How does God guide us

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How does God guide us?
We are constantly faced with many decisions in
life - some small, others very important. God
promises to guide those who are His and who trust
in Him. I will instruct and teach you in the way
you should go Ps.32.18 "In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He will direct (or make
plain) your paths." Prov.3.6. Jesus promises
to lead and guide his followers as a good
shepherd leads and guides his sheep. He calls
his own sheep by name and leads them. His
concern for them is proved by the fact that He
has laid down His life for them. His sheep follow
Him because they know Him. God guides us when we
are prepared to discover and follow His will
rather than going our own way. "The Lord shall
guide you continually Isaiah 58.11 John 8.12 "I
am the light of the world he that follows Me
shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the
light of life."
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Gods will is best for us He longs for us to
discover His will. Following this will be the
best thing for us. Paul, the apostle, tells us
that Gods will for our lives is good, pleasing
and perfect If God is let into shattered lives,
he can bring order, peace and fulfillment. We
make mistakes because we fail to consult the Lord
or because we break His revealed commandments. We
need to trust in the Lord Commit your way to
the Lord, trust in Him and He will act. Ps.37.5.
Our part is to commit the decision to the Lord
and then trust in Him and await his
action. Waiting for God We may have to wait for
an answer e.g Habakkuk or for promises or visions
to be realised e.g, Abraham, Joseph Guidance and
peace Peace in our hearts comes from committing
our way and plans to God. Conversely if we loose
this peace it may be a sign that we have stepped
outside Gods will.
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In what ways does God guide us?

• From the Bible. Gods general will for His
  people in all general circumstances is revealed
  in the bible. There we can see His will on a
  whole range of matters. We do not need special
  direct guidance to know that murder, theft,
  lying, adultery, etc are wrong. Jesus taught
  that even an attitude of hate to another person
  was sin. No other form of guidance will cause us
  to disobey the clear teaching of the Bible.
• by the Holy Spirit. As we pray the Holy Spirit
  can guide us to see the way forward or to give us
  wisdom in a particular situation e.g. Philip
• by giving us a desire to do something God is at
  work within you both to will and to work for His
  good pleasure - Phil.2.13
• by an audible voice (e.g. Samuel), by dreams
  (Pauls call to Macedonia), by visions (Peters
  vision of all types of food) and by angels
  (Abraham, Mary)
• by words of prophecy (Agabus prophesying to Paul)
• by common sense. John Wesley said that God
  usually guided him by presenting reasons to his
  mind for acting in a certain way.
• by advice of other Christians a wise man listens
  to advice, Prov.12.15, Plans fail for lack of
  council but with many advisors they succeed
  Prov.15.22
• by circumstantial signs. In his heart a man
  plans his course but the Lord determines his
  steps

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Secrets of Guidance 1. Out motives must be
pure We must be careful to check our motives
that we seek Gods glory and not our own 2. Our
will must be surrendered My judgment is just for
I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Jn 5.30 3. We must seek information for our
mind We need to fill our minds with facts, with
reliable information, with the results of human
experience and above all with the teachings of
the Word of God (the Bible). 4. We must be much
in prayer for guidance If any of you lack
wisdom, he should ask of God who gives generously
to all without finding fault James 1.5 5. We
must wait for the gradual unfolding of Gods
plan What we feel is right and what Gods Word
indicates should be corroborated by His
providence (circumstances) so we sometimes must
wait for them to come together.
5
Priorities "Therefore I tell you, do not worry
about your life, what you will eat or drink or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life
more important than food, and the body more
important than clothes? Look at the birds of
the air they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of
you by worrying can add a single hour to his life
? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how
the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor
or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in
all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
If that is how God clothes the grass of the
field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown
into the fire, will he not much more clothe you,
O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying,
What shall we eat?' or What shall we drink?' or
What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after
all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. But seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness, and all these things will
be given to you as well. Matt. 6.25-33