Tag Archives: God’s will

Knowing God’s Will for Your Life

02 Monday Nov 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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ID-100268904When traveling on a freeway or even a residential road, you will at some point see a sign that points you into the direction that you want to go. With each moment of travel there is always a destination, however, it involves making a turn that will put you closer or perhaps further away from where you intend to go. For example, it is easy to miscalculate by turning too soon, or by not turning soon enough.

As a result, you may end up lost or further behind in reaching your destination. There are also moments in which we think that we can get to our ending point in our own way, but it may turn out to be a path that creates a loss in productivity and time. Spiritually speaking, we can travel in a direction that is planned by God, or we can travel in our own direction.

If you and I travel in our own direction, it will always lead us astray and we are then no longer in God’s will. How do we know what God’s will is for our lives? A great example of this can be found in the book of Genesis. Chapter 15 is where the Lord gives Abraham a promise which is that Abraham would be the Father of many nations.

It was promised in verses 4-5 of chapter 15. Abraham (whose name was originally Abram) is one of the great Biblical Patriarchs who God would use in order to establish the line that Jesus Christ would later come through. However, in the first portion of chapter 15, God says the following to Abraham:

Verses 1-3:

(NLV) “After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a special dream, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your safe place. Your reward will be very great.” Then Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me? For I have no child. And the one who is to receive what belongs to me is Eliezer of Damascus.” Abram said, “Because You have not given me a child, one born in my house will be given all I have.””

It is clear in these verses, that Abraham’s concern or desire was to have a child at some point. Abraham also states that all of his belongings would be given to Eliezer who was already within Abraham’s house. Eliezer was a relative of Abraham.This meant that by default, Eliezer would be granted an inheritance despite the fact that he is not Abraham’s biological son.

God then makes a promise to Abraham in verses 4-6:

Verses 4-6:

(NLV) “Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be given what is yours. But he who will come from your own body will be given what is yours.” He took him outside and said, “Now look up into the heavens and add up the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then He said to him, “Your children and your children’s children will be as many as the stars.” Then Abram believed in the Lord, and that made him right with God.”

Essentially, it was God’s will that Abraham have offspring because God had promised it. In verse 6 it says that Abraham then believed what God had told him, and it put him in the correct standing with God. The principle to be gained from verse 6 is that when we hear what God has promised us, and we accept it as His will for our life, then we are in the right position to be blessed by God.

However, we will see later in the book of Genesis that there is a scheme to circumvent God’s original plan for a child. In chapter 16, Abraham laments the position that he is in as it relates to not having an heir. In this chapter, Sarah, Abraham’s wife (whose original name was Sarai) is introduced in verse 1.

It is because of Abraham’s lack of an heir and the fact that Sarah had not borne a child that Sarah decided to come up with her own plan. Chapter 16 indicates that Sarah decided that it would be best for her maid or servant Hagar to bear the child that Abraham and Sarah desired.

Abraham agrees with Sarah, and eventually Hagar gives birth to a child who is named ‘Ishmael.’ Once again, it wasn’t God’s will for Abraham to have an heir through anyone else but his wife Sarah. If you look at chapter 17 in verse 16, God specifically says that a child will be born from Sarah’s womb. However, Abraham hearing God’s promise that he and Sarah would bear a son laughs to himself. Notice the exchange between Abraham and God in verses 17-19:

(NLV) “Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He said to himself, “Will a child be born to a man who is 100 years old? Then Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live before You!” But God said, “No, but your wife Sarah will give birth to your son. And you will give him the name Isaac. I will make My agreement with him and for his children after him, an agreement that will last forever. “

The point to be made is that God’s will is not only perfect, but His will can be known if we are truly seeking to please Him. The problem with Abraham and Sarah is that they did not align themselves with God’s will. In their case, it was due to unbelief that God had the supernatural power to grant them a son even as they were both approaching the age of 100.

You and I can understand God’s will for our life by listening to God for His will and His direction. This is what Abraham and Sarah failed to do. While they both heard what God had promised, neither were willing to surrender or adhere to God’s proclamation. Thus, it caused a setback for Sarah and Abraham because they lost time in the process of attempting to solve the problem on their own.

