1 Chronicles 14:13-17 Inquire | Watch | Action Learning anew the old ways of Kingdom Life
1. Inquire
How do you go about decision-making? Do you ask the Lord before making decisions, or do you just wing it. Do you rely on a hunch or a gut felling? I would assume that most of you reading this blog post take very seriously these words – “in all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” Unfortunately, many believers don’t have that much patience to acknowledge the Lord in anything. In 1 chronicles 14:14 we find this really great example of David seeking guidance from the Lord about the way he should take. What a great example:
And when David again inquired of God,
It is not clear how David inquired of the Lord, since Abiathar did not come until David was already in Keilah (1 Sam. 23:2, 6). Perhaps he inquired through the prophet Gad (cf. 22:5). But we can confidently say that he inquired of the Lord directly in prayer. Unfortunately, this old fashion kingdom lifestyle has been abuse so much that many Christians choose to ignore it:
Lord what should I eat today? What should I wear today? Should I take this taxi or should I wait for a bus… oh maybe I should buy a car today?
Don’t get me wrong, God wants to play a part in the little things in our lives, but he is not really concerned about whether you are wearing matching socks, or how you wear you hear. Willow Smith whips hers back and forth all the time and she’s cool.
This kingdom lifestyle is for serious matters not trivial things. It takes the will of God in matters of life very seriously. Just to name a few:
- Should I take this job in this or that city?
- Should I marry this woman or that man?
- Is the timing right to do this or that project?
- I’m I called to this particular ministry or that vocation?
- What should I do in this situation or that circumstance?
It also requires a certain kind of humility and discipline to see God’s will done in one’s life and not his own. Too often it’s all about self. My life, my way or the highway. We take the wheel of our lives and pretend to know what we are doing and where we are going.
- God said, “for “I” know the plans “I” have for you… than you will come seek me, and you shall find me, if you seek diligently
- God said, “if my people would humble themselves, seek my face and pray… I will listen and heal their land
- He said, “don’t say to yourself, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit. Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
There is this temptation for some to jump into doing things without inquiring of the Lord. For them, whatever feels good is good. Others jump into things just to try it out. If it works – good, if it doesn’t, well, try something else. On the flip side, there are those who just won’t do anything unless they see the handwriting of God in the sky. Until they see a sign from God – they say to themselves – “I am waiting for God.”
This kingdom lifestyle of inquiring of the Lord before doing things that will affect our lives and those around us. must also be approached with the right attitude, a sound understand from good biblical teaching and plain old common sense. For example:
- I don’t know it all
- I can make mistakes but God never makes mistakes
- I belong to him and he’s got a plan
- Not my will, but thy will
- I need to trust that he will guide and order my steps, even when I make mistakes he will keep me on the right path.
- I need to work with Him, listen to him, wait on him
- Heaven doesn’t necessarily help those who help themselves
- I rather be safe in His will than lost in mine
There are hundreds of reason why one should ask the Lord before making decisions. Here are a few. I must Inquire because I do not want to:
- regret living with the consequences of a bad decision…you know like Joshua when he failed to seek God first before entering into covenant with the leaders of the Gibeonites.
- waste my time going around the block again and again… one job to another, one city to another
- miss the opportunity God has for you… because an opportunity must be ceased in the lifetime of the opportunity.
- be out of the will of God… because his grace will only sustain me where his will takes me.
- unsure about anything… second guessing myself. I want to be confident even when I doubt and when things are hard and I begin to question if I really did hear from God.
- waste my life on things I was not destined to do… God put me here for a reason, a purpose
Walter Bright 
Thanks for leading me back to where I need to be. It’s been a nutty month, with little time to bask in His presence. I’ve been kind of winging it. Never a good thing for me. 🙂
\o/
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Praise God!
in my own weak way (IMOWW)
I get thrown off my prayer and devotional rhythm easily when too many people come to spend time. I still haven’t figure out any creative solution that really work yet.
stay blessed!
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Pingback: Learning anew the old ways of Kingdom life/ Part 3 | Where are you... Where are you Going?
