The following is a writing I did for a course with CGOM MINISTRY ACADEMY:

Why We Worship:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrbEn5XP1X4. 1 Chronicles 16:23 (NKJV) Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. The video starts with God’s creation and the moves to the adoration of who God is in our lives. He is love. He is peace. He is joy. He is the reason for our “need” to worship. I like the scripture this worship is “day to day.”

Why should we worship God? The “Westminster Larger Catechism,” sums up this question of worship this way: Question: What is the chief end of Man? Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. There are mountains of thought and study on this very topic by our church forefathers. Paul also validates this in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. and Colossians 3:17 (NKJV) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. A commentary related: “to correctly think about God’s commandment to worship Him, we must keep this in mind. It may help you to understand that the English word “worship” derives from “worth-ship.” 1. The idea here is that any object of worship must have the condition or quality of being worthy. This is the resounding message of the Bible from cover to cover.” Revelation 4:11 (NKJV) “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Let’s Talk About Joy

Jesus, Others, Yourself (JOY)…which is a grammar construct called an acrostic which is a piece of writing in which a particular set of letters—typically the first letter of each line, word, or paragraph—spells out a word or phrase with special significance to the text. I look at “joy” as the proper ordering of life of service: first Jesus, then others, and finally yourself (1 Peter 4:10–11 (NKJV) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, …. that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ….”). We find “joy” first only in Jesus (John 15:11 (NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.). When we have experienced our Lord’s “joy,” we can have “joy” in serving others. (Luke 10:17 (NKJV) Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”). Finally, we are then able to experience “joy” ourselves (1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NKJV) And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit).

1. 1 Peter 4:10–11 (NKJV) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, …. that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, ….”. I practice this joy as an Elder. I was given the privilege and honor to be a servant of my Lord’s sheep tending to their physical and spiritual needs. 2. John 15:11 (NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” I have been a Christian for most of my adult life. I experienced this joy mid-way (1996) in my relationship with Jesus when I experienced a special anointing which resulted in transferring my head knowledge to heart knowledge and my life has never been the same. Even through the loss of my wife of 42 years to cancer, it was this joy in my Lord that has and still does sustains me. 3. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NKJV) And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit. In my heart I know we are getting close to the Second Advent of our Lord. I see deterioration of the secular and experience conflicts (affliction) in family that seem to get worse and worse. I experience a peace in this through the joy that is only found in Jesus Christ.

Sin, Suffering, and Sacrifice:

This was a good reminder of our human condition and need to be reliant on God. I think suffering is a little more than being temporarily inconvenient by some condition though. Noah Webster states, it is an “intense, unrelenting, the bearing of pain, inconvenience, or loss; pain endured; distress, loss or injury incurred; as sufferings by pain or sorrow; sufferings by want or by wrongs.” It has always been my desire to recognize the sin in my own life (less then lives of others) and more on the suffering in life (less personally and more of the world)…because of these things we Christ followers accept this (suffering) as part of God’s redemptive work (2 Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV): which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;). A commentary states: God allows His people to go through persecutions (suffering) and tribulations (suffering) to develop in them the moral excellencies which make them “worthy citizens” of [the] kingdom. Additionally, I appreciate the author including the word “joy” in her sample prayer for sacrifice.

