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The Power of Encouragement

Give Thought To How You Can Encourage Someone

SYNOPSIS: One of the chief reasons we fall into sin, give in to a spirit of fear, shrink back from reaching our potential, or become spiritually hardened is from discouragement—or perhaps more accurately, the lack of encouragement. As believers, we have the awesome potential for making a huge impact in the lives of people simply by living out the Biblical injunction to encourage one another daily. Is there someone whom God is asking you to encourage today? Don’t delay!

Project 52 – Weekly Scripture Memory // Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

There is nothing quite so powerful as an encouraging person! I love to be around them, and I’ll bet you do, too. They even find ways to have difficult conversations that leave you feeling valued and hopeful. They are life-giving. They are a gift. May their tribe increase.

On the other hand, we all know people who seem to find fault in just about anything. They look on the dark side of everything and infect anyone who is near them with their negativity. And if we’re not careful, we can get pulled into their black hole of negativity, fault-finding and discouragement.

That’s why the writer of Hebrews gave us these two powerful admonitions:

We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer. (Hebrews 10:24-25, CEV)

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)

One of the chief reasons we stumble into sin, surrender to a spirit of fear, slip into emotional depletion, become spiritually hardened and shrink back from reaching our faith-potential is from discouragement—or perhaps more accurately, the lack of encouragement. As believers, we not only have the spiritual responsibility, we have the awesome potential for making a huge impact in the lives of others by simply living out the Biblical injunction to encourage one another daily.

This is especially important since the Enemy of our souls works overtime in his attempt to discourage, diminish and destroy us. But good, old fashioned, Christ-hearted encouragement is arguably the most powerful force for good we can unleash on one another. Just consider the power of encouragement in the following verses:

The mouth of the righteous is a tree of life. (Proverbs 10:11)

The tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Proverbs 12:25)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)

Wow—that is the amazing, life-changing potential in the words you can choose to deliver today. So why not try it! Let me suggest five different approaches you can take to unleash this power upon another:

One, through verbal compliments: Try showering someone with praise for something they have done.

Two, through inspiring words: Speak affirming words to someone because of who they are, the beauty and potential of their character.

Three, through acts of kindness: Encourage someone simply by doing something nice for them, when they least expect it, or maybe even don’t deserve it.

Four, through indirect words: Talk about them behind their back—in a good way. For sure, it will get back to them, and it will be even more powerful coming from a third party.

Five, through written words: Send someone a note of appreciation. It will have the added value of being enjoyed over and over again.

Encouragement—it’s the most powerful thing you can do. So let me encourage you to go for it today!

“Possibly the deepest human need is the need to feel appreciated.” ~William James

Reflect & Apply: This week, write a word of encouragement and send it to someone that God prompts you to bless. Or, before the week is out, use an indirect word of encouragement by telling a third party how much you love, appreciate a mutual acquaintance.

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Burdensome Rules or Relational Blessings

God’s Law is God’s Love

SYNOPSIS: You don’t huff and roll your eyes whenever you see a traffic sign that reminds you, “Danger Ahead: Reduce Speed.” No, you subconsciously say, “It’s there for safety—mine and others.” So why get bent out of shape when God’s law is preached and you are warned of wrong behavior and called to right living? God’s law is God’s covenant of love, and there are blessings for obeying it and consequences for not. The Bible is not a burdensome rulebook, it is an amazing relational covenant that will lead a life of abundance with God and with others. When you read the Old Testament, learn to think of God’s law as God’s love.

The Journey // Focus: Deuteronomy 27:1,8,10

Then Moses and the leaders of Israel gave this charge to the people: “Obey all these commands that I am giving you today…. You must clearly write all these instructions on the stones coated with plaster…. So you must obey the Lord your God by keeping all these commands and decrees that I am giving you today.

Deuteronomy is the Greek word for second law. Actually, it was the first law given a second time. As Moses nears the end of his administration over Israel and the people of Israel now stand at the edge of the Promised Land, ready to go in and take possession of it, one final time their leader reminds them of the covenantal relationship God has called them into. What might appear to us as yet another endless lists of rules to obey is actually a powerful reminder to them of the blessings and curses associated with this covenant.

