God's will?  Was Loretta ever in God's will?  It's obvious that Loretta's a very confused individual.
 
I used the job illustration to show the lack of maturity in the Church. Loretta's behavior is not uncommon--it's become the norm!  How is it that God's people will blithely cast Truth aside and pursue occult techniques to find the Father's will--or to have a "deeper experience" with Him?  "The customs of the people are worthless," warned the prophet Jeremiah.  Worthless?  Wow.  With that in mind, why are professed Christians immersing themselves in cultural customs and cleverly crafted gimmicks and paying no heed to Scripture?  Perhaps these "Christians" have a said faith, and not a real faith.  Truth hurts. 
 
Today important life decisions are made based on subjective experiences instead of God's trustworthy precepts found in His Word.  Greg Koukl asks, "Does Scripture give us the liberty to assign the authority of divine fiat to our subjective experiences?"  His answer is, "Nowhere does the Bible give us that liberty. It does not enjoin us to assess our feelings and then judge whether they are a manifestation of the voice of God or not." 

Can we even trust our feelings? 

Koukl goes on to say, "The question is not whether or not Jesus lives in our hearts in the person of the Holy Spirit. Having believed, we've been sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. We've been baptized in the Holy Spirit. He indwells us. He convicts us of sin. He teaches us. The Holy Spirit regenerates us, washing us in the blood of Christ. He comforts us in difficult times. He confirms in our hearts that we are children of God. The Holy Spirit is in and through every part of our lives, and He ought to be. All of this is specifically taught in the Bible. 

"The question is not whether there is a Holy Spirit, or whether that Holy Spirit indwells us, or whether that Holy Spirit does things for us or to us in an experiential, subjective way. All of those things are the case.

"The question is actually two-fold: Is it enough for Christians to simply say, 'You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.' I have the confirmation of a subjective experience. I feel Jesus?'

"The answer is no, it is not enough to say that. Because the Mormons feel Jesus. And the New Ager feels Jesus. And a Jehovah's Witness feels Jesus. Lots of people feel Jesus. They have psychological certainty that they're children of God and that they're right with God."  [3]

Many Christians fall into the same trap as the cults and New Agers.  Their trust is placed in subjective experiences rather than the objective Truth of Scripture.  For cultural Christians, it's not about knowing God; it's about experiencing God.  For many believers, feelings and experiences are what matters most.  Forget about reading the Bible.  Excuse my bluntness, but that's just plain dumb!  How will Christians be able to discern truth from fiction if they're biblically illiterate?  The answer comes from an article I wrote on spiritual discernment, Got Meat? "A thorough study of the Bible will equip the believer with understanding and wisdom that leads to maturity. Christians who don't take time to study are unable to differentiate between God's purpose and desire for their lives from their own aspirations."

Which brings me back to the burning question, What does Scripture tell us about seeking God's will for our lives?  According to John MacArthur (Plan of My Life: God's Will), the Bible reveals that it's God's will for all of us to be:
Saved --1 Timothy 2:3-4: This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  2 Peter 3:9; The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Next page                         


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