|
Users viewing this topic:
none
|
|
Login  | |
|
How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/8/2008 2:38:28 PM
|
|
|
Beanteaser
Posts: 277
Joined: 6/23/2005
From: Minnesota
Status: offline
|
Here a few questions to consider for this discussion.
Does God plan every single outcome for you life? New job, spouse, where to live, what color shirt you should wear?
What scenarios does He plan and what does He let us plan?
Are we free to make our own decisions if we follow guidelines found in Scripture?
Your thoughts?
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/8/2008 3:06:27 PM
|
|
|
hellohellohi
Posts: 538
Joined: 12/10/2007
From: North Carolina!
Status: offline
|
Hello!
I would say we are certainly free to make our own decisions.
However, I think our freedom is used for the purpose of sin. The decision is contingent on us, but that is what we choose! That's my belief anyway.
Going along with this, I think we can enact God's will whenever we lay ours down -- though this is a paradox or a contradiction.
So, some decisions are ours, some are God's.
What do you think?
see ya
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/8/2008 5:48:12 PM
|
|
|
Machaira
Posts: 174
Joined: 9/2/2006
From: Philadelphia, Pa.
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Beanteaser
Here a few questions to consider for this discussion.
Does God plan every single outcome for you life? New job, spouse, where to live, what color shirt you should wear?
What scenarios does He plan and what does He let us plan?
Are we free to make our own decisions if we follow guidelines found in Scripture?
Your thoughts?
I think the simplest way to look at the way God's will works in concert with man's will is by contemplating a short proverb:
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Proverbs 16:9
_____________________________
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake . . . Php 1:29
Check out my blog @ www.thomasboston.wordpress.com
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/9/2008 12:30:13 AM
|
|
|
MrFribbles
Posts: 872
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
Status: online
|
quote:
Does God plan every single outcome for you life? New job, spouse, where to live, what color shirt you should wear?
In my opinion, He gives us guidelines for what to look for in each of these areas. There are definite things which are outside of His will (for instance, if the new job you are considering is, say, a hitman... I would suggest that is outside God's will for your life). However, I believe that within those guidelines, He grants us the freedom to make our own choices, though He reserves the right to step in and change our plans if He so chooses - and we are commanded to make room in our plans for that.
Incidentally, I firmly disagree with the commonly espoused (pardon the pun) belief that God has "the one" picked out for you in terms of a spouse. I simply do not see the Scripture to back this up.
quote:
What scenarios does He plan and what does He let us plan?
Now this is an interesting question - one I'm still pondering. Obviously, some events involve God's direct intervention. I'm not sure that what we can say is normative for the Christian, and what is exceptional for the individual... Hm... I'll have to think on this more.
quote:
Are we free to make our own decisions if we follow guidelines found in Scripture?
Yes - as long as we leave enough room in our plans for God to step in, should He so decide.
_____________________________
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
-C. S. Lewis
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/9/2008 6:18:12 PM
|
|
|
mvic
Posts: 952
Joined: 1/17/2008
Status: offline
|
God gave us free will because He didn't want to force our hand in any way. When He invited us to love Him and follow His Word he wanted this choice to be made without any co-ercion on His part.
Hence, we are free to choose Him or not.
However, He does have a will too: "Thy will be done". At times of His choosing He does give us the opportunity to follow His will; He invites us, as it were, to carry out His will. We can always say No; and often people do.
To answer one of your questions; let me give you a scenario that He planned:
Years ago a Christian man I know was suddenly taken ill with cancer. In hospital, he met another patient suffering with cancer too - he was an un-believer who had feared the worst and was convinced he was going to die. One evening, my Christian friend spoke with the other patient; he tried to encourage him by saying that God would help him, even though he knew the conversation would have no great effect.
To cut a long story short, the non-believer was healed from his cancer. So was the Christian man. They both left hospital and became friends. The non-believer and his family have since become Christians.
So you see: God willed that the Christian man went to hospital. But the Christian man could have chosen not to speak to the non-believer. The fact that he did was using his own free-will to carry out God's ultimate will.
_____________________________
http://www.holyvisions.co.uk
Welcome to my Blog
MEI VITA INDICO CHRISTUS
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/10/2008 12:25:28 AM
|
|
|
Preludeian
Posts: 32
Joined: 5/19/2008
From: Portland Metro Oregon
Status: offline
|
quote:
Incidentally, I firmly disagree with the commonly espoused (pardon the pun) belief that God has "the one" picked out for you in terms of a spouse. I simply do not see the Scripture to back this up.
