I just want God to tell me what to do.

Is that so hard? I do want to be in His will but I'm not even sure I know what He wants me to do.

For example, Plan A, Plan B. Which? How do I show my wife Christlike love if I avoid contact with her? Of course I balance that with the possiblity that I will LB if I'm in contact with her.

So I just want God to:

1. Show me any unconfessed sin in my life, so that I might repent.

2. Show me what He wants me to do with my life, so I might follow His plan for me.

3. Show me how to treat my wife. You know, when to leave her alone, and when to approach her.

4. Show me how to treat my daughter.

5. Let me know how I'm doing, both good and bad.

6. Show me what I'm supposed to be praying for, the words He wants to hear and the actions as well.

I have a hard time trusting God when I don't feel I hear what He wants me to do in the most minute detail right now. I feel I've offered my life to Him over and over again, but He is not in control. Is that because I still have my own desires or what?

I just need to know

Tony

Father God,

Please guide Tony, give him a clean heart, show him if anything is hindering your love in him, and give him clear insight, to himself and his wife. Speak to him today, help him to hear your small still voice.

Thank you Father.

And me too, for my husband.

Tony,

I'm going to speak to you with candor and wisdom. You keep wanting God to strike you on the head with lightening or drop a billboard in front of you that says: "Tony...here's what I want you to do! --love, God." That's not the way God works. He does not say, "if you do step A,B,C then result D is guaranteed" (Hey, maybe God isn't an engineer! heehee.) Anyway, may I suggest that you do a bible study on HOW God speaks to His believers??

In the Old Testament, God did periodically come to us in pillars of fire and tornados of wind--but that was the exception, not the rule. In fact, there were were entire generations that came, lived, and died who did nothing but provide the link l'dor v'dor (which means from generation to generation). Their PURPOSE in life was to be a link to the next generation...which lead to the generation in which God was going to MOVE!!

What if you are one of the l'dor v'dor people Tony? What if God's intention for you is to link to your daugther's or granddaughter's generation, and THAT is who He is going to MOVE through???

I know you, my brother...you like INSTANT results (or at least quick results), and one of the qualities God wants you to develope is patience and trust in HIM. Don't trust in yourself or your understanding--lean on HIM and He will direct your path. THAT is a guarantee!! But that means you need to let go of it, wait on God, and trust Him to do what you can not.


CJ

The problem is (aren't I just so negative sometimes, LOL?) that God has spoken that way to me before. About 12 years ago, when I was unemployed, had more outgo than income, etc, God spoke to me in a dream.

I had confessed to Him that I was not a good steward of what He gave me, that I squandered my talents (in both senses of that word) and that I wanted to be forgiven and to return to work. I prayed and prayed over that situation. Then one night in May 1992, God spoke to me in a dream. I was in a Sunday School class and the teacher asked me to read Psalms 32. I kept asking if the teacher meant Psalms 51. No, Psalms 32. Well, in my dream, I could not find Psalms in my Bible. Well at that moment, I woke up, got my Bible and read both Psalms. (I'd not really studied, and may not have actually read either of those Psalms.)

If you look at them, Psalms 51 is David's Lament regarding his sin with Bathsheba. Psalms 32 is David's praise for being forgiven for that same sin.

Since I'd heard no study about those two Psalms, had no idea they were related. I had to believe that it was God who was answering my prayer back in 1992. I returned to work in about 30 days, just like I asked God to do for me.

So I know God answers prayers, and I know he has given me signs in the past. So I'm just asking God to show me a glimpse of what He is doing, like He has done before in my life.

Not seeing anything makes me wonder if there is still unconfessed sin in my life that I have not asked forgiveness.

So yes, I want the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the celestial 2x4. Why? Because I've experience God before and it spoiled me to hearing Him so clearly.

Tony

My brother, you are so funny!

Look throughout the entire Old and New Testament, and you will see that God RARELY (if ever) gave guys "a glimpse" of where He was heading or what He was doing. All those "begats" in early Genesius had NO IDEA what they were there for or their purpose. Abraham was TOLD he would be the father of a nation, yet when he was in his HUNDREDS he had only one son!! (Some nation!) Jacob, who became Israel, did not have a glimpse that he was going to become the father of a nation instead of his older brother--he was just sneaky!! Joseph was thrown in prison for being accused of fooling around with an Egyptian muckety-mucks wife (a FALSE accusation, I remind you), but he had no "glimpse" of why God had him there. He just trusted that God had him where He wanted him...and sure enough, he did! When Moses was a young man growing up in Pharoah's house, he had no "glimpse" of what God wanted him to do...nor when he was thrown out into the desert for killing a guard...nor when he was a shepherd for years in Midian. God told him one task to do (Go to Egypt and tell Pharoah to let my people go) and Moses got SCARED! He had no clue how God was going to get Pharoah to let the people go, but he did know that God was I AM!!! He believed in God more than his own fear.

God did not give a glimpse to Joshua and Caleb whether they would win the battles or not when they lead the people into Canaan--they just believed in God. And how about Deborah?? or Gideon? Or my favorite judge: Jephtha the left-handed judge?? (Look them up!!) God did not give a glimpse to Saul that his kingdom would be taken away from him...nor did He give a glimpse to David when he was hiding in the caves from the insane, jealous, and grouchy king! Did God give Little shepherd David "a glimpse" of how that whole Goliath thing was going to go, or did a small, scared BOY step out in faith and have no clue how he was going to use a slingshot to kill a fully armored giant in the Philistine army??

As you can tell, Tony, I could go on and on! Even in the New Testament, too: John baptized before Jesus even came along; Mary had no "glimpse" of how she was going to get through an unwed pregnancy; Peter stepped out of the boat; and Paul wrote most of his epistles FROM PRISION--do you think he had "a glimpse" of how he was going to get out of that one??

(friendly laugh)

My friend, God does not give us "glimpses" and then ask us to trust Him. We would not need to trust Him if we had "a glimpse" of what was coming or how it was going to happen. He asks us to get up off our butts in a rickety boat and step out onto stormy waters WITH NO IDEA how we are going to stay above except that He said we would and we believe Him. Period.

You're cute. No, you do not get a life jacket. Now stop fooling around and step out of the boat.


CJ

JavaSansContour: God speaks through circumstances and people,besides the burning bushes. When trouble comes, and it does,What do you do? Do you ask God for his guidance and help? Each time we are face with a decision, God is watching to see which of the two choices we make...trust God or muddle through. This is like any other trial. God is wanting to show you something good at the end...you will have to wait in His 'waiting room'. I know how hard this waiting it, been there myself. God has given us the essentials for living...temperance, patience BUT wait what was that first one???FAITH.2Peter5-10.When we need to surrender the control to Jesus, he will show you that you need to have patience. If He doesn't answer yes,no or wait Then He is telling you...His grace is sufficient for thee:for my strength is made perfect in weakness. 2Cor12:9-10.
Jesus always answers prayers. It maybe not the answer we were thinking was His Will for our lives. The trials we experince on Earth are so we can be rewarded in Heaven,so we can press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14. For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.Phil 4:11. Peace