Each day is filled with decisions, and every choice is an opportunity to ask the Lord what He would have us do. Note there are three specific statements which will accomplish "proving, that good, acceptable and perfect will of God. Are they seeking to know? 1 John 4:4 explains this new status the believer has, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." It is certainly rock music, but it absolutely not Christian. Jeremiah 29:11 ESV / 36 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. (127â128). Christians are to dress modestly which means not drawing attention to themselves. Whatever God's will is for us....He will accomplish His will for our lives if we allow Him too. If a person has the ability to teach and that was God's will He would provide the opportunity to use the gift. Things come our way sometimes because we made them come our way. This prayer is just a way of handing control over to the Lord and Savior of our lives and acknowledging our own human weaknesses. Old Testament animal sacrifices were offered to the Lord and given to the worship of God in the Temple. A number of them claim they are Christians, and "born again." B. We can rarely trace God’s working in our lives, for we are living by faith and not by sight. Platt reminds us that this isnât Godâs design. This is the renewing of your mind. Further the sacrificed animals were the food which sustained the priests and allowed the work of God to continue. The vain traditions of men, religious acts, and ceremonies such as performed by the Catholics and of pagan religions are not pleasing to God and thus are unacceptable to Him. They were never used for anything else. To renew our minds, we study God's Word to know Him better, to learn His laws and precepts. A. Romans 12:1 begins with a simple but profound statement..."I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. colder . Yet, they did not like it and criticized me. The core of the Christian life is to learn how to know God’s will for our lives personally and intimately. God’s Revealed Will – This is God’s desires for our lives as revealed in His will. The Bible instructs believers to examine themselves, but does it tell us to what extent or how often we should question our salvation? . In this verse the word clearly applies to the purity of our physical lives, that is, abstinence from sexual sins. These gifts will enable us through our lives and allow us to bless others. Therefore God's will involves if we are living today for the Lord the future will take care of itself. Thatâs what happens when believers are made new in Christ. We are not to allow any corruption to enter and if it does we are to a 1 John 1:9 says...confess it immediately to the Lord and let Him "cleanse us from all unrighteousness.". In summary, God's will can refer to His perfect plan known since the beginning of time, God's teachings for all people, God's specific desires for a community of people, or God's unique plan for our individual lives. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. In some ways, this is a mystery we can’t fully understand, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. Certainly we can have goals and work toward them, but in finding God's will for our lives God normally does not work this way. Ask God for His wisdom. The Israelites wandered the desert for 40 years because their SIN angered God who disciplined them for it, they weren’t following His permissive will for their lives, they were walking in disbelief and sin and because of it, ONLY 2 of them were allowed to enter into the Promised Land. 2. Then we wait ready for God to open a door or means to use the talent. 4. If all would separate from the vices and follies, the amusements and gaieties of the world, Christ would be glorified. You see dear friends....we are to be separated from the world. There are two clear and very different meanings for the term “will of God” in the Bible. Indecent dress is what the world wears and it is designed to accentuate that which is sexual. God's hope for our future is about second chances, about choices and new beginnings. Let us look at this matter of finding God's will for our lives in two categories: God's present will for me and God's future will for me. The point is to walk with Jesus. Mercy for Today: A Daily Prayer from Psalm 51. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. These gifts will enable us through our lives and allow us to bless others. We can see that in our culture in every age there are clear styles of clothing and behavior that promote the image of being a rebel and worldly....which is against godliness and righteous living. We do not need the movie of a sinful Hollywood actor to teach us about Christ's sufferings. Christians should not get caught up in every fad that comes down the road. You see, we are called to a relationship with Jesus. It is a matter of living by faith. I grew up in the 50s-60s when long hair for men was a sign of rebellion. He is the One in ultimate control of all. The word "holy" means "dedicated wholly to God's purposes without blemish or defect." “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; … We first must determine what the person means by their