In our world, we tend to associate law with legalism, and we don’t like it. We don’t want to be reminded of the rules. We would much prefer to talk about grace, which in reality, is often code for don’t hold me accountable for my attitudes and actions; I want the freedom to be my own master. We can insist on that until we are blue in the face, but God is not swayed. He is still a covenantal God. And he still expects us to abide by the rules of the covenant.

Now of course, keeping rules does not save us. Let’s be clear about that one more time. We are saved by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is not by works of law keeping, period. Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us, and that is what saves our bacon. Yet our salvation evidences itself in how we behave. We may not have to keep the rules, but we honor the rules because we are saved—rules that demonstrate our love for God and our love for one another.

Let me offer an earthy illustration. I entered into a human covenant with my wife the day we spoke our wedding vows to one another. It was an act dominated by love, not rule-keeping. Yet we both promised to each other to keep certain rules: faithfulness to one another exclusively, cherishing each other unconditionally, loving and respecting the other through thick and thin, ‘til death do us part. We joyfully embraced those rules, not as burdensome, but as continual reminders of our covenantal love. After years of marriage, we do not verbally repeat the rulebook to each other, but we do live the rules out in our attitudes, words and actions. And if ever we sense dissonance in our covenantal commitment, you bet we talk specifics. It is what love does. No, our marriage vows are not burdensome rules. They are a cherished and necessary part of our relational covenant.

It is in the context of relationships that God called Israel into covenant. It is a covenant that spells out how God will treat them and how they will treat God and how they will treat each other—not as separate subsections of the contract, but as a seamless way of living. The covenant makes it plain that commitment will be lovingly demonstrated by specific obedience. The covenant is likewise quite clear as to the blessings of obedience and curses of disobedience. Now once again, this only makes sense in the context of love—God’s love for his people, their love for God, and God’s love through them for each another. The rules are simply a reminder of that love.

All that to say, rules are not burdensome; they are reminders of a very powerful relational covenant. Now we don’t woodenly apply many of those Mosaic rules today—our situation is different. We don’t have a Levitical priesthood that needs to pronounce us ceremonially clean from mold in our home; we don’t need to sprinkle ashes from a red heifer to relieve our contamination from touching a corpse; we don’t sacrifice animals to purify us from sin. Most of those Old Testament laws were subsumed in the sacrifice of Jesus. But that doesn’t mean we throw the baby out with the bath water. We still follow the rule of loving God and loving each other; of not lying, or lusting or stealing—hopefully. So we have to be mature enough as it relates to Mosaic Law to know what is still literally to be obeyed and what is only spiritually to be observed. This spiritual maturity recognizes that the rules remind us of love, and love is demonstrated in obedience to covenant.

So give the law a break! Don’t roll your eyes or huff when the Old Testament is preached or you are called to adjust your behavior or a sobering reminder of the covenant is given. You don’t huff and eye-roll whenever you see a traffic sign that reminds you, “Danger Ahead: Reduce Speed.” No, you subconsciously say, “that is there for safety—mine and others.” And you know there are blessings for obeying it and consequences for not.

God’s law is God’s love. Look at it through the lens of covenantal love and you will never read the Old Testament again as a burdensome set of rules to keep. No, you will gratefully think of it as an amazing relational covenant—one that became even more amazing as it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Going Deeper: Re-read Deuteronomy 27 through the lens of love, as your marriage vows to God. I think you will read it much more accurately and joyfully.

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It’s As Good As Done

God Does What He Says

SYNOPSIS: When God makes promises, they are as good as done. How is that? Well, obviously, we believe that God is a promise keeping God. He always does what he says. That is our theological theorem. But in a way that we may forget, his promises are good as done because when he makes them, he is already in the future where he has secured their fulfillment. That is why Moses could say to the Israelites, and I can say to you, “when you have conquered it…” Not if, but when. With God and you, it is only a matter of timing.

The Journey // Focus: Deuteronomy 26:1-2

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you as a special possession and you have conquered it and settled there, put some of the first produce from each crop you harvest into a basket and bring it to the designated place of worship—the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored.

Much of Deuteronomy 26 focuses on the tithe and offerings the Israelites were to bring to God once they had taken possession of Canaan and settled into their Promised Land. They were to give these material offerings to the Lord in gratitude and in recognition of his loving lordship over their lives. It is my personal belief that while the New Testament doesn’t specifically mandate this, the spirit of generous giving in response to the generous giving and loving rulership of God is just as important today—and just as blessable.

