CS,

While I am not Craig, I think I may have an answer for you.

You can’t. There is no way, short of an audible voice from God, that makes it clear the idea is “from Him.” Basically, that is where faith comes in. You have to believe that if you are in ernest prayer with God, not just asking Him to do something with your prayer list, but listening and actually conversing, and the idea is born there, you have to at that point either trust that God is actually speaking to you.

If you are looking for something more “concrete” I suspect that you will be hard pressed to find it. It really is a faith issue.

Hope that helps.

-E

Sometimes somebody else’s bullet really fits your gun. And sometimes your bullet is the one that fits best.

So… how do you think you distinguish between the good ideas of others that you should use and the good ideas of others that you shouldn’t?

At the risk of answering my own question… I think maybe it’s when you see somebody else has a great idea, and in your own regular personal devotional time (prayer/scripture reading), you get the idea from “the source” that might be similar enough…

Anyway, I’d love to see some examples from people’s churches where they’ve positively identified an idea as “from the source”, whether original or borrowed, and how they knew it was a God-idea. Because I think sometimes you can definitely know.

We did a song this weekend as the response to our sermon on the Radical Power of Love, “Rise” by Robbie Seay. Every time I sang it I just knew it was communicating something these people needed to hear, and it just filled me up with the thought of our people being mobilized to love the least. I just knew… Next week we’re debuting a new song (home-grown) to really cap off a weekend of serving we’re doing. And I gotta tell you… I just know… And others have confirmed…

Craig:

“I tend to agree with Eric. Short of the audible voice of God (or a direct command from Scripture), it takes a lot of faith. I wish I could give a more concrete answer.”

Thanks to both you and Eric for your replies.  I often hear many people say, “It’s a God idea,” but then there is not much more given about the determination of the origin of the thought. 

--
CS

How do we “know” whether it is ‘the will of God” (short of “the voice of God Himself”?…
- The Word of God - does this “idea” in any way contradict the written Word of God? If so, it did not come from Him, no matter how “good” it might be/sound.
- Multitude of counselors - I liked Craig’s insight into the fact that some may think you’re way off base, and that may actually be a good thing! But you’d better throw the idea at your key advisors before signing the deed!
- The open door - and not one that you have to ‘force’ open. IE, the ‘God idea’ is usually precipitated by a crying need.
- Circumstances - things just seem to fall into place, only you recognize these ‘circumstances’ go way beyond circumstantial - and you can see God’s hand behind them.
- Finally, the peace that passes understanding. You might be scared to death regarding the ‘how’ of the God idea, but you have absolute peace about the ‘what’ of it, if it came from God.

Harold, I am so glad the book ministered to you!

Music Director, Thanks so much for the encouraging words. I am still praying those prayers almost daily. It is painful as God answers them--but I am grateful for His goodness and breaking in our lives.

Posted by Rev.K
Monday, September 22, 2008 at 11:41 AM
where can I find a copy of Craig Groeschel’s online book “It”?

You might go to our website at http://www.lifechurch.tv. It should be offered somewhere there in the bookstore section. All proceeds go to campus development.

Michael

Great stuff!

Thanks!

Hearing from God is never an easy thing. My ministry started from a burden God planted in my own heart and it is only now really starting to grow. It’s been a long couple years of searching for the words to explain the burden of the heart.

One thing I appreciate about “IT” is that it is so down to earth and speaks directly to me.

“IT” has been a tremendous encouragement, “Chazown” was the book that caused me to follow what God planted in my heart!

Another big deal with ideas and implementing something that is “successful” is the passion with which one pursues it.  God can give us an idea and we can be ho hum about it and never have success.  But that is why I like the point made about “can I live without it”.  That is what passion is all about.  While God’s call and equipping fuel our passion, we must exert the energy and make the investment necessary to make it work. 

Of course, there are those times when we get an idea from God and He so blesses it that we could not mess it up.  Often times we want that instead of working diligently to pursue God’s call, God’s idea and God’s plan and we fail at implementation and then blame God when it doesn’t work!

God speaks, He calls, He inspires, but He will not do the work nor force us to work hard to accomplish.  I believe that is part of His test for our faithfulness.  The call, the trial and then the blessing.

There is truely no substitute for quite, still, meditation and talking with the father.  I have his assurance in John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice

One thing I appreciate about “IT” is that it is so down to earth and speaks directly to me.

Good idea is from Gods idea for He is good.
He is the one who enhances our thoughts,the farthest knowledge and wisdom.
He is the only source of all good example.