Now you can help support ChristiansAreUs.com and all it represents and help us move forward to expand our ability to get the Gospel out into the world by donating. Unfortunately, these things aren't free or cheap.
Many of you told us you wouldn't donate until we offered PayPal as a payment option. You apparently weren't bluffing, so we finally caved and added PayPal. Now — like the unbeliever faced with God's invisible qualities displayed in nature — you are without excuse.
All you must do is just CLICK the button below.
Thank you in advance for your donation and support for the ministry of ChristiansAreUs.com.
See what the rave is about...
Enter "CHRISTIANS" in the coupon code space for a 20% Discount!
If you’ve ever wondered what it is that the Lord wants us to do to be in His will, well here you go. If it doesn’t fit within those walls then you might want to think twice about what you are about to do.
Posted by Christians Are Us on June 8, 2013
https://christiansareus.com/2013/06/08/what-to-do-next/
“I thought that things were going O.K. lately and didn’t realize that I was doing something wrong but apparently I guess I have been.”
Have you thought that recently but then in your daily life you don’t seem to see God’s hand working in your life? You haven’t really seen God’s blessings apparent in your life or surrounding you? If you are a “child” (under 18 or still living with mom and dad), has it seemed that you aren’t getting things like you would like them?
I could take this any number of different directions and none of them would be off course. But, I will only try to stick to a couple of different avenues here.
I constantly hear people wanting to know how to find the will of God for their lives. I also hear some of the same people ask why they don’t seem to see God’s blessings in their lives.
What do I mean by God’s blessings? Some of us might think that God’s blessings would be just waking up in the morning and they would be correct, but people seem to take things like that for granted. Most people consider God’s blessings to be something like finding a $10 bill on the sidewalk or something out of the blue like that. Maybe it could be that your car broke down and a friend of yours fixed it for you without you having to incur major labor bills to get it fixed.
You see, when you are doing God’s will you will start to see some of these blessings pop up. You also must realize that when you are doing God’s will, you are also accumulating rewards and riches in heaven rather than on earth, so, you may not see some of your “blessings” here on earth, but eventually you will see them and going the extra mile to do God’s will will actually be worth it for you.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
We find may places in scripture telling us what to do and what not to do. It spells things out pretty clearly what God wants us to do to receive the blessings for our actions. The above verse tells us that we are to think on, and eventually do, all of these things: True, Honest, Just, Pure, Lovely, Of Good Report, Virtuous and Worthy Of Praise — we are to “think on these things”.
How many times do we go through our days, one after the other, in our ruts, and we do the same things day after day… and everything we are doing (or at least most everything) is for us. It’s all about “ME”. We are all worried about ourselves and what affects us and our well being. If something goes against US then we will most likely not do it.
When was the last time you held a door open for someone behind you going into a fast food restaurant and let them go into the line in front of you? When was the last time you, when driving, let someone in in front of you when you didn’t really have to, instead of squeezing them out and not letting them in? After all, they were the ones that were merging, not you.
That is just a couple of examples of selfishness – and I could go on and on with many more examples, but I think you might have the idea that I am getting at here.
Many times in the Bible, we see that God is telling us that we should always put others first before ourselves.
Proverbs 18:24 “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly…” — Here we see that we are to act first before we get the reward. Here the action is to be friendly and the reward is to have friends.
Rarely is it that we get something before we do something to get it. We aren’t going to get paid for doing a job before we do the job.
The Bible lays it out for us: if we are to receive a blessing, we are first to act in a manner that is bless-able (I’m sure that isn’t a word, but it works). I have prepared a post that lists a whole bunch of Bible verses that spell out what IS the will of God, how to FIND the will of God and what to DO to be in the will of God. You can read it here.
I will give you a few references here that will give you an idea what I was talking about before – just so you know that this isn’t just me trying to get you to do something for ME but rather for your own well-being and for you to receive the blessings of God. Keep following me here:
1 Peter 3:17 “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” — We are told here that we should do the right thing (“well doing”) even if it means that we suffer for it.
Mark 3:35 “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.“ — If we do the will of God as it is spelled out, we act as the family of Jesus. What better blessing can there be than that?
2 Corinthians 8:5 “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.” — Putting themselves last, they first gave themselves to the Lord as is the will of God. If we do this, we will be more willing to put others before ourselves and therefore receive the blessing.
