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Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View
Does God Have a Perfect Will for Your Life?
Does God have a perfect will for each Christian? Can you be absolutely certain of God’s specific will for your life? In this expanded twenty-fifth anniversary edition of his highly acclaimed work, Garry Friesen examines the prevalent view on God’s will today and provides a sound biblical alternative to the traditional teaching o...more
Does God have a perfect will for each Christian? Can you be absolutely certain of God’s specific will for your life? In this expanded twenty-fifth anniversary edition of his highly acclaimed work, Garry Friesen examines the prevalent view on God’s will today and provides a sound biblical alternative to the traditional teaching o...more
Paperback, 25th Anniversary Edition, 528 pages
Published
August 11th 2004
by Multnomah Books
(first published January 1st 1980)
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As a follower of Christ does God have an individual will for my life that I am expected to decipher? Before I read Dr. Friesen’s book I would have answered yes and explained – using a lot of buzzwords like “still small voice” and “center of God’s will” – that this opaque search is something you get better at as you spiritually mature.
Yet my personal experience was not matching this and I started wondering that if God were concerned about guiding me in the big things in life (school, career, marr...more
Yet my personal experience was not matching this and I started wondering that if God were concerned about guiding me in the big things in life (school, career, marr...more
One of the truly scary things about religion is the way people can use it to justify the most outrageous and indefensible claims about what we should do and what we should think. This book teaches a much more logical religion, and one that takes a lot of this danger away.
It astounded me when I was a Bible college student back in 1982 how many different people firmly and sincerely believed they had been the honoured by direct revelations from God that were so self-serving. A beautiful woman would...more
It astounded me when I was a Bible college student back in 1982 how many different people firmly and sincerely believed they had been the honoured by direct revelations from God that were so self-serving. A beautiful woman would...more
Oh, hi!
So the funny thing about this book is that I picked it up at a used book sale a few years ago, when I was debating in my mind about the whole "will o' God" thing. Since that time, I have settled my conclusions in my mind, and they are pretty much the same as what the book wanted to convince me to believe. So it turned out I didn't need to read the book at all!
The main point (okay...the only point) of the book is that God does not have a specific will for your life. He doesn't intend for y...more
So the funny thing about this book is that I picked it up at a used book sale a few years ago, when I was debating in my mind about the whole "will o' God" thing. Since that time, I have settled my conclusions in my mind, and they are pretty much the same as what the book wanted to convince me to believe. So it turned out I didn't need to read the book at all!
The main point (okay...the only point) of the book is that God does not have a specific will for your life. He doesn't intend for y...more
All this seemed utterly obvious to me. However, lots of people should read this, because I hear these fallacies a lot.
Tempted to give this 5-stars because it's probably the best decision-making/will-of-God book out there (but it's the only one I've really read so don't feel entirely comfortable going on record/5-stars for that statement).
The individual chapters about specific wisdom for certain topics was pretty good, but I think the first 7 chapters laying out the "Biblical-Alternative" View (vs. the Traditional View) and the last 2 chapters about wisdom when Christians differ are what make this such a great...more
The individual chapters about specific wisdom for certain topics was pretty good, but I think the first 7 chapters laying out the "Biblical-Alternative" View (vs. the Traditional View) and the last 2 chapters about wisdom when Christians differ are what make this such a great...more
Very interesting perspective that helped me clear through the fog of what God's will really is for my life. We often hear that we did something because it was God’s will for me. But God’s direct commands to people only came during the Church’s formative years and the beginnings of Israel... Some passages include: "God clearly has the ability to develop an individual will for your life, but it is wrong to contend that God’s orderliness demands that he create us a specific plan." and "God is like...more
Next to the Bible probably the most important book any modern Christian should read. Will correct many misinterpretations of scripture. When we speak of God's will for your life - it is the same as God's will for my life. It is fully revealed to us already as his moral will and has nothing to do with what we wear, our occupation, who we choose for our spouse, where we go on vacation, etc. Too many people worry about these things - when we are free to choose and competent to choose these things f...more
A nearly heretical text meant for a generally Christian audience.
It's well written, and exhaustively explores the subject of God's will as it pertains to the decisions Christians make, from the largest to the smallest.
Does God have an individual plan for each human life, down to the smallest detail, or does he simply provide the foundational character traits necessary for you to plan and execute your own life?
An enlightening view into what motivates and sustains the Christian worldview from bot...more
It's well written, and exhaustively explores the subject of God's will as it pertains to the decisions Christians make, from the largest to the smallest.
Does God have an individual plan for each human life, down to the smallest detail, or does he simply provide the foundational character traits necessary for you to plan and execute your own life?
