You’ve given the Lord your life, but have you given Him your day? Seeking God’s direction and provision for each day should be a priority in our thoughts, prayers, and decisions. While we can’t know what the future holds, He has complete understanding and wisdom to direct our paths, not only in the crucial decisions, but in our daily concerns. In this message, Dr. Stanley addresses the importance of looking to God for everyday guidance. No part of our lives is to be lived independently of our wise and loving Creator. When we learn to seek Him for every need and concern, we give Him rightful place as Lord of our lives.

where does the will of God fit in your

life that is do you ask for his

direction his guidance his provision or

you just wake up in the morning and

decide how you gonna live for the day or

you don’t give it a lot of thought you

just saw one of those persons who sort

of walks in the same tracks every day

and as long as you have what you want

what you think you need you don’t really

give God a whole lot of thought when I

think about that and I think about how

people operate without God in their life

I’m brought back to when I first came

day First Baptist I came as an associate

pastor and there were 60 deacons and

there were seven men who ran everything

and so since I had no authority I was no

danger to anybody and they would let me

sit in on their meetings and so I was

sitting in on this meeting I’ll never

forget and they get a little bit of an

argument and discussion they could make

up their mind they couldn’t make a

decision about something this is my own

probably for 45 minutes or longer and I

thought we’re not yet anywhere and so

when I said why don’t we ask what’s the

will of God about this I’ll never forget

the reaction the man who said to my

right was an attorney and he spoke up he

said leave God out of this this is

business

well when he said that my response was

how can you leave God out of God’s

business because it’s the will of God

that we live a certain way it’s the will

of God that affects every single thing

that we do it’s a

the will of God is our guide the will of

God is the principle above which all of

us should live every single day doesn’t

make any difference who you are but if

you never ask God for direction in your

life what you are saying by your conduct

your attitude is I can do without him I

don’t need his direction I don’t need

his help I can make it without it when

you live day after day without

consulting with God asking Lord what you

will what pleases you what honors you if

I lived day after day without asking

that what I’m saying is I don’t need him

oh you say I wouldn’t I would never say

I don’t need God well what about your

conduct what about your habits do you

act like you don’t need it mother you

act like you need him if you believe

that God has a sovereign will for your

life which he does if you believe what

the Bible says about God and our

relationship to him then how do you go

day after day without asking Lord what

would you have me to do about this what

would you have you do about this

purchase about this relationship about

my attitude about my expense about how I

handle money how I handle people in

other words if you go day after day and

you don’t ask for God’s guidance and

direction

what you’re saying is I can handle it

how foolish how foolish to think that

you can handle life without God in the

society in which you live or any society

and one of the interesting things I want

to read in this scripture here is Jesus

on his way to the cross in the 22nd

chapter of Luke if you’d like to turn

that for a moment his ministry is coming

to a close physically and he knows the

father’s will he’s been praying about

that

he’s been knowing it a long time

thirty years as a carpenter somewhere

there abouts and now he’s been an

evangelist teaching the Word of God and

verse 39 of the 22nd chapter says and he

came out and proceeded as was his custom

to the Mount of Olives and the disciples

followed them that’s right he used to go

that was his place of prayer now what is

he doing because the cross is right next

door it’s coming the next day when he

arrived at the place he said to them

pray that you may not enter into

temptation and he withdrew from them

about a stone’s throw and he nailed down

and began to pray listen to what the son

of God is praying father if you are

willing remove this cup from me that is

is there any other way for us the

purchase Redemption for all mankind and

escape the cross yet not my will but

yours be done

Jesus who is the son of God was asking

the father is there any other way but

the way of the cross and of course there

was not now what do we mean by the will

of God if somebody said to you are you

living in the will of God how would you

answer that when you couldn’t answer

unless you know what it is so listen to

this the will of God is that which God

approves and determines the ring about

it concerns God’s choices of what to do

and what not to do think about that that

which God approves us determines the

ring about it concerns God’s choices of

what to do and what not to do when is

the last time you said God what do you

want me to do about this

God what about my relationship to her

are damned yada what about my job

