January 19, 2003

 

 

 

 

Discovering Divine Purpose

Part II     Knowing God’s Will For Your Life

 

 

 

 

·        Discovering God’s Plan and Purpose for our lives is one of the most important challenges we will ever face.

 

·        Every decision you and I make in our lives……. from whom we are to marry, to where we are to live, to how we are to earn a living must be governed by God’s plan and purpose.

 

·        Jeremiah 29:11 say, “For I know the plans that I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

 

Reviewing Part I “God Has a Purpose and a Plan”

 

·        God’s plan from the beginning was:

 

1.  For “Relationship” and “Worship”

 

·        Man was created to walk in relationship with God.

 

·        God is continually seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.  (John 4:23-24)

 

·        God is always more concerned about our relationship with Him than He is with what we are doing for Him.

 

2.  Be Fruitful for the Kingdom

 

·        See Matthew 13:36-43

 

Seven (7) Steps To Knowing God’s Will For Your Life

(Psalm 37:3-6)

 

1.  Determine to embrace and seek to fulfill God’s purpose and plan for mankind.

 

·        Seek to walk in relationship with God.

 

·        Be like Moses (Exodus 33:13) and seek to walk in the favor of God by learning to know His “ways”.  (See Psalm 103:7)

 

·        Determine that you will be like David and “worship the Lord” with all that is within you. 

 

·        (Insight)  No one who seeks the Lord with their “whole heart” has ever been disappointed by God!

 

·        (Principle)  When we “delight ourselves” in the Lord, He does give us the desires of our heart.  (See Psalm 37:4)

 

·        The Bible declares (Psalm 16:11) that it is only in the presence of the Lord we find “fullness of joy”. 

 

2.  Be “faithful” where you are and in the responsibilities God has given you.

 

·        We don’t always understand God’s purpose at the time, but if we will be faithful some day God’s purposes will become clear.

 

·        Jesus said (Matthew 25:21) that he who is faithful in a little will be given more.

 

·        In Luke 16:10-12, Jesus said that if you can’t be counted on to be faithful in that which belongs to another (i.e. your boss’s or the company’s equipment, etc.), you can’t be trusted with something that is your own.

·        (Insight)  God always rewards faithfulness.

3.  Focus on those areas of your life where you “sense the pleasure of God”.

 

·        What is it that you do (or can do) that gives you the greatest joy?

 

·        Note Proverbs 22:6  “Train up a child……………”

 

·        When our lives are centered on giving glorifying Jesus ……. He will use every ability, every gift we possess for His glory.

 

 

4.  Set a time, Seek God’s heart, and Make a decision.

 

·        It is not presumption or an act of unbelief to set a timetable for making a decision.  (i.e.  “God, two weeks from today I need to make a decision.”)

 

·        Don’t be in a hurry, especially when it comes to choosing “a life partner” or an occupation.  (Time is on your side.  Once you find the railroad track…….there will always be another train!)

 

·        Once you have set a timetable, pray continually for God’s guidance.  Pray that He will “open” and “close” doors.  A closed door is just as much the guidance of God as is an open one.

 

·        Live by Colossians 3:15.  “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

 

·        Once you have made the best decision you could, based on God’s guidance the best you understood it, don’t second guess your decision.  Trust that God will cause “all things” to work together for your good according to Romans 8:28.

 

5.  Do all you can to base your decision upon the Word of God.

 

·        God’s will for your life never violates His Word.

 

·        You can’t find “chapter and verse” in the Bible for every decision in life.  But you will find unchanging principles upon which you can make Godly decisions.

 

·        Don’t be “unequally yoked” with an unbeliever.

 

·        If they (he or she) are not a Christian before you get married, they won’t be one after the Honeymoon!

 

·        You are not going to change them!

 

·        Dr. Cho tells the story of the woman who had “a burning desire” to start a particular type of business.  Her goal was to make lots of money that could be used for the Kingdom.  The problem was, she was planning to go into an ungodly business!

 

 

6.  Seek out the counsel and wisdom of others.

 

·        Look for people of wisdom who will love you enough to tell you the things you may not want to hear.

 

·        Parents, even ungodly ones, know their children.  (See I Sam. 18:21)

 

·        Pastors & Elders

 

·        Teachers

 

·        Look for people of who know care about you.

 

 

7.  Walk in the wisdom of Psalm 37:3-6.

 

·        Be honest with God and yourself.

 

·        Be realistic about your abilities and your motives.

 

·        Pray and then obey!