Pathway to Victory offers a practical application of God’s Word to everyday life through the clear, biblical teaching of Pastor Jeffress.
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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - Discovering God's Will (Part 1) | September 8, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church of
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- Dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory" with
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- Dr. robert jeffress.
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- Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress and welcome
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- Again to "pathway to victory."
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- Every day, we're faced with thousands of different decisions
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- Ranging from what to wear to where to move.
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- So how do we make personal decisions that are in alignment
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- With god's will?
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- Today we're beginning a practical new study in which
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- I'll teach you how to listen for god's direction in every
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- Decision you make.
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- My message is titled "discovering god's will" on
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- Today's edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪♪♪
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- Announcer: how do you know which path god wants you to take?
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- In "how to make wise decisions," trusted author and bible teacher
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- Dr. robert jeffress cuts through the confusion with time tested
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- Biblical wisdom.
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- Whether you're facing career changes, relationship questions,
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- Or ministry decisions, this practical guide reveals how god
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- Speaks to his children today.
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- Don't let uncertainty paralyze you.
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- Request your copy of "how to make wise decisions" when you
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- Give a generous gift to support the ministry of
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- Pathway to victory.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Jeffress: i know a pastor who says if you want to guarantee a
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- Large crowd when you preach, just announce that you're going
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- To preach on any one of these topics, sex, the end times, or
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- Will there be sex in the end times?
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- But there's also a fourth topic that always generates interest,
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- And that's the subject of discovering god's will for
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- Your life.
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- It was the late joe bailey who wrote, "if there is a serious
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- Concern among christians today, it is for guidance.
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- Holiness may have been the passion of another generation of
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- Christian young men and women or soul winning or evangelizing the
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- World and in their generation, but not today.
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- Today the theme is getting to know the will of god."
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- I've discovered that in my own ministry.
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- I sometimes ask our tape ministry through the years, what
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- Are the tapes that generate the most interest?
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- And always family, finances, but at the top of the list are any
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- Messages about how to know god's will for your life.
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- Why is that?
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- Why are christians so interested in this topic?
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- I want to suggest to you today three reasons for interest in
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- This topic.
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- First of all, it's only natural that christians would wanna know
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- God's will for their life.
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- You know, in john 4 verse 34, jesus said, "my food," that is
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- My substance, "is to know the will of god of him who sent me
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- And to accomplish his work."
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- Jesus said, "the reason i exist is to know god's will and to
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- Accomplish his purpose."
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- Shouldn't that be our goal as well?
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- Paul said in 2 corinthians 5:9, "therefore we have as our
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- Ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to him."
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- It's natural that those of us who are children of god would
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- Wanna know what god's desire is for every area of our life.
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- Second, i think there is renewed interest in this topic because
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- It's a challenging topic to know god's will for your life,
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- Especially in the age in which we live that is filled
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- With options.
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- I love the story about the newspaper reporter who was doing
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- A story on the citrus industry in florida.
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- And so he went to this plant and he watched as a workman at the
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- Bottom of a conveyor belt would take the oranges as they would
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- Come off that conveyor belt and start to sort them.
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- The big oranges he'd place in one hole, smaller oranges in a
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- Second hole, the bruised oranges in a third hole.
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- And the reporter watched as he did this over and over and over
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- Again, and he thought to himself, how does this guy stand
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- At this monotonous job all day long?
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- So he went up to the orange worker and he said, "boy, this
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- Is some job.
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- How do you do it?"
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- And the orange worker said, "oh, you don't know the half of it.
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- From the time i check in in the morning until the time i go home
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- At night, it's the same thing, decisions,
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- Decisions, decisions."
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- Well, you know, we all face decisions in life, but most of
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- Them are much more complicated than which orange to put in
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- Which hole.
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- Just think about it, think about all the options that we have.
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- It wasn't that long ago that if you wanted to choose a long
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- Distance carrier, you had one choice, at&t.
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- You didn't have to decide which one you're gonna choose.
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- Today you have dozens of choices.
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- When i'm talking to students, they can't believe this, but i
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- Said, when i was growing up back when dinosaurs roamed the earth,
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- If you wanted to watch television here in dallas, you
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- Had four choices.
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- Remember that?
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- You had the three network affiliates and an
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- Independent station.
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- That was it.
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- Today, if you want to watch television, you have hundreds of
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- Choices with cable and with satellite television.
