Thought for the day... How do we discern God's Will?

A lesson I found from when I was in college brought back some memories, as well as some thought provoking ideas since I am at a point in my life where trying to discern and understand God's will is on my mind. From the 5 pages of notes, here are some highlights that I thought note worthy:

• God's will is something He wants us to know and do- 1 Peter 4:1-2, Ephesians 5:15-17, Colossians 1:9
• God's will should be understood as God's desire for our life - Jeremiah 29:11
• Some prerequisites to knowing God's will:

1. Obey what you already know - Disobedience in a known area can many times hinder God answering other prayers. Many times, God does not reveal His will to someone who wants to vote on it...
2. Present yourself to God- Romans 12:1-2 - God's will comes to those who present themselves to Him as a living sacrifice
3. Acknowledge and trust God- Proverbs 3:5-6 - total dependancy on God brings trustworthy direction from God
4. Delight yourself in the Lord - Psalm 37:4, Jeremiah 9:23-24 - God delights in someone who understands and knows Him.
5. Spend time in Prayer- Phillipians 4:6-7 - Discerning God's will begins on your knees
6. Have your ears tuned into God's voice - I Samuel 3:10, Isaiah 30:21
7. Grow in your knowledge of scripture - spending time reading and studying God's Word so you will know what God has to say about the decisions you are facing
8. Put together a group of trustworthy counselors who will give you advice based on what they think is in your best interest. Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 15:22, 24:6, 27:6,9,17
9. Be sensitive to "Providential" circumstances - learn to recognize the difference between a wall and a door Psalms 106:13-15
10. Have a submissive spirit toward God - our attitude should be "not my will, but His be done"
11. Keep/Start moving - Acts 16:6-10
    James 4:13-16

"if we fail to seek God in our decisions, we are living like the athesit; you are living your life as if God does not exist."

-taken from a Prayer Leader meeting w/ Dwayne Carson at Liberty University-

So, just a note as a reminder to myself and everyone else that we need to be seeking God's will and direction for our lives, but also living what we already know to be God's will that he has clearly stated for us: II Peter 3:9, I Timothy 2:3-4, Ephesians 5:18, I Thessalonians 4:1-3, I Peter 2:13-17, Philippians 1:29

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God and the Peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hears and minds through Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:6-7