God’s will – Page 2 – Martin's Mercurial Musings

God’s Will and the Life of a Beauty Queen

I recently saw an on-line story (noted below) about Carrie Prejean – the former beauty pageant contestant who some think lost the Miss America contest because of her answer to a question regarding same-sex marriage. Ms. Prejean is quoted as saying, “God chose me for that moment because he knew that not only would I be the one to stand up for Him and for the truth, but because He knew I was strong enough to get through all the junk that I’ve been through.”

God “chose” her because she would be “strong enough” Uh, not so fast, please. First, Ms. Prejean’s answer that evening was a credit to her character and a testament to the values she holds dear. Given that she was one of the contest’s finalists and the Miss America title potentially moments away, Ms. Prejean chose to proclaim God’s truth. That said, I’m hard-pressed to believe that Ms Prejean’s situation is any different from anyone else being challenged on a point of morality. The circumstances of a beauty contest certainly provided more notoriety because of the setting and who was asking the question. However, all believers will have tribulations at various times in their lives. It’s a promise that Jesus gave in John 16:33.

Has God placed particular people in particular positions at particular times for His end-results? The Apostle Paul, of course, had his Damascus Road experience. And Jesus chose those whom He wanted as His disciples. That said, from my reading and understanding of the New Testament, it is only rarely that God chose certain people for certain tasks. Furthermore, in my opinion, those instances only occurred during the early formation of the Church.

Did God call Carrie Prejean to be a beauty pageant contestant? I don’t think so. If anything, all believers are called to holy living and to being a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1-21). The NIV Topical Bible states: “[A]fter citing general principles for the Christian life, Paul gives practical guidelines on several specific issues; using properly God’s gifts to us, living a life of love, respecting human governments and using our Christian freedom compassionately and lovingly in disputable matters. These issues remain vital in our lives today.” The challenges that confront God’s standards and His desire for our lives are all around us. We have a choice to make each time we’re confronted with something at odds to God’s stated will for our lives.

This is God’s will for everyone: to be willing to exchange that which is temporal for that which is eternal.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/09/miss-california-wows-conservatives.html

God is large and in charge

A blog was set up on our church’s web site to allow for comments on the pastor’s summer sermon series. There was one comment (which I’ve edited below for brevity) related to the will of God entitled “God is large and in charge” that I found interesting:

I look back and reflect on a time when God was real, present and in control of my life. I must have fought with God every step of the way. However, God began showing me that He had gifted me for a purpose and began the slow and painful process of changing my definition of success, and my trusting in Him alone for my security and well-being.

During this time, God was present in every way I could have imagined. He spoke to me through the Spirit (that still small voice), through other people, through the Word and even through the radio. Everywhere I turned, I had confirmations regarding a life’s direction. Everything from Bible verses reminding me God has plans to prosper and not to harm me (Jeremiah 29:11) and that God works all things for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) to radio songs about surrendering my life completely to God.

I kept a journal of all the confirmations I sensed God throwing my way just so I could be sure and convinced that this was from God. It’s almost comical the steps God used to get my attention. It’s also incredibly encouraging to look back and realize God was there and really did have my best interests at heart. I’ve never been happier in my life. And, to top it off, God has met all of our financial needs and even most of our wants.

I posted the following comment:

Your story of God’s leading is interesting. However, the overriding perception seems to be that you’re trusting God based not only on the feelings you’ve experienced but also on the outcome. Ultimately, you felt that this direction was the right thing to do and the outcome of that decision – being that you’ve never been happier and aren’t lacking for anything has validated that decision. Who am I to say that you’re not right? Maybe God did lead you. Still, I find it troubling that Christian cultists, or non-Christians for that matter, could use the same logic and draw the same conclusions based on their similar experiences. This (for me) begs the questions, does God lead non-believers in the same way as you believe He has led you? Perhaps that’s a question for another time. Still, how is it that Christians today lay claim to God prospering them today based on Jer 29:11? This is indeed what scripture says. However, is this what scripture teaches? The reference in Jeremiah is a historical event – God gave a promise to those whom Nebuchadnezzar had exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon. Furthermore, there was a seventy-year period from when the promise was given to the promise’s eventual fulfillment. It’s a little disconcerting to apply similar logic regarding Matt 27:5 – where Judas hanged himself. In addition, I don’t think the Rom 8:28 reference supports your contention that God “willed” you into a specific direction as I don’t see the verse saying that God directs everything.

