How Do We Find God's Will?---January 15, 2014

INTRO: Lizzie Velasquez Video (What defines YOU?)

EXPERIENCING GOD

How do you know what God wants you to do?

-Talk to Him

-Listen

-Don’t always listen to others

-We don’t always know, most of the time it just happens

-Decisions can be confirmed down the road

-Keep up with your daily “walk”

-Sometimes it’s a feeling

GROUP ACTIVITY

Group 1: John 14:1-7

What does God give you to find the way? ----- HIMSELF as Jesus

-Jesus is the way to the Father (the way, the truth & the light)

-Trust in Jesus because he is the path to God and heaven 

-Not all evidence of God is visual but if you trust, believe and obey, 

you will find your way

-Jesus comforts his disciples, so even though he is leaving, he will still provide comfort

Group 2: John 15:1-8

What does God give you to find the way? ----- HIMSELF as our vine (source of life)

-God is the vine, we are the branches

-Whether we are living in Christ or not, there will be trimming

-If we live WITH Him, bad things are cut away

-If we live WITHOUT Him, we are cut away from Him

-He will prune us to better us

-If the branch isn’t attached to the vine, it doesn’t get nourishment 

Group 3: John 14: 15-20 & 25-26

What does God give you to find the way? ----- Love, Holy Spirit, and His Commands

-Keep His commands

-Confirmation

-Holy Spirit

-Wants you to live in Him, as He lives in you

-If (Because) you love me, you will (want to) obey my commands

**Not said in a manipulative way

***If you love Him you will have the desire to obey

SUMMARY OF GROUP ACTIVITY

When we ask God for direction, what does He give us?

-HIMSELF

-as Jesus

-as the source of life

-as the Holy Spirit

*See the story of Abraham

-Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as Righteousness

Searching for Answers

-We complicate things by wanting all the answers

-However, there is no exact answer

-As we get to know God and His will, we will learn to walk with more confidence in Him

-The more we know Him, the more we can trust

The way He communicates with us or guides us, changes as our relationship grows.

-For some it’s silent, for some it’s a whisper, and for some it’s even physical

How do we know if our decision is “right”?

-God gives confirmation

-It should be scripturally “right”

-Scripture suggests that it shouldn’t affect or hurt your neighbor

*Remember that Jesus LEARNED obedience

HOMEWORK

-Write down one thing that stuck with you tonight?

-What practical step are you going to take to do something with what stuck with you?