What does Romans 6: 12-14 reveal to you about sin? Romans 6:12–14 (NKJV) 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12–14 clearly states we are not to let sin reign. To “reign” as a verb means to hold royal office and rule as king or queen. How do we limit sin’s rule? By “present[ing]” ourselves to God as instruments of righteousness. We have this ability within us because of the finished work of Jesus at the Cross. We have been promised the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26–16:15 (NKJV) 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. … but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. ….). We limit our sin too as we “present” our bodies as instruments of righteousness. We do this in Grace (the strength of God) and it presumes we know what is righteous. How do we know righteousness? It is only by study and living the Word of God. It is the Spirit’s job to help use know what righteousness and sin is. Although sin is a constant battle, we do our part by (1) knowing the Word which the Spirits uses and (2) presenting ourselves to Him. Believers’ Commentary states: “Our obligation is to turn control of our members to God, to be used in the cause of righteousness. After all, we have been raised to life from death; and, as we are reminded….we should walk in newness of life.” What does 2 Corinthians 4: 16-18 reveal to you about suffering? 2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (NKJV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. To start with, I do not like “suffering.” The scripture recognizes two aspects of suffering, physical and the spiritual. I know what is to physically suffer since I’m old and within a few years approaching to appointed life span God has given man. The scripture recognizes the outward man, our body is perishing which is as God designed it. Yet the promise is our inward man (spiritual being) as being renewed. “Renewed” is an adjective meaning: having been reassumed, re-established, or revived. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:1 to follow him as he follows Christ. Paul suffered much for Christ. We too then should expect to suffer. The Believers’ Commentary states: “Our troubles should not diminish our faith or disillusion us. We should realize that there is a purpose in our suffering. Problems and human limitations have several benefits: (1) They remind us of Christ’s suffering for us; (2) they keep us from pride; (3) they cause us to look beyond this brief life; (4) they give us opportunities to prove our faith to others; and (5) they give God the opportunity to demonstrate his power.” Our understanding as Christ Followers is that this physical life is not all that there is. Our pain and suffering is nothing when compared to the fact we will live with God forever. What does Philippians 1:21 reveal about sacrifice? Philippians 1:21 (NKJV) For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. To “live” today most people would strive for the world’s values: money, popularity, power, pleasure, and prestige. It is clear Paul did not consider life in this manner but only life in Christ. So, in a since he “sacrifice” the worldly values so he could make known Jesus. The Bible tells us Paul spoke boldly for Christ and suffered much for this testimony. Paul states in life or death there is only Christ. In death, he would not have to deal with the worldly values anymore. What is wonderful is because we too have Christ, we can look and live life from an eternal perspective. When I faced with life issues (which includes suffering), the question I always as myself; in relations to eternity, what do this matter? The Believers’ Commentary states: “Paul could confidently say that dying would be even better than living, because in death he would be removed from worldly troubles, and he would see Christ face to face (1 John 3:2, 3). If you’re not ready to die, then you’re not ready to live. Make certain of your eternal destiny; then you will be free to serve—devoting your life to what really counts, without fear of death.”

Grace versus Mercy:

1) Describe a scenario that shows how Grace is different than Mercy between one person and another. The simplest expression of mercy is found in our legal system. If someone is tried for murder and the crime’s penalty is death, but the jury found the person not guilty, that could be mercy from the jury for the defendant. 2) Describe a scenario that shows how Grace is different than Mercy between God and people. The author of this reading stated it nicely. The work on the cross was grace and mercy combined. We deserved death (Romans 6:23a: For the wages of sin is death…) the mercy we received at the cross allows us to extend grace through delivery of the Gospel to others. Quoting Ms. Burnette, “The Gospel wouldn’t mean nearly as much without grace. We would have no purpose but to be alive. We would have no testimony. There would be no such thing as eternal life, security, or agape love.” Because of Grace, we have purpose (Eph 2:10 (NKJV) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them…).