Lo and behold, a reply from the original poster:

When I look back and see God’s hand in my life, I see two separate issues here – one related to His promise of provision, and the other related to a vocational direction. Both were equally mind-blowing and joyful to me.

While I certainly had financial fears about this vocation, that doesn’t mean that God’s financial provision since then is proof that taking this job was God’s will. Rather, during this call, I was forced to confront the issue of whether or not I really believed I could trust God for my financial provision. I was stepping onto new spiritual turf because of my upbringing and the resulting philosophies I carried with me about self-reliance and even definitions for success. I placed my trust in God and gave up my illusions of control and still we have lacked for nothing. This is proof of God’s faithfulness and provision and that we can trust him – not proof that this vocation was God’s Will. Indeed, through prayer, scriptures, listening to the Holy Spirit and through council from trusted Christian friends I was sure of God’s will before I took the leap. A “last act of desperation” I wrote of was more about my own insecurities and hoping that if it wasn’t what God wanted then He would close that door. I knew I was called but I was afraid and reluctant to take what I felt was such a big risk with my life.

The references to Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11 were of course written in different cultures and different audiences and situations. However, I believe the same words of God are relevant to us today. These scriptures are promises that God will provide for His people and will work all things for good. Those scriptures God called to mind as I was considering whether I could really trust Him and step into the relative unknown I was facing gave me comfort that although I didn’t know the how or the when – everything would work out if I would continue to seek God in all things. Thankfully, it didn’t take seventy years to see that God would provide for me. To me those scriptures are not guarantees that we will see the results with our own eyes or that the “plans for good” are even how we would define goodness in terms of our own desired outcomes. Rather, they’re a call to trust God, in all things, without necessarily knowing what His plan will look like. For me, it took a transition into the unknowns of a vocation to grapple with these scriptures in ways that I hadn’t before. The result of learning to trust God in this way is that we have had our faith encouraged and we never been happier.

Laying On More Hands or Laying Off More Staff

My bride recently agreed to her company’s separation package. Her future layoff along with my tenuous employment is causing some contemplation about our family’s economic situation. There’s general agreement that this nation, along with much of the world, is in a recession. One question in my mind: are Christians protected from depressed economic conditions? In our own little sphere, giving is down at our church and my sense is that this is partly due to a number of unemployed members. Last August I wrote in my post, “Laying on Hands or Laying off Staff”, that our church’s board of elders had to make a decision to lay off a staff member. This, to me, wasn’t a “God’s will” issue. Rather, through analysis, collective wisdom, reflection, (as exhibited by Paul – see below), the board determined a best course of action given the circumstances. Now, several months later, worsening economic circumstances requires additional cuts in staff in addition to implementing a salary freeze.

I read a 12/23/08 article in the WSJ in which Mark Holbrook, president of the Evangelical Christian Credit Union in Brea, CA stated, “We are seeing more (financial) stress in churches than we have in modern history.” He goes on to discuss how churches everywhere are experiencing financial difficulties and that church foreclosures are increasing. What’s the lesson here? Perhaps things such as faulty data, poor planning, declining attendance, higher utility expenses, etc, can alter a church’s financial situation – just as it would for an individual, business, or a corporation. To that end, our church’s current economic health is certainly affected by higher mortgage payments that came about from a decision a couple of years ago to expand the size of the church building. Right or wrong, good, bad, or indifferent, the intent for the building addition was to better meet the requirements of existing ministries and incorporate space for additional youth and adult ministry opportunities. At the time, giving and other financial indicators seemed to support the expansion. A congregational vote approved the additional debt.

I’m not trying to argue whether debt is a good or bad thing. Rather, I’m trying to understand what, if anything is God’s role when financial decisions are made within a body of believers. Looking back, some decisions made were probably better than other decisions. Nevertheless, we often we make decisions with the best of intentions but with incomplete information and/or an inability to realize the impact current decisions can have on future events.

