Discerning God's Will: A Journey of Faith
Summary
The sermon series "Searching for God" explores the theme of discerning God's will for one's life, with a focus on Psalm 23, which portrays the Lord as a shepherd guiding along the right path. The speaker emphasizes the Bible as a roadmap for life, urging listeners to make conscious choices about investing their time and aligning with God's direction, even if it means stopping certain activities and starting new ones. The sermon also touches on the misconception that Psalm 23 is solely about death, clarifying that it speaks to life's challenges and the necessity of a relationship with God to receive His guidance.
The speaker shares a personal testimony of God's miraculous intervention in their marriage and life, encouraging trust in God's provision despite financial scarcity. They caution against seeking guidance from deceptive sources, referencing 2 Corinthians 11:14, which warns of Satan's disguises. The sermon advises against making decisions based on circumstances or feelings, using the story of Paul in Acts 27 as an example of the consequences of ignoring divine warnings.
The importance of using biblical principles, especially when choosing a spouse, is highlighted, with the speaker stressing that God's word is sufficient and does not contradict itself. The Holy Spirit is presented as a personal guide who can offer insights beyond what is written. The speaker acknowledges the stress of decision-making, assuring listeners that God cares about their choices and desires to help, as reflected in the Book of James and Psalm 23.
The sermon warns against being led by emotions, which are temporary and deceptive, and emphasizes the need for a desire to be led by God. The speaker encourages turning off distractions to hear God's voice, using the story of Moses and the Red Sea as an example of God's miraculous guidance in difficult circumstances. The urgency of seeking God's will is likened to the desperation for air when surfacing from water, with the speaker expressing a deep desire to follow God's teachings and be guided by His word.
The company one keeps is also addressed, with the speaker warning against the influence of negative associations and urging listeners to be like thermostats, setting a positive atmosphere rather than reflecting negativity. The role of the Holy Spirit in providing guidance and the importance of asking for direction in prayer are underscored. The speaker differentiates between inspiration from God and temptations from the devil, emphasizing humility, faith, and attentiveness in seeking God's guidance.
The sermon concludes with a call to avoid following friends who are not following God, to be mindful of the influence of culture, and to stop behaviors that do not align with God's will. The speaker urges listeners to not follow the crowd in wrongdoing and to prioritize pleasing God over others, highlighting the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding believers away from cultural trends and towards righteousness.
Key Takeaways:
- The Bible serves as a spiritual roadmap, providing guidance for life's journey. It is essential to make deliberate choices to either invest time wisely or waste it, and sometimes this means stopping certain activities and starting new ones to follow God's will. This principle is crucial for personal growth and aligning with divine purpose. [06:29]
- Personal testimonies of God's intervention illustrate the transformative power of faith and trust in God's provision. Such stories encourage believers to rely on God's guidance and support, even in the absence of material resources, reinforcing the belief in divine providence and the importance of spiritual reliance over financial security. [40:53]
- The Holy Spirit acts as a personal navigator, offering insights and guidance that may not be explicitly detailed in Scripture. This relationship with the Spirit is vital for discerning God's will in specific situations, such as choosing a life partner, and underscores the dynamic nature of divine guidance beyond the written word. [29:07]
- Seeking God's will should be an urgent and desperate pursuit, akin to the need for air when emerging from water. This level of earnestness reflects a heart fully committed to following God's direction and teachings, and it is this passion for God's will that illuminates the path of righteousness and obedience. [26:40]
- The influence of culture and peers can significantly impact decision-making. Believers are called to be discerning and to resist conforming to worldly trends that contradict God's laws. Instead, they should seek wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit, ensuring that their actions and choices align with divine principles and lead to a life of integrity and honor. [09:25]
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 23:1-3 (NIV): "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."
2. 2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV): "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light."