I have this plaque that states, “The Will of God will never lead you where the Grace of God cannot keep you.” I have preached sermons on Grace; it is important to me. I have two life verses Matthew 6:33(NKJV) (But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.) and my “Grace” verse is Philippians 4:19 (NKJV): And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I live daily trusting that God in His grace has given me all that I need. The term “life verse,” which is a scripture verse from the Bible that speaks to our heart in personal and profound ways. When we read this verse, hear it said, or think it in our mind, it captures how we live our life, how we define our faith walk, and what will lead our decisions each day. Romans 3:23–24 (NKJV) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” I have read that this is probably what we think about most when we think of God’s grace. It’s forgiveness from our sins. The gift of salvation. Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious. Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than pride. But this does not mean that because we only commit “little” sins we deserve eternal life. All sins make us sinners, and all sins cut us off from our holy God. All sins, therefore, lead to death because they disqualify us from living with God, regardless of how great or small they seem, we should not minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven. In this scripture, Paul explains that God declares that we are righteous. When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused. When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From His perspective, it is as though we had never sinned. He does this because Jesus took the penalty that we deserved. Christ purchased our freedom from sin, and the price was His life. The Bible teaches us that grace is a gift of God. Our mistakes, our sin, condemn us and separate us from God. But God doesn’t leave us to the deal with the consequences of our sin. On the cross Jesus Christ displayed his great love for us by taking on what we deserved; we have received mercy and grace. Mercy Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The Believers’ Commentary states “this is a gracious invitation is extended: draw near with confidence to the throne of grace. Our confidence is based on the knowledge that He died to save us and that He lives to keep us. We are assured of a hearty welcome because He has told us to come. The people in OT days could not draw near to Him. Only the high priest could approach Him, and then only on one day of the year. We can go into His presence at any time of the day or night and obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. His mercy covers the things we should not have done, and His grace empowers us to do what we should do but do not have the power to do.” This verse is not for the “future.” It is for the here and now. When I submitted to Jesus’ Lordship in my life, salvation Grace were my gift from Him. In my “time of need,” I found Him and life has never been the same. I don’t know about you, but I experience “in time of need” daily. I’m alive only through His mercy and grace. 1 Peter 1:3 (NKJV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”. The Believers’ Commentary states: “It is by God’s abundant mercy that we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. God is the source of this salvation. His great mercy is its cause. The new birth is the nature of it. A living hope is its present reward. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the righteous basis of our salvation, as well as the foundation of our living hope. As sinners, we had no hope beyond the grave. There was nothing ahead for us but the certainty of judgment and fiery indignation. As members of the first creation, we were under the sentence of death. But in the redemptive work of Christ, God found a righteous basis upon which He can save ungodly sinners and still be just. Christ has paid the penalty of our sins. Full satisfaction has been made. The claims of justice have been met, and now mercy can flow out to those who obey the gospel. In the resurrection of Christ, God indicated His complete satisfaction with the sacrificial work of His Son. The resurrection is the Father’s “Amen” to our Lord’s cry, “It is finished!” Also, that resurrection is a pledge that all who die in Christ will be raised from among the dead. This is our living hope—the expectation of being taken home to heaven to be with Christ and to be with Him forever.” Another name for this is the “blessed hope.” Because we believe by faith the work accomplished at the cross and we trust the scriptures as truth, because of His mercy and grace; when you and I end this earthly life, we will be with Him forever. What a future! Amen.

Evangelism:

1. I read the articles and did not learn anything new from them. I have been with Jesus a long time and understand evangelism. My church actively looks for evangelical opportunities. Presently we are praying for a new housing development that is being built next to our church and looking for God’s work using the church to reach people in this new development.

2. Before I moved to North Carolina, I lived in Florida. I volunteered for work thru my church with the Salvation Army providing cold night shelter for those in need. Yes…it does get cold in Florida during the winter months and people living on the streets either by choice or force need warm places to sleep. Anyway, usually before going to the shelter, I prayed for the opportunity to bring a person to Christ. I did and still do carry Bibles in my car to help me lead a person to Jesus. I prefer and use a modified Roman Roads salvation process (Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:13, and 10:9-10). I learned we need to start with the beginning. In this day and age, many people do not even know that God exists. When I was growing up, we knew there was God and a Bible, whether we believed or read it or not was a different issue. I have found today people need to know there is a God and we do sin. Some people do not believe they sin, so I have had to use the 10 Commandments at times to help them see they sin. So…back to the Cold Night Shelter. A man had approached me and stated he wanted to be saved, I did feel the Holy Spirit was working. Initially I panicked because I did not have a Bible to use for the Roman Roads process, but the Holy Spirit spoke audibly to me reminding me there were Bibles in my vehicle. So, I rushed to get a Bible and found the man. In the middle of a noisy crowd, God created a cone of silence where He gave me the privilege of providing this man the Gospel with Scripture. We worked through the process; the man professed his personal claim to salvation and drove his stake. I had him write his name and the date in the Bible as record of his salivation with instructions to always return to that Bible and see the date when the devil would challenge him concerning his salvation. So, presently I don’t know who has been led to Christ by me specifically. I am bowling with a satanist and maybe God will soften this person’s heart and again allow me the privilege to give him the Gospel. I do know too that working on and having relationships with people is good fertile ground for preaching the Gospel today. There has been a change from cold preaching as Billy Graham did to working on personal relationships for the Gospel. Regardless, it is all to the glory of God…Amen…

