All quotations are taken from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.

© 2014—For republication please contact tim@graceofforesthills.com

For more booklets in this series go to guineafield.blogspot.com Or graceofforesthills.com

USING THIS BOOKLET

Personal Study Perhaps you have a pressing decision to make and you

have come across this study on your own. Let me

encourage you to jump right in to this booklet, and

don’t feel like you need to get through an entire lesson

in one sitting—take a section at a time if you would

like. Or, perhaps you are a person that likes to go

quickly through a study, you could easily finish this

booklet in just one sitting. Enjoy the opportunity to

explore God’s Word!

With a Friend Perhaps a friend asked you to study this booklet with him or her. I’m glad you took time out to study the Bible together! This is one of the kindest concerns a friend can show to you and it is such an enjoyable experience to study the Bible together. Let me encourage you to try to accomplish a lesson each week or two as outlined in the table of contents. It may be helpful to review what you have covered or survey what you are going to cover next by looking at the table of contents each time you move on to the next lesson.

Small Group Perhaps you are part of a small group that is going through this booklet lesson by lesson. Try to read and answer the questions for the week before you meet to study together. You may want to jot down a couple of questions or highlight things that interest you as you read the text the first time. As the group meets you will have the opportunity to share some of these insights as well as answer some of the group questions. Try your best to make it to each of the group meetings so you don’t get behind.

Companion Videos You may be interested in watching the companion videos that go along with this study. They are found on our church website (graceofforesthills.com), or on our church YouTube channel (Grace Baptist Church of Forest Hills). This would especially be helpful to you if you are going through this study on your own. In whatever way you use the booklet I pray that the Lord will bring you to a deeper and more wonderful relationship with Him. A close relationship with God is the most enjoyable experience of life—and it is why we were made in the first place! For His Glory, Pastor Tim Richmond

Table of Contents

LESSON 1 pgs. 1-14 Introduction pg. 1 I. Step 1: Resign your will. pg. 4 II. Step 2: Request God’s wisdom. pg. 8 III. Step 3: Search God’s Word. pg. 9 A. Obey Moral Absolutes pg. 9 B. Gather Applicable Scripture pg. 10

LESSON 2 Pgs. 15-24 C. Apply Guidance Principles pg. 16 1. Providence pg. 16 2. Inclination pg. 18 3. Love pg. 20 4. Advice pg. 23 5. Reason pg. 24 Work Sheet: Applying God’s Desires pg. 27 Work Sheet: The Way of Wisdom pg. 31

1

Introduction

One of the biggest decisions in my life was whether or

not I should pursue a more serious relationship with

the young lady that is now my wife. How can I tell

whether or not we should begin dating? How does

God’s will factor into that decision? Does God have a

specific decision He wants me to make in marriage?

Big or small, decisions in life are endless. Should I

change occupations? Should I take this new job that

will move my family out of our comfort zone? Whom

should I marry? Where should I go to school? Of

course, these questions can seriously alter our

future. So, how can you know what God wants you to

do? Or, perhaps a better question would be, can you

know what God wants you to do? I believe that you

can.

Others would disagree. Of course all believers would

admit that we know God’s will about the moral

absolutes that are revealed in His Word. “Should I steal

this candy bar? Well, let me look at the calorie content

. . .” No, that is ridiculous. We know that stealing a

candy bar is not God’s will for me. But beyond that,

what about the decisions where there is no clear right

and wrong?

God’s Desires in

Life’s Decisions

Lesson 1

2

Some suggest that you cannot discern the Lord’s will in

these areas. In their view, you can only know God’s

mind about areas that are clearly defined in Scripture

through a moral imperative. However, I believe this is

a faulty view of God. We must realize that God is a

Person. Of course He has a will about every decision

that I make in life. Maybe if heaven was like a

computer then we could type our questions into its

database. If an answer didn’t come up then we would

be on our own. But God’s not like that! God’s mind is

conclusive about every decision in life.