Paul had to make decisions – lots of them. I wonder if he got every decision “right”? From my reading of scripture, it’s the rare occurrence when Paul received direct guidance from God. Below is a brief overview of some criteria Paul used when he made decisions:

Phil 2:25 (I think it’s a good idea)

1 Cor 16:3-4 (If it seems the right thing to do)

Acts 6:1-7 (We need to do something about this)

Acts 15:24-29 (People got together, debated, decided, and acted)

The conclusion I draw is that God allows us to make decisions and to experience what I consider the natural occurring consequence (be it good or bad) of those decisions. In my opinion, then, Christians aren’t immune from the negative aspects of changing circumstances, poor decision making or a worsening economy. Put another way, I don’t think it’s God who brings about difficulties that naturally arise from the negative aspects of changing circumstances.

The Will of God in 28 Easy Steps

I often sense Christians want God’s will regarding some decision they need to make. The Bible is replete with passages on how we are to live. Yet, there are no passages on how to:

· Interpret circumstances

· Determine if something is a closed door or a test

· Choose among equal options

Romans chapter 12, which is entitled “Christian Living” in my NIV Study Bible, is one passage where God tells us His will for how we should live our lives. It seems to me that if we concentrate on that which God has told us, because of His grace, we need not worry about “missing the center” of His will.

1) Rom 12:1 Offer your body as a living sacrifice to God

2) Rom 12:2 Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

3) Rom 12:3 Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought

4) Rom 12:6 Use your gift(s)

5) Rom 12:9 Love with sincerity

6) Rom 12:9 Hate what is evil

7) Rom 12:9 Cling to what is good

8) Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another

9) Rom 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal

10) Rom 12:11 Keep your spiritual fervor

11) Rom 12:12 Be joyful in hope

12) Rom 12:12 Be patient in affliction

13) Rom 12:12 Be faithful in prayer

14) Rom 12:13 Share with God’s people who are in need

15) Rom 12:13 Practice hospitality

16) Rom 12:14 Bless those who persecute you

17) Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice

18) Rom 12:15 Mourn with those who mourn

19) Rom 12:16 Live in harmony with one another

20) Rom 12:16 Do not be proud

21) Rom 12:16 Be willing to associate with people of low position

22) Rom 12:16 Do not be conceited

23) Rom 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil

24) Rom 12:17 Be careful to do what is right

25) Rom 12:18 Live at peace with everyone

26) Rom 12:19 Do not take revenge

27) Rom 12:20 Do good to your enemies

28) Rom 12:21 Overcome evil with good

The Intangentiality of the Will of God

Intangentiality? Okay, so I made up the word. I couldn’t find it in my trusty Webster’s but maybe a little meaning can be dissected out of it:

(in) opposite
(tangent) touching at the outer edge i.e. a straight line just barely touching a circle
(iality) the “fluff” part of the word – sounds good but doesn’t mean a thing

A recent sermon, “Under-Construction Priorities”, was interesting. Referencing Eph 5:15-21, the sermon related to establishing God-honoring priorities which will help stifle human folly and establish spiritual wisdom. The NIV Topical Bible breaks chapters and verses into a general context and the theme for this passage, which actually begins at Eph 4:17 (and ends at Eph 5:21) is titled, “Living as Children of Light”. A cursory reading reveals a lot of “to-do’s” including:

Don’t live as the Gentiles do

Put off the old self (deceitful desires)

Put on the new self (righteousness and holiness)

Speak truthfully

Don’t let the sun go down while you’re still angry

Don’t steal

No trash-talking (unwholesome chit-chat)

Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit

Lose the bitterness, rage, anger, brawling and slander

Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving

Be imitators of God

Live a life of love

Live a life of purity (not even a hint of sexual immorality)

No obscene or foolish talking or coarse joking

Exercise caution – be wise

Make the most of opportunities

Don’t be foolish

Understand what the Lord’s will is (emphasis mine)

Don’t get drunk

Be filled with the Spirit

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord

Always give thanks to God for everything

Submit to one another

Why does Paul mention something about God’s will in the middle of all this “behavior” stuff? Is the placement of the phrase, “understand what the Lord’s will is” – between “don’t be foolish” and “don’t get drunk” significant? I’m not sure. However, my overall sense is that the will of God is not something tangent to one’s faith. Rather, the will of God can be easily recognized and understood and is front-and-center in how we conduct our lives. Paul isn’t teaching us to discover God’s will for some decision we need to make (here or in other passages such as Romans 12) by “praying in earnest”, “seeking wise counsel”, or “accurately interpreting one’s circumstances”. Many Christians talk about the will of God as it relates to a whole host of non-moral decisions in their lives such as:

Should I go to a Christian college?
Whom should I marry?
What career should I pursue?
Is it the right time to buy (or sell) a house?
Should I get my tubes tied?
Is God leading me to attend a Baptist church?

