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Rating: 
Summary: Finding God's Will "Mediately"
Review: At least half of my lunch appointments seem to come around to: "What is God's will for my life?" In my floundering to help people with this big `God's will' question over the last few years, I have been particularly influenced by two books: Bruce Waltke, Finding the Will of God (1995) and Sinclair Ferguson, Discovering God's Will (1982). While both are fundamentally in agreement with Petty's basic approach, reading Step by Step has helped me organize their thoughts (and mine) in helpful categories, and further distinguish them from alternative approaches.
As Petty ably illustrates, the stakes are high in this venture. As we seek God's guidance, we are indeed more like `pilots in flight' than students in a library! (p. 18). Especially helpful were Petty's explanation of the `three views.' What Petty (somewhat disappointing) labels the Traditional View is certainly the most popular today among evangelicals (pp. 29-31). It holds that guidance from God involves discovering the specifics of God's particular plan for our lives through various combinations of "circumstances, spiritual promptings, inner voices, personal peace of mind, and the counsel of others" (p. 30). Guidance occurs when God reveals his plan through these means (p. 31).
Petty next distinguishes the Traditional Charismatic view (pp. 32-33). The key difference between this view and the one preceding it in Petty's summary is that in the Charismatic view God communicates directly. Essentially, "each means of revelation that God used to give us the Scriptures is still available to individual Christians today" (p. 33), often with a new twist.
The third view, the Wisdom view, is the one endorsed by Petty (pp.33-35). This approach contends that while God does have a specific plan for each Christian, this plan remains hidden. God generally does not lift the veil. Instead, "guidance comes... by God making us wise.... The wisdom view sees God as guiding his children mediately, not immediately....his guidance is mediated by (comes through) the illumination of our minds and hearts by the Word of God" (p. 34).
Petty favors and unpacks the Wisdom view in relation to four topics: 1. the doctrine of providence, 2. the sufficiency of Scripture, 3. the doctrine of illumination, 4. the current work of the Holy Spirit (p. 35). Applying each of these criteria, it is clear that the Wisdom view in broad outline is more Biblically faithful than the proposed alternatives.
The first three parts of the book (pp. 17-192) explore the theology of guidance. The fourth part (pp. 193-262) consists of a helpful case study, illustrating ways this model can be practically applied to our lives. The reader is invited to a robust confidence in the Bible alone (not the `Bible-plus'). Through it, "God guides us by progressively placing within us spiritual wisdom and understanding to know the will of God... He never leads us with a `guess the signs' model" (p. 155). This occurs as the Christian progressively consecrates herself to Christ. "The path of wisdom is a lifestyle of repentance from serving functional gods like security, safety, control," etc. (p. 179).
VERY practical, wildly applicable book.
Rating: 
Summary: A breath of fresh air if you are looking for God's guidance
Review: I have just read this book after being involved in a study of Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" study. In Blackaby's study, the student is challenged to wait upon a revelation from God concerning His will before acting. As I pondered this idea, it seemed to be contrary to the apostle Paul's attempting to enter certain areas for the purpose of spreading the gospel only to be stopped by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6-10). In Paul's letters, he makes mention of multiple attempts to visit the church's he had established only to be prevented by Satan (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Paul seemed to be acting contrary to Blackaby's method and this disturbed me.After reading Petty's book, everything fell into place. Paul was acting in accordance with the principles given in Petty's book. He was being guided by wisdom and providence (two things key to the Scriptural teaching regarding God's will) and not by direct revelations from God. James Petty challenges much of what is written today regarding searching out God's will for your life. This book has addressed many of my questions about understanding God's guidance in my life. It has given me a deeper understanding about what the Bible teaches regarding God's will and how I should make decisions. The only problem I had with the book was Petty's remark that Satan can sometimes place thoughts in our minds. I cannot figure out how Petty draws this conclusion from Scripture and he does not explain why he believes this in the book. (This one issue should certainly not dissuade you from reading the book - it was simply a passing remark and is certainly not foundational to Petty's argument!) Petty's approach is definitely different from other books I have read, but he does an excellent job of establishing his teaching on the foundation of the Scriptures and showing the problems with many modern approaches to seeking out God's will for your life. As Colossians 1:9-12 teaches, the key to understanding God's will is gaining wisdom and it would be wise to buy this book if you have been frustrated or confused by what you have read in other books.
Rating:
Summary: A breath of fresh air if you are looking for God's guidance
Review: I have just read this book after being involved in a study of Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" study. In Blackaby's study, the student is challenged to wait upon a revelation from God concerning His will before acting. As I pondered this idea, it seemed to be contrary to the apostle Paul's attempting to enter certain areas for the purpose of spreading the gospel only to be stopped by the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:6-10). In Paul's letters, he makes mention of multiple attempts to visit the church's he had established only to be prevented by Satan (1 Thessalonians 2:18). Paul seemed to be acting contrary to Blackaby's method and this disturbed me. After reading Petty's book, everything fell into place. Paul was acting in accordance with the principles given in Petty's book. He was being guided by wisdom and providence (two things key to the Scriptural teaching regarding God's will) and not by direct revelations from God. James Petty challenges much of what is written today regarding searching out God's will for your life. This book has addressed many of my questions about understanding God's guidance in my life. It has given me a deeper understanding about what the Bible teaches regarding God's will and how I should make decisions. The only problem I had with the book was Petty's remark that Satan can sometimes place thoughts in our minds. I cannot figure out how Petty draws this conclusion from Scripture and he does not explain why he believes this in the book. (This one issue should certainly not dissuade you from reading the book - it was simply a passing remark and is certainly not foundational to Petty's argument!) Petty's approach is definitely different from other books I have read, but he does an excellent job of establishing his teaching on the foundation of the Scriptures and showing the problems with many modern approaches to seeking out God's will for your life. As Colossians 1:9-12 teaches, the key to understanding God's will is gaining wisdom and it would be wise to buy this book if you have been frustrated or confused by what you have read in other books.
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