So perhaps you believe that God does have a will about

all areas of your life. Then, can you discern what His

will is in these areas? I believe that you can come to a

confident certainty about what God would desire in a

specific decision entirely through Scripture. The point

of this booklet is to help you come to a settled

certainty in your own life’s decisions.

Of course we must be careful not to equate this

“confident certainty” with divine revelation. Some

people actually claim new or ‘fresh’ revelation from

God. This is extremely dangerous and is a mark of a

false teacher. That is not at all what we are striving to

attain. Although I cannot come to the same certainty

as if God directly spoke to me (divine revelation) I can

come to a settled confidence that I have factored God’s

desire into my decision.

3

God is a Person. If we

truly love Him, we will

want to do His will and

will welcome the knowledge of His will.

How do you do this? It is always through God’s Word,

the Bible. God has chosen to reveal His mind through

His Word. As we examine God’s desires in Scripture

we can understand what His will for our life is. The

following steps will direct you through an organized

process of examining God’s desires in light of the

decisions you have to make in life.

Do you want to know God’s will? A true

believer does. My anniversary is coming up so I

immediately think of what my wife would want to do in

order to celebrate. If I have the mindset of true love,

my desires won’t factor

into what we decide to

do. If I immediately

bought tickets to a

Chicago Cubs baseball

game without even

thinking about what my

wife would want, you

would conclude that I really don’t love my wife because

love thinks of the other person’s desires. God is a

Person. If we truly love Him we will want to do His will

and will welcome the knowledge of His will.

As you decide what the Lord wants you to do you will

need to resign your will, ask for wisdom, and search

God’s Word. I hope these steps will help you discern

what decisions the Lord wants you to make. The

advice is simple and straightforward so please take the

time to read the instructions given in each step in

these two brief lessons.

4

Step 1: Resign your will (Proverbs 3:5-6; 16:3).

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart

And do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).”

Many believers ask God what His will is for them and

then put the parking brake on as tightly as possible

while they “wait” for Him to give them direction. They

don’t intend to remove that parking break until they

approve of His destination, directions and every stop

along the way. That is not a resigned will. It is best to

acknowledge to God up-front that you are willing to go

anywhere and do whatever He desires.

Jesus gave us the perfect example when He prayed in

the garden. What He was facing was more difficult

than any other human will face. He was staring into

the greatest amount of pain, sorrow, and

embarrassment that is possible. Within hours His

tribulation would begin. But what did He pray in the

garden as He sweat drops of blood? “My Father, if it is

possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will,

but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Here are some tests

to help you decide whether or not your will is

surrendered to God’s will.

5

Can you pray, “Not my will but Yours?”

This is easier said than done. Does something

immediately come to mind that you may not be willing

to do? Then immediately speak with the Lord about

that; tell Him you are willing to do xyz as well and ask

Him for grace to obey if that is what He desires.

Our unwillingness to resign

every part of our future to God

often stems from a poor view of

our heavenly Father. As

children grow to know their

parents more they learn to trust

their judgment and experience

because they know that their parents love them and

are wise. My little children will readily jump into my

arms because they know that I love them. They know I

wouldn’t want to drop them and that I am strong

enough to catch them. When we cannot surrender

every future decision to the Lord it’s probably because

we doubt one of these attributes. Maybe we doubt

God’s love, thinking that His direction would not be for

our best. Or maybe we doubt God’s power wondering

whether He is really strong enough to support us in

every situation. It takes a proper understanding of

God (theology) to walk a proper walk. Tozer puts this

well:

“A right conception of God is basic not only to

systematic theology but to practical Christian

living as well. It is to worship what the foundation

Unwillingness to

resign our future

to God stems

from a faulty view of God.