However, while that is the point of this chapter, I want to focus on a statement that might otherwise be hidden in the overall message of this chapter. It comes in the very first verse, and it is incredibly powerful and encouraging. Notice that Moses said, “when you enter the land” and when “you have conquered it”. Not if, but when. You see, when God makes a promise, it is as good as done.

Toward the end of this chapter, Moses details a few of the other promises God made to Israel, Of course, they were contingent upon the Israelite’s obedience—we would expect no less. But likewise notice these additional good-as-done promises:

Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. You have declared today that the Lord is your God. And you have promised to walk in his ways, and to obey his decrees, commands, and regulations, and to do everything he tells you. The Lord has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands. And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the Lord your God, just as he promised.

Those promises, conditioned upon obedience, are promises that your God makes to you, too. And what was true for Israel is true for you: Since God has made them, they are as good as done. How is that? Well, obviously, we believe that God is a promise keeping God. He always does what he says. That is our theological theorem. But in a way that we may forget, his promises are good as done because when he makes them, he is already in the future where he has already secured their fulfillment. That is why Moses could say to the Israelites, and I can say to you, “when you have conquered it…” Not if, but when. With God’s promise and your reality, it is only a matter of timing.

I hope that builds confidence in your heart today. I don’t know if today will be the day you actualize a divine promise—I hope so—but at the very least, you will have taken one more step of faith closer to what God has foreordained. He is already there ahead of you and has secured your victory. So as you walk forward in faith and obedience, you are simply going where God already is.

Now that should build some momentum for you as you head out the door today!

Going Deeper: Reflect on the promises God made to Israel. Now claim those for yourself by restating them using your name instead of Israel’s: I am his child, his own special treasure, just as he promised. As I obey him, he will set me high above all others. I will receive praise, honor, and renown. I will be a person who is holy to the Lord my God, just as he promised.

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When You Are Gone You Will Not Be Forgotten

Salvation Guarantees You'll Be Celebrated Throughout Eternity

SYNOPSIS: Everyone wants to be remembered. No one who ever lived wants their memory to drift into the sea of forgetfulness. We were born to make a mark, to matter, to at least be remembered by those we loved, and deep inside, perhaps subconsciously, by our Creator. The good news is, that matters to God, too! That is why he offers you an amazing eternal life insurance policy through his Son, Jesus. Through him, while you might be gone one day from time, you will never be forgotten in eternity.

The Journey// Focus: Deuteronomy 25:5-6

If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow may not be married to anyone from outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother should marry her…to fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law. The first son she bears to him will be considered the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel.

Everyone wants to be remembered. No person who ever lived wants their memory to drift into the sea of forgetfulness. We were born to make a mark, to matter, to at least be remembered by those we loved, and deep inside, perhaps subconsciously, by our Creator. And of the many reasons the fear of death is a universal dread, at the top of the fear heap is our subterranean anxiety of one day being gone and forgotten.

God has made a way for us to be remembered, that while we may be gone, we will not be forgotten. Even more than our desire to live a life that matters, this matters even more to the God who gave us life. That is why he provided a law that governed the death of a person without an heir in Deuteronomy 25:5-6. This ruling clearly reveals God’s concern that while the dearest of his creation—man—might die, he will be remembered forever. But you have to look beyond this ancient law to see God’s heart on the matter of us mattering.

More on that in a moment, but first, let’s consider this ancient law: It might seem a bit quirky to us, or a lot, that if a man died without a son, the man’s brother would have to marry the widow. Today, would we say, “thank you, but no thanks!” But remember, as we have already seen in Mosaic Law, God commanded his people to preserve their lineage and their property by keeping it all in the family.

Why? God had his reasons, but I believe that one of those reasons was nothing less than his original plan to give his creation eternal life. Death was not a part of the package when God created Adam and Eve. Death was an intrusion caused by human sin; that is why the rest of human history is redemptive. God is reinstituting eternal life insurance. Could it be that this particular law was a preview of that, what we might call a type of eternal life? I think so. It is clearly implied in the words:

The first son she bears to him will be considered the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel

So what does that say to us living in a day far removed from ancient Israel’s strict laws that keep property within the family and preserve a man’s name forever? Again, your name—who you are, your very existence—matters to God. He created you for his purpose and glory, and he desires to be in relationship with you now and forever. That, by the way, is what is unique about your God among all the false gods people cling to: Yahweh, the Self-existent One, the Creator of all, is relational, personal and generously loving. Furthermore, he designed and built you for eternal life.