Word Count: 5,387

Write a Final paper that focuses on your essay and research for each of the weekly topics in this course. The title of the paper is: Basics of Spiritual Foundation .

So, this course covered some basics at a level to have some understanding of the theological aspect of being a “minister.”  We looked at 6 areas: Sanctification; Eschatology; Why We Worship; Let’s talk about Grace; Sin, Suffering and Sacrifice; Grace versus Mercy; and Evangelism.  If one did actual research into each topic areas, then knowledge necessary for wisdom is there.  In Sanctification we learned God is still working on me (an old children’s’ song:  He’s still working on me.).  It is a continuing process until He calls us home.  In Eschatology, I came to understand the concept “already, but not yet.”  God’s kingdom is here now but will be completed when Christ establishes permanent reign.  Why we worship God is because it is the chief end of man, to glorify God and to enjoy him forever (Westminster Larger Catechism).  Let’s Talk About Joy was really about our loving service that is found in Jesus (J), others (O), and then yourself (Y).  In Sin, Suffering, and Sacrifice was a good reminder of our human condition and need to be reliant on God. Additionally, I understood God allows His people to go through persecutions (suffering) and tribulations (sufferings) to develop in them the moral excellencies which make us worthy citizens of His Kingdom.  In Grace versus Mercy, it was validated the Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God cannot keep you. The mercy we received at the cross (we did not pay for our sin) allows us to extend grace through delivery of the Gospel to others.  Quoting Ms. Burnett, “The Gospel wouldn’t mean nearly as much without grace.  We would have no purpose but to [for] be [being] alive.  We would have no testimony.  There would be no such thing as eternal life, security, or agape love.”  Because of His Grace, we have purpose.  The natural result of Grace is evangelism, we are so grateful for the work accomplished at the Cross that we share this joy with others.

The Will of God

Ted Matteson / General

Sources:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/will-of-god/

https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-to-be-in-the-will-of-God

The Will of God

Please pray with me…Father… I pray for your recharging of your Holy Spirit that is within me…I pray that you rid me of these nervous feelings and strengthen me for the delivery of Your Word which You have given me…I pray that what I speak will bring honor and glory to only You…in Jesus’ name…Amen

This picture has a profound statement.  I do not know where it came from…I initially wrote this sermon titled The Will and Grace of God along the theme the will of God will never lead you where the grace of Gad cannot keep you.  It 5,670 words requiring 47 minutes to present…but God would not suffer me to this challenge and therefore I have separated this topic in 2 parts.  We can examine the grace of God another day…should our Lord terry.

Overview:

1. Introduction

2. What God has planned (His will), He Himself will bring to pass.

3. The New Testament.

4. God’s will and the direction of life.

5. God’s will and the plan of salvation.

6. The Christian life as a continuous response to God’s will.

7. The will of God and guidance.

8. Closing

One theme that all parts of Scripture take up in one way or another is the will of God. God’s will is as vast as his entire plan for creation. God’s will is settled and unchanging.

Old and New Testament writers refer to God’s will as if its existence is accepted by all.  God’s will is described from its active side as His conscious of “deciding, ” “willing, ” and “choosing” to do something.

The Old Testament affirmation that there exists with the God of Israel a will that is resolute and bears on His actions and the life of His people is made in all parts of the Old Testament. He has worked and continues to interact with His creation according to a design.

“Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased, That did He in heaven, and in earth, In the seas, and all deep places.”