6

is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of

plumb the whole structure must sooner or later

collapse. I believe there is scarcely an error in

doctrine or a failure in applying Christian ethics

that cannot be traced finally to imperfect and

ignoble thoughts about God.”1

If you are having trouble resigning to God’s will you

should take some time each day and meditate on the

following Scripture passages to come to a better

understanding of God’s love and power:

God’s love: Psalm 103; Psalm 145:7-10; Romans

8:38-39; I John 4:9-10

God’s power: Psalm 66; Psalm 145:1-6; Job 38:1 –

42:6; Daniel 4:35

1 From the Knowledge of the Holy by A W Tozer Harper Collins

Publishers pg. 2.

7

Is there unconfessed sin in your life?

“If I regard wickedness in my heart,

The Lord will not hear (Psalm 66:18).”

Is there any sin that you are unwilling to give up? If

you are unwilling to obey God in the everyday tasks He

gives you to do then you will be unwilling to obey what

He would have you do in the future. If a donkey

stubbornly resists a farmer in his daily plowing why

would he use the same stubborn donkey for larger

tasks? A believer that resists God’s will in the

monotony of daily obedience will resist His will in the

larger areas as well. Are you resisting Him in a certain

sin? Confess and forsake it.

I remember going through times as a teen where I

would struggle with understanding God’s will for my

future. I felt like God was not hearing my prayers for

direction. Looking back now, I realize that there was

an area of sin in my life that I was unwilling to give

up. This is one of the greatest reasons we struggle to

know God’s mind in a situation.

Are you seeking to know God’s will? The fact that

you’re reading this seems to indicate that you want to

know God’s leading. If you are truly serious about

knowing God’s desires, you are probably not just

focused on your own will. Still, submitting to God’s

direction is an ongoing struggle for everyone.

8

Step 2: Request God’s Wisdom (James 1:5;

Proverbs 2:1-9; I Kings 3:9-14).

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God,

Who gives to all generously and without reproach,

and it will be given to him (James 1:5).”

We often portray God’s will as some mysterious

prospect that is only available to elite Christians

because they are especially in

touch with Him. This is

false. God wants you to follow

His will more than you

do. Have you asked for God’s

direction? If you haven’t, stop

and do that now. The Bible is

the Sword of the Spirit, you should ask Him to use it in

your life.

Very often I will feel stuck when considering the Lord’s

mind about a certain decision. After struggling to find

specific Scriptures that apply, I finally remember to ask

God to direct me. It is such a blessing when

immediately after prayer, the Lord reminds me of a

relevant passage I had forgotten. “You do not have

because you do not ask (James 4:2).”

God wants you

to follow His will

more than you do.

9

Step 3: Search God’s Word (Psalm 119:9; James

1:22-25).

“How can a young man keep his way pure?

By keeping it according to Your Word (Psalm 119:9).”

I readily admit that I have a terrible sense of direction.

When I get turned around I usually do best to go in the

opposite way from where I feel like going. I need a

map. The same is true of life. We should never wing it

when it comes to life’s decisions. We need a spiritual

map that will guide us into God’s desires. God has

given us a map in His word and we need to search it

daily. There are three different categories of searching

that we should consider: obeying moral absolutes,

gathering applicable Scripture, and applying guidance

(PILAR) principles. Let’s briefly consider each of these

three items.

Obey Moral Absolutes.

“If you love Me you will keep My commandments (John

14:15).”

This may appear too obvious to mention, but we must

begin here. Are there any direct commands of

Scripture that apply to this decision? Be careful to

start at first base and don’t deceive yourself. I still

remember praying for things as a young teen that my

parents did not want me to have. I deceived myself

into thinking that the Lord would allow me to do

10

something that did not honor my parents. I was

ignoring one of the Ten Commandments. Pray for

God’s Spirit to search your heart and direct you to

Scripture that may directly forbid you from choosing

one of the several paths ahead of you.

