1) We cannot presume to know what will happen tomorrow and should submit our plans to God's will. 2) God warns that pursuing our own desires often leads to frustration, as He may intervene and bring about a different outcome. 3) To discern God's will, we must deepen our relationship with Him through obedience to His word, transforming our minds and not conforming to the world. Submitting our plans to Him allows His will to be fulfilled.

1. James 4:13-17

2. I intend to talk about the big topic of how we can discern God ’ s will for our lives. I am going to talk about the KEYS to listening to God in our relationship with Him

3. 13 Now listen, you who say, “ Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money. ”

4. 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “ If it is the Lord ’ s will, we will live and do this or that. ”

5. 16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17 Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn ’ t do it, sins.

6. In Micah 6:14-15, we can also see a very interesting picture of what it is like to be living a life of walking away from the path of God ’ s will.

7. 14 You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword. 15 You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil on yourselves, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine.

8. The Micah “ You will, I will ” monologue God declares that “ You ( we ) will do this or that in order to get a desired result but I ( God ) will cause a result that is very different from our desired result. ”

9. The human “will” – plan or blueprint - a mental faculty of making decisions

10. God’s will His plan / blueprint – eg: He has a plan for our lives and for the world His desires – eg: His will (desire) is for us to be saved His working – eg: What he has willed he will work it out to fulfillment

11. But how do we walk in God ’ s will? How do we even know what is God ’ s will?

15. Despite us being Christians, and being a child of God, it is so easy to pursue after our OWN desires and plans for our OWN lives.

16. 1) Adopting an “ i-Will ” attitude i-Will

17. 2) Conform to God not to the world

18. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God ’ s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Rom 12:2)

19. Therefore in order to know God ’ s will, is to move closer to God in our relationship with Him, to conform more to God

21. 3) Obeying His Word - God’s general will W e learn and obey God ’ s general will through the Word, through knowing what God desires for the world, what God desires of His children, what is God ’ s divine plan for salvation etc.

22. What about God’s specific will We sometimes need to seek God for his specific will concerning things which may not be that obvious. What if both decisions are good and according to his general will?

23. The more we live our lives in obedience to his general will which is plain for us to see according to His word, the easier it will be for him to guide us according to his specific will. And the more time we spend with him doing this practice of obeying, seeking and listening, the more easily we will understand God when he speaks and directs.

24. Conclusion - Adopt an “i-WILL” attitude - Conform to God not to the world - Deepen our relationship with God - Begin the process of discerning His will by obeying his plain and obvious general will (bible)