His will is also the pattern to be followed in life by His people. The will of God is not simply a passive plan, but the blueprint for His creation. Very often the Old Testament describes God as accomplishing His will. In this we glimpse the sovereign control He exerts over nations and individuals.

In Psalm 115:3 “But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” His will applies to nations. Isaiah 48:14 “All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; Which among them hath declared these things? The Lord hath loved him: He will do his pleasure on Babylon, And his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.”

Also, God’s will is in decisions made about individuals.

1 Samuel 2:25 “If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.”

What God has planned (His will), He himself will bring to pass.

Consequently, the development in understanding of the will of God in the Old Testament reveals that God in one sense is seen as the initiator in the execution of His will and that this involves the events that make up human history. Human history is never regarded as beyond His control. This includes not only the whole nations, but also the specific events that touch individual lives.

For this reason, we  are to align our lives with and do the will of God. Psalm 40:8 “I delight to do thy will, O my God: Yea, thy law is within my heart.” In this text the psalmist brings together two essential elements in describing the ideal life of obedience to God. God requires certain patterns of behavior in response to his covenant. The law is the articulation of the ethical requirements of God’s will.

For God’s will to be done, it had first to be known and understood by his people: Psalm 143:10  “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

Through Moses, the judges, and the prophets, God made known his will and led the people in applying it in everyday situations. For example, in one case, the application of God’s will to a specific situation meant putting away foreign wives in Ezra 10:11-12. When people take action it is to be done in awareness that God’s will is to be the guide and that it cannot be thwarted. Job 42:2 “I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.”

The concept of God’s will in reference to salvation, in the Servant passages in Isaiah. God selected Cyrus to carry out his purpose, which would allow the city of Jerusalem and the temple to be rebuilt.

Isaiah 44:28 “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”. Here God’s will is executed in a historical event; moreover, that act is soteriological for through it God’s people experience salvation. The song of the Suffering Servant reveals that it was the Lord’s will to crush Him. 

In Isaiah 53:10: “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”. This expression of the will of God, His resolute plan, makes it clear that God’s purpose is the deliverance of Israel and the Gentile nations, and the suffering of the Servant plays a role within this plan. Again, historical events are seen to have saving significance as they develop out of the determined will of God. Finally, the execution of God’s specific will, the “mission” of the redemption of Israel and the nations, is linked to the proclamation of God’s word in Isaiah 55:11 “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God’s will includes the plan of salvation. Hear this… God’s will includes the plan of salvation.

The New Testament.

The will of God is the superstructure for God’s intervention in the affairs of humankind and for all of life was a belief that shaped much of the early church’s outlook on theology and life. In addition to the influence of the Old Testament, Jesus’ own life, ministry, and teaching undoubtedly provided a formative influence.

Jesus’ life and teaching as recorded in the Gospels bear witness to the importance of the concept of the will of God for His understanding of His own place and that of His followers in redemptive history.

Jesus modeled for His disciples a life lived in perfect conformity with God’s will, and demonstrated that this life did not always take the easy course. The poignant Gethsemane scene, recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke (with slight variations), depicts this most clearly. As Jesus prayed to the Father, He acknowledged both the strength of His own will and His commitment to God’s: “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” ( Matthew 26:39). Both Jesus and the Gospel writers knew that God’s will concerning the Messiah’s death was specific. But John especially characterizes the whole of Jesus’ ministry in terms of conformity with the will of God. At one point Jesus said to his disciples in John 4:34 “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” His ministry is described as the outworking of God’s will: John 5:30 “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

If Jesus was to do God’s will, so were his disciples. The prayer that Jesus taught them made God’s will a central concern in the life of discipleship. They were to petition God that his kingdom might come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10). The coming of the kingdom, God’s power in Christ and then, through the Holy Spirit, in his church, means the manifestation of God’s will on the earthly plane. The message of the kingdom of God and the concept of God’s will are joined together. In fact, kinship with Jesus is demonstrated not by correct doctrine but by doing God’s will Matthew 12:50 “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Equally, membership in God’s kingdom is demonstrated “not” by good intentions but by the actual execution of God’s will.  Matthew 7:21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

Ultimately, our readiness to acknowledge and then do God’s will determines whether that we will be able to apprehend the truth of Jesus.  John 7:17 “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” In the thought of the early church, as represented by Paul and other New Testament writers, the will of God has a prominent place.