Ephesians 6:6 “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;” — If we do the will of God from the heart, with the right spirit, we are the servants of Christ. Because we are doing it in the right spirit, we are doing it for God rather than so that others can see us and we can receive the glory of men for it.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” — Staying away from fornication is just another way to do the will of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” — It is the will of God that we give thanks – even if things don’t go the way that we want them to go. Remember that God has a master plan for our lives that we don’t know about. Every time that something goes “wrong”, it might be an inconvenience to us, but in reality, it prepares us to be able to serve Him in another area, another time. Give thanks, always!
Hebrews 10:36 “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” — Patience is required. God’s timing is perfect regardless what we think it should be or not, He knows what is best for us. He promises to take care of us. Give it to Him and let Him live out His promise.
1 Peter 2:15 “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:” — Remember that when you are doing the will of God, the other “men” are the ignorant and foolish ones – not you! Don’t worry about what they might say about you or do to you.
1 Peter 4:2 “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” — The “flesh” is the lusts of men — the desires to live in sin and the sin nature that we, as Christians, have sworn off — we should live out the rest of our lives doing the will of God.
1 Peter 4:19 “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” — We are God’s, as Christians. Therefore, as we suffer for doing the will of God we are to allow God to take care of us.
1 John 2:17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” — This goes with the previous verse: the things of the world are only temporary and also the pleasure that is derived from doing the things of the world and those things will pass away – they are only pleasurable in this life – but, if we do the will of God, we will live forever with God in heaven.
Matthew 20:16 “So the last shall be first, and the first last:” — As we go through our lives and live for ourselves, putting ourselves first, the Bible here indicates that the first (or those who live for themselves as being first) will be the last, but those who live for others (putting themselves after others – last) will end up being first. This can almost be a selfish thing to do. If you live for others for yourself, you will not receive a reward, but rather, if you live for others in the right spirit, then you will receive the reward and thus become first.
1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” — As we are living for others and in the right spirit, we deflect the glory from ourselves and onto God. He alone should receive the glory.
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” — I mentioned this verse earlier, but it comes into play here again, if we do all of these things and receive any “virtue” lavished onto ourselves, we are to give that virtue and any praise that might be given you, to Christ. This is similar to the wide receiver in a football game that receives a touchdown pass and kneels in the end zone and says a small prayer to show the fans that he is not taking the praise for the achievement but rather giving it to God. This is not a show-off thing for him to do to make him look better but rather he wants God to look better for allowing him and giving him the strength and ability to get that touchdown…
John 15:5 “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” — We can do NOTHING without the power of God — even if a person isn’t a Christian, God has created them and has given them the ability to do whatever we/they do. Without God, we are powerless!
I hope that with this list of verses, you can see that it is the will of God that we DO NOT live for ourselves, but rather for others. We need to put this acronym into action:
J — Jesus
O — Others
Y — You
If you do things in this order you will experience true JOY. It takes a lot of effort to do this and it really isn’t easy to start with, but once you start doing it, and in the right spirit, you will start seeing God’s blessings in your life and you will have more happiness than you have ever experienced before.
Teens reading this:
If you start living like this, your parents will think that an alien has taken their child. If you do things when they ask you to do them — “Delayed obedience is disobedience”; “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:20) — you will be doing the will of God in this regard and will notice that the air in your house will be much easier to breathe. Your parents will not believe it is you.
If you are a new Christian and start living like this, you will be living as God wants you to live and you will make your parents wonder what it is that makes the difference in your life and that will give you the opportunity to share the gospel with them as well. If they see no difference in you, you may never see them in heaven with you.
Posted by Christians Are Us on May 14, 2013
https://christiansareus.com/2013/05/14/why-do-i-not-see-the-blessings-of-god-in-my-life/
(how to find, know, and obey)
Ephesians 5: 17
“Wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
— Proverbs 16: 3
“Commit thy works unto the LORD,
and thy thoughts shall be established.”
1 Samuel 15: 22
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
Psalm 119: 105 —
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.”
— Psalm 32: 8, 9
8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee
in the way which thou shalt go:
I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule,
which have no understanding:
whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle,
lest they come near unto thee.”
1 Thessalonians 5: 18
“In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Psalm 25: 4, 5 —
4 “Shew me thy ways, O LORD;
teach me thy paths.
5 “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me:
for thou art the God of my salvation;
on thee do I wait all the day.”
