Q & A time...

Here are some recent questions being asked in light of what we are reading about prayer...

Thanks to those of you who e-mail me...your questions are often what many are thinking...

From Yvette:

"Hi Janet, Your post this week really spoke to me, and I just want to be sure that I am understanding you correctly. I don't personally ask God for signs in my life, but I do ask to be led according to His will. I also pray that all other doors would close (is that asking for a sign indirectly?) I understand that I am to meditate on God's Word daily and his plan for me will just unfold as I am being obedient in his Word. Is that right? I am not sure I understand......as a woman I am dependent on how situations make me feel, for example, my husband and I looked at a house a few weeks ago that needs a lot of work, but because I felt so comfortable in the home, it's a home we are now considering regardless of the work that needs to be done. Should I not go with my feeling or gut? Is it wrong to ask that God close all other options? Do I just rely on just praying and meditating on God's Word and letting Him gently guide me? I tend to question is it rely God's will? Or what is God's will? I want to do what He wants me to do in my life, but I am not always sure if He is leading me or my family. How does one know for sure? I love and miss you dearly, I am so thankful for your daily posts. Love,Yvette"

Reply:

Dear Yvette,

How precious is your heart. You are not alone when you wrestle over such things as a home to buy. I hope this gives you some comfort and relief. We have been talking about that in matters where we are not going against God's revealed will in the Scriptures, we do not need to burden ourselves and at times even immobilize our lives, thinking that we are going against God's will. We have seen that God has revealed enough in Scripture to outline for us a course of living...He has "Holy fenceposts" that guide us. What we need to ask ourselves are three basic questions: First, you must obey the moral will of God as it is revealed in Scripture. If Scripture prohibits the action in question, your decision is easy: don’t do it. Likewise, if one of the options in your choice causes you to neglect something God specifically commands you to do, you are required to make the choice that will allow you to fulfill your biblical obligation. Something we can ask ourselves when processing a decision: Does this choice bring us closer to righteous living? or would this choice cause us or anyone we are accountable for ( weaker brother or sister) to sin. So as you are looking at your choices, remember these two protective fencepost.

Often choices, if they do not lead us or others toward sin, are really a blessing. We thank God for the choices and we can make a decision confidently knowing that it is in God's will. It is the analogy of the apples in the basket. Choosing one does not make the others bad...we rejoice that God gives so richly.

Second, good decision-making requires that you exercise biblical wisdom. Such wisdom comes from a diligent study of God’s Word, coupled with God’s generous provision. James encourages those who lack wisdom to “ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). To make wise decisions, you need to gather necessary information, consider all the options carefully, seek godly counsel, and then choose the option that is most sensible (Proverbs 2:1-11).

Finally, you need to consider your own desires. If the Bible is silent about your decision, and if one choice is not clearly wiser than the other, then do what you want. You have the freedom to do so, and God sovereignly works out His plan through your desires (Psalm 37:4; Philippians 2:13).

When looking at the house..just some practical ideas...will the extra expenses of "fixing up" the house add undue burden for you and your husband? It is already a lot to be settling into a new city...financially speaking will this be something you two can carry through at peace or will it cause division? Also I know you are looking at the neighborhood...how is it for raising children? How far are you from your Church? Godly friends? Things like that could guide us to make the decision.

Think through these things...trust God with your decision once you make it enjoy God's provision! Love your heart...and I thank God for what He is doing in you.

Janet

More Q & A tomorrow

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A couple of Mother's Day pictures....

Smile it is Friday!

My friend Nancy sent this and I thought it was perfect for our study in prayer...it also broughht a smile to my day!

Have a great Mother's day...I would love to hear what your Mother's Day celebration was like...send pictures or stories!

Praying with humility

In the last section of Chapter 8, Mr. Chapell writes:

"Humbly praying for the wisdom to apply God's Word to our circumstances is more important than praying for miraculous signs. While it may seem very spiritual to pray for God to make a flock of birds fly East if His answer is "yes" and West if the answer is "no". Scripture will not endorse such a request. Jesus said 'A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign' (Matt 16:4). The Bible says that God has already provided sufficient guidance in His Word for our decisions. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:3-4)...We did not have to wait for mysterious intervention to make good decisions. If we pray for Godly wisdom to apply Biblical principles, we can make choices with the confidence of having God's approval."