A good example would be a believer praying for God’s

will on marrying an unbeliever. The Scripture clearly

teaches that a believer should not be bound together

with an unbeliever (II Corinthians 6:14). Marriage

definitely qualifies as being “bound together.” A young

man who is seriously contemplating God’s will about

such a relationship would not need to seek God’s mind

any further. God revealed His will about marriage

relationships with unbelievers two thousand years ago

when He spoke through the Apostle Paul. Now you

know God’s mind—it only remains for you to follow

through with what he desires.

Gather Applicable Scripture.

“. . . because we keep His commandments and do the

things that are pleasing in His sight (I John 3:22).”

I John 3:22 is an intriguing passage. John states that

we have what we ask because we have met two

conditions. The first condition is that we have kept

the commandments of the Lord. That would seem to

be where the conditions would end. However he adds

another class of activities that are also a condition to

receiving what we ask for: we must also do what is

11

pleasing in the sight of God. This means that there are

certain activities that believers do that are not clearly

commanded in Scripture, and yet they are things that

please the Lord. I think of a child who is told to wash

the dishes for his mother. What a joy it is to the

mother if the child washes the dishes but doesn’t stop

there. He also puts the clean dishes away, wipes down

the counters, and washes out the kitchen sink. That

child went beyond what his mother commanded

because he wanted to please her. As God’s children,

doing what God has commanded is a great start. But

we should also seek to make choices that please Him

in every situation.

At this point you have come to a decision where there

is no absolute right or wrong. You have not found any

commands in God’s Word that give direct guidance. So

you are seeking to know what would please

God. Where do you turn? You need to search for any

principle that would apply to your situation. You

should be asking, “what has God said that applies to

my decision?” Perhaps you are trying to decide what

car to buy. You would need to find specific Biblical

principles for what type of car God wants. That may

sound odd but it is a necessary question. Would you

ever buy a car without asking your wife or husband

what they would want? Of course not! Then why

wouldn’t you ask your closest friend and sovereign

Lord what He would want? Take time to write out each

of these Scriptures and the direct principle from that

passage that applies to your decision (See form

provided on pages 31-32).

12

There are five principles that I believe will be especially

helpful to you in making decisions in areas that are not

clear. We will develop those five principles in the

second lesson.

13

1. If you are going through this study on an individual

basis. Take the time to fill out the Wisdom

Worksheet in the back of this booklet (pages 31-

32).

2. What are two questions to ask to determine if you

have a resigned will?

3. What are the three steps in determining God’s will in a

Decision?

4. Stan “the Man” Smith is a star baseball player on his high

school team. He has had groups of scouts following his

steps through his Junior and Senior years of High School.

Full-ride scholarships have been offered by several

prestigious Universities, and he even has had offers from

minor league teams. However, the Lord has been

QUESTION AND ANSWER

14

working in Stan’s heart to gain medical training as a

nurse to go to areas of the world that are closed to the

Gospel in order to share Jesus’ message of salvation.

Stan’s parents are professing believers but are strongly

opposed to his decision to go to medical school and have

asked him to at least take the scholarships and pursue

his baseball career. He feels that if he does he will not

be able to perform as well in the demanding medical

field. List below applicable Scriptural principles to help

Stan make a wise decision.

15

Introduction

In the first lesson we surveyed three major steps that

you should take in order to come to a confident

certainty that a decision is in keeping with what God

desires. First, you must resign your own will. Make

sure the parking break is off and you are ready to roll.

Second, you must ask for wisdom. Once you pray and

ask the Lord for His direction the right course may

come to your mind immediately – “You do not have

because you do not ask” (James 2:2). Third, you are

searching applicable Scripture.

As you search Scripture, you will find that there are

some passages that are particularly helpful when it

comes to determining God’s will. I like to call these

PILLAR principles. If you make sure that your decision

rests upon all five of these principles, then you can be

confident in moving forward. I think they are also

especially helpful in that they often apply to situations

where there is no clear right and wrong path. In these

times it is best to think carefully through these pillars.

We will use the acrostic PILAR to help remember the

principles.

God’s Desires in

Life’s Decisions

Lesson 2

16

Apply Guidance Principles (PILAR principles).

