Tag: will of God
The Father’s Will!
Scripture reading for April 14: John 6
“Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him Who sent Me. And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”” John 6:35-40
Sin gives each person a sense of guilt and a deeper and often hidden fear of standing judgment. We often seek to suppress this fear through religion or good works or adopting lifestyles of self indulgence. But when we use good works, we can never be sure when we have done enough. Jesus told His followers several interesting things about His own will and that of His Father concerning rejection and God’s will and care. These are truths that set us free if we will believe them and act in obedience.
First of all, Jesus declared, after feeding five thousand from the loaves and fish, that He was the true ‘Bread of Life.” If anyone will come to Jesus, they will never hunger or thirst again. Whoever comes to Jesus will never be cast out or rejected. The Father gives this promise to those who believe in His Son. God’s will is that none of these will be lost, even though all but those raptured will die, they will be resurrected. Jesus assured His followers that He would raise them up on that last day. Sadly, many of those who saw Jesus and heard His Word and saw the miracles and signs never believed in Him.
When you read these amazing promises about eternal life and satisfaction of hunger and thirst, are they comforting to you or troubling? If the Father desires that all who come to Jesus, His Son, have eternal life, are you living in that assurance today? Do you fear death or look forward to the promised resurrection?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your divine and precious promises revealing Your will and love for us. I believe and rest in assurance that Your Word is eternal truth. I trust You to keep me safe, even from myself, and the schemes of Satan. You are the Bread of Life and satisfy my soul completely! Amen.
Accomplishing the Father’s work
Scripture reading for October 27th: Ezekiel 11-12, Psalm 83, John 4
John 4: 34-39 “Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”.
Jesus had talked with the Samaritan woman at the well, violating all norms of that day. His disciples had gone into town to purchase food and Jesus stayed by the well to minister to a woman who had had many husbands. He drew her out by asking her for a drink of water and then told her He had living water that would quench her thirst once and for all time. He also revealed to her that He was the Messiah, called Christ. She ran to town and told of this encounter to everyone she met. She and the townspeople streamed out to see Jesus. This is where Jesus shared this word about the white harvest and the Father’s work. Following Jesus is about accomplishing the Father’s work of bringing lost people to Jesus.
Psalm 83:1, 18 “O God, do not keep silence; do not hold Your peace or be still, O God! . . .that they may know that You alone, Whose Name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.”
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your amazing work of creation and new creation. Thank You that You see people as Your great ripe harvest and for commissioning Your Church to enter into Your work of sowing the Word of the Gospel and bringing many to Jesus Christ, even from the ends of the earth and from among those who were once far away and enemies. Use me today to sow or reap or raise up workers!
Ezekiel 11:17-19 “Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God, I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, . . .”
God is faithful!
Scripture reading for June 18th: 1st Thessalonians 5
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 5:16-24 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He Who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”
Paul closes this letter with an exhortation and a promise. He calls on the believers to be filled with joy and rejoicing and faithful in prayer and thanksgiving. This is the simple will of God. They must not quench the Spirit nor despise prophesies, but test everything to see if it is of God. They are to abstain and avoid every form of evil. He states that God will Himself sanctify them completely–spirit, soul, and body. God alone is faithful and will do it through the Holy Spirit and God’s Word (Prophesy). By faith in Christ and His grace we will be counted blameless at His sudden return and receive a glorified body, like His glorious body. Amen!
1st Thessalonians 5:28 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for helping me through the indwelling Holy Spirit to be transformed into Your image and abstain from all forms of evil. I trust You to complete this process at Your return as You are faithful and true! I await in hope complete sanctification of spirit, soul and body.
1st Thessalonians 5:9-10 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him.”
Abstain from sexual sin!
Scripture reading for June 17th: 1st Thessalonians 4
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 4:3-7 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us to impurity, but in holiness. Therefore, whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, Who gives His Holy Spirit.”
The apostle Paul loved the Thessalonian believers and because of this told them the truth in very clear terms. Sexual immorality was a problem in that culture, as in every Gentile nation. God has not called us to impurity and immorality, but to holiness and being set apart for Him. He desires godly offspring, raised in a covenant marriage between a man and a woman who know God. In fact, sexual immorality wrongs those involved and God is the Avenger of all sexual sins. Those sins include fornication (any sex outside of marriage), adultery (sex with another’s marriage partner), homosexual relationships, incest, and pornography and related sins. This is God’s instruction, not Paul’s or man’s. To disregard this will bring God’s vengeance.