Hebrews 13: 20-21
20 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21 “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4: 3
“For this is the will of God,
even your sanctification,
that ye should abstain from fornication:”
1 John 2: 16 – 17 —
16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
is not of the Father, but is of the world.
17 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Luke 6: 46
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord,
and do not the things which I say?”
— Romans 12: 1 – 2
¹ “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
² “And be not conformed to this world:
but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
John 6: 38 – 40
38 “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Matthew 28: 19
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
Matthew 7: 21 – 23 —
21 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils?
and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 “And then will I profess unto them,
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
— Ephesians 5: 15 – 20
15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise,
16 “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 “Wherefore be ye not unwise,
but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess;
but be filled with the Spirit;
19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Matthew 6: 33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Jeremiah 29: 11 – 13
11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 “Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Isaiah 55: 11 —
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth:
it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish
that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
2 Peter 3: 9
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward,
not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.”
1 Thessalonians 4: 3 – 5
3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification,
that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 “That every one of you should know how to
possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 “Not in the lust of concupiscence,
even as the Gentiles which know not God:”
1 John 3: 10 —
“In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil:
whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that loveth not his brother.”
Ephesians 1: 11
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
John 7: 17
“If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.”
— Isaiah 46: 10
“Declaring the end from the beginning,
and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,
My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:”
Psalms 40: 8 —
“I delight to do thy will, O my God:
yea, thy law is within my heart.”
1 Thessalonians 5: 22
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
2 Corinthians 5: 17
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
— Luke 8: 21
“And he answered and said unto them,
My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God,
and do it.”
John 14: 15
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
<< Go back to the Armed To Be Dangerous main page
Posted by Christians Are Us on April 24, 2013
https://christiansareus.com/2013/04/24/the-will-of-god/
“Many people ask me what can they do to find out what God’s will is for their life.
My Answer: I’m too busy doing things for God to find out what His will is for me to do for Him.”
— Mark Davis
Philippians 2: 13
“For it is God which worketh in you both
to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Posted by Christians Are Us on March 16, 2013
https://christiansareus.com/2013/03/16/what-is-gods-will-for-my-life/
Immediately following my salvation experience, my pastor’s wife asked me to take her to a Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) teachers training class. We met every week during the school year. This training has been invaluable to me in my Christian walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
This class was divided into two parts. First, we were taught how to take the Bible, and develop a good Bible lesson and we were taught how to show someone how to be saved. We memorized Bible verses so that we had Scripture in our minds to pass on to others so that they could be saved. It is the Word of God that the Holy Spirit uses to change people’s lives. We were taught to always give the salvation message in every lesson, as well as those truths that would help a saved child to grow in confidence in his/her salvation and how to live a life pleasing to God. We were taught that in every class, most likely, there are both saved and unsaved children. Each child has a need to be given those Bible truths that will help them at their point of need. The saved child needs to know how to live pleasing to his Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. The unsaved child needs to know what Jesus has done for him so the child can put his trust in Jesus for his salvation.
The other half of the session was a Good News Club. Here, a Bible lesson was taught, and we adults were the “children” in the class. The idea was that we would go out and teach that lesson in a Good News Club in our community.
After my husband had become a born-again believer, we had a club in our home. One day, our second daughter, about 5, raised her hand at the invitation to receive Jesus, and her Daddy counseled her, and she put her trust in Jesus to save her at that time. She is a grandmother now, and dates her salvation to that day.
Because of his work, my husband was not able to be a part of a Good News Club after that year. That was sad, because it is hard to find a better team than a husband and wife as teachers in a Good News Club. Though my husband could not help, I continued teaching a club, either in our home or a friend’s home for many years. I continued to teach even after my children had grown up and left the nest.
Maybe you are wondering what a Good News Club is. Children from the neighborhood are invited to come to the home for an hour, usually immediately after school. During that hour, refreshments are given. The children are taught songs, a Bible verse to memorize which they are encouraged to recite the next week, and they are taught a Bible lesson. There are visuals for the songs, verses, and the lesson. At the end of the lesson, an invitation is given for those who want to, to come and talk to us so that we could help them make the decision to receive Jesus as their Savior. No pressure is to be put on the children; this is to be a choice they would make for themselves. These classes meet once a week through most of the school year.
