DIVINE DIRECTION—1

POWER TO BECOME

Hands down most commonly asked question:

How do I know what God wants? God’s will for my life?

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Decisions matter: Decisions we make today determine stories we tell…

Making decisions can be stressful—Not great decision makers:

Regretted saying: Watch this.

Shouldn’t dated that guy—Shouldn’t bought that car—Shouldn’t eaten.

You have decisions to make.
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Cookies—Younger generation—So many options
Panic—Freeze!

Try to make the perfect decision—No decision—Bad decision!

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Keep dating/Break Take new job Public/private

Go to this school Marry now/later Dance/piano
Major in Bus/Med Have kids—Vas Buy car—keep

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 Power to Become
 Wisdom to Know
 Confidence to Know
 Faith to Start (Ester 4—Pg 38)

God says very little about the future. He says a lot about today.
What is important to God?
 GOD CARES ABOUT

 WHO BEFORE DO.

God is more concerned w/who you are becoming than what you are doing.
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God’s will is for you to be holy. 1 Thes 4:3 NLT

Holy—Set apart—Different from world—God wants you become like X.

Bible never talks about his will for your Career—Calling to be like X.
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What does God want me to do?
Who does God want me to become?
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Is it God’s will that I’m a pastor? (Secondary—Primary)
More than being a pastor—It’s God’s will that I live a holy life.

To be a pastor (DO)—To live faithfully for Jesus (WHO)

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 Best preacher in the city—Abusive to my wife! (Not in God’s will)
 Charismatic leader—Don’t pay my bills. Who—Before Do!

Rather me do anything else with integrity—Than be a pastor without it.

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 Whether you marry this person or wait—Be faithful to Christ.
 Whether you stay in this job or take another one—Be faithful.
 Whether you major in elemen education or pre-med—Be faithful.

God’s will is more about who you are than what you do!

If you are becoming the right who—you will (choose) the right do. (end?)
 2) WHY BEFORE WHAT. (Motives matter to God.)

You may think everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your
motives. Proverbs 16:2 GN

2 reasons for doing something: 1. What sounds good.

2. Real reason.
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Jesus warned: practicing righteous acts to be seen by people! Lose reward.

Search my heart!
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Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am
I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would
not be a servant of Christ. Gal 1:10

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You can’t get to the right place when you start with the wrong motives.
Won’t do the right “what” if you are driven by the wrong “why.”

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 Should I buy car? Why? Transportation—Statement you can’t afford.

 Post this photo—Why? Honor Christ—Draw attention to myself.
 Buy flowers wife—Love her—Play Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Want to impress you: Like me—Validate me—Envy me.

If you get to the point—God I want to please you!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the
Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Col 3:17

Whatever you do—Wherever you are—Serve Christ there!

 Just a stay at home mom—drowning in laundry and poop!
Just a minimum wage fry cook—Best French fries
Boss is a jerk—Serve that jerk with the love of Christ.

Back at FUMC—Something small I did.

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God’s will is a WHO before Do and WHY before WHAT.

Pleasing God isn’t a few big decisions.

It’s countless daily decisions of dying to self and following X.
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One of most influential men—Dad, Hybels, Nick, Mike Liddell, Ramsey

Never started a non-profit. Preached sermon. Started business.

 Lead a LG, Disciples men—Cars for a widow.

 Tithe—Offerings—Prays
 Always something in the Word.

Amy’s dad (Sam Fox): Who he is has helped shaped who I am.
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End of life—Multi-site, Free Resources—Books

 Private decisions to do what was right.

 Quiet and private sacrifices.
 Hundred stories like when Joy came in—Only be little for awhile.
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Notice—Direction—not destination (Arriving—always moving toward X)

One of my children making bigger life decisions—What do I do?

Whatever you do!

 If you’re becoming the right who, God will help you choose the right
do.
  If you’re driven by the right why, God will lead you to the right what.
More about the WHO and WHY—than the DO and WHAT

Whatever you do—do it for the glory of God.

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Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday
sun. Ps 37:3-5 NLT
Augustine—Love God and do what you want.

40 shades of orange
technically 43 according to Wikipdedia
(Need list of Oranges)

Bubba / Forest Gump joke - ___ shrimp

Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich.
Walk in the Spirit… Keep in step…
23 24
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Col 3:23

What job to take—How to treat people on job.

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Does God have one person for everyone?
Marriage isn’t about your happiness—holiness.

Sometimes in pursuit of what’s perfect—We miss what’s really good.

People over things

Eternity over temporary
Important over urgent
Becoming over doing
Need over want
Others over self
Service over pleasure

Move to a new city for $10k extra

1 pet 2:5 God’s will you should do good.

When you know God’s will—He will lead your ways.

When you walk in God’s ways—he will lead you to his will.

Passivity—Perfectionism.
Love God and do as you please. Augustine.

James 4:13 Go to this city

Paul—Maybe, perhaps…
Faith not sight.
Faith to finish—faith to start.

Holy Spirit told me no—You got rejected by God—She didn’t like you.
Open door—God opening—Devil tempting.
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Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation
is your people.” 14 The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Ex 33:12-14

RUNNER’S HIGH = BULLCRAP

Studying for sermons vs. Studying in seminary

Now I actually need this and see the purpose of it
How do you make it a desire?
DELIGHT yourself & He will GIVE you the desires
Desire comes from Delight
Take delight in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps. 37:4
FULFILL / INSTILL
Not devote yourself – but delight yourself
Do BEFORE desire
Do it and the desire will follow
What starts as duty will become delight
Acquired taste
Learn to love it
Fake it til you Make it
Will it til you Feel it
Know = Act = Be
Head = Hands = Heart
ALWAYS SOMETIMES NEVER
Move for a raise to antoehr city—wilsdom
no details.
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Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Eph 5:17
Don’t want to be foolish—Marry wrong person—Wrong job!
I want God’s will!
God wants me to run through wall
Decide—Latin decider—to cut off.
We don’t want to cut off options.
Freedom to do anything is overwhelming—Instead of freedom—bondage.
Two options—neither forbidden.
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Don’t panic when things don’t go your way.
Satan is more likely to attack those who are doing right than those doing wrong.
Even if you fail—God uses it.
Competing interests: Making money—Making a difference
Success at career—Success at family.
Settling down—Traveling the world

Blessed with choices—People on $2 a day—Don’t have choices. (Pg 32)