Lord of what what do you want my kids to

go to college

Lord what about my relationship to this

man not so this woman Lord Oh what what

about where you want me to live

Lord what about changing jobs when it’s

the last time you opened yourself up to

holy God who knows everything and has

your best interests at heart

when is the last time you opened your

heart to him and said Lord show me you

will what would you have me to do there

are many people who don’t think they

need the will of God they’re living

their lives they call it the way they

want to live it but they’re miserable

and many people are miserable and will

not turn to God because they think

they’re smart enough to figure it out

why don’t we have so much alcoholism and

so much dope drugs sex and all the rest

people are looking for something that’s

satisfied that inner feeling that they

have looking for something to make them

happy

looking for something of somebody who’ll

bring them completeness when only God

can do it God didn’t make us equip us to

live happily and peacefully and eternal

it without him you’re not made that way

we are made to depend upon Almighty God

and here’s the Lord Jesus Christ himself

is there any other way acknowledging his

dependence upon the father and in your

own personal life how often do you ask

him about decisions that you have to me

there are always going to be decisions

we now ask him we don’t ask him looking

a second Peter 3 for just a moment 2nd

Peter chapter 3 this is a very

interesting verse of scripture 2nd Peter

3:17 listen to what he says you

therefore beloved knowing this

beforehand be on your guard so that you

are not carried away by the era of

unprincipled men and fall from your own

steadfastness that is any of us can

stumble at all God wants us looking to

him

depending upon him trusting him so that

every day when you’re now wake up we

should be asking the Lord

to give us direction for our life that

day you don’t know who you’re gonna meet

you don’t know whether you’re gonna get

to your job or not you don’t know

whether your husband or wife will be

home when you get there not a whit kind

of mess your kids are in college in

other words are you living your life in

relationship to God are you seeking his

will his purpose his plan for your life

are you just living it out and you call

upon him when you feel like you really

need him when something has reached

beyond your capacity to handle God has

the best will for every single one of us

he has the best plan for us he doesn’t

keep it a secret you don’t have to do

this that in order to find out what God

wants you to do you need to ask him and

be willing to do what he says and yet

most people never stop to consider

should I buy that should I marry him or

her and make decisions on their own

without God when Jesus the Son of God in

those critical moments in his life took

a moment longer the same I want to be

sure is there any other way and of

course the father said the way of the

Cross is it so would you say you live

but the will of God in your life or have

you decided that you can handle it on

your own they remember this because he’s

omniscient God has a plan and a will for

your life he has the best plan and has a

will that fits you perfectly your

talents your abilities your skills

everything about you fits what God wants

to do in your life you say well but I’m

not as skilled as other people well I

understand that for example if somebody

put me on that ball team they probably

lose or if I was in a mechanic shop I

probably would know what to do there are

lot of things I’m not fit for a lot of

things I’m not equipped for and but but

you are equipped for something that is

God did not leave you out you may feel

like oh sometimes

what does my life count your life counts

because remember this when Jesus died he

had you in mind he had ever seen you’re

one of us in mine had the world in mine

you say well that happened 2,000 years

ago what does he say we’re to pray to

him and talk to him now

talk to him daily listen to him asking

for guidance because God in heaven is

listening he wants to hear from us

there’s not a single aspect of your life

which you should just erase from your

relationship to God

we need him about everything you need

him in your marriage with your children

with your job with all the mechanical

things that happen in your life all of

us need him and to go day after day and

not read his word day after day and not

asking for direction and guidance in

your life is to say I don’t need him oh

yes I need him oh when did you get on

your knees and talk to him when did you

plead for God to give you wisdom in

there actually when did you have to make

a big time to the decision and you said

well Lord I’m not gonna make this

decision till you show me what to do or

did you just go ahead and do it without

him holy God wants the best for you

there’s nowhere in the scriptures that

you can find that God doesn’t want the

best for you but are you asking him are

you seeking his direction that is his

will or are you asking for something

else

they God does and judges by comparing us

to other people he has a plan for your

life it’s not the same plans as other

people’s lives it’s different and

