut up gringo!" and flipped off the switch. Minutes later the plane smashed into the mountain and everybody was killed.
Our conscience often tells us "Get out"..."Don't go there"... how much pain and destruction could we avoid if we listened and obeyed.
Tomorrow a couple more questions to think about.
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