COMPASSFinding Discernment and

Direction for Navigating Life

Freddy CardozaDr. Freddy Cardoza

How to Know God’s Will:Finding Your Way Through Life’s Decisions

When we don’t know God’s Will, we feel lost

Being Lost Brings Deep Emotions

Thousands of People Were Lost in America’s Greatest Natural Disaster

Being Directionally Lost in Life

Brings Danger and Intense Emotions,

Which is Why We Need To Know

God’s Will

God Wants You To Feel The Relief of Finding Your Way to His Will

Rescue of Solider Jessica Lynch

How Do You Know God’s Will and the Joy of Finding It?

TRUTH, REALITY, BEING, KNOWLEDGE, RIGHT AND WRONG, VALUE, BEAUTY, LOGIC, MEANING FROM GOD’S VIEW

PHILOSOPHICAL THEOLOGY

PHILOSOPHICAL THEOLOGYContent Area

1. Reason, Thought, the Use of Language/Argument & Validity

2. Truth and Reality; What is Real?- Being, Existence, Meaning

3. Beauty and Value 4. Right and Wrong; Good or Evil5. Theory of Knowledge, “How Do

You ‘Know?’” What are Valid Sources of Knowledge/Wisdom?

Field

1. Logic

2. Metaphysics- Ontology

3. Aesthetics4. Ethics5. Epistemology

To Understand “How to Know God’s Will” We Must Understand the Christian View of What God Says Constitutes “Reliable Knowledge”

(biblical epistemology)

Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge”1 Tim. 6:20

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Ouija

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Crystals: Universal Planetary Consciousness

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Tarot

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Runes

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Mediums or Psychics (aka “Psychos”)

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

Paganism and Witchcraft .

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

(Extrabiblical) Prophets, Gurus, & Meditation.

Things Falsely Called Knowledge

(Extrabiblical) Prophecy .

Beware of False Prophets: 1 John 4:1-6 .

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false

prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that

Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children,

you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are

from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ...

1 John 4:1-6 .

Valid Sources of

1. Properly Interpreted Word of God

Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly

dividing the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

The Scriptures Cannot Be Broken John 10:35

Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but my Word shall never pass away. Mark 13:31

2. Sound Reason and Logic

As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue and… reasoned with them from the Scriptures

Acts 17:2

3. Discernment of the Conscience

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the

right or when you turn to the left. Isa 30:21

4. Holy Spirit’s Voice and Prayer

A still, small voice 1 Kings 19:13

4. Holy Spirit’s Voice and Prayer

“And he [God] said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in

the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: and after the earthquake a fire;

but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he …

went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest

thou here, Elijah? ” (I Kings 19:11–13)

5. Sound Counsel of Other People

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,

because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1

6. Time and Life Experience

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Ps 90:12

7. Research, the Sciences, and the Observable Universe

Ps 19:1; Rom 1:19-21; Acts 17:24-28; Acts 2:14-15“The Heavens Declare the Glory of God…”

8. Life Consequences

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. c.f., Solomon in Eccl. 12:13

These Are True StatementsBut There Are Three Caveats

Caveat 1

1. Each of these sources has “rules” to follow or a person is subject to confusion & delusion

Dr. Bart EhrmanFormer Bible Believer

Caveat 2

2. Sometimes God uses one source, sometimes more (to deepen our relationship

by teaching us how to listen to His Voice)

Caveat 2

There seems to be a hierarchy of sources regarding confirming God’s Will with God’s

Word, God’s Spirit, and Our Spirit often seeming to be most crucial

WORD

HOLY SPIRIT

OUR SPIRIT

Mutual Agreement

Seems To Be Paramount

To Establishing God’s Will

1 Corinthians 6:17But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. Job 32:8

The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts. Proverbs 20:27

For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God

except the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 2:11 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged

sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by

the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13

Caveat 3

3. As one spiritually matures, God’s Will is often revealed by fewer & more covert ways

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Freddy Cardoza, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved © 2015