usually may say well if I have another

chance I would do this and so God

doesn’t make any mistakes you won’t be

like someone else you ought to be like

what God intended for you because the

only real genuine peace and joy and

satisfaction and the feeling of being a

complete and satisfied is a personal

relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ

the will of God that is what does he

want for you what has he provided to you

he’s provided the best

you that some of you were say very early

in life some a little bit lady said well

when does God’s will begin it began in

the beginning and God doesn’t plan the

same for all of us but whoever we are

wherever we are in life seeking the will

of God the mind of God the purpose of

God the plan of God what does he want in

the next step in your life you have

children you have grandchildren when’s

the last time you ever brought up the

subject listen to me carefully

very early in that child’s life

you should be introducing them to this

truth that God has a will in the plan

for your life and I can remember as soon

as my two children were born I’d get out

of the bed every night that I was home

and I’d pray this prayer show and didn’t

she’ll break it your will for their life

and I’d say that to them over and over

and over again you ask God to show you

his will for your life ask God to show

you his will for your life they grew up

believing that and you just like look

what’s happening in the colleges and

look what’s happening all the

drunkenness and sex and all the myths

you know what they’re looking for

looking for something to satisfy them

Gramps

grandmother granddad mom and dad you

have a responsibility to introduce your

children to Jesus Christ and not only

that you need to be a part of their life

interfering in their life interject in

your opinion in their life reminding

them that they cannot be a success and

what God’s called them to do apart from

Jesus Christ they may make a lot of

money they may do a lot of things the

world may think they’re absolutely

fantastic now thinking about all these

people who can’t even count their money

but you can count on this they’re

unhappy without God you can’t make

enough money you can’t listen when

you’re living in sin you can’t do

anything until you deal the sin problem

and this is why there’s so much of all

the other stuff that we’re talking about

God loves you he has a will and a plan

for your life you say well I’m 50 years

old I just got saved what’s God’s will

he takes you where you are

listen he knows how to overcome your

past erase all the mistakes no but what

he’ll do is enabled you to overcome the

mistakes able you to get a different

view on life to enable you to have a

relationship with Jesus Christ that will

amaze you everybody makes mistakes

everybody’s sin everybody has fallen

that times about some things God wants

the best for us listen through the last

day of her life

isn’t it interesting what God has to do

sometimes to get us to think and to

think wisely and to think soberly and to

ask the right questions God’s what’s

your will for my life Alvin do you pray

for your children grandchildren and pray

God show him your will for his life show

her your will for that light don’t let

them make the wrong person god help her

to marry the right fella

and sometimes grandparents and parents

need to get right in the middle of their

life you say well you know what their

own look to make up their own mind they

may be old enough but not mature enough

but listen without God you are not

maternal carriage are you not mature

enough to make wise decisions about

marriage and money and sex and all the

rest without God evident look around you

look what’s happening we ever decided

it’s in chaos because we think we can do

without God and sometimes when you

mention God what happens well don’t give

me that church stuff not giving you

church stuff I’m giving you the stuff

about what you need to start thinking

because you’re gonna meet him one day

and the Bible says it’s appointed on the

man who wants to die and after this the

judgment

life is serious business and God wants

to be in the center of your life he

wants to be at the hub of your life he’s

willing to give you guys he’s willing to

show you the truth but you’ve gotta

surrender your life to him

I’m just simply saying that life is

serious it’s serious about your children

serious about your grandchildren’s

serious about that future who they marry

how they live their lives

life is serious business

and Jesus intends for you and I to live

our lives in submission to his will

because that’s what’s best do you think

that God would have a plan for your life

that would just be horrible no he

wouldn’t there’s a menu plan his plan is

always easy no there are many people who

go through very difficult things in life

it doesn’t mean that God doesn’t care it

doesn’t mean they’re out of God’s will

but it means that God has trusted them

in a situation in a circumstance that

they have to depend upon him in ways

that maybe some of us don’t and so when

I think about what’s the will of God

that’s the question every single one of

us should ask so I’m ask you this

question when’s the last time you said

to him Lord of what’s your will for my