When you desire to know God’s will for your life, you must be willing to obey His commands, which means that you are willing to follow. Regardless of how strange or erroneous God’s will may sound to you, it is imperative to take His word over your own desires. When you do so, you will find that the outcome of your obedience is fruitful and time will not be wasted.

Secondly, you can know God’s will by hearing the voice of others in your life who are operating out of godly wisdom. God will often use others to confirm what His will is for your life. Even in the Bible, there were instances in which an Angel sent from God would deliver a message to a specific individual. Usually, the message concerned the person’s destiny or proclamation that God had spoken over their life. So, there will be times in which God will give prophetic words through someone else, and they may be unlikely.

A final way that we can understand God’s will is through God’s peace. There is peace that surpasses all understanding when we are in His will. Whenever you are doing something outside of God’s will there is conflict. One example in the passage concerning Sarah and Abraham involves Hagar. In verse 4 of chapter 16, the Bible says that when Hagar saw that she was pregnant with Abraham’s child, she began to hate Sarah.

Hagar was Sarah’s servant, but as a result of Hagar’s hatred, Sarah began to defend herself by creating difficult interactions with Hagar. As a result, Hagar eventually left Sarah. The fact is that Sarah and Abraham’s decision created turmoil which meant there was a lack of peace. This was despite the belief that having a child outside of God’s will would solve the problem. So, it is important for those of us who are following Christ, to recognize the peace that comes from being in God’s will but to also recognize potential chaos that occurs when we do anything apart from God.

Overall, we who are in Christ must be willing to seek the Lord and obey His commands so that we are in His will. When we are insistent upon our own way, then the result is usually negative. The lesson that we can take from Sarah and Abraham is to take God at His word and to allow Him to lead us to the appropriate destination.

For those of you who are not in Christ, you are unable to discern what God’s will is for your life. Perhaps you have your own plan and design that you believe to be the best way to live. The unfortunate part is that any plan that you have outside of God’s will does not and will not lead to success. Success defined in Christ is a life that is lead by the Holy Spirit, which means that you are able to live freely under God and have a life filled with joy.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today is the day to surrender to Christ. Believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross, and accept Jesus as your Lord, and repent of your sins. In doing so, you will gain the first step to knowing what God’s will is for your life.

The Sovereignty of God

22 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Spiritual

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When you look at nations that have a considerable amount of power, they are considered to be ‘sovereign nations.’ America, Russia, China, and India are a few of the nations in our world that are of sizeable populations, and they have influence within their specific regions of the world. What makes a nation ‘sovereign?’ For one, a nation must have some sort of authority to maintain self-sufficiency apart from the overwhelming interference of others. Secondly, a nation that is sovereign is one that can enact authority within its own parameters meaning that the nation can govern itself.

It is the concept of sovereignty that incorporates the idea of supremacy. However, when you look at every nation that considers itself to be ‘sovereign’ in the worldly sense, there isn’t a nation on Earth that is completely supreme in its existence. Sovereignty may include the realm of being able to self-govern, but even in our past and current history of humanity there have been organizations (NATO, The U.N.) that have established buffers against complete sovereignty. There is only one who reigns supreme over all and that is God Himself.

God’s sovereignty far outweighs what is considered to be sovereign in our world. While the definition of the word has some traits that apply to God, the difference is that God is supreme above every entity that humanity has put into place. In the book of Romans Chapter 9, the sovereignty of God is expressed by the Apostle Paul.

In this scripture, the Apostle Paul explains how God chose Israel, and the fact that God’s choice of those within the line of the Israelites was not always understandable from the human point of view. Paul makes mention of his Jewish heritage in verse 3. He goes on in verses 4-10 to say that within the line that God chose (from Abraham up until Jesus Christ) there were those who were not considered to be ‘children of God.’ You can view the full scripture here.