In recent years, we have been allowed to hold a Good News in the school. Bible clubs are allowed with he same rules and restrictions as secular clubs have. I have been a part of a Good News Club in a local grade school for the past 5 or 6 years. Last year we averaged about 30 students, and so far this year we have had about 20.
For more information about a “Good News Club”
It has been such a privilege to be doing the work that I believe God has called me to do. My joy and delight is to teach children. It would be a great joy to teach persons of any age, but I believe God has called me to teach children. When I am in front of a class of precious boys and girls I am truly happy.
Has my life always reflected Jesus? Sorry to say, “No”. I have failed Him miserably so many times. But my Lord Jesus Christ has never failed me. He has been there in my times of need. He has answered so many of my prayers, even though I have not deserved such goodness from Him. I am so thankful for such verses as; John 6:37, “…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” and Hebrews 13:5, “. . . I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”. I am so thankful that someone came to me with the gospel message.
It could be that someone who reads this is in similar circumstances as I was for the first 23 years of my life . . . in confusion and fearing God’s eternal judgment. Such a person does not have to continue in that fear. I would have been spared a lot of misery if I had learned these truths as a child. The Gospel is simply the “GOOD NEWS” that God has provided the Way for us to know that we can be forgiven of our sins and to know that we will, one day, be in God’s heaven.
The following is a presentation of that wonderful gospel message: To do this, I will use the letters A through D to help with that presentation.
A. Admit . . . that you have sinned against a holy God.
God tells us that we have all sinned:
Romans 3:23 — “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
You need to know that sin has consequences, and that is death – forever separated from God.
Romans 6:23 — “For the wages of sin is death. . .”
That death is an eternal death, that the one who dies without Jesus will be in a terrible place called hell . . . forever. The Bible says that it is a place where “the fire is not quenched”. That fact is so awful that we find it hard to comprehend.
B. Believe . . . that Jesus took your place — your punishment — for sin when He died on the cross.
II Corinthians 5:21 — “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”
We could read this verse this way:
“For He (God the Father) hath made Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) to be sin for us (you and me, the sinners), who knew no sin (Jesus is perfectly good, no sin in Him) that we might be made the righteous of God (perfectly good in God’s sight) in Him (in the Lord Jesus Christ)”.
We need to understand that Jesus died, but didn’t stay dead. He was buried and rose again.
I Corinthians 15:3,4 — “. . . how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures: and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day, according to the scriptures”.
We must understand that we cannot do anything to save ourselves, Jesus did it all for us.
Ephesians 2:8,9 — “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Because Jesus took our place – took all of our punishment for sin – we can be forgiven for all our sin.
Ephesians 1:7 — “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace”.
C. Choose, Confess (or Call) . . . upon Jesus, trusting Him, and asking Him to save you.
Romans 10:13 — “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
When we believe, then we can ask. Prayer does not save us. Prayer is the means of communication between God and us. Believing in what the Lord Jesus did for us, does.
Romans 10:9,10 — “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”.
Another promise verse is this:
Acts 16:31 — “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house”.
Do you believe God when He says that you have sinned and that you are a sinner? Do you believe that Jesus is the Lord? Do you believe that Jesus took your punishment and completely paid your sin debt when He gave His blood and died on the cross? Do you believe that he died, was buried, and three days later rose again and is alive? Do you believe God’s promise that when you believe, you are saved simply because you believe? If your answer to all these questions is “Yes”, tell it to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to save you so that you will never be punished in hell for your sin, and that one day you will be in God’s heaven.
D. Depend . . . on God’s Word to know that you are saved. The question is, do you know for sure that you are saved? If you say, “Yes”, the next question is, “How do you know that?” You can know for sure when you depend on what God has promised.
Both Romans 10:9, 10, 13 and Acts 16:31 are promise and condition verses. That is, they give you God’s promise, and what you must do to receive that promise.
In Romans 10: 9,10,13 What is God’s promise? That you would be saved.
What is the condition you must meet so that you are saved? You must believe.
Did you do your part? If you say, “Yes, I did my part. I believed.”
Then the next question is, “Did God do his part”? Obviously, there is no doubt that God will do what He has promised. When we fulfill the condition part of the promise, then God will do the promise part. We simply trust God’s Word, that He will do everything He has promised.
If you did your part, then God kept His promise, and you are saved; all your sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven.
Colossians 2:13 — “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses”.