life at this point you say well I’ve

made mistakes so there’s no hope for me

yes let’s hope for you

it begins with confession repentance and

the surrender of your life to God listen

to me carefully even listening say Amen

you can’t get in a mess God can’t get

you out of it may be painful but it gets

you through it

God loves you he knows why we make

mistakes and I’m saying to you friend

you’re gonna make a mess of your life if

you don’t trust God to give you God in

some direction of your life no one can

guide you like God can he knows

everything about you

he knows the handicaps in your life he

knows the things that you’ve missed

he knows the desires of your heart he

knows that you don’t have what some

other people have but he knows while he

created you and he wants you to have a

sense of fulfillment in life he does not

what you miserable he wants you to have

a sense of fulfillment in life you

reflect him if you trust in him as your

Savior God wants the best for you and

he’s willing to make the best for you if

he will surrender your life to him yield

to him and ask the question– God what

would you have me to do in this

situation

he’ll answer that question God is not

going to turn a deaf ear to you it

making difference what you’ve done where

you’ve been who you’ve done it with and

the mess you’ve made of it will he

listen if you will cry out to him he

will but it begins with this whole issue

of surrendering to the will of God do

you know what people don’t surrender to

the will of God because they don’t

believe God has a will for him that’s a

reason why should God heaven look at all

the billions of people why did God have

a will for my life because you’re a

person he hasn’t over look to you he

loves you doesn’t make a difference

where you’ve been what you’ve done

what’s happened the message sure and he

loves you just the same listen you

cannot alter the love of God for

yourself you may think you drunk so much

then there’s so many situations and

circumstances that God won’t forgive you

God will forgive you period

it makes some difference what he’s

willing to forgive you he’s willing to

take the mess you’ve made and turn it

into something awesome if you are

willing and sometimes you say well I

don’t deserve it

who of us deserves anything that’s not

the issue this is this if you wonder

what he’ll do for you watch this

carefully first of all look at the cross

that’s how much he loves you

that’s what he’s done for you first of

all he died in order that you may have

life and have it more abundantly

he died in order to be able to forgive

you for the message you’ve made in your

life he died in order to make it

possible to take you out of it to give

you a new beginning and a new hope I’ll

never forget a lady who sitting on a

second row one Sunday I put one of my

photographs up on the screen it was of a

sail ship and had it been wrecked and so

think I was working on I walked around

his lawn twice and I came back I said

how about a photograph that for some

reason take a picture of it well he was

sitting on the second row

two weeks later she said I want to tell

you something I can hardly tell you this

she said I’d made such a mess of my life

I was ready to give up

she said when you said about that boat

that old boat was sail again she said

God said to me and you will too you’ll

sail again tear and I can say to you

this morning you’ve just heard the truth

that’s all it may have been comforting

or very discomforting but I plead with

you in Jesus name

do not ignore what you’ve heard because

you have an opportunity for God to

change your life starting today tell you

one more story I purchased the car in

another state and so they had to bring

it to me

it’s not because I couldn’t have all two

here just happen to see what I wanted

there and so they brought it to me on

this truck and he was all covered up and

still uncovered it and I can hardly tell

you this when he got my car in the

garage he said I understand I won’t tell

you something I was in prison I’d really

messed up my life and we can listen to

tapes and sometimes radio he he says the

reason I’m so happy to bring you this

car is I was listening and God changed

my life and I can as an honor just to

bring you this car to say thank you for

preaching the truth that got to me he

got me saved

and God will save you if you let him

he’ll change your life if you let him

and that’s my prayer father we love you

in prision thank you that your goal is

not the judges but to love us forgive us

for our sins

give us that awesome second chance you

didn’t say we had to deserve it

you just said surrender and I pray that

every person who hears this message will

not be able to escape not be able to

escape the truth and be wise enough to

surrender their life to you afraid you

know one seated here unsaved we confess

their sins to you Lord surrender their

life give them a new beginning and

anyone watching and listening wherever

they are in the world will realize that

you are there to you’ll do for them what

we said no matter what no matter where

they’ve been

no matter the mess they’ve made of life

you’re the god of a second third fourth

fifth tenth of chance I pray that you’ll

bless every person who turns see you

Lord in Jesus name Amen

you