God Centred Priorities

What a gem this book is – one I wish had been available to me as I started out on the Christian path, wondering how to find God’s will for my life as I made important decisions such as where to study, what job to take, & whom to marry. Trainer’s easy-to-read book is based on the premise that ‘The Bible is God’s pre-eminent instructions for us so that we might make wise & godly choices & so live as he would have us live’. Fundamental to his book, the author refutes the idea that it is essential for the believer to discover God’s unique individual plan for him. He then lists six methods on which we should never solely rely (e.g., dreams & visions, circumstances). Instead Trainer gives us 5 principles which we should use to make right choices. He puts these in picture form with the foundational principle being ‘Do What is Right’. 3 pillars are built on this foundation, & the overarching capstone shows the principle: ‘God’s Glory.’ You will need to read the book for yourself to find out the 3 pillars! Trainer shows that his methods are biblically based through scriptural quotes & examples. His book is simple to understand & would be very useful to young Christians & all those who want help in knowing how to make wise decisions. The book ends with a number of case studies suitable for group study. With very short chapters & these case studies, the book could easily be used profitably by church youth groups. I highly recommend this book & would happily pass it on to others.

A common condition is to wish that one had been armed in the past with the knowledge that has been gleaned along the way. That is just wistful thinking; but given that wisdom is about taking the right steps hereafter, surely that is where the focus should lie. This book addresses this very issue, as expressed in its sub-title: “Five principles for making wise decisions”.
At an early stage, the author sets out in diagrammatical form the structure on which he intends to build his case. This consists of a drawing of a classical building’s frontispiece, with the “Foundation principle”, supporting three pillars, above which is the “Overarching Principle”.
Before expounding upon these principles, he discusses “What we shouldn’t rely on”. This contains some familiar fallacies, such as opening the Bible at random; though it has to be said that the Wesley brothers sometimes did just that to good effect. For instance, Charles Wesley turned to a highly appropriate text [Acts 20:24] when he was surrounded by an angry mob in Walsall in the early 1740s. Other practices include doing the rounds until one receives the advice that one wants to hear, and the paying of undue attention to feelings (p.18), which receives further clarification on page 26. The author also refers to the unreliability of dreams; though whether this encompasses recurring dreams is not said. All these things and more could make good discussion points.

The foundational principle of ‘to do what is right’ is followed an exposition of ‘love taking precedence over knowledge’; the Gospel over “my rights”, and, my spiritual well-being over “my freedom”, leading to the presiding principle of “God’s Glory”. The book concludes with five different case studies. Regarding Case Study 5, “Guidance for Pre-Marital relationships”, one felt that this would have benefited from more space being devoted to it.
The discussion about the need to consider the weaker Christian in decision-taking is to be welcomed; and it is noticeable that its introduction on pp. 29-30 is continued in more depth later on. Equally valuable is the “second pillar” where the Gospel takes precedence over “my rights”.
Throughout there is frequent recourse to Scripture; indeed more or less every page supports its contentions by reference to one or more texts. Excluding the case studies, the main body of the book covers forty-nine pages within which it effectually pursues all the propositions that it initially sets out.