FOUR STEPS IN DISCOVERING GOD'S WILL

1. Erase and Pray

2. Read and Remember

3. Consider and Think

4. Decide and Check

ERASE AND PRAY

make conscious mental effort to erase your own desire as though you were

erasing a blackboard clean, so that God can imprint upon your mental

chalkboard his will and plan for you. Then pray, asking God to finish the

erasing process (especially in the subconscious part of your mind which is

so hard to react) , guide you, reveal His plan to you, and give you wisdom to

decide correctly.

READ AND REMEMBER

Read pertinent portions of the Scripture, for God already has revealed His

will about hundreds of subjects. Obtain a topical concordance so that you

can quickly and easily find Bible passages which deal with the subject at

hand. Even if the Scripture does not speak directly to the decision before

you, remember the principals of God's Word which apply to many decisions,

and ASK yourself these questions:

Check out the scripture and ask the following questions:

A.  Could I do this in Christ's name? (Col. 3;17)

B. Can I imagine Jesus doing this or deciding this way ?(1 John 2;6)

C. will this action bring any glory to God?  (1 Cor. 10:31)

D. Would I want to be found doing this when the Lord returns? (1 John 2:28)

E. Will this action bring impurity or useless harm to my body which is the

temple of God's spirit? (1 Cor. 6;19,20)

D. Will this activity be a hindrance which will hamper my spiritual progress

(Heb. 12;)

G. Will my following this decision offend another Christian, cause him to

stumble, or make him weak (Rom 14;21).

H. Will this action be a help or a hindrance to non-Christians around me?

(Mat. 5:16)

CONSIDER AND THINK

Consider the ways that are open before you, the available options. Write

them down, then consider them more carefully one by one. Consider, too, the

circumstances surrounding you and your decision; the circumstances sometimes

point clearly in a certain direction. Do not hesitate to consider also the

advice of mature Christian friends, instructors, or parents ( they know you

so well). Think and meditate over all aspect s of the question at hand. If

many factors are involved, draw a line down a piece of paper and list the

factors pro and con. Prayerfully meditate over your list until the decisive

factors become clear.

DECIDE AND CHECK

Don't let the matter ride indefinitely and miss god's guidance by default.

Decide! Check for peace of mind. If you decide correctly regarding God's

will or plan for you, He signals you, " Correct decision there," by a

wonderful sense of inner peace. If you have decided wrongly, the peace of

mind will not come.  And what if peace does not come/  Then you must return

to step number one and start all over again. The trouble usually lies right

there - you never really erased your own will in the first place.