Forgiveness of sins is the most wonderful gift anyone could ever receive. It is also the most costly gift ever given. Jesus has commanded us to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” There is no higher calling for us who have trusted Jesus for our salvation, than this, to show sinners how they can receive that precious gift of eternal life.
How about you, dear reader, have your sins been forgiven? It is written in II Peter 3:9, the Lord is “. . . longsuffering, not willing that any should perish.”
The Lord loves you and is not willing for you to spend eternity in hell. Today is the day of salvation. Even though God loves you, there will come a day when it is too late.
Hebrews 9:22, — “. . . it is appointed for man once to die, but after this the judgment. . .”
If there is any doubt about your salvation, please, make that choice today while there is yet time.
A Letter To A Young “Bride-To-Be”
Doris Swartz Pt. 1 – How I Traded Fear For Peace
Posted by Christians Are Us on January 28, 2013
https://christiansareus.com/2013/01/28/doris-swartz-pt-2-how-god-led-me-to-work-with-children/
Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
http://www.shadesofgrace.org/
After we have accepted Christ, God has a perfect will for us. To realize the full blessings God has for us, we need to submit our lives to know and then to do His will. It is only as we are yielded to walk in the will of God that we will realize the fulfillment of God’s purpose in our lives.
1. We cannot plan our own lives.
Jeremiah 10:23 — “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”
Proverbs 20:24 — “Man’s goings are of the Lord; how can a man then understand his own way?”
2. God has a will for each of His children.
Romans 12:2 — “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
3. Jesus Christ set the example while on earth when He sought as the God-man to do the will of the Father.
John 5:30 — “I can of mine own self do nothing; as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
This prayer of our Lord Jesus in Matthew 26:39 reveals the very secret of His life during His earthly humiliation.
“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying. O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.“
Hebrews 10:7 —“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.”
This quote of the eternal Son of God is given in Psalm 40:7, 8.
4. The Apostle Paul set an example for us.
a. When Paul met the Lord on the Damascus road, his first question was, “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Paul, by answering this question, came to know the Lord as his Saviour. The second question he asked was, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). This same sequence should take place in the lives of believers. First, we should come to know who the Lord is and thereby be saved. Then we should follow salvation with the request to know the will of God.
b. Paul knew he was an apostle by the will of God.
1 Corinthians 1:1 — “Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, . . .”
See also 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; and Colossians 1:1.
c. Paul desired that those believers to whom he ministered might know the will of God.
Colossians 1:9 — “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
5. Only God knows the future.
Psalm 1:6 — “For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Isaiah 48:17 — “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.”
6. God wants us to know the will of God.
Hebrews 13:20, 21 — “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Note in Colossians 4:12 that Epaphras labored in prayer that the Colossian Christians might do God’s will. “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
7. God commands us to know His will.
Ephesians 5:17 — “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.”
8. God commands us to obey His will.
Ephesians 6:5, 6 — “Servants, be obedient . . . as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”
1. Obeying God’s Word and thereby living in the will of God brings lifelong blessing.
1 John 2:17 — “. . . He that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”
Psalm 1:2, 3 — “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water . . . and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Joshua 1:8 — “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
2. God’s plan is for believers only.
Psalm 25:12 — “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shalt he teach in the way that he shall choose.”
To the one who states that God is his hiding place, the Lord promises in Psalm 32:8 — “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”
3. God will lead each step of the believer.
Psalm 37:23 — “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”
Psalm 119:105 — “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Proverbs 3:6 — “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
4. God’s plan is definite and specific.
Isaiah 30:21 — “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.”
Proverbs 15:19 — “The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.”
5. God’s will is best for us.
Romans 12:1, 2 — “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service . . . that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Psalm 143:10 — “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good: lead me into the land of uprightness.”
From all of these previous verses, it is easy to see that God’s will and plan for us as believers will be the very best for us and will result in a joyous and victorious life in which the saved walk with Him. Outside of a life surrendered to the will of God, a believer will find lost fellowship, confusion, heartache, and barrenness. The tragedy is that too many Christians have not recognized the importance of the will of God for their lives and thereby have not realized the impact of the blessing of doing God’s will.
1. Preparation of the heart
We must be willing to do God’s will.
Psalm 143:10 — “Teach me to do thy will.”
2. Presentation of the life
Romans 12:1 — “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Romans 6:13 — ” . . . but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
3. Practice His will
From Proverbs 3:5, 6 we note the following two truths:
a. We must have no will of our own, no preconceived notions as to God’s will.