Just wanted to mention the ‘snare of the option’. After seeking the LORD’s will, and receiving/discerning it, to treat it as an “option”.
Peace! Beth
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One of my favourite jokes:
Did you hear about the hyper-Calvinist who fell down the stairs? When he got to the bottom, he said, “Thank God that’s over!”
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Good points you make, though I think Romans 1 refers to us when we were in our sinful state before grace. Yes, many who profess faith don’t actually have grace: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matt. 7:23,24) – scary stuff. I truly worry about those who pursue wealth and prosperity, and not HIM! However, the more I read about his grace, the more I see that everything is complete in him, and all that we feel we could do or ought to do is BY his strengthening faith that HE gives to us, praise his name. I think we’re coming to the same place of understanding that his call to follow him and remain in his will (or come back to it if we have allowed ourselves to be sidetracked or deluded ourselves) is part of his irresistible grace and call, and those of us who ARE called by him will find that way with him, almost no matter what. I know I’m sounding like a hyper-Calvinist! I’m not. Yes, we have freewill, but his grace is SO amazing, how can any of us NOT find our rest in it? These are glorious mysteries and they are the bread and staff of life. Grace be with you.
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Pingback: Living anew ways of kingdom life/ part 2 | Where are you... Where are you Going?
I say – go to the throne before you pick up your phone!
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I should qualify that the door before me now is not a new path, but IS the direction I have been wanting all along, but the difference is that HE produced the door, not me.
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Thanks for this! Confirmation YET AGAIN! I have been guilty of pursuing a course that I was certain the Lord wanted for me, that he had confirmed with signs, BUT: all along, I was going after it in my own strength and understanding, unaware of the subtle difference of ‘waiting on him’ – he closed many doors, stopped me; at one point with a life-threatening brain haemorrhage. Once I found that rest that is relying on him and leaving it in HIS hands, I discovered a path by accident and now a door is right in front of me that I’d never considered. I’m pushing that door now. If it opens… praise God, it will be HIS work, not mine! If our focus is HIM, our praise given to HIM in all things, good and bad, and our will laid at his feet, we will THEN have all he wants for us (Matt. 6:33).
One point, though: you said “because his grace will only sustain me where his will takes me” – do you have scripture for that? For me, his grace is so perfect that I am sustained no matter where I go or what I do. Even through all the times that I lost sight of his path and was not fully reliant on him as I should have been, I saw his provision over and over, and learned all about it again and again.
Praise God! Grace be with you.
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thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciate your feedback. One thing about seeking or discovering the will of God is the fact that when we make mistakes and find ourselves in places we shouldn’t be, He doesn’t abandon us. His grace shows up to help get us get back on track. I can’t imagine Him forsaking us in that situation. We should never be afraid of making mistakes… it is never the end of the world.
On the other hand, when we disregard all the warning signs and all the road blocks he puts in our path to prevent us from going down the wrong path and we stubbornly continue to pursue what we want instead of his will, he allows us to do what we want. He has given us a free will. Usually it is not a pleasant place to be though. For example the prodigal son stepped out of his father’s will and plan for his life, went to the city and squandered his wealth. Soon after he is brook and famished and eating pig’s food. Even though the father constantly sought him out – he was still miserable. He had to come to his senses. I think there are always consequences to our actions. When David stepped out of the will of God and took another man’s wife and got the man killed, he had to pay for that. Even though he repented and pled with God to keep the child he had with the woman alive, it didn’t happen. It certainly isn’t pleasant when we are bent on having our own ways. The bible says, God give them up in three places in romans 1:24, 26, 28 to do what they wanted.
Finally, remember Exodus 33? Moses said to the Lord, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct?” If there was anything about God that Moses really understood, it way this: God’s presence made the difference where ever they went. With out his presence they were doomed. It works when God goes with you. It never does when he doesn’t.
I hope that helped. By the way I don’t have all the answers. stay blessed and in his will – it is the safest place you will ever be!
walter
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