Handbook for Discovering God's Will, The

by Gordon Jackson

[cherryblossommj]

This book is just utterly fabulous. I wish that I had this book to read back in 2002 or 2003 when my life was really confused, but it is even wonderful to read now.

It's neat actually... on Thursday I was reading a book, Deirdre by Linda Windsor , and the main theme and verse Jeremiah 29:11, that keeps coming back throughout the book is the idea of a "relationship" with God and how he is always there in a complete give and take when you seek him.

Then on Saturday, I went to an Emmaus Candlelight (if you don't know what that is and want to, just ask) and in preparation I got out my old Chrysalis Flight #33 t-shirt with my flight's verse on it... Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I cannot tell you how many times I have read that over the years. But it was not until recent times that I continued to read the next few verses that mean even more so to me that the former. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." (TNIV Jeremiah 29:11-14). It seems that so many times that I have felt that I have gone through troubling times, the words that I have needed were here in "my" verse, when I call upon Him and pray to Him, he listens, and when I seek Him with all my heart, I can then find Him. So many times I struggle and fight with myself, and "cannot hear Him". With this I can realize, I'm not hearing Him, because I'm not really seeking Him whole-heartedly.

If first the historical Christian fiction novel was interestingly leading me to my verse, and then a Chrysalis reminder (FYI: North Georgia Chrysalis Flight #33 Table of the 7 DOCS Daughters of Christ Savior) then on Sunday, the sermon was about John 10:1-10 about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." 6Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.
7Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV John 10:1-10) The sermon that our pastor (at the church we’re visiting Monroe FUMC) went on to speak about how those that belong to Jesus as His flock and spend time with Him, in prayer, in service, in devotion know Him. They know His voice. If you do not seek Him out, you will not know Him when He is there. Whenever I have been so frustrated and so certain that “I cannot hear Him anymore!” Why have I never been able to realize, that He is there, I’ve been away in my mind and have not fully sought Him and recognized Him when I could have. Make sense? I know, I’m rambling now…

Well to the point. In the midst of all the rest of these circumstances screaming in my face what I have known for years, but have been blind to the fact of is that He is there, and the way that I can live my life thoroughly in His love and grace is through a relationship that He fully wants to participate in. Characters of a novel can do it, but so can I. Sometimes you have so many questions that you just don’t know where to begin… This book The Handbook to Discovering God’s Will is a good tool to help you begin and pursue that relationship with Christ our Lord that you have always known is possible and sometimes had, but sometimes have found hidden from you.

Everything in our life is one circumstance then another, one cross roads then another. We have to make thousands of decisions all the time every day. This book gives the tools for being able to think things through and put them into a perspective. It reminds of those bracelets back in middle school, W.W. J.D.? What Would Jesus Do? That is the appropriate question and this book goes beyond the basic question and delves into the actual thinking process of deciding. If I keep going I’ll give away the whole book, not to mention bore you. Gordon Jackson, author, is much better with his wording and humor at explanations and now I leave you to read this first section of the book and not see if you are just hooked and want to read the rest for a tool of how to grow and really make that “relationship” work.