So what do we do when we find ourselves confronted with the need to make a decision but find no explicit Scripture to tell us what to do? Which job to take? Whom to marry? Where to go on vacation? Some will argue (as you seem to) that such situations necessitate listening for God's "still small voice." Since God hasn't spoken explicitly in Scripture, therefore He'll speak directly to us: "Yes, I want you to marry Sally Smith."

In fact, though, there's absolutely no need for any such kind of direct personal revelation (for that's what the "still small voice" really is). In a nutshell, here's how to go about making a decision when explicit Scripture is lacking or when confronted with multiple lawful (aka Scriptural) options:

1. Pray that God would grant you wisdom. The Holy Spirit may well see fit to remind you of Scripture that you'd henceforth overlooked.

2. Consider Scriptural principles that may help to advise which course of action is best or wisest. For example, Scripture doesn't explicitly say, "Take the lower-paying job offer because it's closer to a good church," but yet Scripture is clear that spiritual gain is far more important than material gain.

3. If left with multiple options that are both lawful and wise, you're free to choose based upon practical considerations, personal preferences, etc..

That's pretty much all there is to it.

To this you may say, "But that's too simple. It sounds like God leaves decisions up to _me_ so long as I obey Scripture."

Bingo! Yes, the Christian is left free by God to do as he sees fit so long as he obeys the letter and spirit of Scripture.

"But what if I make the wrong choice? What if I miss God's best for me?"

Although there's no guarantee that I'll be spared negative fallout from the choices I freely make--the house I buy might turn out to be infested with termites, or the woman I marry might turn out to be more contentious than she'd seemed during our courtship--the fact is that God doesn't expect us to see into the future. _All he expects is that we obey His Word._ In His Providence, He often allows us to make decisions that don't seem to turn out well at all. This doesn't mean that we "missed God." Instead, it may well be that God is pleased to grant us occasion for sanctification through temporal suffering.

So, there is absolutely no need for any kind of extra-biblical revelation. God has indeed said everything that He needs to say in the Bible, which the Holy Spirit then illuminates and applies to our hearts.

To illustrate, take the story of how I happened to buy my house. I followed the above approach--doing whatever seemed best to me within Scriptural bounds--and ended up with a dwelling that's ideally situated for my present needs. At no point did God impart any kind of direct "word" to me: "Buy this house." Instead, I applied Scriptural principles to make the choice that seemed wisest at the time. My house is a half-hour drive from my office. After moving here, I went ahead and found an excellent church that's just under half an hour away from my house in the opposite direction. Although God never "told" me to move here, it seems evident now that He nonetheless ordered my steps to select the house that would put me just where He wanted me. You see, Almighty God is quite able to accomplish His will even without directly speaking to His sheep.

Although there was occasionally a need for extraordinary revelation in the days prior to the completion of the Bible, with Scripture complete, the Christian has all he needs pertaining to life and godliness. He need not worry about "missing God" unless he disobeys the plain teaching of Scripture. Where Scripture is silent, the believer is free to do as he chooses.

Dave