Instant Updates... Knowing Gods Will: Tombstone

A bunch of folks ask me if I'm (Brent) on Facebook and Twitter: YES to both.

• Click here for FACEBOOK
  
• Click here for Twitter

I put "instant updates" on both those sites simultaneously. It's just quick, funny, random and personal stuff. Sometimes its a thought of wisdom that comes to me while writing or studying, sometimes its something funny that happens with the kids.

I'm using it more and more because more and more people are following it. It's a personal look into our lives that you will enjoy. Just wanted you know so you could either "follow me on Twitter" or "add as a friend on Facebook" (or both!).

I hope you'll do one or the other because it often gives me a chance to get to know you too. My email address is no secret (brent@brentriggs.com), and I read ALL my emails, and respond to almost every one of them. People often email me after I put something on Facebook or Twitter.

We've been talking about KNOWING GOD's WILL off and on the past week. Here's some more thoughts for your consideration, but first some response to your last comments:

• The whole point of knowing God's will is the reconciling of our own desires and ideas with His wishes. That IS the essence of knowing God's will for our life


• The message boards at SeriousFaith have been shut down for a while. I need to remove the link. Just too much to keep up with. You are welcome to email me directly if you have questions. Sarah wanted to talk about war, and Christians being part of it; a relevant topic these days. Anyone else curious about this topic?


• Following true "peace" is always of course in keeping with God will because even when confrontation is truly needed it leads to peace because we've done what needs to be done.


• Thanks for all your kind comments about the writing, and about Abby!

So let's talk about another way to discern God's will:

Knowing the Will of God - Epitaph Worthy

First, a quick review so we all continue to reinforce what we've learned together. When trying to determine God's will:

• First, does God's Word contain a plain and direct answer to your question or circumstance? If yes, then obey and change. Simple to understand, often hard to do. (2Tim 2.15; Acts 17.11; 1 John 5.2; James 1.22)


• If there is no direct answer in the Bible, how do you know God's Will for the "gray areas":
  
  
  
  • Ask yourself "is this really necessary?"
  
  
  • How would Christ respond?

Discerning God's will is not for the timid or lazy. We can't rely on coincidental "signs" and feelings. To know the heart of God on a matter takes good old-fashioned time and effort in the form of Bible study, prayer, meditation and seeking the objective observations of mature Believers. And we may have to throw in a good dose of patience as well. God works on His own timetable, not ours. The sooner we learn that, the better.

Sometimes God uses our efforts to discover His Will
for a purpose that may have nothing to do with the actual
circumstance or decision we are dealing with.

In other words, God may use the EFFORT of finding out His will to teach us something else, like patience. God may delay the answer to teach us to wait. Or He may give us an answer we don't understand to teach us faith. Or He may give an answer that we see as "unfair" to teach us humility. Now stop and really think about that. Do you understand it?

It's important that you do, it may cure you of some of your impatience or misunderstandings about why God doesn't seem to answer you sometimes.Don't let that truth frustrate you. It's all a part of learning the mind of Christ and "drawing near" to God.

When trying to discover God's Will about a question or circumstance, ask yourself: Is it worthy of my epitaph?

An epitaph are the words that will be written on your tombstone. Often times this is the only lasting statement about a person. Most epitaphs are simply facts stating the name and the dates of birth and death. If you have your epitaph written and engraved now while you are alive, what would you have it say?

If it wasn't for the fact that an epitaph is written on a tombstone we would call it a "goal" (assuming you think it up BEFORE you die!). So an epitaph in a sense can become your life goal, in other words, if you could pre-write what people will say about you and what will be engraved on your tombstone for all the future to read, what would you LIKE for it to say? I would like something like this:

"Here lies old Brent Riggs. He wasn't much of anybody, but he was devoted to prayer and God’s Word in simple, consistent, disciplined daily devotion. He didn't achieve much by the world's standards, but his life was marked by increasing holiness and purposeful sacredness in everyday life. He helped alot of people, and went out of his way to show extravagant friendship. Brent had his priorities in line and lived a life worthy of our Lord’s commendation, 'Thou good and faithful servant'".

Knowing what I would like people to read about me when I'm gone can help me to know God's Will and make the right decisions while I'm still young. Obviously this is only truly helpful if the epitaph you have written is one that is concerned with living a holy life.

Keeping THE END in view...

Another way of asking this question is to ask "is it expedient?". Expediency means "the quality being suited to the end in view". In other words when you're trying to figure out God's Will about something, it is helpful to see the "end" first, and make your decision on the desired result.

Knowing the end, helps us to make
decisions about the beginning.

So think about your pending decision or circumstance and ask God to help you see the very best way your situation can end up which means "how can it bring the most glory to God". Formulate clearly in your mind what the ideal Godly end is, and it will help you to determine God's Will right now because the present decisions will be made in light of that ideal result.

1 Corinthians 6:12 - All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. (NKJV, emphasis mine)

The word "helpful" in this verse carries with it the idea of expediency. When trying to discern God's Will, ask yourself if the decision you are considering will be helpful, useful and productive in light of how you believe God would have things end up. While it may be permissible (it's okay) and moral (it's not a sin) for us to make certain decisions, that doesn't necessarily mean it is helpful or useful (expedient).

Do you want to know God's Will?

• First, search the Bible for a clear and direct answer.


• If there is none, then ask yourself "is this really necessary?" and " how can I respond like Christ?".


• Try to determine the ideal Godly result, and ask yourself "what decision will help me achieve that result?" And "is this helpful or useful, or merely a simple desire that will make no real contribution to the end I know will glorify God the most?".

Discovering God's Will can be pretty hard work but always worth the effort. What are your questions or comments about knowing God's will?

~ Brent