Most of us have wondered what the will of God is for our lives. Am I correct on my assumption?
Yes, you can know God’s will for your life! Knowing His will for your life is not only possible. God put it in His Book. I’ll show you later the scripture so you can etch it in your very soul.
My blog tagline is; Choices Made ~ Make Us. We have a choice to make in everything we do and even the small decisions make us the persons we become. Beginning to know God’s will for us is the starting point. As we know Christ died and rose again for our salvation we can know His will. Keep reading since there are good choices for you to make in your walk with Jesus.
He who wanders in the woods of uncertainty will be lost.
“Jonah saw God’s will as punishment. Jesus saw God’s will as nourishment.” – Warren Wiersbe
The WILL of God for our lives is not some mystical path we are to follow.
Yes, Scripture gives us an identifiable starting point(s) to walk out His will for our lives.
To follow God’s will for our lives is to find:
1. His purpose
2. His desire
3. God’s choice for all to have eternal life.
Scriptures resonate with God’s will for our lives.
1. God’s purpose:
“…My [Jesus], purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life”. John 10:10 (NLT)
2. God’s desire:
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Ps. 37:4 (NLT)
3. God’s choice:
“… Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.” Acts 15:7 (NKJ)
But you say, “I still don’t get what God’s will is for MY life?” “Is it possible for the scripture to give me a starting point?”
YES! The word declares a clear-cut three-point jump start to fit into His will for our lives.
This morning I read this.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:16–18. (NKJ)
(It would be good to read this whole passage, from verse 14 to verse 24 of this chapter.)
Wonder no more. This scripture defines God’s will for your life. The last part of verse 18 is revealing.
“..this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Here is a bonus thought about walking in God’s will for your life.
Think about how we appreciate being with those who are joyful. People who consider prayer their life-line to God. It is always good to sit around a table with a thankful bunch. Let us BE those people.
Put into practice these three.
1. Rejoice always.
2. Continue in prayer
3. Keep a thankful attitude.
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“Rule #1: Take one more step
Rule #2: When you don’t think you can take one more step, refer to Rule #1.”
– H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Now we know what God’s will is for our lives.
At the very least we now have the starting point(s) for the abundant life Jesus has for us.
My call to action, (CTA) is:
1. When it is difficult to rejoice always, do it anyway.
2. Lift your prayers to God. He hears and understands.
3. When trouble comes knocking at your door, be thankful for what you do have.
Are past repented sins harpooning your walk with God? Read this.
Do you have a deeper insight into this? Include your comment below.
I appreciate your comments.
Thank you for reading.
Richard
In my pastoral ministry, I uncovered two disturbing thoughts. These beliefs hold Christians back from enjoying peace with God. One is the thought God had not quite forgiven them of repented sin. The other unholy thought is God’s mercy does not extend to them.
(You can read at the bottom of this post what I wrote on SIN.)
This article will dispel any thought on the availability of God’s mercy to the believer.
Let us take a look at GOD’S MERCY.
To us who have sinned there remains God’s mercy. His [God’s] mercy is an uncommon kind of mercy. Most of the time our mercy is contingent our emotional feelings at the time of the offense.
Dictionary.com defines mercy as Compassion or forgiveness when shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.
In contrast to men’s mercy, God’s mercy is not an emotional response to an offense. His mercy remains constant. God’s mercy does not change with the tide of emotion. It remains constant.
God’s mercy is like the shoreline of the ocean. When we are bobbing up and down in the waves of uncertainty, the shore remains secure. His mercy anchors our soul on His beach.
Warning!
There is one caveat though.
We must admit our need for His mercy. His mercy is stable, secure and unchangeable. We are the ones in need of mercy.
So, read on for this life-affirming news I have for you.
“God is more willing to pardon than to punish. Mercy does more multiply in Him than sin in us. Mercy is His nature.” — Thomas Watson
It is God’s very nature to have mercy. He is the personification of mercy itself.
Five powerful scriptures assuring us of God’s mercies
1. Thank God, we are not burned up in the fiery wrath of God’s judgment everytime we fail Him.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22–23 (KJV)
We have compassion when a loved one dies or is ill but then as time moves on, our compassions diminish. Yet, God’s mercy and compassion never dwindle over time. No, His unfailing concern for us remains constant. Every morning new mercies are available.