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- A 100 years ago, if you wanted to order an automobile, henry
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- Ford gave you one choice: the model t in basic black.
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- But i read somewhere that today between all of the makes and
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- Models and options available on cars, did you know there are 25
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- Million different combinations of what you can order in
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- An automobile?
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- And those options that we have extend to every area of
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- Our life.
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- We face numerous choices like no other generation in where we can
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- Live or what vocation we can choose or what school to attend
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- Or thanks to eharmony, whom to date or whom to marry.
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- Lots of choices out there.
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- And that's why as never before, christians need to know how to
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- Discover god's direction for their lives.
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- I think a third reason for this series and renewed interest in
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- This topic is because knowing god's will is also a
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- Complicated issue.
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- Quite frankly, the reason i'm addressing this topic is not
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- Because nobody's ever spoken on it before, but so many people
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- Are speaking on this topic with so many contradictory ways to
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- Discover god's will for your life.
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- Go to a christian bookstore or listen to some of the best known
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- Speakers in america today.
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- They're all addressing this topic, but they give you
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- Different ways to discover god's will.
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- For example, there's what i call the formulaic approach.
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- That says there's a formula for knowing god's will.
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- It's kind of like a checklist that a pilot uses before he
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- Takes off.
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- You have to check everything off.
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- You know, god's word, check, prayer, check, wise counselors,
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- Check, and then if all of them line up and agree, you can know
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- That particular decision is god's will.
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- Now the problem with the formulaic approach is what
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- Happens if all of those ingredients don't say the
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- Same thing?
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- What if, for example, you pray about a particular decision, you
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- Feel like god's leading you one way, but then you go to a wise
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- Counselor who says, "boy, that'd be a big mistake.
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- You shouldn't do that"?
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- Which do you give more weight to?
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- What you feel like god's leading you through prayer or what wise
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- Counsel is saying to you?
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- A second way some people try to discover god's will is through
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- The experiential method.
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- They'll say, well, when moses was trying to listen to god, he
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- Didn't have a checklist.
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- He just got to know god intimately and god led him.
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- And they say, if you will just simply get to know god,
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- Experience god, then you don't have to worry about knowing his
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- Will, you'll just know automatically what to do.
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- Jesus has this very simple promise which is gonna be the
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- Foundation of our series.
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- It's found in john 10 verse 27.
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- Jesus said, "my sheep hear my voice, i know them and they
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- Follow me."
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- Do you notice what jesus is promising in that short verse?
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- First of all, he says, god's voice is audible.
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- God has a voice.
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- He is speaking.
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- As francis schaeffer said, "he is there and he is not silent."
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- God's voice is audible.
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- Secondly, jesus says god's voice is discernible.
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- That is, you can actually distinguish god's voice.
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- You can hear it.
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- Of course, he says a condition for hearing from god is, first
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- Of all, belonging to god.
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- The only people who have the promise of hearing from god are
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- Those who belong to god through jesus christ, those who are
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- Truly his sheep.
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- And then thirdly, jesus says, god's voice is directional.
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- It's leading us someplace.
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- When god speaks to us, he does so more than just to give us
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- Courage and comfort to face our present situation.
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- He actually promises guidance, direction to those who trust
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- In him.
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- Now, today as we begin this series together, i wanna start
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- With just three very simple and biblical presuppositions about
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- God's will that we have to understand before we can ever
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- Hope to hear from god.
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- I want you to write them down on your outlines.
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- First of all, we must desire to obey god's will.
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- If we ever hope to hear from god, we must have a desire to
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- Obey the will of god.
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- Now listen to me this morning, it's not enough just to want to
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- Know god's will.
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- We can't say, "god, show me your will so that i can decide
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- Whether or not i want to obey it."
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- God doesn't work that way.
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- He only reveals his will to those who truly want to know
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- His will.
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- In john 6:38, jesus said, "for i came down from heaven, not to do
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- My own will, but to do the will of him who sent me."
- 00:10:14.070 --> 00:10:18.941
- Jesus said the consuming passion of his life, john 4:34, was to
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- "do the will of god of him who sent me and to accomplish
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- His work."
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- Let me ask you this morning, is that true of you?
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- Is your overriding passion in life to obey god's will?
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- When you roll out of bed in the morning is your first thought,
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- How would god have me spend my time today?