Regarding all the “stuff” that makes up our lives, does the grace of God allow believers to make decisions they deem best? Is the passage evidence that God is more concerned with how we live instead of how (or whether) we seek His direction on non-moral “things”? I like a comment from a previous post and think it’s applicable: “It’s grace. All grace.”

Criticisms invited if you think I’m in error.

Books I’ve Been Reading

It certainly has been my intention to write more often than I have. However, sometimes life i.e. family, job, and normal everyday mundane things get in the way. I’ve been asked – what have I been reading? Well, the books I have been reading (or re-reading) include:

Discovering God’s Will For Your Life (Ray Pritchard)
Is God Really In Control (Jerry Bridges)
Is God to Blame (Greg Boyd)
Living Above Your Circumstances (Bob George)
The Purpose Driven Life (Rick Warren)
God’s Will, God’s Best (Josh McDowell & Kevin Johnson)
Decision Making and The Will of God (Garry Friesen)
The Mystery of God’s Will (Charles Swindoll)
What is the Will of God and How Do We Know it? (John Piper sermon)

I know there is a whole boatload of books and information about this topic and I don’t pretend to have even scratched the surface. However, this is where I have started because these books were in our church’s library or someone has referred me to them. Please post other books that you may have found relevant to this topic.

A Desire for Truth Pertaining to the Will of God

The issue of God having a specific plan for each believer is something that I have been trying to understand for a long time. Until recently, I would “agree to disagree”. I accepted that I did not have sufficient understanding to comprehend this issue and I was content to leave it at that. Then, I came across a book entitled Decision Making and the Will of God. For the first time, I found myself (I think) thinking Biblically about the nature of God’s will in my life. I did not have to “discover” what God had planned for me. I did not have to figure out what His personal will is for my life. Per Garry Friesen’s book, God’s will is clearly stated in scripture. I did not have to deal with those proverbial open or closed doors anymore.

As the saying goes, a funny thing happened on the way to church. I kept hearing what sounded like (to me, anyway) “Christian speak” type statements. Many devout believers are convinced that God has/had shown them a plan for their lives. They have “peace in their hearts”, “a clear conscience”, and scads of verses to support their contention that God had given them a particular house, led them to their spouse, children, opened the door for a job, gave them a disease and then cured them of it, etc. I’ve never experienced anything like this. Was I missing something?

This issue began to “fester” and really gnaw at me when the pastor and members of the board at our church were talking about whether or not it was “God’s will” to have a building expansion program. I asked the obvious question, “What are the criteria to determine whether or not a building program would be part of God’s specific plan for this church?” It seemed a simple enough question. However, this led to many conversations and emails with the pastor and many others in the church over the next couple of months. In the end, I became uncomfortable with the pastor and the church leadership and left to worship at another church.

So, what is my point: much as a chemist sets out to prove (or disprove) a hypothesis, I am trying to validate my belief that God gives the believer freedom to make any choice that is within His moral boundary (His law). I do not believe that God has a predetermined objective for us to discover.

A good question as been asked of me – am I in pursuit of truth? In addition, am I willing to follow the truth wherever it leads? I wish I could give a straight-up “yes!” answer. However, I think I am coming to grips with how little faith I truly have. I am confused and I can no longer swallow the nice little expressions of faith – the “Christian speak”. For example: in an Aug/Sept 2003 Focus On the Family article on Joni Eareckson and Ken Tada, Joni says, “But God has a plan. It’s no mistake that you got that bad medical report last week, that the economic downturn is affecting your retirement fund, that your children are not turning out the way you’d hoped they would or that your grandchild was born with a disability.” Certainly these are things that can draw individuals and families closer to Christ. And certainly God can use any situation for His glory. But I am not convinced that God has brought about those situations.

Well, I trust that I have provided a little perspective regarding my concern and confusion as to the will of God in the life of the believer. I welcome thoughts, opinions, and the opportunity to engage in a dialog. I look forward to posting on various books I have read, and statements that I have come across where I find myself in disagreement as to the will of God from people such as Jerry Bridges, John Piper, Josh McDowell, Ray Pritchard, and Rick Warren. So, stop back from time to time and we will see where this journey leads.