2. We have the sure mercies of David
And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the sure mercies of David.’ Acts 13:34 (NKJV)
King David sinned, we know this from reading his story. But he always returned to the shoreline of God’s mercy. This truth assures us to know God’s mercy remains for us this day.
3. Our God is GOOD!
For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. Psalms 100:5 NKJV
We serve a GOOD GOD. One who has an endless supply of mercy. His mercy remains true and steadfast even though many generations have come and gone.
4. Our God has an unlimited supply of tender mercies.
Photo by Igor Rodrigues on Unsplash
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Psalms 51:1 (KJV)
God through His Son, Jesus assures us He has an unlimited supply of mercies available for us. His mercies are tender. This is a strong kind of tender. Even though our transgressions are grave. They are dirty and filthy, His tenderness is more powerful! Powerful enough to erase our repented sin forever.
5. The enduring mercies of God.
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever. I Chronicles 16:34 (KJV)
When we have nothing to thank God for, think again. The shoreline of God’s mercies remains secure. When misfortune, illness, poverty, or friends leave us, it is good to remember. God’s mercy remains, relentless and intact. He is a good God, always willing to redeem us with His mercy.
Not The Pillow Its The Restful Mind For Colossal Sleep
“God rested-and He wasn’t tired” Anonymous
I laid my head on the pillow, and a song began forming in my slumbering mind.
“Jesus, Jesus Lord to me, master, savior, prince of peace…”
My head sank deeper into the pillow. I am enraptured in the soothing, melodious words of this song as it played in my mind.
Soon I was sound asleep only to awake 2 or 3 times through the night. Then I would again hear this song playing in the background. This happens most nights, fortunately with different songs.
Questions?
Does this happen to you?
Am I the only one?
I don’t believe I am.
Read what the ancients wrote
One of the ancients, Job, said this about God as recorded in Job 35:10.
“…who gives songs in the night.”
King David wrote; “…in the night His song shall be with me-“ (Ps.42:8)
Then there was Paul and Silas. Awake at midnight praying and singing hymns to God while prisoners listened. (Acts 16:25)
Seems like I’m in pretty good company!
Why would God give “songs in the night”?
Some reasons are very evident.
God loves us and desires that we have a deep, restful sleep.
It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. Ps. 127:2
Music soothes the troubled soul.
Songs of worship draw us closer to Him and in Him is the peace that passes understanding.
It is in the quiet of the night time hour when the physical busyness of our day is past.
God wants to take us aside and revel in His presence.
Life’s distractions have faded with the setting sun. Our verbal communication with others is over, so now He draws us into His embrace.
Did I hear someone say; “No distractions!
“I have all the pressures of the world bearing down on me,” you say.
Remember, Its Not The Pillow, Its The Restful Mind For Colossal Sleep
Photo by Michael Maasen on Unsplash
The prerequisite for having the midnight song resonating in your spirit is a vital relationship with God.
The men, Job, King David, Paul, and Silas mentioned in the scripture above knew God. Each had an intimate relationship with Him. Without that, chaos rules the night.
Some items to scrap off the plate during the day.
1. The phone calls left on the voicemail, were they returned throughout the day?
2. The e-mail, was a reply sent?
3. Were the necessary visits made?
4. Items left unsettled that you should have taken care of earlier?
5. Have you made peace with your past?
It was Anonymous who said; “The past is always going to be what it was, stop trying to change it.”
Some things are not so easy to take care of.
Make the choice to plan for change.
Here are a few ideas to consider.
1. Live each day in the orchard of the fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 instructs us to “walk” in this orchard.
Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
2. Have you ever noticed that in Ephesians 4:26 we read this command; “not let the sun go down on our wrath.”
Where I live, sunset precedes my going to bed from one to four hours depending on the season of the year.
So I have time to think. To settle remaining issues and relax before my head hits the pillow.
You might ask, why songs in the night?
Midnight songs keep us adjusted to the truth that God loves and cares for us. At times I almost think I hear songs from God’s side of heaven. Then there are times when He speaks, and I have to pour out words of repentance. At other times His assurance wraps around my soul, and all is well.
Then this song bubbles up within me:
“My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought. My sin not in part, but the whole nailed to the cross, and I hear it no more, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, O my soul! It is well with my soul, It is well with my soul. (verse 3 of It is Well With My Soul Horatio G. Spafford and Philip B. Bliss)
History shows that the most achieving people in the world are inner-directed people. Without inner direction, a person will have a problem with decision making. Patience is a must making it a good choice.