I'm pretty sure this is upto us for the most part. However, it's been said by many people within the Bible to avoid non-believers as our companions as it will draw us away from our Lord. I do think that there are instances when he will bring two people together because they have special needs that can only be met by certain people though.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/10/2008 1:10:17 AM
|
|
|
MrFribbles
Posts: 872
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
Status: online
|
quote:
However, it's been said by many people within the Bible to avoid non-believers as our companions as it will draw us away from our Lord.
Oh sure, there are definitely guidelines for finding a good spouse; some definite do's and don'ts. I'm just saying that, for the average Christian, God does not have a "The One" picked out for them, and if they marry someone else they are doomed to a terrible, loveless marriage.
_____________________________
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
-C. S. Lewis
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/11/2008 5:44:05 PM
|
|
|
Preludeian
Posts: 32
Joined: 5/19/2008
From: Portland Metro Oregon
Status: offline
|
quote:
7"(J)The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, '(K)To your descendants I will give this land,' He will send (L)His angel before you, and you will take a wife for my son from there. 8"But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will (M)be free from this my oath; (N)only do not take my son back there." 9So the servant (O)placed his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. 10Then the servant took ten camels from the camels of his master, and set out with a variety of (P)good things of his master's in his hand; and he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to (Q)the city of Nahor. 11He made the camels kneel down outside the city by (R)the well of water at evening time, (S)the time when women go out to draw water.12He said, "(T)O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, please (U)grant me success today, and show lovingkindness to my master Abraham. 13"Behold, (V)I am standing by the spring, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water; 14now may it be that the girl to whom I say, 'Please let down your jar so that I may drink,' and who answers, 'Drink, and I will water your camels also'--may she be the one whom You have appointed for Your servant Isaac; and by this I will know that You have shown lovingkindness to my master." 15(W)Before he had finished speaking, behold, (X)Rebekah who was born to Bethuel the son of (Y)Milcah, the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor, came out with her jar on her shoulder.
16The girl was (Z)very beautiful, a virgin, and no man had had relations with her; and she went down to the spring and filled her jar and came up.
17Then the servant ran to meet her, and said, "(AA)Please let me drink a little water from your jar."18(AB)She said, "Drink, my lord"; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. 19Now when she had finished giving him a drink, (AC)she said, "I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking." 20So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. 21(AD)Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not. 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a (AE)gold ring weighing a half-shekel and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels in gold, 23and said, "Whose daughter are you? Please tell me, is there room for us to lodge in your father's house?" 24She said to him, "(AF)I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor." -The Bible.com
He obviously had someone in mind for Isaac. I think there are times he makes a path for us and then I think there are times where the path is ours. Love is always our choice but he knows if we would love his 'choice' so I think when he picked Rebekah it was known to him they would be happy together.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/11/2008 7:39:30 PM
|
|
|
MrFribbles
Posts: 872
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
Status: online
|
quote:
He obviously had someone in mind for Isaac.
So, do you also advocate performing the test that Abraham's servant made when a Christian man chooses a mate?
_____________________________
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
-C. S. Lewis
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/12/2008 1:35:21 AM
|
|
|
Preludeian
Posts: 32
Joined: 5/19/2008
From: Portland Metro Oregon
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: MrFribbles
quote:
He obviously had someone in mind for Isaac.
So, do you also advocate performing the test that Abraham's servant made when a Christian man chooses a mate?
What are you getting at here?
God told Abraham to find a wife for Isaac from his brothers people. So obviously he's been given direction to where he should look. His servant follows this direction from Abraham, which God in turn guides him into the right path to his Brothers people. But where is this mystery woman at the end of this direction? The servant asks for a 'sign' for where exactly this direction ends, which is Rebekah. Now I suppose if God gave you direction I don't see why you couldn't do the same. If direction was never given to you from him I wouldn't advocate useing this way.
< Message edited by Preludeian -- 7/12/2008 1:47:29 AM >
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/21/2008 12:34:47 PM
|
|
|
MrFribbles
Posts: 872
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
Status: online
|
quote:
What are you getting at here?
I'm getting at the fact that people treat this unique story in Scripture as something that should be commonplace in the Christian life - a position I disagree with.
I entirely agree with the notion that God has given us guidelines when looking for a mate, and that we should not stray from them during our search. However, I do not see anything in Scripture that says that God has picked a "the one" for each of us.
_____________________________
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
-C. S. Lewis
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/22/2008 12:35:05 AM
|
|
|
Preludeian
Posts: 32
Joined: 5/19/2008
From: Portland Metro Oregon
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: MrFribbles
quote:
What are you getting at here?
I'm getting at the fact that people treat this unique story in Scripture as something that should be commonplace in the Christian life - a position I disagree with.
