DECISIONS, DECISIONS. . . #2

"What Now, Where To, What's Next?" is the title to a song sung by Elvis Presley in 1963. It was originally on his album Double Trouble. The lyrics express feelings of confusion and uncertainty after a love relationship ends, reflecting on lost dreams and a lack of direction. A few of the words go like this, "Like a ship without a compass on a cold lonely sea, No beacon light of love to guide me through. I lost the only treasure that means anything to me." How overwhelmingly sad!

While believers in Jesus Christ often have many decisions to make in life, many of them difficult and complex, we are never left alone by God on "the cold and lonely sea of life, having lost the only treasure that means anything" to us! Instead, we always have His Presence, Protection, Provision and Power! We can genuinely seek His guidance and direction, avoid confusion and hopelessness, know and obey His will and realize His perfect peace! (IF you have not already read last week's blog, I encourage you to stop here and go back to read it for continuity.)

As communicated in last week's blog, the phrase "inquired of the Lord" is stated or taught throughout the Scriptures; many examples are found in the Old Testament. ONE such example is King David. "David inquired of God" (I Chronicles 14:10). When people consulted God, He provided guidance, direction and the revelation of His will, followed by His presence and blessing! When they failed to consult God, leaving Him out of their deliberations, there was no guidance or direction given by God; there was only disaster! This is a definitive lesson and even a serious warning for us; Let's consult God about every decision and do not leave Him out of our considerations!

In the Old Testament, we read about the frequent use of the URIM ("lights") and the THUMMIM ("perfections") to inquire of God and seek His will. These were gemstones that were carried by the high priest of Israel on the ephod, on his priestly garments. Scripture doesn't tell us exactly HOW God responded to the "inquiries". We do read that when an "inquiry of the Lord" was made, the high priest would examine the stones, potentially experiencing a vision or another miraculous manifestation, such as light, that would signal God's answer. Remember, they did not have the whole Scriptures as we do today, or the indwelling Holy Spirit! Much has been made of the Urim and Thummim by modern mystics, who want to find in them the key to the "divine mind". Aren't you really glad and do you not greatly rejoice that we do not need or use the Urim and the Thummim! God has now provided a much greater, more profound and holy way of discerning His will! These tremendous resources for finding His will involve:

1) PRAYER

2) THE ENTIRE SCRIPTURE

3) HIS HOLY SPIRIT!

Jesus told His disciples, "But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. . . .(John 16:13) Let's look a few steps further in the process of knowing and following the will of God!

"Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you may know (prove) what the will of God is, that which is good, and acceptable and perfect (complete)" (Romans 12:1-2). This is a very important and necessary truth from God's Word. It is vital for anyone who wants his/her life to be centered in and blessed by God to know and understand His will! Trying to serve God outside of His will is hopeless, tragic and disastrous! It can yield neither fulfillment and satisfaction to oneself nor blessing to others.

God delights in revealing His will to those who earnestly seek it! Sometimes, He uses the miraculous to show us his will; the supernatural at His disposal to guide us. However, that does not mean He will always do so. God also uses ordinary things, events, and at times people to show us His will. God resorts to the extraordinary measures only when the ordinary ones will not suffice to accomplish His purpose. Too often, we struggle in knowing God's will because our mind and heart are fixed on the misleading assumption that God uses only the supernatural to give to us His direction. I say that God more often uses the non-supernatural, ordinary measures to reveal His will! He employs His Established Word, His Holy Spirit's Ministry, and our genuine Prayers! Here then is the foundational "formula" or "recipe" for finding and following the divine will! It will not always make God's will EASY to ascertain or mean we will never again encounter some difficulty in determining where God is leading us. However, we do know the Holy Spirit is faithful to guide us, the Word of God is sure, true and is our "road-map" for spiritual life and discernment, and we know God answers prayer! So, finding and following God's will is more about an ADVENTURE than it is a struggle, difficulty, confusing and torturesome process! So, I encourage all of us to "inquire of the Lord" and regard it as an adventure in walking daily with Jesus!

I personally believe that before God reveals His will TO us, He must first perform a spiritual operation IN us. Look again at Romans 12:1 & 2)! The Apostle Paul closes his injunction in those two verses with these words, "That you may KNOW (prove) what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God." In other words, if we would KNOW or determine the will of God, we must meet the conditions marked out in Paul's statement.

First, in order to know the will of God, we must be utterly surrendered to God Himself and to His Lordship over us! Then, we need to be totally surrendered to doing His will, no matter what that might be. Paul said, "Present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice." Those who are not really surrendered to His Lordship and to His will are not in a position to know His will; He does not reveal His will to the one who refuses or neglects to surrender. There can be no reservations in our mind or spirit; even our very BODIES must be presented as LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICES to the LORD, for our bodies are the "Temple of the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 6:19). Everything must be placed on the Altar of Surrender. This old hymn comes to mind;

"You have longed for sweet peace, and for faith to increase, and have earnestly, fervently prayed;

But you cannot have rest, or be perfectly blest, until all on the altar is laid.

Would you walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, and have peace and contentment alway;

You must do His sweet will to be free from all ill, On the altar your all you must lay.

Chorus: Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart, does the Spirit control?

You can only be blest and have peace and sweet rest as you yield Him your body and soul."

Second, in order to know the will of God, we must be SEPARATED from the World's Culture! Paul said, "And be not conformed to this world. . .that you may know (prove) what is. . .the will of God." God does not reveal His will to anyone who is devoted to this world or who worships the things and values of this world; those who "are laying up for themselves treasures on earth, rather than in heaven" (Matthew 6:19-21) It is useless for a person whose heart is IN the world, whose life is patterned after this world's values, to ask God for His will to be shown to them. I fear there is far too much worldly conformity among many professed followers of Jesus today! Is it then any wonder that so many Christians are constantly in doubt, consistently in a sea of bewilderment regarding God's will for them! In seeking to NOT be "so heavenly minded we are of no earthly good" many in the Church have become "so earthly minded they are of no heavenly good." Are we married to this world's culture and value system OR are we truly the "Bride of Christ"? Do not deceive yourself, God will NOT reveal to you His will as long as you cling on to this world, materially, socially, or spiritually! We must fix our hearts and minds on the things which are above (heavenly and eternal) and be weaned away from the world before we are actually in a position to know and follow the will of God!

Third, in order to know the will of God, we must be SPIRITUALLY MINDED! Paul said, you "Be transformed by the RENEWING OF YOUR MIND." We must VALUE God's will! We need to experience a constant renewal of our mind, of our thought patterns and of a daily inner renewal of our spiritual being! Our minds need the continued refreshment by dwelling on the eternal truths of God and by inward fellowship and communion with Him. Therefore, we must guard carefully and choose wisely the books we read, the shows we watch and the things we subject our attitudes, thoughts and conduct to. Our heart, mind and spirit, i.e. our whole inner being, needs to be constantly renewed by dwelling in His presence through His Word, prayer and trust in His righteousness, goodness and His providential care and love.

Actually, God's will is the answer to What Now, Where To, What's Next! Are you a serious candidate to know and follow God's will; are you willing and ready to follow the principles we have discovered and discussed? Then,

• Be totally surrendered to God and to His will!

• Divorce yourself from this world's culture and value system, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

• Set your inner being and mind-set on the eternal truths of God by, "seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. . . ." (Matthew 6:33).