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- Or when you face a difficult decision or a thorny dilemma, is
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- The first thing you ask yourself is what would god have me do in
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- This situation?
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- What is his will in this decision?
- 00:11:00.149 --> 00:11:02.818
- How many atheists do we have here in the sanctuary?
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- Would you raise your hand?
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- How many atheists?
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- Not many, not many.
- 00:11:10.426 --> 00:11:13.362
- Fact is, there are very few theological atheists left in
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- The world.
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- We are not theological atheists, but i submit to you today, most
- 00:11:19.068 --> 00:11:22.471
- Of us live our lives as practical atheists.
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- We live our lives, we formulate our plans, we expend our
- 00:11:27.109 --> 00:11:32.014
- Resources as if there were no god in heaven.
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- We do what we want to do.
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- We solve our dilemmas like we want to solve them without any
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- Thought of god whatsoever.
- 00:11:42.158 --> 00:11:44.493
- We live as practical atheists.
- 00:11:44.493 --> 00:11:48.030
- But ladies and gentlemen, there is a god in heaven.
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- And that god in heaven has a plan for your life and he
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- Promises to reveal that plan to those who truly want to know it.
- 00:11:55.437 --> 00:11:59.842
- Let me give you a great illustration from the
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- Old testament.
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- This is the story of the beginning of solomon's reign
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- Over israel.
- 00:12:06.315 --> 00:12:07.650
- Remember solomon was the son of david?
- 00:12:07.650 --> 00:12:09.752
- And solomon knew he had some pretty big shoes to fill?
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- He was only 19 years of age when he became king.
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- And so realizing the challenge that was before him, at the
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- Beginning of his reign, he went to a little village called
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- Gibeon, and there he met with god.
- 00:12:22.798 --> 00:12:26.035
- I want you to notice what happened in gibeon.
- 00:12:26.035 --> 00:12:28.003
- In verse 5 of 1 kings chapter 3, "the lord appeared to solomon
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- And said, 'ask what you wish and i will give it to you.'"
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- He said to solomon, "you can ask for anything and i will give it
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- To you."
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- Now think about this.
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- If god came to most 19 year old boys and said, "ask whatever you
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- Want and i'll give it to you," what would most 19 year old boys
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- Ask for?
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- Latest model chariot, a closet full of designer tunics, the
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- Hottest girlfriend in all of israel?
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- That's what most would ask for.
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- Not solomon.
- 00:13:08.143 --> 00:13:09.511
- Look at verse 9, he said, "so give thy servant an
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- Understanding heart."
- 00:13:14.383 --> 00:13:16.585
- That word "understanding" in hebrew means a hearing heart.
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- He said, god, more than anything, i wanna be able to
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- Hear from you.
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- I wanna know your will.
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- I need your direction because this task is too big for me.
- 00:13:28.364 --> 00:13:33.135
- First samuel 3:10 said, when solomon asked for that, it was
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- Pleasing in the sight of god.
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- And we find not only did god grant solomon the wisdom that he
- 00:13:38.540 --> 00:13:41.644
- Wanted, but he gave him the chariots and the tunics and more
- 00:13:41.644 --> 00:13:45.814
- Girlfriends and he knew what to do with.
- 00:13:45.814 --> 00:13:48.517
- Gee, the point is god answers the prayers of those who ask for
- 00:13:48.517 --> 00:13:53.122
- Wisdom in life.
- 00:13:53.122 --> 00:13:54.790
- And the same is true with us.
- 00:13:54.790 --> 00:13:56.425
- God is not trying to withhold direction.
- 00:13:56.425 --> 00:13:58.994
- He will honor, he will direct us if we truly have this desire to
- 00:13:58.994 --> 00:14:03.165
- Obey him.
- 00:14:03.165 --> 00:14:04.500
- Listen to some of these promises that you find in scripture about
- 00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:07.603
- God's promise of direction.
- 00:14:07.603 --> 00:14:09.605
- Jot it down.
- 00:14:09.605 --> 00:14:10.940
- Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6: "trust in the lord with all of
- 00:14:10.940 --> 00:14:14.610
- Your heart and do not lean on your own understanding, in all
- 00:14:14.610 --> 00:14:18.681
- Your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your
- 00:14:18.681 --> 00:14:22.117
- Path straight."