Proverbs 3:5 — ” . . . lean not unto thine own understanding.”
b. We must acknowledge the Lord in all our ways.
Proverbs 3:6 — “In all thy ways acknowledge him. . . “
This means that we must clearly say, “Yes, Lord,” to every evidence of His direction in our lives. To acknowledge His leadership means to be in a state of submission to His Word and to His providential guidance.
4. Proof of His will
When a believer is willing to be lead by the Lord, he will have the proof in his life.
Romans 12:2 — ” . . . that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, stated clearly, ” . . . I being in the way, the Lord led me . . . “ (Genesis 24:27). He went out not knowing how God would lead. When he arrived, he looked back and knew the proof of God’s leading.
Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea. On the other shore he looked back and sang of God; “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation” (Exodus 15:13).
How wonderful it is to follow the leading of the Lord! This blessing is to those who have surrendered their wills to Him. God gives a peace and rest in the heart and life. There is a joy when we know we have not allowed self, personal desire, or human reasoning to lead; but rather be have permitted God Himself by His Spirit to lead our lives.
1. Confirmation of the Word
Everything we do should be according to God’s Word. He will not lead contrary to His Word.
2. Circumstances indicating the will of God
God permits circumstances to come into our lives so that we can know His leading.
3. Conviction that this is His will
When God reveals His will, He will give a settled peace that He is leading. When that peace is missing, a Christian should be careful not to rush ahead (Isaiah 30:15).
4. Crucifixion of self
Be sure you are not doing something for selfish reasons (Galatians 2:20).
5. Consecration of yourself to God (Romans 12:1, 2)
In your consecration, pray and ask God for His leading (Psalm 143:10).
6. Counsel of godly, spiritual folks
Seek out godly people to give you counsel. It is well to talk to a godly pastor. Sometimes the other individual sees something you would not see.
God will not lead you contrary to that which is revealed in His Word. Therefore, spend time in the Word of God so that you are able to discern the will of God. Our reading assignment for this week uses chapters that reveal truths for us to know in order to discern the will of God.
<< Lesson 10 – Facing Problems And Dangers – Assignments
Growing In Grace – Table of Contents
Lesson 11 – Knowing and Doing the Will of God – Assignments >>
Posted by Christians Are Us on December 21, 2012
https://christiansareus.com/2012/12/21/lesson-11-knowing-and-doing-the-will-of-god-lesson/
Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
http://www.shadesofgrace.org
1. Memorize Proverbs 3:5, 6.
2. Read Ephesians 4 — 6; Philippians 2 — 3; Colossians 3 — 4. Please note some truths from these passages that God would have you to know and practice so that His will can be done in your life. Please record this information under “NOTES” on a separate page.
3. Answer the following questions in your own words.
1. Is it possible for man to guide his own life? (Jeremiah 10:23)
_____________________________________________________________
2. What does God promise concerning His leadership in Isaiah 48:17?
_____________________________________________________________
3. Epaphras had a great burden. What was it? (Colossians 4:12)
_____________________________________________________________
4. Who are the unwise according to Ephesians 5:17?
_____________________________________________________________
5. How detailed is the will of God for the saved? (Psalm 37:23)
_____________________________________________________________
6. List the Points of Proverbs 3:5, 6 in your own words.
a. _____________________________________________________________
b. _____________________________________________________________
c. _____________________________________________________________
d. _____________________________________________________________
7. What is important in our lives if the promise in Isaiah 58:11 that He will lead us continually is to be fulfilled? See Isaiah 58:10.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
1. A blessing I received each day as I read in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians:
Day 1 — Eph. 4 _____________________________________
Day 2 — Eph. 5 _____________________________________
Day 3 — Eph. 6 _____________________________________
Day 4 — Phil. 2 _____________________________________
Day 5 — Phil. 3 _____________________________________
Day 6 — Col. 3 _____________________________________
Day 7 — Col. 4 _____________________________________
2. Truths I have learned so that I can have His will in my life:
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
<< Lesson 11 – Knowing And Doing The Will Of God – Lesson
Growing in Grace – Table of Contents
Lesson 12 – Knowing What We Believe – Lesson >>
Posted by Christians Are Us on December 21, 2012
https://christiansareus.com/2012/12/21/lesson-11-knowing-and-doing-the-will-of-god-assignments/
Christians Are Us 