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God Our Guide J.I. Packer Knowing God Chapter 20

God Our Guide J.I. Packer Knowing God Chapter 20. God Our Guide Outline Divine Guidance Is Available How Can We Receive It? Six Common Pitfalls No Simple Answers When We Miss The Road. Introduction.

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God Our Guide J.I. Packer Knowing God Chapter 20

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  1. God Our Guide J.I. Packer Knowing God Chapter 20

  2. God Our Guide Outline • Divine Guidance Is Available • How Can We Receive It? • Six Common Pitfalls • No Simple Answers • When We Miss The Road

  3. Introduction If God can guide us, wants to guide us, and has promised to do so – why do we fail to get the directions and follow them? • We are ignorant of His instructions or will • We know what He wants us to do, but we are not willing to obey (stubborn or selfish) • We know what He wants, but we are afraid to do it The world wants you to believe you are on your own

  4. Divine Guidance Is Available • God has a plan for us • Eternal purpose - Eph. 3:11 • Plan for ages - Eph. 1:9-11 • Examples: Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Jesus (Matt. 6:10 & Luke 22:42) • All things accomplished according to His will (John 4:34)

  5. Divine Guidance Is Available He wants to communicate with us Examples of His will being made known: Philip & Ethiopian Eunuch – Acts 8:26, 29 Paul & Cornelius – Acts 10:19-20 Explicit OT promises of divine guidance David- Psalm 32:8 I will instruct .. in way to go Israel – Isaiah 58:11 If you will …He will… General – Psalm 25:8-9, 12 - guidance re: way Proverbs 3:5-6 He will make paths straight

  6. Divine Guidance Is Available He wants to communicate with us Explicit NT promises of divine guidance Col. 1:9 – Filled with knowledge of His will Col. 4:12 – Stand firm in all the will of God James 1:5 – If anyone lacks wisdom, … ask Wisdom is knowledge of course of action that will please God and secure life Romans 12:2 – prove what the will of God is

  7. Divine Guidance Is Available He wants to communicate with us Good parents give kids good guidance We are sons of God (from last week) Same principles apply – Matt. 7:7-11 Scripture is His word – 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Teaching (doctrine, ethics, morals, will of God) Reproof, correction, training (apply to disorder) Equipping for every good work (Lives ready to go God’s way will have a good result)

  8. Divine Guidance Is Available He wants to communicate with us His Spirit is our instructor He teaches – 1 John 2:27 He guides – John 16:13-15 His glory is the objective To glorify, you must obey To obey, you must know His will (Word) He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His Name sake – Psalm 23:3

  9. Receiving God’s guidance • Why do Christians seeking God’s guidance often take wrong turns? • Distorted notion of God’s nature • Look in wrong places (rely on feelings) • Refuse to obey clear instruction from God’s Word • Afraid of what might happen

  10. Receiving God’s guidance God is more concerned about character than about choices No Biblical instruction on should I… Marry Katie Join this church Take that job Have 3 children Buy that house

  11. Receiving God’s guidance Two things to know about making “vocational / daily life choices” They can not be resolved by direct application of Scriptural instruction There is no verse on what car to buy Other factors need to be considered Counsel of other Godly people Circumstances Finances Feelings

  12. Receiving God’s guidance Be careful Avoid listening to “voices & feelings” Not a matter of “inner self” promptings Rational Creator guides rational creatures through rational under-standing and application of His Word Our hearts, heads, & souls work in unity

  13. Receiving God’s guidance Be aware of fundamentals for living Basic convictions (right and wrong) Turn from evil and do good – Psalm 34:14 Attitudes (of gratitude) – Matt. 25:21 Follow example of Jesus – joyful servant Ideals Know and fulfill your responsibilities Value Judgments Be led by the Spirit – Romans 8:14

  14. Receiving God’s guidance Stay between the lines God has set limits or boundaries on acceptable behavior Never expect to blessed if you ….. Marry an unbeliever – 2 Cor.6:14 Elope with a married person Ex20:14 Psalm 23:3 says He guides me in the paths of righteousness

  15. Six Common Pitfalls or Ditches These are things that quench the Spirit from revealing God’s will and involve an unwillingness to: Think – Deut. 32:29 Think ahead – Deut. 32:29 Take advice – Prov. 12:15 Suspect ourselves – Psalm 139:23-24 Discount personal status – 1 Thes 5:21 Wait – Isaiah 40:31

  16. No Simple Answers Doing all the right things does not mean you will avoid trouble Jesus proved that via crucifixion James 1 – consider it all joy John 16:33 – you will have trouble Other examples: (Joseph & Jonah) God led Israel by fiery cloud – Ex 13:21f Disciples in storm – Mark 4:37 & 6:48 were instructed to go - Mark 4:35, 6:45

  17. When We Miss the Road (Turn) Take the next fork or turn around God forgives sin – 1 John 1:9 We can get back on track – yield to Him Repentance is “turning around” Objective is to get home Two ways you can get to my home from here in straight line (allowing for earth curvature) One way is 7 miles The other is 25,000 miles Story about Ron Dun and trip to Chicago

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