I entirely agree with the notion that God has given us guidelines when looking for a mate, and that we should not stray from them during our search. However, I do not see anything in Scripture that says that God has picked a "the one" for each of us.
I will agree not every one of us has 'the one' chosen for he/she but I do believe if God has one for you that will suit his/hers special needs that he will make it aware to you. I'd say 99.9% of we Christians don't have 'The One' picked out for us but that .01% does.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/22/2008 12:45:41 AM
|
|
|
MrFribbles
Posts: 872
Joined: 1/29/2007
From: Hawaii, but I've moved around since then
Status: online
|
quote:
I will agree not every one of us has 'the one' chosen for he/she but I do believe if God has one for you that will suit his/hers special needs that he will make it aware to you. I'd say 99.9% of we Christians don't have 'The One' picked out for us but that .01% does.
Oh, sure. Right on. There are certain ministries that God calls us to specifically, though not everyone will have a specific calling in the same area. And marriage is certainly a ministry, and there are certain Christians whom God has uniquely brought together to serve a specific purpose.
I'm just worried that many people's belief in God's will as it relates to marriage is shaped more by Disney cartoons than Scripture. ; )
_____________________________
Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.
-C. S. Lewis
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 7/28/2008 12:31:19 PM
|
|
|
Beanteaser
Posts: 277
Joined: 6/23/2005
From: Minnesota
Status: offline
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: MrFribbles
I'm getting at the fact that people treat this unique story in Scripture as something that should be commonplace in the Christian life - a position I disagree with.
I entirely agree with the notion that God has given us guidelines when looking for a mate, and that we should not stray from them during our search. However, I do not see anything in Scripture that says that God has picked a "the one" for each of us.
I think you are exactly right!
Someone once told me that Scripture is like a fence. You are free to make your own decisions as long as you stay inside the fence. I also believe God can lead us extrabiblically, but ultimately, the Bible is sufficient.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 8/4/2008 10:02:08 PM
|
|
|
Child4Jesus
Posts: 299
Joined: 5/24/2005
From: Long Island, Nassau, Elmont, NY
Status: online
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: Beanteaser
Here a few questions to consider for this discussion.
Does God plan every single outcome for you life? New job, spouse, where to live, what color shirt you should wear?
What scenarios does He plan and what does He let us plan?
Are we free to make our own decisions if we follow guidelines found in Scripture? Your thoughts?
I don't believe God plans every single outcome for my (I can only speak for myself) life. I think from the entirety of scripture (there is no specific verse that says He doesn't plan every detail) we can see this.
I believe we have desires/wants/needs and as Christians we go to God and ask Him what He wants us to do.
I do think that God plans out certain things, like the fact He wanted me in this world.
However it's not that easy really to pin point what He does and doesn't plan. I wouldn't go as far as to say that me typing the words I'm typing now God planned. Or the fact that I'm wearing a light blue shirt/jeans God planned.
I think God leaves certain things up to us. However we must/should read His word and seek His face. Like who you will marry should be something you seek Him about. MrFribbles and Preludeian I agree with you both. A majority of people don't have "THE ONE" picked out for them by God but some do.
< Message edited by Child4Jesus -- 8/4/2008 10:09:07 PM >
_____________________________
In Christ,
Richad
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 8/12/2008 3:48:17 PM
|
|
|
john_mark
Posts: 490
Joined: 7/20/2005
Status: offline
|
this is a big subject with many questions. if you will let me add my thoughts. does God will our sin or do we sin by ourselves? 1 cor 10:13 says this
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
paul seems to be saying that when christians are faced with temptation God provides a way of escape. i think we would all agree that christians sin so they dont always access the way of escape provided by God. i would find it difficult to accept that God wills our sin based on what paul writes here. so in the area of temptation it seems that christians at least are free to sin or not sin.
if God does not will our sin in a given temptation, based on what paul writes here, i dont think He wills our obedience either.
so now you have to qualify what is temptation. let's say an individual has a talent for acting as a career choice and they have two job offers, one to do a christian movies and one to a porn movies, i would see this as a temptation. based on what i wrote above about temptation, i would say God would allow such an individual to choose their career path.
|
|
|
|
|
RE: How specific is God's will for your life? - 8/20/2008 1:16:12 AM
|
|
|
Preludeian
Posts: 32
Joined: 5/19/2008
From: Portland Metro Oregon
Status: offline
|
^^^^ Very EXCELLENT Post john_mark 
|
|
|
|
 New Messages |
 No New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
 Locked w/ New Messages |
 Locked w/o New Messages |
|
 Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts |
|
|
Forum Tools
Printable Version