3. James 1:5-8 (NIV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."
### Observation Questions
1. According to Psalm 23, what are some of the ways the Lord acts as a shepherd to guide us?
2. How does 2 Corinthians 11:14 describe Satan's tactics in misleading believers?
3. What does James 1:5-8 say about the importance of faith when asking God for wisdom?
### Interpretation Questions
1. In the sermon, the speaker mentions that Psalm 23 is often misunderstood as being solely about death. How does the speaker clarify its true meaning? [07:37]
2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of not being led by emotions. Why does the speaker believe emotions can be deceptive, and how does this relate to seeking God's will? [23:39]
3. The speaker warns against following cultural trends that contradict God's laws. How does this align with the message in Romans 12:2 about not conforming to the patterns of this world? [12:24]
### Application Questions
1. The sermon suggests that sometimes we need to stop certain activities and start new ones to align with God's will. What is one activity you feel God is calling you to stop, and what is one new activity you feel led to start? [06:29]
2. Reflect on a time when you sought guidance from sources other than God, such as horoscopes or psychics. How did that experience compare to seeking guidance through prayer and Scripture? [19:58]
3. The speaker shared a personal testimony of God's intervention in their marriage and life. How has trusting in God's provision impacted your own life, especially during times of financial scarcity? [40:53]
4. The sermon emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit as a personal guide. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit to better discern God's will in your daily decisions? [29:07]
5. The speaker warns against being influenced by negative associations. Who in your life might be leading you away from God's will, and how can you set a positive atmosphere like a thermostat rather than reflecting negativity? [18:15]
6. The urgency of seeking God's will is likened to the desperation for air when surfacing from water. How can you develop a more earnest and desperate pursuit of God's will in your life? [26:40]
7. The sermon advises against making decisions based on circumstances or feelings. Can you recall a recent decision where you relied on circumstances or emotions rather than seeking God's guidance? How might you approach similar decisions differently in the future? [21:52]
Devotional
Day 1: Navigating Life with Divine Maps
Navigating life's journey requires a spiritual roadmap, and the Bible provides this guidance. Deliberate choices must be made to invest time wisely or risk wasting it. Sometimes, this involves stopping certain activities and starting new ones to align with God's will, a principle that is essential for personal growth and fulfilling one's divine purpose. [06:29]
Proverbs 16:9 - "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
Reflection: What is one activity you can stop and one you can start to better align your daily life with God's will?
Day 2: Trusting in God's Provision
The transformative power of faith is evident when one trusts in God's provision, even in the absence of material wealth. Personal testimonies of divine intervention reinforce the belief in God's providence and the importance of spiritual reliance over financial security. [40:53]
Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Reflection: Can you recall a time when God provided for you in an unexpected way? How can this memory strengthen your trust in His provision today?
Day 3: The Spirit's Personal Guidance
The Holy Spirit acts as a personal navigator, offering insights and guidance beyond what is explicitly detailed in Scripture. This dynamic relationship is vital for discerning God's will in specific situations and emphasizes the importance of being attuned to the Spirit's promptings. [29:07]
Romans 8:14 - "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your daily decisions?
Day 4: Pursuing God with Urgency
Seeking God's will should be an urgent pursuit, reflecting a heart fully committed to following His direction. This passion for God's will is what illuminates the path of righteousness and obedience. [26:40]
Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Reflection: What does earnestly seeking God look like in your life, and how can you demonstrate this urgency today?
Day 5: Resisting Cultural Conformity
Believers are called to resist conforming to worldly trends that contradict God's laws. Instead, they should seek wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit, ensuring that their actions and choices lead to a life of integrity and honor. [09:25]
1 John 2:15-17 - "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world."
Reflection: What cultural trend or peer influence do you need to resist in order to live a life that is pleasing to God?
Quotes
"We used to think that peer pressure was just an elementary school, but there's adult peer pressure and we feel pressure to do what our co-workers are doing, we feel pressured to do what our neighbors are doing." [15:08] (Download)
"One of the things that we need to be very careful is that we're not following our friends but we're following God. We're following what God has to say." [16:21] (Download)
"You can't soar like an eagle if you're hanging around with turkeys. You need to be a thermostat; you need to set the temperature in the room, not reflect the environment." [18:15] (Download)
"Stop being led by your circumstances. There's a lot of people who live their life according to their circumstances... if you're not careful, you say 'oh an open door,' that open door could be a trap." [23:01] (Download)
"Feelings will fool you. Your emotions can't stay at the same level; they'll lie to you. So you have to be very careful that you're not led by your emotions, that you're not allowing emotions to dictate what you do." [24:12] (Download)
"We're all strayed away like sheep; we have left God's path to follow our own way. To find God's will, you must want to be led. You have to be willing to be led. You want God's love but you don't want God's leadership." [25:28] (Download)
"When you're hungry for God's direction, when you're desperate for what His will is, friend, you'll do what He tells you to do. You're willing to be led." [26:03] (Download)
"We have the road map; it's called the Bible. How are we going to spend our life today? Are we going to invest it, or are we going to waste it?" [06:29] (Download)
"God's will often is causing you to stop doing things that you don't like to stop doing and to start doing things that you don't want to start doing." [07:37] (Download)
"Indecision is probably one of the greatest stresses in life, and yet God our heavenly Father cares about every decision that you make; He wants to help you in your decision-making." [04:39] (Download)
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