A Review of Ray Pritchard’s book, Discovering God’s Will for Your Life

ray-pritchard Author Ray Pritchard states in his book, Discovering God’s Will for Your Life, “Nothing is more comforting to the child of God than knowing that amid the confusion of everyday life God is slowly leading him or her along the path of his will. In fact, he (God) is working in and through your decisions (and often in spite of your decisions) to see that his will is actually done in your life.”

Mr. Pritchard, references Proverbs 3:5-6 in chapter five – How to Make a Tough Decision and highlights five words:

Trust	To trust in the Lord is to rest your whole weight upon him – to depend on him completely.
Lean	To lean means to rest upon something for partial support or when you are not strong enough to stand alone.
Understanding	Understanding refers to mental process by which you analyze a problem. Use all your mental powers, but do not lean on them for total support. Don’t trust in your own ability to figure out your life. Lean instead on the Lord. Rest your weight on him.
Acknowledge	In all your ways know him deeply and intimately. It’s the kind of knowing that comes with personal experience. It means to know something through and through.
Direct	He will make your straight your paths.

So, then, according to Mr. Pritchard (emphasis mine), “Here is God’s message to you from Proverbs 3:5-6. If you will know God in every area of your life, he will take personal responsibility to make your way smooth and straight. He will remove the obstacles if they need to be removed. He will fill in the pot-holes if they need to be filled. He will redirect the detour so that what seemed to be a dead-end turns out to be the shortest way to reach your destination.”

However, if I look at Proverbs 3:5-6 in the context of the chapter, I come to a different conclusion. The NIV Topical Bible I use has the third chapter of Proverbs under the heading of “Further Benefits of Wisdom”. In addition, if I look at the headings of chapters one through four, I see:

Chapter 1:20-33 Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

Chapter 2:1-22 Moral Benefits of Wisdom

Chapter 3:1-35 Further Benefits of Wisdom

Chapter 4:1-27 Wisdom Is Supreme

Also, Proverbs 3:5-6 are squarely in the middle of a bunch of verses that relate to various aspects of wisdom. The NIV Topical Bible has a “theme verse” related to Proverbs 3:5 entitled, “Direction” which states:

The book of Proverbs offers direction for life by concentrating on those patterns operable in daily life that offer some measure of consistency. For example, fearing God and shunning evil produces a healthy body. Hard work brings rewards, whereas laziness courts disaster. Consistent discipline of a child results in a well-adjusted adult. Pride and arrogance lead to destruction. The wicked die young while law-abiding citizens (the righteous) live long. There may be exceptions to these rules, but generally we can depend on them.

I can only surmise that the people who produced the NIV Topical Bible did not see anything within Proverbs 3:5-6 related to:

God taking a personal responsibility
God making one’s way smooth and straight
God removing obstacles
God filling in “pot-holes”
God redirecting detours
God ensuring that we reach our destinations via the shortest way

In addition, Proverbs 3:1-10 are arranged in pairs i.e. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-10.

Verses	If you –	Then –
1-2	Do not forget my teaching	You’ll live long and prosperous
3-4	Let love and faithfulness never leave you	You’ll win favor and a good name
5-6	Trust in the Lord with all your heart	He’ll make your paths smooth
7-8	Are humble, fear the Lord, and shun evil	You’ll be healthy
9-10	Honor the Lord with your wealth	You’ll have plenty

Certainly, we can come up with exceptions to these “rules”. And that’s the point! These are not absolute statements! They’re generalities! The founder of The Navigators, Dawson Trottman, did not have a long life. And yet, when I read his bibliography, it’s clear that he didn’t forget the teachings of the Bible. And certainly his paths weren’t always smooth even though he trusted in the Lord with all his heart.

Mr. Pritchard uses a number of OT references i.e. Ex 13:20-22 and Num 9:15-23 to show how God used supernatural events and did indeed guide people. The question for me, then, is can one use a singular historical event denoted in Scripture to ascertain a general mode in which God shows His will to all Christians. Mr. Pritchard goes on to state that the secret of knowing God’s personal and specific will for each believer is to know God better. For myself, I believe that any decision I make, so long as it is within the moral will of God, is pleasing and acceptable to God. Perhaps I’ll post another time of my reaction to reading Gary Friesen’s book, Decision Making and the Will of God.