Knowing God’s will: the best place to start to know and understand God’s will for our lives is via the Scriptures.
In the previous post we looked in some detail at Psalm 119. Perhaps the best know passage dealing with the importance of knowing God’s word is 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NAU): “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Going back to Psalm 119, one of the points that Psalm makes is that there are times we need to wait patiently for God’s answer. Sometimes instead of waiting, we panic, or get impatient, make our own decision, and go off on our own. That doesn’t end well.
But that too can be tricky. Sometimes God gives us a great deal of freedom, many options to explore. This can be especially true when learning about one’s career choice. We can paralyze ourselves waiting for an answer with an nth degree of detail. We can in effect tell God, “Unless you answer me like this…”; that isn’t living by faith.
Abraham comes to mind, that he went forth without knowing where he was going. God had told him to go to a land that He (God) would show him (Abraham). Abraham went forth in obedience, but it was through the process of that journey that Abraham learned the details of what God would do.
Scripture tells us that we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Yet, even that is God’s direction, isn’t it? How am I to walk? By faith, by trusting in God, believing that He will show me what I need to know, when I need to know it. In terms of classical physics, it is much easier to direct an object that is moving than one that is stationary, at rest. Yet that too is a lesson we learn, at least in part, through reading Scripture.
Through reading Scripture, and following it, we can avoid many potential pitfalls. As Psalm 119 states, one of the benefits of knowing God’s word is that it can help keep us from sin. I can think of times in my own life where I was sorely tempted to sin, but God’s Word kept me from giving in to that temptation and from going down that path.
There is no substitute for reading Scripture, for staying immersed in God’s Word. Through reading God’s Word, through prayer, at times through godly human support and advice—advice that is in line with Scripture—it is possible to know God’s will. We can trust Him to direct our path, so that we will walk in a way that is pleasing to Him, not a life bound up and directed by self-will.
Whom Do We Listen To? Some Observatoins, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/5/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Some Observations: Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/3/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 22
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/1/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 21
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/29/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 20
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/27/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 19
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/22/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 18
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/20/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 17
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/18/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 16
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/15/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 15
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/13/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 14
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/11/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 13
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/8/2026
Whom Do WE Listen To? Part 12
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/6/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 11
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/4/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 10
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/4/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 9
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/29/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 8
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/27/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/24/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/22/2026
Whom Do We Listen to? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/20/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/17/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/16/2026
Whom Do We Listen To? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/15/2026
Who Do We Listen To? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/9/2026
A Delicious Irony
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/6/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 8
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/2/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
4/1/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/30/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/27/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/25/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/23/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/20/2026
A Sign of God's Judgment? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/18/2026
Blessing without Repentance? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/16/2026
Blessings without Repentance? Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/12/2026
Blessings without Repentance? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/10/2026
Blessings without Repentance? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/6/2026
Biblical Ignorance within the Church
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/4/2026
The Future Unity of Jews and Christians
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/2/2026
The Foolishness of Christ
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/27/2026
New Year's Vows: Are they Biblical? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/25/2026
New Year's Vows: Are they Biblical? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/23/2026
New Year's Vows: Are they Biblical? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/19/2026
New Year's Vows: Are They Biblical? Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/16/2026
New Year's Vows: Are They Biblical? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/11/2026
New Year's Vows: Are They Biblical?
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/6/2026
Abiding in Death: Are You? Am I?
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/3/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 8
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/29/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/26/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/22/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/19/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/16/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/13/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/10/2026
Who Is Jesus? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/6/2026
God's Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 5: Hope
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/18/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 4: The Church
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/12/2025
God's Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3c: Religious Leaders
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/10/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3b: Religious Leaders
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/8/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 3a: Religious Leadership
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/4/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 2: The Political Right
Dr. James W. Walraven
11/12/2025
God’s Faithfulness in Judgment, Part 1: The New York City Election
Dr. James W. Walraven
11/10/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 4d: Cultural vs. Biblical Christianity
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/24/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 4c: Cultural vs. Biblical Christianity
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/21/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 4b: Cultural vs. Biblical Christianity
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/17/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 4a: Cultural vs. Biblical Christianity
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/14/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 3d: The Philosophies Behind Our Culture of Lies
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/10/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 3c: The Philosophies Behind Our Culture of Lies
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/8/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 3b: The Philosophies Behind Our Culture of Lies
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/6/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 3a: The Philosophy Behind Our Culture of Lies
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/3/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 2d: Political Responses
Dr. James W. Walraven
10/1/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 2c: Political Responses
Dr. James W. Walraven
9/29/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 2b: Political Responses
Dr. James W. Walraven
9/26/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 2a: Political Responses
Dr. James W. Walraven
9/24/2025
The Murder of Charlie Kirk, Part 1: Introduction
Dr. James W. Walraven
9/22/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 17
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/7/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 16
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/3/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 15
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/31/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 14
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/29/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 13
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/27/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 12
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/24/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 11
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/22/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 10
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/20/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 9
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/17/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 8
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/15/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/13/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/10/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/8/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/6/2025
How Are We Doing, Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
1/2/2025
How Are We Doing? Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/30/2024
How Are We Doing? Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
12/28/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 7
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/20/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 6
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/18/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 5
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/15/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 4
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/13/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 3
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/11/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/8/2024
A Brief Summary of Islam, Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
3/6/2024
The Dishonesty Continues: Jessup and the "New" Multnomah
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/2/2024
Starting to Write a New Double-Bass Concerto. Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
8/9/2022
Prophetic Weeping, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
8/27/2021
Prophetic Weeping, Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
8/25/2021
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing?
Dr. James W. Walraven
7/12/2021
Foolish Shepherds? Zechariah 11: A Warning to the SBC?
Dr. James W. Walraven
6/7/2021
Some Personal Musings: The "Equality" Act
Dr. James W. Walraven
2/27/2021
On Lying, Part 2
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/23/2020
On Lying, Part 1
Dr. James W. Walraven
5/22/2020