- 00:14:22.117 --> 00:14:23.819
- Or matthew 7 verse 7, the lord said, "ask and it shall be given
- 00:14:23.819 --> 00:14:27.423
- To you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened
- 00:14:27.423 --> 00:14:31.260
- To you."
- 00:14:31.260 --> 00:14:32.594
- Or james 1:5.
- 00:14:32.594 --> 00:14:33.963
- "if any one of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of god, who gives to
- 00:14:33.963 --> 00:14:38.067
- All men generously and without reproach, and it shall be given
- 00:14:38.067 --> 00:14:42.871
- To him."
- 00:14:42.871 --> 00:14:44.306
- God promises to reveal his will if we are intent on obeying it.
- 00:14:44.306 --> 00:14:50.145
- But exactly how does god do that?
- 00:14:50.145 --> 00:14:52.481
- How does god speak to christians today?
- 00:14:52.481 --> 00:14:56.051
- Before i answer that question, i think at the outset, we need to
- 00:14:56.051 --> 00:14:59.621
- Define some terms here.
- 00:14:59.621 --> 00:15:01.724
- When we talk about the will of god, what do we mean by the will
- 00:15:01.724 --> 00:15:05.294
- Of god?
- 00:15:05.294 --> 00:15:06.628
- As i search both through the old and the new testaments, i find
- 00:15:06.628 --> 00:15:09.665
- That this phrase, "the will of god," is used in three
- 00:15:09.665 --> 00:15:13.068
- Distinct ways.
- 00:15:13.068 --> 00:15:15.137
- First of all, sometimes the phrase "the will of god" refers
- 00:15:15.137 --> 00:15:19.308
- To god's providential will.
- 00:15:19.308 --> 00:15:21.977
- His providential will.
- 00:15:21.977 --> 00:15:24.279
- God's providential will is that secret plan by which he governs
- 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:30.319
- Everything that happens in the universe.
- 00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:32.888
- His providential will is his secret plan that governs
- 00:15:32.888 --> 00:15:36.625
- Everything that happens in the universe.
- 00:15:36.625 --> 00:15:38.894
- Turn over to ephesians chapter 1 verse 9.
- 00:15:38.894 --> 00:15:41.730
- Here is a great illustration of god's providential will, the
- 00:15:41.730 --> 00:15:46.568
- Mysterious will that governs everything that happens.
- 00:15:46.568 --> 00:15:49.471
- In ephesians 1 verse 9, paul says "he, god made known to us
- 00:15:49.471 --> 00:15:54.276
- The mystery of his will, according to his kind intention
- 00:15:54.276 --> 00:15:59.648
- Which he purposed in him."
- 00:15:59.648 --> 00:16:02.084
- In other words, paul is saying, before the foundation of the
- 00:16:02.084 --> 00:16:04.420
- World, god's plan was to send christ to die for us, but just
- 00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:08.157
- In later times, latter times, has he made known to us this
- 00:16:08.157 --> 00:16:12.161
- Mystery that was a part of his plan from the beginning.
- 00:16:12.161 --> 00:16:15.931
- By the way, will you notice two things about god's providential
- 00:16:15.931 --> 00:16:19.068
- Will, verse 9?
- 00:16:19.068 --> 00:16:21.837
- First of all, there's only one of them.
- 00:16:21.837 --> 00:16:24.573
- This word "will" is not plural, is it?
- 00:16:24.573 --> 00:16:27.709
- It's singular.
- 00:16:27.709 --> 00:16:30.145
- God doesn't have multiple "wills."
- 00:16:30.145 --> 00:16:33.715
- He has a will, singular.
- 00:16:33.715 --> 00:16:37.753
- Now we're gonna get into this more in this series, but
- 00:16:37.753 --> 00:16:40.722
- Contrary to what you've heard in the past, there are no two wills
- 00:16:40.722 --> 00:16:44.560
- Of god.
- 00:16:44.560 --> 00:16:45.928
- God doesn't have what some people call a perfect will and
- 00:16:45.928 --> 00:16:49.698
- Then a permissive will.
- 00:16:49.698 --> 00:16:51.033
- Have you ever heard that before?
- 00:16:51.033 --> 00:16:52.401
- Well, this is god's perfect will, but this is god's
- 00:16:52.401 --> 00:16:54.436
- Permissive will.
- 00:16:54.436 --> 00:16:55.838
- You ask me, what do you mean by that?