Making Godly decisions is a matter of everyday living for us. As we have learned if we keep Godly "fence posts" we are free to move about within God's protection and believe that we are moving through His will. It is when our desires, emotions, worldly thinking override the clear directives God gives us, that we sin and as we saw, are guilty of blasphemy. When we continually ask for more signs and more signs, we are suggesting to God that He has not given us enough guidance in His Word. When we hear clearly in His Word and still demand more verification, we are like the Pharisees in Jesus time who kept asking for more miracles. In reality their heart was already given to another "husband". They never wanted to "know Christ" they wanted to affirm their adulterous hearts as they had chosen another love...themselves. How sad that we can do that at time...we ask God for a sign but in reality we are asking for Him to affirm our own feelings...often it is wordily affection that has come in our hearts and minds to usurp God's place.

I remember when one of my daughters was liking a young man in school. Talking to her week after week about "what would be the most God honoring relationship she could have with this young man?" As we talked over and over and read God's Word, she knew, that young man did not know Christ and the most God honoring relationship was one that would exhibit a saving relationship to him. She witnessed to him for the next two years. She knew what God's Word said "Do not be unequally yoked"...Today she is in a relationship with a godly young man and she is so grateful to have waited for what God had for her. Discipline, guarding her heart and a continually submission to God's revealed Word helped her walk through those years in God's will.

We walk in God's will when we submit humbly in prayers, we redirect our thoughts and affections towards His revealed Word and live with a confidence that says He will never forsake us.

Mr. Chapell ends this chapter:
"If our prayers involve a choice between alternatives, we should not pray for what the Bible disapproves or label as unrighteous what the Bible does not condemn. We discern God's will, by praying for Him to provide us with the wisdom and courage to abide by His Word and then we move forward with the confidence that He will rightly bless prayers offered in Jesus name."

What are your thoughts regarding this insight? Is there an area of your life, you are waiting for God to give you one more sign even though you know God has clearly spoken to you? Are you seeking first God's Word as you make decisions or are you letting your heart lead?

Next week...praying in God's Wisdom

In all things give thanks...

"Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.
Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
you who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like you?
Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up."

Psalm 71:18-20

Are there day's that you feel "older" than the previous day? When we say to ourselves, "I need time for myself" or "If I was just younger...I would do different" Many times I have heard women say..."If I only could have known the things I know about God earl er...I could have taught my kids better"

What great condemnation we live when we think like that. But God is not like that His mercies are new every morning. His grace carries us into our old age. God never discards us...He has something for us to do... "declare your power to the next generation". That is the duty of a Christian and it is the joy of a Christian mom...grandmother. We never can retire. If you are sensing that there is not much to do now...can I encourage you to find and "adopt". If you have no one in your household...there is someone in your neighborhood, church even "golf" circle who needs to hear about the power of our God. Let's not be silent...there is much still to do.
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Today's post on the Pulpit magazine reinforces much of what we talked about earlier in the week. I share it with you as additional comfort and encouragement to enjoy the freedom of God's protection in His Word to make wise decisions.


"How can Christians make God-honoring decisions?
Decision-making can be a daunting task for anyone, but Christians have the unique advantage of making decisions that are informed by God’s Word. To do so, there are at least three factors to consider.
First, you must obey the moral will of God as it is revealed in Scripture. If Scripture prohibits the action in question, your decision is easy: don’t do it.
Likewise, if one of the options in your choice causes you to neglect something God specifically commands you to do, you are required to make the choice that will allow you to fulfill your biblical obligation. For example, if God requires you to be an active part of a local church — Hebrews 10:25 indicates that He does — any decision that prohibits you from that is against God’s revealed will. In order to uphold God’s moral will in your decision making, ask yourself, “What does God’s Word say about it?” If it says anything, obey that (1 John 5:3). If it says nothing, you have freedom and do not need to fear missing God’s will or sinning against Him (Romans 14:2-6, 22).
Second, good decision-making requires that you exercise biblical wisdom. Such wisdom comes from a diligent study of God’s Word, coupled with God’s generous provision. James encourages those who lack wisdom to “ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). To make wise decisions, you need to gather necessary information, consider all the options carefully, seek godly counsel, and then choose the option that is most sensible (Proverbs 2:1-11).
Finally, you need to consider your own desire. If the Bible is silent about your decision, and if one choice is not clearly wiser than the other, then do what you want. You have the freedom to do so, and God sovereignly works out His plan through your desires (Psalm 37:4; Philippians 2:13).
The above process presupposes that you are submitted to Christ and filled with the Spirit. Otherwise you won’t be able to make biblical decisions, as sin blinds your ability to understand and apply God’s Word to your life. However, if you do have a vital relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and are walking in the Spirit — as opposed to the flesh — you are free to make decisions so long as they don’t violate God’s revealed (moral) will. You shouldn’t be concerned that your decisions will somehow derail God’s sovereign will for you life, because He routinely works through your decisions to accomplish what He purposes."