Paul’s point in those verses was that God’s purpose was carried out regardless of who was in the Israelite lineage. Just because someone was a descendant of Abraham for example, did not mean that they were a child of God which meant that God used those who were not necessarily in a relationship with Him. It was only those who were children of God’s promise who were considered, ‘children of God.’ Paul even mentions the birth of Issac through Sarah and Abraham in verse 10. Issac later married Rebekah and had twins. Notice what Paul says in verses 11-12:

(NLT) “But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, “Your older son will serve your younger son.”

Verses 13-16:

(NLT) “In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.” Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.”

What Paul is truly saying is that God will use anyone and shows mercy to anyone that He chooses. The sovereignty of God involves His supremacy but also His selective will to do what He desires or to use anyone He desires. To the mind of someone who is looking through human understanding, the question of fairness may be raised as Paul asserts. He asks, “Are we saying that God was unfair?” This question was asked in reference to Jacob and Esau. It was God’s will that Esau give up his birthright to Jacob rather than Esau the eldest keeping what was by birthing order, rightfully his. In the mind of most, this would seem unfair, but in God’s mind it was purposeful.

In verses 17-18, Paul even uses the example of Pharoah in Egypt. During the time of Moses, Pharoah was a corrupt and cruel leader who held the Israelites in bondage. Scripture also points to Pharoah’s heart being hardened by God. However, it was in God’s plan to use Pharoah to show the glory of God despite what seemed like a precarious and horrid situation for the Israelites.

Paul’s point is made clear in verses 18-19:

(NLT) “So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”

Not only does God choose to give mercy to those He desires, but He also decides who He will choose in terms of the hardening of the heart. Again, Paul asks what seems like a question asked in our humanity. However, Paul gives further explanation:

(NLT) “No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this? ”When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into?”

The most important point to be made is that humanity is not in control. God has the power and the sovereignty to choose who and what He desires to use and to do so for the purposes of His will. So many have asked questions about tragedies that occur daily, and how the most evil human beings could exist. The truth is, that no one but God Himself has the answer to such questions.

In the mind of God, He knows what is best because He is God. It is also true that God can and does use what we think to be uncomfortable situations to bring glory to Himself, and to bring a better ending result within our lives. Who are we to question God in His supreme wisdom? There are many who are atheist and others who do not believe in God, who feel as though they have all of the answers. There are even those who blame God for all of the sinfulness and tragedies that occur. However, we who are the creation, do not have a right to tell the creator what to do.

As humans, we are to submit unto a Holy God and understand His Holiness and reverence Him based on who He is. The problem is that in our sinful nature, we are prideful. So, to most who are operating in sin, they are unwilling to even fathom the art of submission or obedience unto an authority, especially one that they cannot see. However, the sovereignty of God is immutable regardless of whether one chooses to believe or not.

Paul continues in verses 22-23 by saying:

(NLT) “In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory.”

The great thing about God is that He is patient. Even in our sin, He still waits for us to choose Him and to forsake our pride. Ultimately, God wants His purposes to be accomplished which will give Him glory. In turn, when we are obedient and follow Him, His glory is manifested in our lives making life more enjoyable.

Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins. If you don’t know Jesus Christ in the confession of your sins, you have an opportunity to know the God of grace, patience and mercy. Accept Christ, and see God’s will be made perfect in your life.

True Surrender – Giving Up to Gain

26 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus Christ, Life, Spiritual

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Most who have seen a white flag being raised, know it to be a symbol of surrender. The white flag has been used for centuries as a means to signify the end of a conflict by giving up one’s quest to achieve victory.  It is the admittance that one no longer has the will to fight and that the adversary that they have fought against is superior.

In our lives, we too are in a battle.  Spiritually, you and I are caught between the enemy of our soul (Satan) and the love of a Holy God who wishes to commune with us in a relationship.  Every day a war is waged for our mind, our freedom, and our eternity.  Whether you realize it or not, your eternity is constantly being decided each day that you live.  Whether you will spend it in God’s presence in Heaven, or in eternal damnation and separation with Satan in Hell – the choice you and I make can determine where we will spend our spiritual life after a physical death.