Patience has to come from deep within a person.
Forced patience is an exercise in futility.
First, we will see what patience is not.
1. Patience is not indifference; a shrugging of the shoulders and saying, ‘who cares?’.
2. Patience is not resignation; dropping the head and saying, ‘whatever will be, will be.’
3. Patience is not throwing up the hands and saying, ‘we’ll have to wait and see.’
What patience is:
1. Patience is an active emotion. There is an expectancy involved.
2. Patience is an ability you have to bear trials without grumbling — the skill involved in steady perseverance that endures to the end.
3. Patience is a gift from God to you as a believer.
Our God is a God of patience.
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.” Rom.15:5 (NKJ)
Christ is your example.
“Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” II Thess. 3:5 ( NKJ)
The Holy Spirit is your source.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.” Gal. 5:22, 23 (NKJ)
Patience is a worker in perfecting you.
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:4 (NKJ)
I have three reasons for you to grow in your patience ability.
1. To reach maturity for growth in your Christian walk.
2. To be an asset to the body of Christ and not a liability.
3. To finish your race with a ‘well done, good and faithful servant.’
Two thoughts to develop patience within you?
1. Think ‘Long-term’ thoughts.
Develop a long-term perspective on where you are going which makes it easier to have patience.
Describe what your result is to be. Then work back to the beginning.
What your life, health, attitude, and spiritual maturity is now. How should these change over a year?
Give a thought about your family and how they view you?
2. Think “The Law of the Farm.”
Photo by Benji Mellish from Pexels
The law of the harvest – What you sow, you reap.
Accept the fact that you are a mortal bound by natural laws.
Miracles are exceptions to fundamental laws.
Do you live your life always expecting the exception?
Both natural law and miracles are God-given. Respect both.
Charles Dickens gives excellent insight on the way to nurture your patience with this quote:
“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
Begin each day with a time of reflection.
Each morning my wife and I reflect on the blessings we have during our devotion time. Having a time of reflection sets the tone for our day. This time of reflection extends our patience for future benefits.
Three thousand years have rolled through the pages of time. Yet, one man’s name blazes through Biblical pages because of how he began his prayers.
It is one thing to have a name listed along with many others in scripture. It is quite another when noted exactly what sets him apart from 284 other men.
That is the case of one man by the name of, Mattaniah.
Mattaniah…the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer; Nehemiah 11: 17
Of the 284 Levites who lived in Jerusalem, he’s named twice. Both times with the notation that he led a prayer with thanksgiving.
Yet a third time he is part of a group of Levites who gave praise and thanks within the city (Nehemiah 11:17, 12:8, 24–25).
A personality trait worthy of pursuing is to exhibit a sincere attitude of gratitude.
It is good to express gratitude for what we have in this life.
We do not know much about Mattaniah. He was a Levite. A servant to the priests. Also a gatekeeper. Above all else God wants us to know him as a man who leads out with thanksgiving in his prayers. Wow!
“Thou that hast given so much to me, give one thing more: a grateful heart.” George Herbert 17th century British poet.
Identify your identity definitely.
We identify ourselves often by the position or place in the family we hold. But others recognize us by the attitudes we display.
Yes, Mattaniah had a job; Levite and gatekeeper. His view of gratitude though made all the difference in how his name is listed.
This leads me to ponder the following questions.
Do we want to be remembered by the position we held?
Or by the attitude, we displayed while holding that position?
These word cousins; gratitude, thankfulness, appreciation, and graciousness build strong character in us. When the meaning of these words become ingrained in the way we live, peace reigns in our soul. We become much better at facing and dealing with day to day challenges. We make decisions with ease. A better person emerges. One which is more likable. Others will approach and accept us into their social circles.
Why does this remarkable change take place?
Mattaniah shows us the way; he “began” with thanksgiving.
His starting point was;
Thankfulness.
Enterhisgateswith thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalms 100:4 (NLT)
Beginning each day with a grateful heart sets the tone for the whole day. The interactions we have with others are more pleasant.
Lord, teach us to have a lifestyle seasoned with an appreciation for all that You have given us in this life. Give us words of gratitude to encourage others in their journey of faith. Amen.