1st Corinthians 6:9-11 “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, not thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me and clearly warning all Your brothers and sisters concerning sexual immorality. I believe that You are the avenger of such sins. Help me to clearly and lovingly preach the truth of the Gospel and call people to repentance from these sins and cleansing by Jesus’ blood. My greatest joy will be Your return!
1st Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
Steadfast in prayer!
Scripture reading for June 10th: Colossians 4
Key Scriptures: Colossians 4:2-6 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison–that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Paul closes this letter to the Colossians with an encouragement to pray and with a request for prayer himself. He encourages continuous prayer as a way to strengthen and prepare the believers. Prayer keeps us watchful and thankful for God’s provision. Prayer helps us to focus on God’s will and ask and depend on Him for our needs and His priorities. In light of this, Paul from prison, asks for open doors. Not prison doors either, but doors of opportunity to share the Gospel with lost prisoners or jailers. He also asks that He be able to clearly speak God’s Word and know how to respond to each person. That is true for all us who believe in Jesus and pray continuously.
Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes I struggle to pray for others. Help me to be faithful and steadfast in prayer. I want believers that I know to be mature and fully assured in the will of God.
First Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
The will of the Lord be done
Scripture reading for May 4th: Acts 21
Key Scriptures: Acts 21:10-14 “While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we ceased and said, “Let the will of the Lord be done.””
Paul was set on going to Jerusalem and on the way, stopped by Philip the evangelist’s home and stayed there many days. A known prophet from Judea came by and in a prophetic act and word, told Paul what was coming as he would reach Jerusalem. The disciples and Philip tried to talk Paul into avoiding Jerusalem. Paul, although moved by their concern, knew the will of the Lord. He was ready to face whatever lie ahead for the Name of Jesus, even death as a martyr. Those there recognized that God’s will must be done, no matter how they felt emotionally about Paul or how much Paul loved them.
Mark 14:36 “And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.””
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us and strengthening us for coming times of trial. Thank You for prophetic words and warnings. May I always follow Your will, no matter what my personal feelings or even urgings of my own family and friends.
Matthew 16:21-22 “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord! This shall never happen to You.””
Having eternal impact!
Scripture reading for November 20th: 1st John 2, Psalm 91-92, Proverbs 16
Key Scriptures: 1st John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life–is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
John cautioned followers of Christ to hold the things of this world with an open hand. The human desires for power, material things, and status did not come from God the Father, but from our flesh and the world we live in. This world and its desires are passing away. It is very temporary. As Christ’s disciples, we must seek and obey the will of God. That is eternal and life indeed!
Faith Confession: Lord, forgive me for holding on to the things of this world and often following its desires. Help me today to embrace Your will and obey Your word with joy and eternal hope! You promise the best is yet to come! Amen!
Proverbs 16:20 “Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Relationship with Jesus!
Scripture reading for January 16th: Genesis 39-42, Matthew 12
Key Scriptures: Matthew 12:46-50 “While He was still speaking to the people, behold, His mother and His brothers stood outside, asking to speak with Him. But He replied to the man who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus used a visit by His own family to illustrate a point to His disciples. They were in Christ’s family because they had responded to His call and followed Jesus and learned from Him His will and ways. Joseph in Genesis followed God to do His will and his brothers came before him!
Genesis 42:6-7 “Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to know You and walk with you in intimate relationship. I want Your will to come first in my life! Thank You for the new birth and adoption into Your family! Amen!
The necessity of preaching!
Scripture reading for March 9th: Luke 4
Key scriptures for over-comers: Luke 4:42-43 “At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.“”
Jesus based all His ministry on prayer. He often withdrew from the crowd and His own disciples to seek the Father’s will and direction. People were motivated by His ministry to seek Jesus out. They tried to keep Him with them and begged Him to stay with them longer.
But Jesus had a good grasp on the mission given Him by the Father. He must seek out and save lost people and give all a chance to see and hear about the kingdom of God and the good news of repentance and forgiveness of sins. (Luke 19:10) He did not let crowd pressure determine His agenda, but followed the Father’s plan to reach out to all men. He set an example for all His followers and for us today! God chose the foolishness of preaching to save those who would believe! (1st Corinthians 1:21)
Observations for over-comers: We must be careful of crowd pressure and the desire to please men. Prayer and obedience to God’s call to preach the good news must always take precedence! “”. . .but let the one who has My word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not My word like a fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:28-29)