In Luke 9: 23-24 (NIV), Jesus is talking to His Disciples when he says:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

To follow Christ and to follow God’s will, you must do as Jesus said in verse 23, which is to “deny yourself”.  Jesus uses the words, “take up their cross daily” which means to crucify the flesh and to bear the weight of the call into the body of Christ.  He uses the imagery of the cross, because when Jesus was crucified He died so that our sins could be forgiven. After His death, He rose again which represents new life.  Galatians 5:24 says  in the NIV, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” So, we are to crucify our flesh by submitting ourselves to God daily.

The crucifixion of one’s flesh or self-denial is among one of the hardest things that we as humans can do.  It is due to our sinful nature that our flesh is proud and unwilling to yield to the Spirit of God.  Romans 7:18 says in the NIV, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” It is because of our sinful nature which was passed down by Adam & Eve, that we are unable to surrender without opposition.

Daily, there are many examples of those who fight in order to maintain what is believed to be “freedom” or “control”.  However, with all of the chaos that our world portrays, there is hardly any freedom or control that comes when we fail to surrender to God. Much of the distress that is shown in our society, is because of unrepentance and pride. Humanity in its fleshly nature is too proud to surrender itself to God.  A great example of pride is that of the common atheist.

Atheists are those who stand on the notion that God does not exist because there isn’t concrete evidence of His existence.  However, the element of pride enters the picture because those who are atheists would rather avoid accountability to someone who is higher.  Essentially, the idea that someone is higher than humanity is absurd in the mind of someone who doesn’t believe. As a result, a life without accountability is lived – however the danger in living as such is that consequences from sin result in both a physical and spiritual death.

Romans 8:7 says in the NIV, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Since we are born into sin, then the art of surrender does not come easily.  To surrender, one must be willing to relinquish their pride, and admit that they themselves are a sinner. The difficult part is acknowledging any wrongdoing which is usually concealed through active denial and a continuation of sin.  However, just as Jesus said to deny ourselves, there are two principles that He also references when we are at the crossroads of a decision.

After Jesus gives the command to deny oneself and take up their cross on a daily basis, Jesus also utters the phrase, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it”. To save one’s life means to believe that they are in control, or that they are their own savior. Secular humanism involves the thought that humanity has the ability to reason and conjure up solutions outside of any other deity (in this case God).  It is the refusal to admit that one needs a savior or that one must bow in a surrendered position.

When Jesus mentioned the above phrase, He meant that anyone who was adamant about believing in their own ability to save would eventually lose their life.  We cannot save ourselves because the remedy for salvation is Jesus Christ.  If we as humans could save ourselves from destruction, then much of the chaos we have seen throughout the existence of life would have been solved a long time ago.  However, it is because of the sin that remains within humanity, that we have mass casualties in war, violence that is uncalled for, injustice in societies around the world, and other sins which are a result of human pride.

However, Jesus offers the remedy in a second phrase when He says, “but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” What He means is that in order to receive salvation, the element of surrender must come into play.  To lose one’s life in this context means, to give up their own way of living and thinking, to surrender everything to God through Jesus Christ.  The reward of surrender is a life of stability, peace, and, of course, a life of eternal security with God. 

To lose your life as Jesus says, is to give up everything for the cause of Christ.  When Jesus called the original Disciples, he beckoned them from the lives that they had already known.  Many of them were entrenched in their occupations and family lives. However, the call of Jesus was one that meant leaving everything behind to follow Him. In doing so, all of His Disciples were used mightily to accomplish the great commission. Even Judas who was the traitor who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, he too was used in order to accomplish the crucifixion of Christ. Had the Disciples refused their calling, they would not have furthered the Gospel of Jesus Christ during their time or in future generations.

God is calling you to a life that is surrendered and free from the power of sin. There are so many tragedies and acts of sin that are plaguing our society today.  In the mind of the person who is unrepentant, they can’t seem to figure out why so many things are occurring in our world.  However, once your life is surrendered to God through Jesus Christ, then and only then will your eyes see the truth of why our world is the way it is. You will also be secured eternally, and your life will be a living testament of the power of a good and Holy God. Wave the white flag, and give your life to Christ to experience a life that is made new.