For more on decision-making and the will of God, see this transcript from Grace to You.

Obeying God's standard

Ever wonder as you are seeking God's direction "Lord, if you could just let me know...I will do as you show" A few months ago I was sensing that God was moving my life into a "new" phase. My youngest was no longer in elementary school, my eldest was in her third year of college and my Kaity was going to start college. Needless to say, as many of us have transitioned from one phase of schooling to another, we get "growing pangs" from a mom's perspective. Letting go is always difficult...but yet you would not have it any other way.

As I contemplated all these changes, I knew my time would be freed up. I confess, I have a tendency to love fun...I love getting up with no demands to the day and just letting either David or friends "take me away!". But I also know that this is a very selfish and self-serving, so I needed to "know" what to do with my time.

As I prayed God began to show me in His Word that time is not mine but His. He is the creator of it...He ordains the days and He desires for us to "make disciples". My heart was preparing for what He had, and just as He prepared He provided an avenue in which to serve and honor Him. There were lots of choices...which one to choose was a bit hard but ultimately it lead to this blog and our "Girl's Book Club" ...now He has moved again. I am excited where He has lead me and His confirmation continues.

I love what Mr. Chapel says in this chapter... "Only through obedience can we know God's will---and pray for it" It is true...we can not predict the future. We live in obedience to God's revealed Word and often there can be choices within these parameters.

The question to ask is "What does God's revealed Word tell us about what He desires for us?" Scripture tells us "it is God's will that you be sanctified." 1 Thess 4:3. God's revealed Word tells us He wants us to be like His son, Jesus. So because God's will is clearly stated in Scripture we can make choices and decisions based on "does this provide an environment for me to grow in Christ-likeness?" If the answer is "Yes" then we can move with confidence that it is God's will. God does not increase our holiness in any other way than through obedience and dependence on Him.

Mr Chapell puts it this way..."Prayers for our sanctification ask God to strengthen our understanding of the requirements given in His Word---and to give us the strength to do them."

He goes on to say, " We often ask God to guide us between alternatives that seem equally righteous. If no options clearly oppose Scripture, how do we determine God's will? First do not claim anything you do not know. If God has not addressed the issue in the Bible, do not pretend He has. Only God's standards have moral authority--the right to determine right and wrong....Christians usurp the Bible's authority when they force varying moral values into legitimate options the Lord provides. "

Knowing God's clear teachings of what He accepts and rejects provide "fence-posts" that guide us through God's will. "The first problem with labeling right or wrong that which the Bible does not, is the creation of choice paralysis. The fear that some choice might be wrong lends some people never to make a choice....the second problem with assigning moral status to legitimate options is ingratitude for multiple blessings. " emphasis mine.

He goes on to illustrate: "If we saw our choices like apples in a basket, we would not worry that the selection of one of those apples was good and all the other apples were evil. We would simply be glad we had so many apples to choose from. In the same way, it's better to rejoice that God gives the blessing of multiple right choices than to condemn any as evil without the warrant of God's Word."

I love that...if we are living under the clear guidance, direction and teaching of God's Word, we are free to make choices that will honor Him. As long as we operate with the wisdom that His Word provides, we do not need to fear operating outside of His will. We can be grateful for the many choices He gives...for the blessings. When I view my decisions that way, I know He will order the events of my life, even when I don't immediately see results, I know that all will work for my good because my heavenly Father will accomplish His will in me. How about you?