- 00:16:55.838 --> 00:16:58.273
- They say, "well, god's perfect will is what he wishes really
- 00:16:58.273 --> 00:17:01.210
- Would happen, but god's permissive will is what actually
- 00:17:01.210 --> 00:17:04.646
- Happens when god can't pull off his perfect will."
- 00:17:04.646 --> 00:17:08.050
- Now, do you believe in a god like that?
- 00:17:08.050 --> 00:17:10.119
- Do you ever believe in a god who has to settle for second best, a
- 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:13.388
- God who is so impotent, he can't get his purpose achieved?
- 00:17:13.388 --> 00:17:17.025
- The fact is god has one will, one plan that was formulated
- 00:17:17.025 --> 00:17:22.030
- Before the foundation of the world.
- 00:17:22.030 --> 00:17:23.565
- And by the way, god's plan was big enough that it encompassed
- 00:17:23.565 --> 00:17:27.936
- The fall of satan from heaven?
- 00:17:27.936 --> 00:17:30.439
- It included the fall of adam and eve in the garden.
- 00:17:30.439 --> 00:17:33.709
- It included israel's disobedience in the wilderness.
- 00:17:33.709 --> 00:17:36.612
- It even included the torture and crucifixion of god's own son.
- 00:17:36.612 --> 00:17:44.486
- God has a plan by which he's governing everything that
- 00:17:44.486 --> 00:17:48.290
- Happens in the universe.
- 00:17:48.290 --> 00:17:49.625
- And notice what paul says, for the most part, it's a mystery,
- 00:17:49.625 --> 00:17:52.161
- It's hidden.
- 00:17:52.161 --> 00:17:53.562
- It's hidden, you can't know it.
- 00:17:53.562 --> 00:17:56.265
- I would say, in this broad category of god's providential
- 00:17:56.265 --> 00:18:00.068
- Plan, would be such questions as the origin of evil or the
- 00:18:00.068 --> 00:18:03.906
- Reasons for suffering or predestination and election.
- 00:18:03.906 --> 00:18:07.342
- All of those things we can sit around and theorize about and
- 00:18:07.342 --> 00:18:10.078
- Argue about and fight about, the truth is none of us will
- 00:18:10.078 --> 00:18:13.215
- Understand it because it's a mystery.
- 00:18:13.215 --> 00:18:15.384
- It's in the mind of god.
- 00:18:15.384 --> 00:18:16.752
- "the secret things belong to the lord," the scripture says.
- 00:18:16.752 --> 00:18:19.188
- That's god's providential plan.
- 00:18:19.188 --> 00:18:21.490
- But on the other end of the spectrum is god's
- 00:18:21.490 --> 00:18:25.093
- Preceptive plan.
- 00:18:25.093 --> 00:18:26.495
- Number 2, his preceptive plan.
- 00:18:26.495 --> 00:18:29.598
- And that's the part of god's will that can be clearly
- 00:18:29.598 --> 00:18:33.368
- Understood by everyone from the precepts, the teachings that are
- 00:18:33.368 --> 00:18:38.440
- Found in scripture.
- 00:18:38.440 --> 00:18:40.075
- Do you realize that most of what we need to know about god's will
- 00:18:40.075 --> 00:18:42.811
- Has already been revealed in the scripture?
- 00:18:42.811 --> 00:18:44.880
- Even many of the specific things we wanna know about are already
- 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:47.950
- Revealed in scripture.
- 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:49.518
- For example, in 1 thessalonians chapter 4, paul says, "for this
- 00:18:49.518 --> 00:18:54.990
- Is the will of god."
- 00:18:54.990 --> 00:18:57.226
- Somebody walking around saying to in thessalonica, "oh god,
- 00:18:57.226 --> 00:19:02.364
- Show me your will.
- 00:19:02.364 --> 00:19:03.732
- I wanna know your will."
- 00:19:03.732 --> 00:19:05.067
- Paul said, "okay, thessalonians, here is the will of god for your
- 00:19:05.067 --> 00:19:07.536
- Life, your sanctification, that is, that you abstain from
- 00:19:07.536 --> 00:19:11.640
- Sexual immorality."
- 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:14.009
- It's very clear.
- 00:19:14.009 --> 00:19:15.510
- God wants you to abstain from premarital sex, extramarital
- 00:19:15.510 --> 00:19:21.483
- Sex, homosexual sex, pornography, that's god's will
- 00:19:21.483 --> 00:19:26.488
- For you to abstain completely from those things.