Yet you will die. Me, too. But that doesn’t have to be the end of our memory. Our name can be celebrated for all eternity, not just in the memories of those who love us, but most importantly, in the presence of the One who gave us life, our Creator God. And the premium for eternal life insurance policy was forever paid by his Son, Jesus Christ, who through his sacrificial death, has guaranteed that your name—who you are, your very existence, your living-breathing-active-accomplishing life will carry on with purpose and joy forever and ever in God’s unceasing and ever-expanding reality.

But you have to sign up for the policy!

Going Deeper: If you have not done so, personally accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you have, take a moment to thank him that through his Son, you will never be gone and forgotten, rather, you will always be known and celebrated.

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The Spirit of Abundance

Try Living Openhandedly

SYNOPSIS: We can live with a spirit of scarcity that believes and acts from the mindset that what I have is mine; that I need to protect it; that to give it away means a negative on the profit/loss sheet of my life. Or we can live the way God created us to live: from a spirit of abundance. God’s Word tells us that he is the giver of everything we have anyway, and we are to trust him with it. Trust, then, leads us to live with a loose grip on what we have; a loose grip that opens the hand and generously gives it away. Likewise, trust is convinced of God’s promise that as we live generously open-handed, he will make sure our hands are always full.

Going Deep // Focus: Deuteronomy 24:19-22

When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain from your field, don’t go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do. When you beat the olives from your olive trees, don’t go over the boughs twice. Leave the remaining olives for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don’t glean the vines after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and widows. Remember that you were slaves in the land of Egypt. That is why I am giving you this command.

One of the first social interactions we experience as human beings is in the sandbox. And the first words of that interaction go something like this: “Mine!” Then we grab our toy and clutch it tightly to our chest. From then on out, we get pretty good at being selfish, which is no surprise since we get a lot of practice at it throughout the rest of our lives. The reason for this is that being self-focused was rewired into our DNA at the fall. You see, the essence of sin is to tend to what self wants instead of what God wants. And of course, that leads to selfishness in every area. It is just the drift of the natural man. That is why David prayed,

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. (Psalm 119:36)

But there is a better way—selflessness. To be unselfish means to be God-focused and others-oriented. And to be God-focused and others-oriented requires our trust that God will supply what he calls us to give away, a mindset of abundance that is convinced there is more than enough, and the obedience of generosity that opens the hand and releases what we possess. Trust, abundance and generosity—the antithesis of sin, the polar opposite of selfishness.

We can live with a spirit of scarcity that believes and acts from the mindset that what I have is mine; that I need to protect it; that to give it away means a negative on the profit/loss sheet of my life. Or we can live the way God created us to live: from a spirit of abundance. God’s Word tells us that he is the giver of everything we have anyway, and we are to trust him with it. Trust, then, leads us to live with a loose grip on what we have; a loose grip that opens the hand and generously gives it away. Likewise, trust is convinced of God’s promise that as we live generously open-handed, he will make sure our hands are always full.

This is the cycle of abundance is the law of the universe. It is an immutable law. It says that the more we give away, the more God gives us to give away. But we have to trust God to give us more, or we will hold back what we have in fear, selfish and from an impoverished spirit of scarcity.

God was calling the Israelites to live from a spirit of abundance in Deuteronomy 24:19-22. They were to give generously and intentionally so that others would receive blessings through them as if it were from God himself, which had been what Israel had experienced during their time of need. God was now calling them to be the conduit of generosity, and the call came with a promise: “Then the Lord your God will bless you in all you do.”

That is God’s call to you and me, too. To be open-handedly, proactively, intentionally generous. And he has promised to meet our spirit of abundance with heavens abundance. Like the Israelites, he wants to make us a conduit of ridiculous generosity, so that the more we give away, the more he will give us to give away.

The spirit of abundance—it takes trust, but it is a terrific way to live.

