Discerning the Will of God
David Cawston
Acts 15:36-16:40
Introduction:
Discerning God's will has been many times made mystical in our Christian World.
As Sprit filled believers we have a tendency to expect God to supernaturally reveal His will to us with some special manifestation.
I have never seen an angel from Heaven and have many times felt left out because of that.
But when I read all of those in Scripture that have had some very special manifestation like that I am aware that they have all paid a great price thereafter.
I am therefore content to live without the special manifestations and visitations.
Here in this portion of Acts we have a clear picture from the early believers on finding and discerning God's will for their lives. We must understand something very basic about God!
Isa 55:8-9
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.(NIV)
A. He does things in different ways than you or I do.
Illus.
- On a flat Plane the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
- On a curves surface like a globe it is an arc.
- In the spiritual dimension I believe it is a zig zag.
- Look at Abram looking for a city whose builder and maker was God! He saw the destination but didn't necessarily see the zig zags of how to get there. Ur to Canaan to Egypt
- Look at the Children of Israel going to the Promised Land! There were shorter ways Sinai was out of the way!
- Look at Elijah when the drought came on Israel.
Cherith Brook Ravens feed him
Brook dried up!
Widow at Zarepheth to care for Elijah
Only one meal of a small cruise of oil.
God provides for them all through the rest of the drought. Later her son dies and calls for the prophet to raise him from the dead! Paul starts this second missionary journey with a bitter quarrel with Barnabas his ...
David Cawston
Acts 15:36-16:40
Introduction:
Discerning God's will has been many times made mystical in our Christian World.
As Sprit filled believers we have a tendency to expect God to supernaturally reveal His will to us with some special manifestation.
I have never seen an angel from Heaven and have many times felt left out because of that.
But when I read all of those in Scripture that have had some very special manifestation like that I am aware that they have all paid a great price thereafter.
I am therefore content to live without the special manifestations and visitations.
Here in this portion of Acts we have a clear picture from the early believers on finding and discerning God's will for their lives. We must understand something very basic about God!
Isa 55:8-9
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.(NIV)
A. He does things in different ways than you or I do.
Illus.
- On a flat Plane the shortest distance between two points is a straight line.
- On a curves surface like a globe it is an arc.
- In the spiritual dimension I believe it is a zig zag.
- Look at Abram looking for a city whose builder and maker was God! He saw the destination but didn't necessarily see the zig zags of how to get there. Ur to Canaan to Egypt
- Look at the Children of Israel going to the Promised Land! There were shorter ways Sinai was out of the way!
- Look at Elijah when the drought came on Israel.
Cherith Brook Ravens feed him
Brook dried up!
Widow at Zarepheth to care for Elijah
Only one meal of a small cruise of oil.
God provides for them all through the rest of the drought. Later her son dies and calls for the prophet to raise him from the dead! Paul starts this second missionary journey with a bitter quarrel with Barnabas his ...
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