God’s Will and the Direction of Life.

At its most basic level, belief in an all-encompassing will of God means the belief that things are moving in a direction.  

In Romans 1:9–10 “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.”

Romans 15:32. “That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.”

The early Christians held that God’s will might supervene in the lives of his people and bring a change to human plans. For God’s will cannot be resisted so we find in Romans 9:19 “Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?” Consequently, our aim is to live according to the perfect will of God and to pray according to it. In 1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”.

In many cases this may exceed the ability of the believer, but the Holy Spirit is capable, who “intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. Romans 8:27 “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

God’s Will and the Plan of Salvation.

Receiving special emphasis is the place of the plan of salvation within God’s will. The adoption as children. Ephesians 1:5 “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” and inheritance of the blessings of redemption verse 11 are according to God’s counsel and will. The basis of salvation, the crucifixion of God’s son Jesus, is explicitly described as the outworking of God’s will in Acts 2:23 “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain;”

In Galatians 1:4 “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”.

In this way, Jesus’ death becomes integral to God’s plan, rather than being an unforeseen event to be fit in whatever way possible. Furthermore, the redemptive will of God, which began long ago in the promises to Abraham, has proceeded without change through each stage of the plan Hebrews 6:17 “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:”. Like Abraham, others played significant roles in the outworking of God’s will to save; at each point God’s will was determinative and could not be circumvented. Paul viewed his own call to apostleship, which was to bring salvation to the Gentiles.  Nearly all of his letters emphasize that it was God’s will that established him in His ministry.

In 1 Corinthians 1:1 “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,”.

The New Testament teaches that it is God’s will is that all be saved, and therefore none will be lost. Two passages relate God’s will to the expansiveness of the salvation plan. 1 Timothy 2:3–4  “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

“To come to a knowledge of the truth” is a formula that means to make a rational decision about the gospel, that is, to respond to the gospel message. God’s will to save the all-inclusive “anyone” to the volitional element involved in repentance. Consequently, while these texts tell us that God’s will to save extends to all people, and that he desires to save rather than to condemn, they do not remove the necessary element of the faith-response to the gospel.

The Christian Life as a Continuous Response to God’s Will.

God’s will applies to every part of the church’s and believer’s lives. The term with God’s will makes it almost certain that in such cases

Romans 2:18 “And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;” and in [Slide #50] James 4:15 “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” Christian living and “doing the will of God” are one and the same and are not to be separated. In general terms, the summary of faithful Christian living, given by the writer of Hebrews, is “doing the will of God”: In Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.”. John describes the life of faithfulness, which demonstrates true Christianity, similarly as doing the will of God 1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” Viewed more specifically, for the slave, being a Christian within the social institution of slavery called for obedience to the master — this was doing the will of God from the heart (Eph 6:6). Suffering as Christians is an aspect of Christian existence that corresponds to God’s will. In 1 Peter 4:19 “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

God’s will reveal is still more clearly relevant to all areas of human life.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” Paul then goes on to apply in the specific principle “abstain from fornication.” Later in the same letter the will of God is said to be thankfulness in all situations (Verse 5:18). It is God’s will that a Christian’s conduct remove any cause for slander by unbelievers (1 Peter 2:15). Doing good deeds and sharing what we have with one another are “acceptable to God, ” that is, accords with his will (Heb 13:15-16). Finally, the will of God, which Paul desires his people to know and do in Romans 12:2, is spelled out specifically in terms of mutual service among Christians. In no case do the specifics or even any combination of them exhaust or fully describe the will of God better than Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The will of God must be done by Christians if they are genuine Christians, but for this to occur two things are required.

