...Looking for the will of God...

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens,engages in witchcraft,or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices, the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you."
(Deuteronomy 18-10-12)

People have devised all kinds of approaches in seeking God's will. Some consult Ouija boards. Some go to New age "Channelers," who claim to be the vehicles for the counsel of wise people long dead. Some flip a coin. And some sophisticated church leaders use computer-generated probability studies. They argue that it's God"s will to use technology to seek God"s will.
But seeking God"s will didn"t begin in the 20th century. As far back as we can go in recorded history, people have tried to get divine guidance for the living of life.
People in the ancient world used all kinds of ways to determine the mind of the gods. Some of them studied livers,(yeah I said livers) there thinking was that the center of thought was in the stomach, not in the head. During their rituals the priest would kill an animal. While the animal was still warm they ripped it open, cut out the liver,and by the motion of the animal's organ ---
the quiver of the liver---discovered the mind of the gods.
Today we no longer believe in the mystical powers of the stomach, even though sometimes it seems as if we're thinking with our stomachs rather than our heads. This legacy still remains in our language, particularly when someone says they made a gut decision""Just felt it in my gut.""
Paul wrote, "In Him we were all chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.(Ephesians 1:11) In essence, Paul was saying that history is God's story and that He writes the story line.
God has a sovereign will, and He chooses to reveal parts of it to us. But are we taking undue liberties(being overbold) on holy ground when we readily identify "our will"- or the actions of our church, organization, or movement--with His will??? Much of God's sovereign will is hidden from us, shrouded in mystery and majesty.
Occasionally we catch a glimpse of it. Let us try to stay tuned in to His will everyday.. HOW--You already know the answer to that, but let me say it once again. I really believe that God gave us the Bible, which itself is sufficient enough to guide us (stay in it).
Wisdom through Prayer... When we pray, we can also ask God for wisdom. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt." (James 1:5-6) (Prayer time)

God has given us tremendous freedom and resposibility in making decisions. When seeking to carry out that resposibility, the place for us to begin is in an attitude of complete submission to the sovereign will of the all-- powerful God...

God Bless us all...
PaulP