Guidance of God's Will

 

    God loves us enough to predestine our entire lives, calls us, justifies us, and guide us.  He does not leave us alone in this world to figure things out for ourselves.  He is actively involved in our lives.  He leads his people by guiding us through life to accomplish His purpose designed for each and every one of us.

    God will reveal our offensive ways, so we will repent and follow Him to eternity in Heaven.  His path is the right way.  He counsels to lead us to glory.  We make our plans, but God will guide the steps of those who follow Him.  He directs our hearts to His love and Jesus' endurance.  

    God directs people directly and indirectly.  His direct guidance comes through spoken revelation, visions, dreams, prophets, and the apostles.  His indirect guidance comes from God's Word, conscience, conviction, providence, wisdom, and counsel.  The Bible times were mostly direct guidance.  We have the Holy Spirit to help us with the Bible today, so we mostly receive indirect guidance.  

    God's Word provides direction and clarity to situations we live today.  It convicts us to be obedient.  God's providence shows us how all things work together for the good of those who follow God according to His plan.  God's wisdom is given to those who ask for it.  It provides understanding to His commands, reveals the hidden treasure of Holy fear, success through integrity, and protection by understanding righteousness and justice.  

    Seek God's counsel and you will gain in the area you seek.  Ask yourself where you struggle in life.  That is where you need to seek God's guidance.  Go to God about work, marriage, your church, and everything else to seek guidance.  When He provides it, be ready to act, make changes, or surrender hidden sins.  Pray, meditate, and make time for God.

Psalm 23, 78:40-55, 139:19-24, Proverbs 2:1-11, 3:5-6, 16:9, John 15:9-17, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, & James 1:5-8

God's Will Part 3

 

    The nature of God's will have aspects of who God is.  His sovereign will is known only by Him, but He does reveal aspects.  It can't be changed or manipulated.  It covers good and evil meaning he has control on what is allowed.  It controls life, time, and history.  

    His commanded will is discovered in the Bible.  It is your choice to embrace or reject it.  It only encompasses His goodness and holiness.  It provides guidance in how to live life.  It is up to us to learn and understand Him.  He already knows us.  We reveal how much we understand God's character through obedience.

    God works in our lives according to what is good.  He sanctifies us and helps us resist evil.  He warns us about doing things that will not benefit us.  The most important warning is that we will not enter heaven without faith in Jesus.  

    We are expected to live out that faith in obedience.  He promised that whatever He started in us, He will complete. It all start with salvation.  All of His plans for us are good, abundant, and hopeful.  It is our choices that decide if we will get those benefits or not.

    If you know God and trust him, then you will follow Him.  Keep His mandates, statues, ordinances, and commands out of love for God.  You may suffer for God's will, but your faith will be rewarded.  God will take care of you and your soul.  

    Know that if it is God's will, then it will happen.  Nothing you say or do will change that.  It is in your best interest to try to understand Him to understand His will.  He will reveal to you what you need to know and you are accountable for what you do know.

Deuteronomy 11:1-4, 29:29, Psalm 25:8-10, Proverbs 3:5-6, Jeremiah 29:10-14, Matthew 7:21-23, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Ephesians 5:15-20, Philippians 1:3-6, 2:12-18, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, James 4:13-17, 1 Peter 4:14-19

God's Will Part 2

 

    God created people for a purpose.  He has a purpose for everything He created.  His purpose for you is His plan or will for your life.  It really is not complicated.  People make it complicated.  His will for you is to have a relationship with Him, be obedient and service Him, and in the process make more disciples.

    God has a sovereign will and a commanded will.   His sovereign will is His complete control over   all creation and time.  Not a second goes by that is not accounted for.  History reveals His control from the beginning to now.  What He decides will happen, will happen.  Everything has a time a purpose.

    God's commanded will is revealed through His laws, decrees, statues, and commandments.  This is where God holds people's free will accountable.  You do not have to follow His plan for your life, but the blessings will go to someone else.  If you disobey, then you choose God's curses onto your soul.  The good news is that God never brings judgment without warning to give people a chance to repent and turn to him first.

    Believers are to observe God's commands, remember them, and apply them to their lives.  He is always with you, so you never have to do it alone.  You can obey any of His commandments if you are able to keep these two.  The first is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind.  The second is to love your neighbor (everyone you meet) as you love yourself as a creation of God.

Isaiah 14:24-27, 46:8-11, Matthew 22: 37-40, 28:16-20, & Ephesians 1:9-11, 5:15-20

Attitude Toward Obedience

 

        All the good that comes from people originated with God.  If we do not do things in love and faith, then they mean nothing.  Obedience is a part of genuine faith.  It comes from the heart attitude to serve God.

    Abraham was obedient to God out of faith and devotion.  His obedience was rewarded with his inheritance of land, wealth, historical patriarch, and father of a nations.  He got all of that because of his attitude.  

    It is better to be reluctant and obey, than not to obey at all.  However if you obey with the attitude of faithful submission, then it will be rewarded.  If God's Word does not make sense to you, but you find that you are being called to do something, then just do it.  Trust that it will all come together eventually.  You may even start seeing things in new perspective.

    The point is that Christians are called to do God's will from the heart, like Jesus did as a human.  Jesus came as a servant to mankind, so our attitude should be that of a servant.  Work hard without expecting something in return.  You have already been promised eternity with God and abundance while alive, but what is given abundantly may not be what you are thinking you want.