- 00:19:26.488 --> 00:19:29.491
- It's right there in scripture.
- 00:19:29.491 --> 00:19:31.193
- Or maybe somebody comes to you and it may be a business
- 00:19:31.193 --> 00:19:36.398
- Partner, it may be a son or daughter who says, "mom, dad,
- 00:19:36.398 --> 00:19:40.269
- Friend, i'm trying to get on my feet financially.
- 00:19:40.269 --> 00:19:43.972
- I've just gone through crown financial program and i'm ready
- 00:19:43.972 --> 00:19:47.709
- To get on my feet financially, but i need some help.
- 00:19:47.709 --> 00:19:50.579
- I need some money and the bank says they won't loan me any
- 00:19:50.579 --> 00:19:53.382
- Money unless you co-sign this loan for me."
- 00:19:53.382 --> 00:19:57.019
- Do you need to pray about that?
- 00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:59.021
- You don't have to pray about that because god already has
- 00:19:59.021 --> 00:20:01.556
- Said what his will is about anybody co-signing a note.
- 00:20:01.556 --> 00:20:04.726
- In proverbs 17:18, it says, "a man lacking in sense pledges and
- 00:20:04.726 --> 00:20:09.564
- Becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor."
- 00:20:09.564 --> 00:20:13.001
- Don't co-sign a loan for somebody.
- 00:20:13.001 --> 00:20:15.037
- If you wanna give them the money, fine, don't co-sign a
- 00:20:15.037 --> 00:20:17.673
- Note for them.
- 00:20:17.673 --> 00:20:19.207
- As a pastor, i have people all the time coming and saying, "oh,
- 00:20:19.207 --> 00:20:23.312
- Pastor, i'm so excited.
- 00:20:23.312 --> 00:20:24.680
- God has done such a great work in my life.
- 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:26.515
- I've been praying for a mate and god has brought that perfect
- 00:20:26.515 --> 00:20:29.384
- Guy, that perfect girl into my life.
- 00:20:29.384 --> 00:20:31.286
- Would you please pray for our coming marriage?"
- 00:20:31.286 --> 00:20:34.356
- I said, "i'll be happy to, but tell me, when did that person
- 00:20:34.356 --> 00:20:37.292
- Come to know christ as his savior?"
- 00:20:37.292 --> 00:20:40.262
- They kind of bow, "well, they're not quite there yet, but i just
- 00:20:40.262 --> 00:20:44.566
- Know if we got married or we started dating, i just know i
- 00:20:44.566 --> 00:20:47.803
- Could have a great influence on them."
- 00:20:47.803 --> 00:20:50.772
- I always say the same thing.
- 00:20:50.772 --> 00:20:52.140
- I say, "i'm not gonna pray for you."
- 00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:54.009
- "you're not gonna pray for me?
- 00:20:54.009 --> 00:20:55.377
- You're a pastor, aren't you paid to do that?"
- 00:20:55.377 --> 00:20:57.012
- "no, i'm not going, i'm not gonna pay for your relationship
- 00:20:57.012 --> 00:20:59.915
- Because i know it's not god's will for you to get married."
- 00:20:59.915 --> 00:21:03.685
- "well, how do you know that?"
- 00:21:03.685 --> 00:21:05.020
- Because the bible already says it in 2 corinthians 6:14, "do
- 00:21:05.020 --> 00:21:08.290
- Not be bound together with unbelievers; for what
- 00:21:08.290 --> 00:21:11.727
- Partnership has righteousness and lawlessness, or what
- 00:21:11.727 --> 00:21:14.863
- Fellowship has light with darkness?"
- 00:21:14.863 --> 00:21:17.332
- I don't care how much you pray about it.
- 00:21:17.332 --> 00:21:19.234
- I don't care how much you feel the lord's leading.
- 00:21:19.234 --> 00:21:21.403
- It is never god's will for you to marry an unbeliever.
- 00:21:21.403 --> 00:21:24.940
- He's already revealed that in scripture.
- 00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:27.743
- God's preceptive will is that part of god's will that has
- 00:21:27.743 --> 00:21:31.213
- Clearly been defined in scripture.
