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God's Detailed Plan for Our Lives/Hearing God

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Internet Theologian, Nov 19, 2015.

  1. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Two threads have caused some good discussion with similar titles to this one, not to mention the ad nauseum attacks and ridicule.

    For those who care to learn and take a few minutes to read this is an excellent understanding given of the issues by J I Packer, from his book 'Knowing God'.

    http://www.jameslau88.com/how_we_receive_guidance_from_the_holy_spirit.html

    Here is an excerpt:

    HOW WE RECEIVE GUIDANCE

    Earnest Christians seeking guidance often go wrong about it. Why is this? Often the reason is that their notion of the nature and method of divine guidance is distorted. They look for a will-o’-the-wisp; they overlook the guidance that is ready to hand, and lay themselves open to all sorts of delusions. Their basic mistake is to think of guidance as essentially inward prompting by the Holy Spirit apart from the written Word. This idea, which is as old as the false prophets of the Old Testament and as new as the Oxford Group and Moral Re-Armament, is a seed-bed in which all forms of fanaticism and folly can grow.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------

    What say you? Please take time to read the article when you get an opportunity. There is no need or value in coming in this thread to ridicule and malign, do that elsewhere, if you must, not here. Thank you.
     
    #1 Internet Theologian, Nov 19, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2015
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  2. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    I have seen
    I have seen evidence of this here on BB.

     
  3. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    I like how he gave some extreme examples like this as a caution;
     
  4. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Yes another excellent point in Packers writing. This is the fad of the day, subjectivity, the person then becomes authority on what they've heard, not Scripture. After this notifying others of what was heard they are left on their own to prove their experience. We should be careful not to lay experience at the feet of God as the cause.

    The illustrations shared by Packers findings via other authors shows how absurd this can become and how misleading it is in actuality. He is correct, there is this sense coming from these that somehow it exalts the Spirit, or causes an appearance of being super spiritual. But the truth is the Spirit will always glorify the Person of Christ, never man, and nowhere in Scripture is He, the Spirit, exalting Himself.
     
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  5. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Here is another good source;
    Here is a sample of this excellent book. It should be on everyone's shelf
    http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/godswill.html

    Discovering God's Will
    Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson
    1. Is it Lawful?

    2. Is it Beneficial to Me?

    3. Is it Enslaving?

    4. Is it Consistent with Christ's Lordship?

    5. Is it Helpful to Others?

    6. Is it Consistent with Biblical Example?
    Is it lawful? Is it beneficial? Is it enslaving? Is it consistent with the Lordship of Christ? Is it beneficial to others? Is it consistent with the example of Christ and the apostles? Is it for the glory of God? For that matter, am I living for the glory of God?

    The task Thy wisdom hath assigned
    O let me cheerfully fulfil,
    In all my works Thy presence find,
    And prove Thy good and perfect will.


    Thee may I set at my right hand,
    Whose eyes my inmost substance see,
    And labour on at Thy command,
    And offer all my works to Thee.


    Give me to bear Thy easy yoke,
    And every moment watch and pray,
    And still to things eternal look,
    And hasten to Thy glorious day


    Charles Wesley
     
    #5 Iconoclast, Nov 19, 2015
    Last edited: Nov 19, 2015
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  6. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Yes that's what I was referring to, it is good reading and good caution.
     
  7. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Do you notice how often good and godly teachers offer a virtual smorgasboard of thought provoking truth because they are so full of scripture and Christ that it bleeds out of them?
     
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  8. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    Yes I have. I happened (?) to just have read the material in the OP link today in Packer's book Knowing God so I googled a portion and found the whole chapter in that link. Interestingly it is fitting for the thread/discussions here on this board of late.
     
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  9. blessedwife318

    blessedwife318 Well-Known Member
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    I thought that artical was really good and so true. The church has made God's will a mystical thing that one must discover, instead of seeing that it is laid out in His Word. And since we know He is in Control we can trust that we are not going to mess up His will.

    I think the biggest area I see this in when people are looking for a spouse. I have lost count of the number of people that say they want to get married but are waiting for God to tell them who "the one" is. I say get married and then you will know who the one is because you will be married to them.

    Imagine if Christian's looked for jobs like they looked for spouses.

    Of course saying that you had some kind of mystical experience makes you seem more " spiritual" in this day and age, then saying you read the Bible and apply it to your life does which is a dad. Commentary on how much we have let the world culture into the church. You can see this in threads here on BB.
     
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  10. Internet Theologian

    Internet Theologian Well-Known Member

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    bump...in case some others would like to read the very good article in the OP
     
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