Going Deeper With God: Find a way to be generous today—with your treasure, your talent and your time. Do it, and God will see to it that you have more than enough treasure, talent and time left over.

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Seven Things That Really Tick God Off

If You Are Sowing Discord, Fair Warning!

SYNOPSIS: Make no mistake, the God of love and grace we know expresses hatred – yes hatred – even toward people who claim to know Him, whose hearts are habitually inclined toward the kinds of destructive behaviors He specifically identifies in Proverbs 6. Among those detestable things is sowing dissension within His family. Fair warning: God will set Himself against both those who foment disunity by persuading others to their divisive side as well as those who tolerate them!

Going Deep // Focus: Proverbs 6:16-19

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

One of the first social interactions we experience as human beings is in the sandbox. And the first words of that interaction go something like this: “Mine!” Then we grab our toy and clutch it tightly to our chest. From then on out, we get pretty good at being selfish, which is no surprise since we get a lot of practice at it throughout the rest of our lives. The reason for this is that being self-focused was rewired into our DNA at the fall. You see, the essence of sin is to tend to what self wants instead of what God wants. And of course, that leads to selfishness in every area. It is just the drift of the natural man. That is why David prayed,

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. (Psalm 119:36)

Hate! Detest! Those are words we don’t normally associate with God.  After all, God is love.  Right?

Well, the fact is, God is love, and yet he experiences the emotions of hate, abhorrence and even anger toward chronic disobedience toward his expressed will without having his goodness or graciousness diminished in the least. In fact, God’s capacity to become incensed over certain things, even among his people, is an appropriate and vital part of love.

Love, for instance, demands the emotion of anger, even hate, over injustice, neglect, abuse, or chronic and willful disobedience. Goodness gets upset over evil. Grace presupposes the need for itself, recognizing the need to compensate for disgrace. So the hatred and disgust of God should not be surprising to anyone who truly understands God’s character. Rather, it should be expected and even appreciated.

What is it that causes God such deep displeasure? Seven things, according to this proverb:  haughty eyes, a lying tongue, bloody hands, wicked schemings, evil ambitions, false witnessing and divisiveness. (In these types of numerical six/seven sayings, the final one receives the most intense attention.) Interestingly, the seven things listed in verses 16-19 are a recap of Solomon’s warnings given earlier in the chapter in verses 12-14:

  1. “Haughty eyes” is referred to in verse 13, where Solomon speaks of one who “winks with his eyes.” It refers to someone who has a proud heart, or is prideful.
  2. “A lying tongue” is called a “perverse mouth” in verse 12. Since lying is prohibited in the Top 10 List of Divine Prohibitions (Exodus 20:16), it is no wonder that God detests lies and liars.
  3. “Hands that shed innocent blood” that is referred to in verse 13 refers to “fingers” that slyly signal deceit, showing that bloody hands can also refer to one who personally, deliberately and strategically profits at the expense or misfortune of another.
  4. “A heart that devises wicked schemes” is one who “plots evil with deceit in his heart” in verse 14.  It is a conniving person who is completely out of step with the loving heart of God.
  5. “Feet that are quick to evil” is “one who shuffles his feet”in verse 13.  This is a person whose first inclination is toward evil.  Their initial tendency is always and aggressively sinful.
  6. “A false witness that pours out lies” is the “corrupt mouth” of verse 12. It is one who violates the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
  7. “One who stirs up dissension among brothers” is talked about as one who “always stirs up trouble” (NLT) in verse 14. This one is an agitator who thrives on discord.

Make no mistake, the God of love and grace we know expresses hatred toward those who hearts are habitually inclined toward these kinds of wicked and destructive behaviors.

But this list of seven things God hates is also interesting in that it tells us quite a bit about the character of God.  If you know what someone passionately dislikes, you know a lot about that person.

What does God’s hatred tell us about his character?

That he is a God who values true humility (clearly demonstrated in Jesus, who being in very nature, God, humbled himself—Philippians 2).  He is a God of truth (God is not prone to human weakness that he would lie—Numbers 23:19).  He is a protector and advocate of the downtrodden and disadvantaged (He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing—Deuteronomy 10:18). He is a God whose motives are pure (with him there is no shadow of turning—James 1:17).  He is quick to do good (How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts—Matthew 7:11.  He is a God of justice (The Lord is known by his justice—Psalm 9:16).  And he is a God of unity (Jesus’ most urgent prayer was that his followers would be one, just as he and the Father were one—John 17:12).