    To be obedient is to present your body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.  That means that you lifestyle is pursing to be like Jesus.  You work to be holy, blameless, and faithful.  You train yourself to do whatever God ask without questioning it.  This is how you truly worship God as you allow God to transform you into a new person.

    If you choose disobedience, then you will find curses in your life.  If you reject God (salvation), then you will face the eternal curse.  If you are not a Christian, then right not is the time to change that.  If you are a Christian, then prayerfully seek God's guidance on how you can be more obedient?  Where have you been ignoring God's voice?  Where are you stubborn in life and need to tear down walls to hear God's voice?

Isaiah 64:1-7, Matthew 21:28-32, Luke 5:4-7, 17:7-10, Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians 6:5-9, & Hebrews 11:8-10

How to be Obedient

 

    If you are a Christian, then you should obey Jesus' commandments.  It all starts with learning how to love and leads to observing the commandments as you walk with Jesus.  Obedience no longer is a check off list or something you have to do.  It becomes a part of you because you want to be obedient.

    Children are commanded to obey their parent to please God and have a long life. Wives are commanded to obey their husband who is the head of the house.  The man is commanded to lead the home as God leads the church.  That means that men lead in love.  Employees or workers are to obey their boss(s) to get back from God.  Work for them as if you are working for God Himself.

    Wives are to submit to their husband even if it is hard and causes grief.  If you are a woman that pursues God, then the husband may be won over. through your living witness.    We are all called to sacrifice for one another.

    Everyone has leaders to obey.  The spiritual leaders are responsible to watch over our souls.  If they do not, then they will answer to God.  We are all to obey our government because they were instituted by God.  They are His representative.  He will not take kindly to leaders who do not represent Him well.    

    If you have the impossible employer, then you are still called to obey them unless it goes against God's commandments.  Be good and gentle as your remember that everyone suffers grief and hardship somewhere in life.  You ultimately answer to God, not them, so be able to approach God with a clear conscience.  By obeying the people that God put over you, you are ultimately obeying God.  

Matthew 28:16-20, Romans 13:1-7, Ephesians 5:22-33, 6:1-9, Colossians 3:18-25, Hebrews 13:15-17, & 1 Peter 2:18-19, 3:1

Results of Obedience

 

    To follow God, you must be obedient.  You can't be obedient without faith.  Obedience is faith that becomes heroic.  Abraham was obedient.  He left his home and everyone he knew to go where God led for a mysterious promise .  He was 75 year old at the time.  He was so faithful to God, that he was willing to sacrifice his own son.  God saw his faith and made it where he didn't have to, but Abraham was willing.

    Abraham's obedience shows us the rewards of following God.  Abraham was blessed with land.  He was promised an uncountable number of offspring.  He was promised that his offspring would be blessed.  He never saw how true God was to His word, but Abraham got everything God promised.  It reveals the truth that if we are obedient, then we will receive God's blessings and promises too.  God made Abraham famous for his faith.

    Jesus' primary concern was to be obedient to God.  He was going to finish God's will and his work. Jesus was obedient to the point of death, but he rose again for to break the hold of sin and death on all of us.  Obedience comes down to attitude.  Abraham's attitude was trusting.  Jesus' attitude was for God's will to happen.  

    Obedience to God brings promises and blessings.  There are some that will never change over time.  One promise is obedience means you remain in God's love.  Another promise is you are a friend of Jesus.  A different promise is that your prayers will be answered.  One more is that God will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.  When you are obedient to God, you gain wisdom, spiritual strength, and your soul becomes indestructible.  It always leads to abundance.

Genesis 12:1-6, 22:1-12, 26:1-6, Matthew 7:24-29, Luke 22:41-44, John 4:34-38, 15:9-17, Philippians 2:5-8, Hebrews 11:1-10, & 1 John 3:22

The Call to Obedience

 

    If you want to see fruit in your salvation, then you have to learn how to be obedient.  It starts with your parents teaching you how to be obedient, but being a Christian takes it to another level.  Jesus taught us how to make our bodies a living sacrifice, so that we will be holy and pleasing to God.  Obedience is true worship lived out.

    Obedience is the mark of a true believer.  It demonstrates the Love of God.  Disobedience displays that you are a liar.  If you belong to God you will be obedient because it means you know His voice.  If you choose disobedient, then you reveal that you are not a true believer.  

    How could a true believer know God's voice and disobey continuously?  The character of a true believer is doing the will of God.  You are not perfect.  You will mess up occasionally, but how quickly you repent tells your relationship with God.  Your walk with Jesus is your testimony of faith.

    Partial obedience is disobedience in God's eyes.  Your way over God's way is always disobedient.  Obedience is better than sacrifice.  Stubbornness and defiance is like a child disrespecting their parents.  God sees it as evil because you display defiance and idolatry to yourself.  Disobedience to God has consequences.  It leads to Him rejecting your role in something bigger and better than yourself: leadership role, position, or favor.

    When you hear God's instructions you can react a few different ways.  The main ones are acceptance or rejection.  You can get excited and follow immediately.  This leads to mercy and kindness.  You can get angry because you don't like His terms.  Getting angry leads to you doing something you will regret one day.  

    When you reject God, then you can't expect Him to listen to your prayers.  You will be forced to face the consequences on your own until you repent and submit to His authority.  If you don't do that, then you are headed to a desolate existence and eternal rejection.  Ultimately, it will always be your choice.  Submitting to God's authority is the best gift you can give Him.  

1 Samuel 15:16-23, Zechariah 7:8-14, Matthew 7:21-23, Romans 6:15-18, 12:1-2, & 1 John 2:3-6