Happy New Year!

^{“So teach us to number our days,} 

^{That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12}

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³ Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
⁴ Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5

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Happy New Year Friends!

Just wanted to share the study notes from Friday's FNF-- both the original notes (borrowed from Randelle:)

and the additional verses that we came up with... Hopefully this will help us all in 2013.

8 steps to know God’s will for your life

1. Have no will of your own on the matter
   • Matt 26:39 (Romans 12:2)
2. Don’t go simply by feeling – but by principle
   • 2 Tim 1:7  (Jer 17:7-9; Prov 16:25; Isa 1:18)
3. Study God’s word – be in daily communion with God
   • Ps. 119:105  (Ps 37:4-5)
4. Consider providential circumstances – how has God led you in the past?
   • Deut 8:2
   • Failure is neutral. It’s your relationship with failure that makes the difference
5. Consult with godly friends
   • Prov 11:14
   • Ps. 1:1
6. Ask God in prayer to reveal His will
   • James 1:5  (Isa 30:21)
7. Make a decision
   • Josh. 24:15
   • Tell God your decision before you tell anybody else
   • Don’t get into the “paralysis of analysis” – don’t think too much
8. Proceed with your decision. Ask God to stop you if you have not chosen the right thing. If it is not his plan, Ask God to “shut the door”
   • Rev 3:7,8
   • Nobody plans to fail. They simply fail to plan

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Additional notes:

You have to follow all 8 steps-- don't skip any of them! 

These steps are critical in many areas of our lives-- relationships, career, school choices, relocation, etc.

On feelings: sin often feels good and fear is a poor, short-term motivator. 

On really studying the bible: the Bible is not a Ouija board; with regular devotion and study, it is a source of communication and guidance.

Remember how God has led you! Keep a prayer journal to build faith; David, by God's strength, had already killed a bear-- Goliath was nothing in comparison!  

Learn from your mistakes-- failure can be an advantage.

Notice that asking God in prayer to reveal His will comes only after you've done steps 1-5. By this time, you're ready to heed His will, not your own.

When making a decision, don't ask for too many "signs"... the devil has a few tricks up his sleeve to deceive you. Weigh the evidence and make a decision. If God shuts a door, don't try to pick the lock!

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Thank you to Randelle for the notes I found on your blog:) The notes are based on an awesome sermon by Dr. Eric Walsh entitled "How to Know God's Will for Your Life"  (please listen!) and based on a book by Morris Venden (please buy!) with the same title.