statement they are seeking God's will. It says this absolute and complete giving of ourselves to the Lord is just "our reasonable service." To renew something means to re-establish or give fresh life and strength to something. INTRODUCTION: Many times over the years people have expressed to me they were trying to find God's will for their lives. Bob looks at several passages that reveal what God’s will is for our personal lives, our families, the church, how we treat non-Christians, and even how we treat our enemies. He now has the ability to serve the Lord and to overcome sin and worldliness. That is putting the cart before the horse. In Romans 7:14 Paul explained that as a unsaved man he was carnal and sold under sin. . Clearly, when a person believes and received Christ as their Savior, their minds and thoughts are given a new way to think and strength that was not present before. And if we walk with him, if our lives are swallowed up into his own, weâll go the right way. So the first step in finding Godâs will for our lives is to understand that in Christ our own wills are radically recreated. Thus, the sacrifice was vital to the ministry of the worship of God and in the same way, those who sacrifice themselves to the Lord, are His witnesses and He uses them to carry out His purposes. . When it is a spiritual trial, we learn to go into that test with this confidence: “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” ( 1 Peter 4:19 ). Certainly we would like to know what God wants for us in the future, but what is important is to know what He wants today! As it says in Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.“ We can see that finding God’s will for our lives is found in the Bible. If we have not taken that first step, then we have not yet accepted God’s will. We are not to yield ourselves to worldliness as verse 2 states, but be wholly given to the Lord's service. Finding the will of God is as I said in the beginning...it is quite simple. This is the greatest discovery we will ever make – God has a purpose and plan for each human being; past, present, and future. So then wouldnât it be strange for us to look toward God with crossed arms and puckered lips? This means that we have to trust Him. This is but one example of not conforming to the world. If a person wears clothes that is immodest and sexually revealing it indicates an inward spiritual problem. The motivating force in their lives is satisfying their own desires. God lovingly allows us to freely choose or reject His will for our lives. The revelation comes in an unexpected way – by showing you your mistakes, but because you are seeking to do God’s will, you use it to be transformed. In their lost state they live according to their carnal natures. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? So, is our agenda to do God's will our way, is our heart right before God? We are called to his person, not his drills. We are then transformed into being … . There is really no mystery to the matter and the answer to all these questions is actually quite simple. Instead, his ultimate concern is that you and I would know him deeply as we trust him more completely. The unsaved world lives in sin and seeks to satisfy the lusts of the flesh. I’m not claiming to have the … In opposition to this, we are to present ourselves a living to be used in God's service. That’s where we’re headed in this post. Weâre talking about the sovereign God of all that is, the one who created us, who sustains us, who gave his Son to save us. Perfect - Is that which is free from defect, stain, or sin. Once you have received God's forgiveness, then you are ready to fulfill the rest of … 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." When we saturate our lives and thoughts with the Word of God, then and only then will we know the will of God for our lives. We cannot offer a polluted or tainted sacrifice to Him. 12:9). 2. [Video 2 of 4 of The Church as a Window] Transformation and … A way to know that you are following God’s plan for your … 4. We are only able to do this by the "mercies of God." âI believe in the forgiveness of sins.â Those words may have become stale or even cliché for some, but they represent the beauty and scandal of our confession. God told my wife (Becca) and me that we were going to serve as missionary teachers in Asia. God tell us in 1 Thessalonians 5:24 "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." I mean, could there be a more pressing subject? At every stage of our lives we're faced with decisions, usually at a practical level but sometimes at a moral level. They in effect are conforming to the world's sinful ways...offering them to the Lord as worship. God work requires sacrifice on our part. When man rejects God's will, he freely sins. It means we are to be a continuing sacrifice which God can use daily over and over. At its most basic, the will of God is to repent of our sin and trust in Christ. Weâre drawn to the methods â whether casting a fleece or listening to âthat still small voiceâ or looking for that door to fling wide open. We trust the Lord and that means believing what He has said. The biblical principle is that we live in the present trusting in the Lord, daily living our lives for Him, and He will direct us and guide us towards what He wants us to do in the future. “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality.” 