First, it must be taught and understood. Paul, for one, was chosen by God to know God’s will.  In Acts 22:14 “And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.” He also endeavored to make all of God’s will (counsel) known, both theology and in Christian ethics (Acts 20:27).  His prayer for believers was that they “be filled with a knowledge of God’s will” (Col 1:9 ; 4:12 . And he admonished foolish believers to make gaining an understanding of God’s will their chief aim (Eph 5:17).

Second, God must equip the believer to be able to execute the divine will in appropriate behavior. Human inability continues to coexist alongside divine sovereignty. This means that God must give the enlightenment necessary for the believer to perceive what the will of God is.  In Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”. But then He must also enable His children in each situation to carry it out to completion: Hebrews 13:20–21 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

The Will of God and Guidance.

Within the church today there are various views about how specifically God’s will may be known and followed in matters of life’s decisions. In the Old Testament God provided tools for discerning His direction in various situations. At times He “spoke, ” whether in dreams, through the burning bush, or in the “still small voice” that came to Elijah. In the New Testament similar events of guidance are recorded. It becomes clear that the church and individual believers are to seek to know God’s will and base their actions on it. 

God is in control of His church and the whole world and interested in each aspect of His children’s lives, we are not told specifically that God will give us a “yes” or “no” to each question we might ask. Much of the biblical teaching about His will pertains to behavior and His plan of salvation. With regard to the first, “seeking” his will means (1) learning what God’s Word says about aspects of our response to Him and, (2) in concert with the church, determining how that teaching is to be applied in new historical and cultural contexts.

But the mystical element so obvious in Scripture, God’s direct guidance in times of need or searching cannot be ruled out today. We are to seek God with our questions about vocation, but he may direct through the wisdom of church and family leaders, as well as through circumstances. What is normative is difficult to say. But it is certainly incorrect to say that God’s will does not apply to the small areas of our lives. It is also incorrect to say that we should expect God to reveal His will always in a specific “yes” or “no” through internal prompting or external signs, or to think that the reality of God’s will relieves us of the responsibility of decision making.

We are left “in the middle, ” knowing that we are to seek God’s guidance through the Scriptures, prayer, the counsel of Christian leaders, and wise assessment of the options before us and knowing that He promises to guide us, but not being able to limit His means for doing this.

So What? …Know your Bible to know God’s will….it contains all things necessary for life 2 Peter 1:2–3, “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”)

Second know God’s Love. If your Bible is silent on a specific then trust His love and decide His will in life. Key Scriptures speaking directly on God’s love are: Mt 3:43-45; Mt 22:37-39; Jn 13:34-35; 1 Co 13:1-13; and 1Jn 4:7-12.

Before we close, if you do not know the will of God because you do not have a relationship with God, I want to give you the opportunity to resolve that.  You cannot know His will if you do not have a personal relationship with him. The Gospel…the long version…

Because of sin, Jesus Christ, according to scripture, is God’s only Son,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

So that we who believe may have forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Romans 10:8-10 tells us, But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you will confess this truth, you will have salvation and if you professed this truth you will know His will, if you professed this truth…please tell somebody. Amen

In closing: The Will of God will never lead you where the Grace of God cannot keep you…Part 2 to follow… 

Pray with me:

Lord, at times we just wish that You would send us a text, letter or call us on the telephone and let us know with clarity what Your will is for our life, so that we may fulfil all the plans that You have purposed for us.

Help us to lay aside our own personal preferences and learn to say, “Thy will be done.” Equip us we pray, to recognize Your gentle promptings and the wise counsel that is hidden in Your Word and keep us from being swayed by our own fleshly inclinations.

Tenderize our heart so that we are able to discern the nudges and tugs from the Holy Spirit and give us wisdom to make godly choices as we patiently wait for Your designated time.

Lord, although it would be amazing to have a letter or call from You, we do recognize that we are to live this life by faith and not by sight or sound, visions or dreams, so help us to keep our focus on the Lord Jesus, knowing that the closer we draw to Jesus, the more we will forget ourselves and our own desires, and the more we will discover Who You are and What You desire of us. This we ask in Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Sources:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/will-of-god/

https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-to-be-in-the-will-of-God