Living in God’s pleasure means more than avoiding his anger and his wrath, particularly by avoiding these seven no-no’s. It is also understanding his character and cultivating his qualities in our lives until we are conformed to the very image of his Son. When we truly understand what God hates, we will hate it too, and will avoid those kind of behaviors with a passion. And when we truly understand what God loves, we will passionately pursue those qualities.

A love-hate relationship….hmmm…maybe there’s something to it!

If you are weak in any one of these seven areas, take a moment to prayerfully write down an action plan to eliminate that weakness from your life.

Going Deeper With God: Honestly ask yourself if any of those seven sins are habitually present in your life. Ask someone who knows you if they are characteristic of you in any way. Be ready to listen to their honest answer. And be humble enough to sincerely repent, apologize to God and to those you hurt, and to change your ways!

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Finding God’s Will

It's About A Relationship

SYNOPSIS: In the final analysis, pursuing God’s will is not so much about a technique, a method or a litmus test. The will of God is not about a formula; it’s about a friendship. God’s will is not to be found in not a rule, but in a relationship where you invite the Creator of the universe to walk with you side-by-side, moment-by-moment, opportunity-by-opportunity to show you what he wants for your life at each step of the way. And that is where life gets really exciting!

Project 52 – Weekly Scripture Memory // Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

One of the most fundamental questions we ask in life is how to discern God’s specific will in the decisions we face.  In his book, Take Another Look At Guidance, author Bob Mumford offers this helpful illustration,

“A certain harbor in Italy can be reached only by sailing up a narrow channel between dangerous rocks and shoals.  Over the years, many ships have been wrecked, and navigation is hazardous. To guide the ships safely into port, three lights have been mounted on three huge poles in the harbor. When the three lights are perfectly lined up and seen as one, the ship can safely proceed up the narrow channel. If the pilot sees two or three lights, he knows he’s off course and in danger. God has also provided beacons to guide us…these lights must be lined up before it is safe for us to proceed.  Together they assure us that the directions we’ve received are from God and will lead us safely along his way.”

Allow me to give you some harbor lights, as it were, that I believe should become a litmus test for determining if the decisions you are making, the guidance you are receiving and the direction you are taking is really God’s specific will for our lives:

The first guiding light is the teaching of Scripture in its entirety.  Honestly ask yourself, “does my decision line up with the will of God as revealed in his Word? Does it align with Scripture? What does the Bible say about this?”

The second guiding light is the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit that come through prayer.  Not only should you align your thinking process and decisions with God’s Word, but you must also ask, “have I adequately devoted myself to prayer regarding this issue? Have I asked God about this—and listened?”

The third guiding light is the God-shaped circumstances of life. Ask yourself, “do the events, circumstances, open doors and closed doors I am currently experiencing indicate this desire or direction is of God?  Is God at work here?”

The fourth guiding light is the counsel of wise, godly people.  You need to ask, “have I submitted this plan to people to whom I’m accountable? Have I given permission to someone I trust to speak truth into my life about this?”

And the fifth guiding light is congruity with God’s unique design for my life.  Here is where you ask quite frankly, “is this consistent with my unique spiritual thumbprint—my spiritual gifts, my God-given temperament, my natural talents, and my spiritual passion?”

If you are to find God’s specific will for your life, then each of those harbor lights need to align.  If they do, you can be confident that a Greater Hand is guiding your steps. If they don’t, pause!

But in the end, pursuing God’s will is not so much about a technique, a method or a litmus test. The will of God is not about a formula; it’s about a friendship. God’s will is not to be found in not a rule, but in a relationship where you invite the Creator of the universe to walk with you side-by-side, moment-by-moment, opportunity-by-opportunity to show you what he wants for your life at each step of the way.

And that is where life gets really exciting!

“To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge! To do the will of God is the greatest achievement!” ~George W. Truett

Reflect & Apply: Are you facing an important decision? Go back and think through these harbor lights—and make sure they’ve aligned before you take the next step.  Most of all, do it in relationship with the One whose will for you means a bright and successful future.