The following five principles are ones that have been

used to guide the Lord’s people for thousands of

years. They are the ‘pillars’ on which we build a firm

understanding of God’s will for our future. Any one of

these should not be taken above or apart from the

others. Take the time to consider all of them. When

all five pillars come together and support one decision,

then we can certainly go forward with a confident

assurance that the Lord is directing us.

Providence: God directs through our present and past

incidents surrounding our lives.

How has God led in the past? Providence

may sound like a difficult concept but it

isn’t. It comes from the Latin words ‘to

see’ and ‘before’ showing that God sees

beforehand what will happen in our

lives. You probably already know that God

is in control and directs all of our

circumstances (Psalm 135:6; Proverbs

21:1; Daniel 4:35; Ephesians 1:11). This is

a comforting thought. God directs through

the general circumstances surrounding our

lives to lead us in His will. Try to honestly

consider how the Lord’s hand has been

guiding in your life to the point of this

decision. Has He opened up an

opportunity for you? In what ways has He

17

gifted you? Who has He placed in your life to help

you? There are many ways to look at your current

circumstances and honestly asses how the Lord has

been leading. A young man seeking what mission

field he should target may look at his background.

Three years of Spanish in high school and the Hispanic

children that he worked with in a Bible club during

college could lead him to pursue a Spanish mission

field. We know that our lives are not haphazard and

out of God’s control. Even while we think our minds

are choosing the way, the Lord is directing our steps

(Proverbs 16:9).

After Paul finished his second missionary journey he

shared what the Lord had done with his home church

in Antioch. What did he do after this update? Did he

wait for an angel to direct him? No, he considered how

the Lord had led in the past journeys and decided to

go “successively through the Galatian region and

Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples (Acts 18:22-

23).” You might be tempted to wait for a voice from

heaven when you simply need to look at how the Lord

has been leading all along.

On the other hand, be careful not to base your decision

entirely on this pillar. Jonah conveniently found a boat

that was sailing exactly the opposite way that God

commanded. Was that an open door? Yes it certainly

was. Was it God’s will? Certainly not! Just because an

opportunity comes up does not mean that you should

take it as from the Lord. I remember a often repeated

saying from one of my professors from College -

18

“Open doors often lead to empty elevator shafts.” You

should always take the time to pray and search the

Scripture for other principles that apply. We should

also be careful not to fall into traps like “setting out a

fleece” or casting dice to determine God’s

will. Because we have the complete revelation of God,

we shouldn’t discern God’s will through effortless

immaturity. We should study God’s will in His Word to

direct us.

Inclination: God directs through the desires of those

whose hearts are His.

“Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your

heart (Psalm 37:4).”

What do you desire? It is a great blessing

to have desires in our hearts that have

truly come from God. But how does that

take place? Only as you delight yourself in

the Lord. As your heart grows close to the

Lord’s heart, you’ll find that your desires

become His—you will automatically seek

God’s desires above your own. This is

love. As I get to know my wife more and

more over the years I begin to desire the

things she desires. I know how much she

loves listening to opera so I have started

enjoying that music myself. At times the Apostle

Paul’s desires are astonishing. We read that Paul

19

desired to die in order to be with Jesus. But since he

also had a stronger desire to serve the Lord on earth,

he concluded that it would be best to remain

(Philippians 1:21-25). These are not natural desires!

That kind of thinking can only come through the Holy

Spirit living in us.

I must caution you here. This verse (Psalm 37:4) can

be twisted to say “all the desires of my heart are right.”

That is not a good understanding of the verse. As we

grow close to the Lord He changes our desires to make

His desires ours. We know that by nature (our default

setting) the heart is tricky. As Jeremiah said, “the heart

is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick;

who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). So this would

be a very poor pillar on which to lean a major decision

standing alone. The desires of your heart may well

have come from a close walk with God, but your heart

may also be leading you astray. Even David a man

after God’s own heart, was led astray into adultery and

murder because of following the desires of his heart.