184 It is God’s will that we be holy. In the Old Testament the when the Jew offered his sacrifice, he slew it, and presented it dead. The word sanctification means holiness, consecration, dedication to God. 4. Often they make statements like "I really do not know what God wants me to do.". Once we receive Christ by faith, we are made God’s children ( John 1:12 ), and He desires to lead us in His way ( Psalm 143:10 ). God's Purpose for Your Life The Father's greatest desire is for you to have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Here are 10 Bible Verses to help you understand more about God’s Will and the Christian believer. The unsaved man only has a carnal nature and cannot please the Lord, because he does not believe in God nor worship Him. Of course that doesn’t mean our desires are always wrong, and sometimes what we long for in our hearts is right on par with what God wants for us. (131). April 3, 2018 / As Christians we all struggle with knowing whether or not we are doing God’s Will. 11 explains, "What shall we say then? A more accurate term would be to call their services "Worldly Services." It comes or is revealed as we obey God. It appealed to many people...but it was not unsurprising to me that so many who claimed it helped them, remained in the same old sinful life style as before. Modesty is rule of the Christian's apparel and dress that does not draw attention to one's sexually. 1 Timothy 2:3–4. Psalm 37:5 encourages us to commit our lives to the Lord, and He will act. As far as which way to go after this semester, or whether to take that job or move to that country, there arenât any shortcuts to the mind of God. But the saved man, has a new nature, the very nature and indwelling of God. God’s Will Definition The will of God (or Divine Will) is the idea that God has a plan for people (Jeremiah 29:11-13). To be âin Christâ means that we no longer live for ourselves âbut for him who for our sake died and was raisedâ (2 Corinthians 5:15). As Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1 "Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.". Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Bowing before statues, crossing ourselves, chanting ritualistic prayers, wearing robes, etc do not impress God and are not to be done in worship nor allowed to be practices in our lives. No, it will not always turn out the way that we expect, but the Lord has far greater plans in mind for us than we could ever hope or imagine. God says our worship is to be acceptable to Him and further says it is not to be conformed to the world and its sinful ways. The old carnal mind is replaced with one that seeks the Lord and is able to understand God's truth and apply it in one's life. What does he want us to do with this vapor of a life heâs given? It is the mercy of God that He enables us to live for Him. God’s Word is perfect, and we can discover God’s plan for our lives through our study of it. Matthew 16:24 records Jesus' words to those who wanted to be His disciples, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:31 that he died daily meaning he died to self in order to live daily for the Lord. God permits such sin, as a consequence of the freedom He gave man, but He would never ordain such sin. The Christian is to sacrifice himself (body) to be "holy" which means dedicated only to the service of the Lord and nothing else. We need to address our lives and through self examination determine is how we are living is in accord with the Word of God. . Then what is accomplished will honor the Lord and He will be able to use us to reach others for Christ. So He promises to guide and direct our lives...therefore we by faith accept that is what He is doing. His ultimate concern is not to get you or me from point A to point B along the quickest, easiest, smoothest, clearest route possible. So the first step in finding God’s will for our lives is to understand that in Christ our own wills are radically recreated. While there is pressure from society to succeed and meet a certain standard that the world holds us to, through God and the calling He places on our lives, we are able to achieve what He wants for our lives. Declared and demonstrated in our initial act of baptism, we have lost our lives in Christ, and we gladly surrendered our ways to his will” (130). In other words, we live by faith, trusting in the Lord today, and by this process God will prepare us for future service and get us to where He wants us. That which has all its parts complete, or which is not disproportionate. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him", Romans 6:13 says, "Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Our offering of ourselves to the Lord should not be constrained or forced on us by any means. What this means is, we need to put our plans and dreams for our lives in the Lord's hands. Today, the popular trend is getting tattoos, body piercing, spiked hair, sexy clothes, baggy clothes and makeup. 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