God’s Will For You Powerpoint Templates

God’s Will How can I know what God’s will is for my life? Should I … date … go to college … get married … have kids … change jobs … move … get a divorce … remarry? etc.

God’s Will Does everything happen for a reason? Infants die; killed by drunk driver; stricken with cancer; child abuse; raped; suicide; infidelity; house burnt down; lose a ball game; etc.

God’s Will Does everything happen for a reason? Some say, “Yes,” some say “No,” some say, “I don’t know” Answering “yes” can be comforting and consoling, but misleading

God’s Will Answering “No” can be noble, but misleading Answering “I don’t know” can lead to unbelief

God’s Will prothesis = purpose (Rom. 9:11) boule = wisdom, counsel (Acts 2:23) eudokia = good pleasure (Eph. 1:5) thelema = desire, wish (Mt. 7:21) epitrepo = allow, permit (1 Cor. 16:7)

God’s Will God’s PURPOSED will: what God desires and what God decides God’s PRESCRIBED will: what God desires and what man decides God’s PERMISSIVE will: what man desires and decides (or not), and what God permits

The Purposed Will of God God desires something to happen and he also decides how and when it will happen It happens because God makes it happen (Isa. 14:27; Heb. 6:17)

The Purposed Will of God Creation (Rev. 4:11) Salvation through Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:28; 1 Pet. 1:20) Church (Eph. 1:4-5, 9, 11)

The Prescribed Will of God God desires something to happen, reveals (prescribes) it to all mankind, and then allows mankind to decided whether or not it will be done (Acts 20:27; 22:14) Prescribed in scripture (Col. 1:9)

The Prescribed Will of God Must be obeyed (Mk. 3:31-35; Heb. 10:36; 1 Jn. 2:17) Can be rejected (Lk. 7:30)

The Permissive Will of God God neither purposes nor prescribes some things to happen, but he allows individuals in their freedom (or not) to bring these things to pass God is still in control and he can use these things to accomplish his will

The Permissive Will of God Individual sin (Acts 14:16) Individual plans (Acts 18:21; 21:14; Rom. 1:10; 15:32; 1 Cor. 4:19; 16:7; Heb. 6:3) Individual suffering (1 Pet. 3:17; 4:19)

The Permissive Will of God Is there a “reason” for something happening? Yes (because of the basic law of cause-effect), but not the reason we may think. It may not be God at all! What about Satan? Natural laws? Accidents? Sinful choices?

The Permissive Will of God What about “time and chance” (Eccl. 9:11)? Some of what we hear today is coming from 500 years of John Calvin’s determinism: every detail in life is predetermined and purposed by God

God’s Will and You The Purposed Will of God Be bold (Rom. 8:28; Eph. 3:11-12) Be thankful (2 Tim. 1:9)

God’s Will and You The Prescribed Will of God Understand all you can (Eph. 5:17) Obey all you can (Mt. 7:21; Jn. 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 7:17; Rom. 12:2; Eph. 6:6; Col. 4:12)

God’s Will and You The Prescribed Will of God Both requires and forbids Both general and specific Both objective and universal

God’s Will and You The Prescribed Will of God Know as much about God and his word Know as much about life Know as much about wisdom

God’s Will and You The Permissive Will of God Pray “if the Lord wills” (Jas. 4:13-15) Don’t blame God for everything that happens (Job 1-2), but know that it can “turn out” for good regardless of the reason (Lk. 21:13; Phil. 1:12, 19)