An enlightening view into what motivates and sustains the Christian worldview from bot...more
Tired of subjectivity in knowing God's will? Then this book would be a good read. Although only relying on the Spirit to tell you what to do seems spiritual, it lacks the power thereof. And the biblical support. Frieson does a good job lovingly showing the weaknesses of the traditional view of decision making (which is finding God's perfect individual will for you)while explicating the way of wisdom.
This book was huge for me.
It answers and supports the perennial question, "how do I find the will of God for my life in decision-making?" The author, a seminary professor at Multnomah Bible College in Oregon, does an excellent job of breaking down this question and delineating between God's sovereign will (we can't know this except in the rearview mirror), God's moral will (the commands contained in Scripture), and areas of freedom (non-commanded areas where we have the freedom and responsibili...more
It answers and supports the perennial question, "how do I find the will of God for my life in decision-making?" The author, a seminary professor at Multnomah Bible College in Oregon, does an excellent job of breaking down this question and delineating between God's sovereign will (we can't know this except in the rearview mirror), God's moral will (the commands contained in Scripture), and areas of freedom (non-commanded areas where we have the freedom and responsibili...more
Christians often flail about trying to determine exactly what God's will is for them in their lives. This book provides a fresh approach to dealing with major life decisions. Friesen uses common sense, and some analysis of decision making in the New Testament to provide some relief to struggling believers.
This book was a pleasure to read. The style is simple, and what he writes about is common sense, and it's easy to see that his views are biblically based. This book was originally published in the 80's but it is still very relevant today since Christians of all sorts are attempting to discern God's will for their personal lives. I think every Christian needs to read this in order to see that God expects every Christian to make wise decisions using the mind that God not only gave everyone but is...more
This book changed my life when I read it at 28; from it I learned I could trust the God of all creation to lead me in the way I should go. But, he gave me a brain for a purpose and I should use it.
Recommended.
Recommended.
This is a fantastic book. Many Christians today struggle with the concept of identifying God's will for their life. This book helps the reader to gain a good Biblical understanding of how to discern God's will.
For Christians, one of the biggest issues we face is do we seek God's will in all areas of our lives, or are we on or own, or is it something else? This books presents the belief, backed up by scholarly research into the Bible, that there are certain areas where we have been told quite plainly what God expects of us, and others where we are free to choose. I tend to agree with this viewpoint. Why would God give us free will, only for us to "seek his will" in every tiny aspect of our lives? Would...more
This book challenges the traditional view of God’s will and breaks down God’s will into Sovereign, Individual, and Moral. As I read along I realized that my beliefs were really more in line as to what they were saying than the standard traditional view. God has ultimate control, but wants us to follow His moral will in decisions, big and small, and we have freedom of choice.
This is a big book and you may not find it necessary to thoroughly read it, it is chalk full of illustrations, scriptural e...more
This is a big book and you may not find it necessary to thoroughly read it, it is chalk full of illustrations, scriptural e...more
Like the approach of this book. Helped me find the balance between trusting the sovereignty of God and my own responsibility to act.
actually got the audiocasette version as well... (my dad had a beaten up book copy of it, but is gone now since someone borrowed it)
My dad gave me this book when I was struggling over what college to go to. It really helped me to get my heart straight.
very practical and useful reference when you hit those moments when you're unsure of how to go about discerning/making a decision.
This book was a game changer for me. What an awesome God we serve!
An artifact from my Bible school days.
Pretty Good.
Excellent.
This book was wonderful for me to read. Sometimes we use God's "will" as a crutch to lessen our responsibility for following the commands that he has made completely clear through scripture. I think in spots the author goes a little overboard to make his point and almost gives the impression that God is not that concerned with day to day decisions. Overall, however, great book.
Awesome book! I highly recommend this book to every Christian. It clarified so much for me because I had some weird mix of these two views. But beware, it really increases your realization of your responsibility before God! There is a lot of practical wisdom in the book, and it's a great book to read with a Bible close at hand.
Brilliant. Presents and critiques the traditional view of God's "individual will for every believer" on non-moral matters without ever compromising on God's sovereignty over His creation. Makes a great, detailed, practical case for the way of wisdom.
Excellent book.
Biblicaly sound and respectful in display of the author's opinion towards other thinkers' point of view. Very usefull read for people who got to take decisions in life, which happens to be everyone of us.
Biblicaly sound and respectful in display of the author's opinion towards other thinkers' point of view. Very usefull read for people who got to take decisions in life, which happens to be everyone of us.
What you won't hear in a typical sermon on God's will...but don't read it unless you're prepared to make some people uncomfortable & defend your position once you get on the "untraditional view of God's will" soapbox. :)
Very thought-provoking look at what the Bible actually has to say about decision making and how to find God's will for your life. Probably will challenge what you believe about that. Highly recommended.
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Feb 16, 2013 08:48am