Can We Really Know God's Will?

The Hem  Devotional -  

"Do not conform 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."
(Romans 12:2 NIV). 

Praise the Lord !

As you can probably imagine, I get dozens of emails each week from Christians from across the globe. I've noticed that most of these messages have a certain theme- What is God's will for my life?

People don't come out and say that of course. They ask questions like:

What can I do to save my marriage?
How do I bring my children back to Christ? 
Why hasn't God given me a new job yet?

But, what they really want to know is, "What is God's will for me in this situation? What does He really want me to do?"

Open Secrets: Discovering God Together

By James P. Long

I knew the book was special long before I knew why. It had been a Christmas gift from my parents 

“God could have conducted unending individual spiritual conferences. But He does not want us connected only to Him; He wants us connected also to one another.”back when I’d have chosen cars and trucks and guns and games. Yet there was, I sensed, something different about this boxed Book with its black leatherette cover. The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments Translated Out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised. The Authorized King James Version, 1611, Red Letter Edition.

I was 9.

Over the years, I occasionally opened the box, but rarely read The Book—until much later. For some reason I can scarcely explain, I tossed the Bible in the car as I packed for a camping trip. That impulse led to my first startling experience of this Book “speaking to me.”

Divine Diversions

Our Daily Bread 

Our Daily Bread is hosted by Les Lamborn

READ: Matthew 1:18-25

And he called His name Jesus. —Matthew 1:25

I tend to get stuck in my ways, so anything that diverts me from my routines and plans can be very annoying. Worse yet, life’s diversions are sometimes unsettling and painful. But God, who said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isa. 55:8), knows that He often needs to divert us in order to make more of our lives than we would have if we had stuck to our original plans.

When God doesn't make sense...

A little boy wanted $100 very badly. He prayed for weeks, but nothing happened. So, he decided to write a letter to God requesting $100. 

When the postal authorities received the letter to "God, USA", they decided to send it to the President. 

The President was so amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5 bill. The President thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy. 

The little boy was delighted with the $5 bill, and sat down to write a thank-you note to God. The postal authorities forwarded this letter on to the President, too. 
It read: 

"Dear God, Thank you very much for sending the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you sent it through Washington, D.C., and those guys deducted $95 in taxes!"