Higher Aim with Dr. Curt Dodd

An old poem captures the heart of a believer’s deepest desire: “In the center of the will of God, here I take my stand. There cannot come any secondary causes. All must come from his dear hand.” To know God’s will and to live fully within it is the safest and most fulfilling place a person can be. Yet, we often complicate the process, thinking God’s will is a mysterious code to be cracked rather than a relationship to be lived. We ask, “God, just show me your will, and I’ll do it,” when the reality is quite the opposite.

The truth found in Scripture is that God’s will is more about being than doing. Out of who we are in Christ, our actions will naturally align with His purposes. By delighting ourselves in the Lord, His desires become our desires. This guide explores the clear, biblical principles that transform us from the inside out, allowing us to test and approve what God’s will is: his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Christian comedian Mike Goodwin tells a story about the spiritual wisdom his grandmother shared. She told him, "Son, there's only two things you need to worry about: whether you're healthy, or whether you're sick." She continued down a funny but insightful path that eventually led to a choice between heaven and hell. In the same way, when it comes to finding God’s direction for our lives, there are really only two things to concern ourselves with: whether we are in God’s will right now, or whether we are not.

The good news is that God’s will can be found. His Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). He has a plan for you, a purpose He is working out in everything (Ephesians 1:11). Aligning with that plan is the most important thing in your life, because it is the source of true peace, protection, and purpose. But before we can begin doing the will of God, we must first focus on being. Our doing flows from our being, so we must first ask ourselves what state we need to be in to know and follow Him.

Have you ever found yourself doom scrolling, swiping through endless videos on social media? It is easy to get lost in a sea of content, but sometimes a story cuts through the noise. One such video showed a man at a gas station humbly asking for just two dollars to get to his sick mother. The first person he asked responded with anger, telling him to get a job. But a second person, witnessing the harsh refusal, kindly offered a twenty dollar bill.

The man with the gas can was so moved by the unexpected kindness that he revealed the truth: he was not out of gas. He was looking for a generous person. He then pulled out ten thousand dollars in cash and gave it to the kind stranger, rewarding his generosity. This story, whether real or staged, touches on a profound biblical truth. Jesus talked a great deal about money, stewardship, and the posture of our hearts. He taught that God desires for us to be generous givers, not because He needs our resources, but because the act of giving transforms our hearts to be more like His. As we explore what the Bible says about this discipline, we begin with Jesus’ own words in Matthew 6.

In the early 1800s, Ludwig van Beethoven was commissioned to compose his Ninth Symphony. It is considered by many to be the zenith of his life’s work, a masterpiece of music. Yet, there is a stunning detail often missed in the story of its creation. Beethoven wrote his greatest symphony when he was completely deaf. At its premiere performance on May 7, 1824, he could not hear the orchestra, the chorus, or the thunderous standing ovations from the crowd. He was so oblivious to the applause that a young soloist had to turn him around so he could see the audience’s adoration.

Beethoven’s story is a powerful picture of giving your greatest gift, not for the applause you might receive, but from a deeper motivation. It reminds us that no matter our condition, we have something to give. This is a core principle of the Christian life, one that Jesus addresses directly in the Sermon on the Mount. He knew we would struggle with the tension between wanting to honor God and wanting to be honored by people. In Matthew 6, He gives us the essential framework for practicing great generosity, a discipline that shapes our hearts to look more like His.

Life is a journey, and where God leads you is of the utmost importance. There is no happenstance in the life of a believer, no life of pure chance. God is in charge of what you go through, how you go through it, and the purposes behind it all. After the resurrection, the disciples found themselves asking, "Where do we go from here?" Their world had been turned upside down, and figuring out what God had for them was a journey of one step at a time.

Like them, we often wonder what is next. The good news is that we serve a God who orders our steps. As we learn to follow Him, He provides principles to guide our path and help us get a handle on what happens next. The journey ahead is not a mystery to be solved, but a walk of faith to be embraced.

How do you know you belong to your family? You might share a last name, certain physical traits, or even a few quirky habits. This resemblance, this shared DNA, gives you confidence in your identity. In the same way, God wants His children to have a deep, settled confidence that they belong to Him. This is not a matter of wishful thinking but of spiritual reality.

The Apostle John wrote his first letter for this very purpose: “These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). This knowledge is not just intellectual; it is an intimate, internal assurance. As we explore the Scriptures, God gives us clear spiritual

markers, a kind of family resemblance, that confirm we are truly His children.

The weather can be wildly unpredictable. One day might be warm and sunny, the next a blizzard, and the day after that, temperatures could soar. Many people live their spiritual lives with similar instability, tossed back and forth by feelings and circumstances, never truly certain where they stand with God. They might depend more on a weatherman to decide how to dress than on God’s Word to find their security.

But God does not want His children living in a state of spiritual confusion or fear. He desires for us to have complete confidence in our salvation. The entire book of 1 John was written for this very purpose: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). One of the clearest signs that we belong to Christ is a heart that reflects His own compassion for a world in need.

The application of biblical directives is vital in every generation, especially in uncertain times. When we look at the world stage, it is easy to feel unsettled. The Bible, however, gives us a worldview to understand these events, reminding us that we could be on the edge of the end of days. Scripture tells us that one day, all nations will turn against Israel, and America is not mentioned as standing with her in that final battle.

What could cause such a scenario? While nations may fight over resources like oil, the Bible points to a spiritual reality. If Christ were to return for His church today, would you be ready? More importantly, are we living as people who are ready? This is not a time for fear but for focus. We must have a biblical worldview that prepares us for what is to come and empowers us to live faithfully in the present. As sojourners with citizenship in heaven, we are called to be salt and light until He calls us home.

When we look at the news, it is easy to feel uncertain. We see nations in turmoil and leaders making decisions that will have global consequences. It is natural to feel a sense of angst. Yet, as believers, we are called to view the world through a different lens. We must understand that nothing happening in our world, from political shifts in the Middle East to cultural changes at home, is outside of God's sovereign plan. God is in charge, and His purposes are not limited by human governments or cultural trends.

This gives us a firm place to stand. Our confidence is not in political parties or worldly solutions, but in the unchanging Word of God. This is our guide, our direction, and our source of confidence for the future. As we see God moving prophetically on the world stage, it reminds us of a deeper, more personal truth: the promises He makes to His children are just as certain. If His power has no limits in the world, then His grace has no limits in our hearts.

Many of us have been shaped by a strong work ethic. We are taught to work hard, succeed, and earn our way. This mindset can easily spill over into our spiritual lives, making us feel like we must perform for God’s approval. For others, our past experiences, perhaps growing up in a broken or abusive home, have left us with a deep-seated fear that God might change His mind and leave us, just as others have. We wrestle with the thought that our salvation depends on our ability to be "good enough."

But God's Kingdom operates on a different principle. The security He offers is not based on our performance or our past, but on His unwavering promise. Scripture was written to give us confidence and peace, anchoring our hope not in our own efforts, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God wants you to be secure, to live with the unshakeable confidence that you belong to Him, no matter what storms you face.