Over the last few days we have explored several questions we should ask and answer to position ourselves to receive guidance from God, specifically in areas that are not specifically addressed in Scripture (Where I should live, who I should marry, where should I work or attend school). I hope the first, second and third questions were helpful to you as you seek guidance from our heavenly Father. Here is a fourth and final question that I think is vital if we are going to receive guidance from our heavenly Father:

4. Is God’s will for my life more important than my will for my life? Matthew 26:39-42

Often we go to God for guidance, but when we get an answer we don’t like, we sometimes go for a second opinion or we keep asking, thinking that God will give us an answer that we like. Or, we go in asking God for guidance, hoping he will bless what we have already decided. If we are to receive direction from God, we have to resolve that his will is more important than ours, and we will do what he says.

So, as we pray about where we should live, who we should marry, where we should go to school, and how many kids to have, I believe God answers our prayers for guidance in at least four ways:

1. No way! Your request is not in God’s will (Matthew 26-36-39)
2. Slow Your Roll! Your request is not God’s will at this time. (John 11:3, 6, 14-15, 43-44)
3. Grow Up! Your motives and spiritual condition are wrong (James 4:3)
4. Go Ahead! Your request, timing and spiritual condition are right (Acts 12:5-7, 12-17)

“God, our eyes are on you. We don’t know what to do and where to go. All we know is we will keep our eyes on you through a demonstration of desperation.”

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God is a good father and desires to guide us in every area of our lives, including those areas that are not clearly addressed in scripture (where I should live, who I should marry, where I should I go to school, etc. ). Before our Father guides us, there should be some things that are true of us. Over the last two days I have introduced two questions to position us for God’s guidance. In addition to the first and second question, here is a third question I think is extremely important for us to ask if we are going to receive guidance from God:

3. Have I spent time getting to know His voice?  John 10.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have the right voice, over all other competing voices, giving us guidance and clarity in our lives? Jesus says that it is possible for us to pick out his voice amidst all these other competing and confusing voices. The key to recognizing his voice and getting guidance from Him is spending quality time with him in prayer and reading and listening to his words. The more we practice these disciplines, the more we will recognize his voice and follow his guidance.

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If we are going to get guidance from God, we must ask some significant questions about our own lives. Yesterday, I introduced the first question.  Today, I am encouraging a second question I think we need to ask and answer before God gives us guidance in the areas of lives that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture:

2. Am I living a holy and obedient life? Psalm 66:18; 84:11; Ezekiel 20:1ff, 31

God’s moral will is revealed in the Bible through the commandments and other biblical principles: – don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t commit adultery, etc. God’s moral will is connected to his specific guidance for our lives.  So, before we ask God who we should marry, where we should live, and how many children we should have, we should ask the question: Is there sin in our lives that would hinder our ability to talk to God and hear his directions for our lives clearly?

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Making the right decision can be very difficult. It becomes increasingly difficult when you have two or three good options from which to choose. The questions that seemingly cause me the most stresses are the ones where the Bible does not specifically address: Where should I live? What should be my life’s work/career? Who should I marry? How many children should we have? Who should I hire? Should I take the job in Texas or the one in Minnesota? We have a heavenly Father who loves us, knows the future, and desires to give us the best he has for us. But, before we receive guidance from God for our lives, there are some things that should be true of us. Over the next few days, I will be posting a limited list of prerequisites in the form of questions. Here is the first question:

1. Have I chosen to follow Jesus and let him reign in my life? Matthew 6:31-33

God will guide us when we have chosen to submit to the reign and leadership of Jesus. If we have not made the decision to follow him in the most important area, that is, to love him and seek his kingdom values, then why should he give us guidance/direction in other areas in our lives?

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Both my sons play baseball, and each team has signals for bunting, stealing, taking a pitch, hitting away, etc. Normally, the third base coach gives the signals to each player before he steps to the plate. Also, after each pitch, our batters are supposed to step out of the batter’s box, look down the third base line, and check with the coach for the signals. Needless to say, they missed many of the signals because they weren’t paying attention at the beginning of the game when the signals were given or they simply did not bother to look down the line to get the signals from the third base coach. As a result, we were far from having a wining record. 

Each day, I believe, the Holy Spirit gives me signals to: steal away to a quiet place, pray, stop, pause, breathe, go, talk, be silent, take a risk, listen, move, repent, confess, laugh, love harder, dig deeper, live and lead more courageously, share the gospel, put down my blackberry, turn off the computer, buy my wife a gift or simply hold her, play catch or sit with my children, call someone I haven’t seen in a while, and so many more.

I wonder how many times I have miss the signals in my day because I wasn’t paying attention or because I wasn’t looking down the line to check with the Third Base Coach before I started my day. Sometimes I see the signal to bunt (humility), but because I don’t see myself as a “small ball” kind of player, but a power hitter (Ego, Pride), who wants to be the hero and win the game (selfishness), I ignore the signals and carry out my own agenda at the plate. In the end, I lose out on advancing the Kingdom and bringing glory to our heavenly Father.

Each day, before I start my busy day, I need to look down the line and check the signals from the Third Base Coach, through prayer and meditating on Jesus’ words. This way, I can better understand what he wants me to do, thereby doing my part in advancing his kingdom in the world. What signals is the Third Base Coach giving you? How closely do you pay attention and follow them? 

“Since we live in the Spirit, we should also walk in the Spirit.” Gal. 5:25

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