- 00:21:31.213 --> 00:21:33.915
- But the third use of the term god's will is the term that most
- 00:21:33.915 --> 00:21:37.552
- People use it, the way most people use it, and that's in
- 00:21:37.552 --> 00:21:40.355
- Reference to god's personal plan for my life.
- 00:21:40.355 --> 00:21:44.393
- When we talk about knowing or discovering god's will, most of
- 00:21:44.393 --> 00:21:47.863
- The time we're talking about god's personal plan for my life.
- 00:21:47.863 --> 00:21:52.667
- Of course, i guess we ought to answer the question, does such a
- 00:21:52.667 --> 00:21:55.570
- Plan exist?
- 00:21:55.570 --> 00:21:57.305
- Does god have a blueprint that governs every part of your life,
- 00:21:57.305 --> 00:22:02.277
- Even the smallest details of your life?
- 00:22:02.277 --> 00:22:05.213
- Some years ago, gary friesen, a professor at dallas theological
- 00:22:05.213 --> 00:22:08.583
- Seminary, wrote a book entitled "decision making and the will
- 00:22:08.583 --> 00:22:11.987
- Of god."
- 00:22:11.987 --> 00:22:13.355
- And there are many helpful things in that book, but gary
- 00:22:13.355 --> 00:22:15.724
- Friesen argued that yes, god has a providential will, a secret
- 00:22:15.724 --> 00:22:19.728
- Will that governs everything.
- 00:22:19.728 --> 00:22:21.463
- He has a preceptive or what friesen calls a moral will, but
- 00:22:21.463 --> 00:22:25.967
- Friesen postulates that there is no individual blueprint for
- 00:22:25.967 --> 00:22:29.971
- Your life.
- 00:22:29.971 --> 00:22:31.306
- He uses logic.
- 00:22:31.306 --> 00:22:32.674
- He said, "do we really think god cares what color socks we put on
- 00:22:32.674 --> 00:22:36.278
- This morning or what color dress we choose or whether we order
- 00:22:36.278 --> 00:22:40.182
- Chicken or beef for lunch?"
- 00:22:40.182 --> 00:22:42.150
- I mean, do we really think god has a plan that governs all of
- 00:22:42.150 --> 00:22:45.554
- Those things?
- 00:22:45.554 --> 00:22:46.888
- He says, "god, there is no blueprint that we need to learn
- 00:22:46.888 --> 00:22:50.425
- To make wise decisions."
- 00:22:50.425 --> 00:22:52.194
- ♪♪♪
- 00:22:52.761 --> 00:22:57.098
- Jeffress: there's much more i want to share with you about the
- 00:22:57.165 --> 00:22:59.367
- Basic principles for discovering god's will.
- 00:22:59.367 --> 00:23:02.604
- So please make a point to join me again next time.
- 00:23:02.604 --> 00:23:06.408
- In closing today, i want to thank you for your continued
- 00:23:06.408 --> 00:23:09.478
- Support of "pathway to victory."
- 00:23:09.478 --> 00:23:11.346
- Every day we hear from individuals who consider
- 00:23:11.346 --> 00:23:14.983
- Pathway to victory to be their spiritual lifeline.
- 00:23:14.983 --> 00:23:17.686
- And while it's my voice you hear teaching every day, it's friends
- 00:23:17.686 --> 00:23:21.556
- Like you who make pathway to victory available to you and
- 00:23:21.556 --> 00:23:25.360
- Your family and to countless individuals around the world.
- 00:23:25.360 --> 00:23:29.764
- I couldn't do this work without you.
- 00:23:29.764 --> 00:23:32.667
- Together we are piercing the darkness with the light of
- 00:23:32.667 --> 00:23:36.471
- God's word.
- 00:23:36.471 --> 00:23:37.839
- Now stay right there.
- 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:39.174
- I'll be back with more in just a moment.
- 00:23:39.174 --> 00:23:42.077
- Announcer: life's most important crossroads often arrive
- 00:23:43.378 --> 00:23:46.147
- Without warning.
- 00:23:46.147 --> 00:23:47.549
- When the stakes are high and the path forward isn't clear, how
- 00:23:47.549 --> 00:23:51.052
- Can you be confident you're following god's will?
- 00:23:51.052 --> 00:23:53.755
- In "how to make wise decisions," trusted author and bible teacher
- 00:23:53.755 --> 00:23:57.993
- Dr. robert jeffress offers you practical advice on how you can
- 00:23:57.993 --> 00:24:01.830
- Know with certainty the will of god in any situation.