20

Love: God directs through discerning love.

“And this I pray that your love may abound

still more and more in real knowledge and

all discernment, so that you may approve

the things that are excellent, in order to be

sincere an blameless until the day of Christ

(Philippians 1:9-10).”

What is best for God and others? Love,

our unselfish desire to serve God and others, takes

preeminence in decision-making. Paul prays that the

Philippian believers would abound in love (Philippians

1:9). One result of discerning love is that they would

be able to approve the things that are excellent. Luke

uses the word “approve” for the man who turned down

an invitation to a feast because he had bought a new

yoke of oxen and wanted to test it out. He wanted to

“put to the test” what he had just bought. As you grow

in discerning love you are able to put two good options

“to the test” and decide which is the most excellent.

One good way to test yourself is to compare your

choices with the different activities of love in I

Corinthians 13. Filter your choice based on what God

says discerning love looks like. Let’s say that a father

received a bonus for Christmas and had to decide

between a new hunting rifle or a much needed vacation

for his family. Which choice would filter through

discerning love? Of course, the family vacation is the

more loving choice. Is there anything wrong with a

hunting rifle? Of course not but there is also a choice

21

that is more excellent. Discerning love allows us to

make the better choice.

So what does it mean that we must love with

discernment? Love requires discernment. If I let my

child eat whatever she wanted, she would hurt

herself—she doesn’t know what her body needs.

Young ladies can’t live on green M&M’s alone. Love

discerns what is best for the other person and gives

unselfishly to fulfill that need.

I should also clarify—love is not a feeling. Love is a

choice. You would feel like going out and spending

the money on yourself. But the goal is to be guided

by love rather than by a feeling, because love is

choosing for other people’s well-being. Use the

following chart to weigh your decisions against the

activities of love.

22

Love’s Activities (I Corinthians 13) Yes No

1. Is this decision patient with God and others?

(love is patient, v. 4) □ □

2. Is this decision kind to God and others? (love

is kind, v. 4) □ □

3. Is this decision motivated by jealousy? (love is

not jealous, v. 4) □ □

4. Is this decision motivated by a desire to brag

or by arrogance? (love does not brag and is not

arrogant v. 4)

□ □

5. Is this decision rude toward God or others?

(love doe not act unbecomingly, v. 5) □ □

6. Is this decision motivated by pleasing self

rather than God and others? (love does not seek

its own, v. 5)

□ □

7. Is this decision an improper reaction toward

someone else’s unfair treatment of you? (love is

not provoked, v. 5)

□ □

8. Is this decision based on feelings of

resentment and bitterness toward someone else’s

unfair treatment of you? (love does not take into

account a wrong suffered, v. 5)

□ □

9. Is this decision righteous and true? (love does

not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with

the truth, v. 6)

□ □

10. Is this decision one that bears with others’

weaknesses? (love bears all things, v. 7) □ □

11. Is this decision one that takes the best view

of other people? (love believes all things, v. 7) □ □

12. Is this decision one that reflects a hopeful

attitude toward others? (love hopes all

things, v.7)

□ □

13. Is this decision one that reflects an enduring

attitude? (love endures all things, v. 7) □ □

23

Advice: God leads through the wise counsel of Godly

men.

“Listen to counsel and accept discipline,

That you may be wise the rest of your days

(Proverbs 19:20).”

What have wise people advised? You should

not make major decisions in life without

consulting wise counselors. Give much

weight to advice from pastors, parents, and

friends who have walked with the Lord for a

long time. Be sure not to stack the evidence

in your favor by asking advice from people

who will tell you what you want to hear.

This is one of the most important pillars to rest

on. The Lord will often lead you to the right choice

through the insight of wise men who aren’t

emotionally attached to the situation.

Other people have the advantage of a fresh

perspective. There may be factors that you have

overlooked, or perhaps they have made similar

decisions in the past and are able to tell you the

positive and negative results of choosing one way or

another. We need to be humble enough to admit that

we can learn from others’ advice in life.

