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Understanding God's Will

Ephesians 5:17

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

The will of God is probably one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Scriptures. Too many Christians think that the will of God is a "where" when God's Words shows us that it's a "what." I will understand where God's will is for my life when I do God's will.  I think it is important to know where God wants you to serve, but it is more important to do His will.

In the verse above, God tells us that He is about ready to show us what His will is for our lives in the following verses.  God's will is not a spooky thing that you might stumble across, for God does not work that way.  God's will is very evident, especially when you study the Scriptures.

First, God's will is for you not to be influenced by the world.  You will notice the Scriptures say in verse 18, "And be not drunk with wine..." Yes, God's will is that you don't drink alcohol, but this statement is even more than that. God is teaching that His will is for you not to let the world influence you in any way.  Christian, you must watch your influences. The world's influences will convince you not to serve God. If you want to do God's will, then don't allow the world to influence you.

Second, God's will is for you to be filled with the Spirit.  Again, the Scriptures say in verse 18, "...be filled with the Spirit." Instead of being influenced by the world, God wants you to be influenced by His Spirit.  Everyday of your life you should yield yourself to God's Holy Spirit and ask Him to influence everything that you do that day.

Third, God's will is for you to sing spiritual songs.  In verse 19, God talks about singing songs.  Now if God wants you to sing "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,..." then that would mean He would not want you to sing the world's music.  You are not going to listen to worldly music and not sing their songs. That means God's will is for you to be sure to listen to the right type of music, and also sing the right type of music.

Fourth, God's will is for you to be thankful.  In verse 20, God commands us to always be thankful.  I know, this is not what most people want to hear about God's will, but if you are not being thankful for everything, then you are not obeying God's will.  It's not hard to thank people for the good that they do for you.  This is God's will! Furthermore, it is God's will for you to be thankful for everything that happens to you in your life.  Though that may be hard, it is God's will.

Fifth, God's will is for you to get along with people.  God says in verse 21, "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." This is not talking about compromising so you can get along, but this is talking about doing your best to get along with people.  God says the way to do that is simply to submit yourself to what they want.  In other words, God's will is for you to lay your desires aside so that you can fulfill the desires of others.

Last, God's will is for husbands and wives to get along.  God spent the rest of the chapter dealing with the marital relationship.  Getting along with your spouse is as much a part of God's will as being filled with the Spirit of God.  If you don't get along with your spouse, then you are disobeying the will of God.

Are you doing God's will for your life? God's will is not very difficult.  God's will is more what you do than where you do it.  If you will do what He wants you to do every where you go, then you will find where He wants you to do it for the rest of your life.

Listen to Bro. Bill Burr (now in Heaven) bring the house down at a Pastors' School in the mid 1990's.  Enjoy!

While we contemplate the crucifixion of our Lord, listen to this thrilling sermon by Dr. Jack Hyles!

Seeing We Have This Ministry...

2 Corinthians 4:1

"Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;"

If you have a ministry in which you work in your church, let me remind you that it is a great privilege to be able to serve.  I have had the privilege my entire life of being involved in the ministry to some degree.  Because I have been involved in it for so long, I have to be careful that I don't take for granted the privilege I have to serve God.  Think with me if you will; the God of the Universe allows frail and sinful humans like you and me to represent Him.  God could have chosen many other objects to represent Him, but He chose us.  God could have created something that could never sin to represent Him, but He chose humans, who have a choice to sin or do right, to represent Him.  No matter how big your ministry is, you are privileged to work for Christ.  Because we are privileged to work for Christ in a ministry, we are reminded in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 to do several things.  

First, seeing you have this ministry, don't quit! Notice it says in the verse above, "...seeing we have this ministry...we faint not;" The ministry is not going to be easy.  There will be times when the ministry will seem like it doesn't profit at all, but you must not quit.  There will be times in the ministry when trials and tribulations will come your way, but you must not quit.  There are people who depend on you to keep going, so you must not quit.  God is depending on you to keep going, so you must not quit.  

Second, seeing we have this ministry, be honest.  In verse 2, God talks about living honestly.  In other words, you should be honest in how you deliver the Word of God.  You have no right to deliver the Word of God to fit your own lifestyle or opinion, your responsibility is to deliver the Word of God truthfully.  Too many times we try to make the Word of God fit what we believe, but instead we should make what we believe fit the Word of God.  Furthermore, be honest in your dealings with people.  Remember you are representing Christ.  Don't ruin the ministry with an immoral life.  Be honest with what you tell people.  Be honest in how you live.  You represent Christ; therefore, you should be honest.  

Third, seeing we have this ministry, then make it about Christ and not about you.  God says in verse 5, "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord..." Too many people want to talk about themselves more than they talk about Christ.  Listen, the ministry is not about how many degrees you have or what you have accomplished, it is about Christ. I am weary of Christians who constantly remind people in the pulpits or classes they teach of how many college degrees they have, what they have accomplished or how great they think they are.  The ministry is not about you, the ministry is about Christ; so make it about Him.  

Last, seeing we have this ministry, live for the eternal.  In verse 18, we are reminded to live looking "...at the things which are not seen..."  If you are going to be successful in the ministry, then you must not live for temporal things, but you must live for the eternal.  Take your eyes off of possessions and money and place them upon the eternal treasures you lay up in Heaven.  That is the only way you will survive the ministry until you die.  

The ministry is a great life. "Therefore seeing we have this ministry...," let's live according to what God commands us in 2 Corinthians 4.

Four outstanding sermons for the week of 4/10/11 await you at www.baptist-city.com.