- 00:24:01.830 --> 00:24:05.467
- Jeffress: one of the most frequently asked questions i
- 00:24:05.467 --> 00:24:08.270
- Receive as a pastor is, how can i know god's will for my life?
- 00:24:08.270 --> 00:24:13.108
- Too many believers are paralyzed by fear of making the wrong
- 00:24:13.108 --> 00:24:16.745
- Choice, but god hasn't left us guessing.
- 00:24:16.745 --> 00:24:19.781
- In my book, i reveal the biblical principles for
- 00:24:19.781 --> 00:24:22.918
- Recognizing god's voice and discerning god's will.
- 00:24:22.918 --> 00:24:26.888
- Announcer: request your copy of "how to make wise decisions"
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- When you give a generous gift to "pathway to victory" or when you
- 00:24:29.624 --> 00:24:33.261
- Become a pathway partner.
- 00:24:33.261 --> 00:24:34.863
- And with your ministry gift of $75 or more, we'll also include
- 00:24:34.863 --> 00:24:39.267
- The complete "how to make wise decisions" teaching series on
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- Both cd and dvd.
- 00:24:42.704 --> 00:24:44.639
- Jeffress: when god speaks to us, he does so more than just to
- 00:24:44.639 --> 00:24:47.275
- Give us courage and comfort to face our present situation.
- 00:24:47.275 --> 00:24:51.246
- He actually promises guidance, direction to those who trust
- 00:24:51.246 --> 00:24:55.750
- In him.
- 00:24:55.750 --> 00:24:57.118
- Announcer: thank you for partnering with us to share
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- God's life transforming word with a world in need.
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- Your generosity will empower "pathway to victory" to speak
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- Bold biblical truth into your life and the lives of millions
- 00:25:05.760 --> 00:25:09.698
- Across the country and around the world.
- 00:25:09.698 --> 00:25:14.436
- Jeffress: tragically, some christians view god's will like
- 00:25:14.502 --> 00:25:17.706
- Some kind of complicated maze.
- 00:25:17.706 --> 00:25:20.408
- Well, let me assure you, he's not teasing you with a giant
- 00:25:20.408 --> 00:25:24.112
- Puzzle whereby you're required to figure out the riddle.
- 00:25:24.112 --> 00:25:27.983
- God has crafted a plan for every believer's life including yours.
- 00:25:27.983 --> 00:25:33.221
- And next time, we'll continue to look at these three foundational
- 00:25:33.221 --> 00:25:36.324
- Truths about god's will that we have to understand before we can
- 00:25:36.324 --> 00:25:40.929
- Ever hope to hear from god.
- 00:25:40.929 --> 00:25:43.298
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next here on
- 00:25:43.298 --> 00:25:46.501
- "pathway to victory."
- 00:25:46.501 --> 00:25:49.237
- Jeffress: have you ever been out in the woods on a moonless
- 00:25:49.304 --> 00:25:51.439
- Night, trying to make your way along?
- 00:25:51.439 --> 00:25:53.508
- It's difficult to see, there's no illumination from above, but
- 00:25:53.508 --> 00:25:56.578
- Hopefully you'll have a flashlight or a lantern that
- 00:25:56.578 --> 00:25:59.614
- Governs your steps.
- 00:25:59.614 --> 00:26:01.650
- That flashlight or that lantern isn't powerful enough to
- 00:26:01.650 --> 00:26:04.619
- Illuminate the next 2 or 3 miles, but it does give you just
- 00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:08.757
- Enough light to take that next step and that next step and that
- 00:26:08.757 --> 00:26:13.461
- Next step.
- 00:26:13.461 --> 00:26:15.230
- That's what the psalmist said god's word is like.
- 00:26:15.230 --> 00:26:18.066
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part two of the
- 00:26:18.066 --> 00:26:21.069
- Message "discovering god's will" here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:21.069 --> 00:26:25.874
- Announcer: experience the beauty of alaska with the "pathway to
- 00:26:30.078 --> 00:26:33.114
- Victory" family june 13 through 20, 2026.
- 00:26:33.114 --> 00:26:36.985
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:36.985 --> 00:26:58.606
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- Announcer: don't wait. our best cabins are going fast.
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- Secure your alaska adventure now.
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- Call...or visit ptv.org.
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