24

Reason: God leads through wisdom.

“How blessed is the man who finds wisdom

. . .

Her ways are pleasant ways

And all her paths are peace (Proverbs 3:13-

17).”

Finally, you should ask yourself, what is the

wise choice? Simple common sense and

spiritual understanding will direct you in

the right path. All of the pillars already

listed fall under this category. You should

always look at the practical ramifications of

your decisions. Is it wise to take on a $300

monthly car payment when you are already struggling

to make ends meet? No. Spend time in the book of

Proverbs. Consider reading a Proverb every day along

with the other time you spend in God’s Word. This

will allow you to hear God’s precepts of wisdom every

day and it will direct you in daily decision-making.

How do you know what is wise? Well, Solomon states

that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of

wisdom. Many people completely destroy their lives

because they live without any fear of God. We must

realize that God sees our decisions, and like a good

Father, He will discipline those who disobey Him.

“If you address as Father the One Who impartially

judges according to each man’s work, conduct

25

yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth

(I Peter 1:17).”

Here’s something that will help you think through the

positives and negatives of a decision—try writing out

the pros and cons on a sheet of paper. At the back of

this study you’ll find a template that will help you do

that. While you think through the positives and

negatives of your situation, God will often bring

proverbs to mind that will verify His direction for you.

If you are seriously pursuing God’s mind about a

specific decision you can be assured that He is on your

side. Prayerfully, carefully go through the following

worksheet. It will walk you through the different

principles that God’s word teaches us about discerning

His will. As you go through this process, don’t be

stagnate – keep walking forward. Pursue what you do

know to be God’s will with all your heart and He will

continue to direct you on the unknown questions.

“Not lagging behind in diligence,

fervent in spirit, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11).”

May God bless you as you continue to seek His will.

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1. How can taking a look back at how God has led

thus far in your life (Providence) help you in making

decisions in the future?

2. Little Johnny was given a deadline to finish cleaning

his room by 12:00 noon on Saturday afternoon.

However, meditating on the verse that God gives us

the desires of our heart he realized that his heart

desired to play his new video game with his brother

instead. Explain to Johnny why he is wrong and the

importance of using more than one of the five

pillars to make a decision.

3. List the five Scripture Principle Pillars below.

QUESTION AND ANSWER

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God’s Desires in Life’s Decisions

Applying God’s Desires Work Sheet

Instructions: Before you can apply God’s desires to

your choices, you must search where He has revealed

His desires—in Scripture. This work sheet will guide

you through the searching process. Clearly define the

decision that you want to make and then follow this

guide through the different Scriptural considerations.

Summarize the decision that you need to make:

1. Resign your will, submitting yourself to whatever

the Lord may ask. Are you ready to say, “Not my will

but yours, Lord?” Is there any unconfessed sin in your

life?

2. Ask the Lord to direct you into what He would like

you to do.

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3. Search the Scripture.

Verse Principle Derived

Scripture

Commands

Other

Relevant

Passages

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4. Apply Scriptural Guidance Principles (PILAR).

A. In what ways might God’s past leading in

your life direct you on this decision (providence)?

B. What is your desire (inclination)?

C. Would one choice show more self-

sacrificing service toward God and others than another

choice (Love)? Fill out the I Corinthians 13 worksheet

on page 9.

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D. What have godly people advised you to do

(advice)?

E. What do you believe would be the wise

choice (reason)? Write down any proverbs that you

believe apply to this situation. Fill out the positives

and negatives worksheet.

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God’s Desires in Life’s Decisions

Wisdom Work Sheet

Instructions: Clearly define the exact decision that you

want to make and follow this guide through the

different Scriptural considerations.

Specific Decision:

1. List any Proverbs that apply to your decision.

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2. List the positives and negatives of each option

below.

Positive Negative

Option #1

Option #2

Option #3