Basic Insights On Knowing God's Will!

God's Will Involves People

God so loved a world full of people that he gave His Son...
It's all too easy for us to become more concerned about things than people today.
If this happens we will always miss the real joy of knowing God's will.

Knowing Basic Needs Removes Fear Of People

Many people have a fear of talking to others.
There is a way of overcoming this fear.
If we were walking down a neighborhood street and happened to see a gathering of people sitting the porch in front of their house, many of us would probably experience a certain fear about the idea of saying hello, concerned with intruding upon their gathering.

However, if we were to see that the roof of their home was on fire, we would overcome our fear instantly. We would be sure that the message we had to give them was one of great importance and one which they needed to hear. We would be quite confident that they would immediately recognize the importance of our message.

So what is our problem with sharing our Christianity with them and others?

1John 4: 17-18 says, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness...
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear."

God Has A Special Concern For Christians

It is quite easy for us to become spiritually discouraged with the spiritual immaturity of some Christians today, and decide that we will not bother with them, but instead will concentrate on only reaching those who are not saved or heard the Gospel.

It is important for us to proclaim the Gospel to those who have never heard. But when there are already Christians in the area, it is also important to bring them up to their full maturity in Christ. If we don't do this, their immaturity will cause others to stumble, and we will know how to solve similar immaturity in those we lead to Christ.

This is the main reason we are able to "Do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household faith."
Galatians 6: 10

In determining God's will for our lives, one of the most important questions we must ask ourselves is: "How can I help the Christians around me to mature and by doing so, beautify the Body of Christ?"

We Are To Assume Responsibility For The Reputation Of Our Lord Jesus Christ

When one member of the Body of Christ sins, (Missing the mark), or displays spiritual immaturity, the reputation of Christ is damaged and the whole Body of Christ suffers. When David sinned with Bathsheba, in 2Samuel 12: 14, Nathan the Prophet stated, "... by this deed thou has given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme..."

Because of this, Hebrews 3: 13 says, we are to "exhort one another daily... lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Just as the corpuscles in our blood surround a wound in the skin, laying down their own life and dieing, in order to stop the infection from spreading, we too are to "lay down our own lives for the brethren." 1John 3: 16

Three Types Of Christians Exist In Most Church Groups

When I had the privilege of working directly with a few churches and youth groups, I could always expect to find three types of Christians: Those that were cold, those that were spiritually hot, and those that were in between.

I soon learned why the in between or "lukewarm" Christians were and are nauseating to God.

Revelation 3: 15-17 says, "I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot: I would rather see that you were cold or hot. So then because thou are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have no need of nothing , and knowest not that thou are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

Cold Christians needs are fulfilled from the world and all it has to offer. They view lukewarm Christians as having no difference between them. The reason is "No Conviction." Their thoughts are, "He is closer to God than I am, but He does the same things I do!"

While cold Christians see the difference between them and the hot Christians. They can see that their needs are focused and centered around Christ. They can see the "Conviction" by which they live. Their thoughts are, "His life is so different from mine. I want to know what he is doing differently than me, maybe I had better start doing something about it."

2Chronicles 7: 14 says, "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God." 1Peter 4: 17

God's Will Involves Leading Those For Whom We Are Responsible To Spiritual Maturity

When we determine which individuals are under our spiritual care and purpose to give ourselves to the high calling of leading them to spiritual maturity, we have established the basis for a fulfilling ministry in our lives. Then, as God allows us to experience death to our natural inclinations, we will discover His way of responding to life's situations. We are then... "able to comfort others who are in trouble, by the comfort where with we ourselves are comforted by God." 2Corinthians 1: 4

We Are Responsible To Deepen Our Message.
God Is Responsible To Broaden Our Ministry.

We are prone to be concerned with how many people we are reaching with the Gospel. But God is only concerned that we bring those we reach to spiritual maturity. Colossians 1: 28 says, "Those who become mature are then able to reproduce the life and character of Christ in others as well."

God's Will Involves The Message We Develop More Than The Job We Are Doing

As each one of us dies to the natural inclinations of our old ways, which were contrary to the Word of God, and as we experience the life of Christ by applying the principles of His Word to our daily lives, we build a "Life Message."

God desires that each one of us becomes a "Living Epistle." 2Corinthians 3: 2
As we do, we will experience more and more joy. Proverbs 15: 23

God has chosen us and ordained us that we should go and bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain. John 15: 16

2Peter 1: 4 says, "God has given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these we might be partakers of His divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in this world."

May this help you on your journey today!
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ARE YOU A DISCIPLE?

.....The first commitment of a disciple is to " Deny" himself. He must renounce his self-centered life, clearing out all of self for Christ. Nothing can be more important to us than Christ. ( A Christ centered life.) The circle above represents your life. Christ should fill up the entire circle. To abide in Christ means that He is to have priority in everything in your life. Christian life is simply Christ living in you, (John 15: 5, John 15: 10) and through you. God has provided a way for Christ to be at the center of your life. This is the second commitment. "Take up your cross daily." Bearing your cross and serving others requires discipline. The above diagram reveals what disciplines a disciple must have.

1. The Word

.....The first discipline that we must have in our lives is "Living in the Word of God." The way to have Christ living in us is to have His Word in us. John 8: 31 - 32 says - "If you continue in My Word, then ye our My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free." The Word of God is food for us. We cannot grow unless we have a regular intake of it. This is done by listening to someone preach it, and by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, meditating it, and then applying it. The result is a continuous process of renewing the mind, thus causing a behavioral change. John 15: 10 says- "That to abide in Christ is to obey Him." This is a crucial step in establishing a close relationship with God.

2. Prayer

.....The second discipline that we must have in our lives is "Praying," ( In Faith.) Faith that is drawn from the first discipline, ( His Word.) A part of living in Christ is living in prayer. John 15: 7 says -"If ye abide in Me, and My Word abides in you, ye shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you." So when we abide in Christ and His Word abides in us, we can ask what we will and God will do it. And open line of communication established between us and God through the Finished Work of the Cross ( Christ.) Refer to the above diagram and notice that God reveals himself and communicates to us through His Word (Christ.) and we communicate to God through prayer. Note the direction (Up to God and Down to us).

3. Fellowship

.....The third discipline that we must have in our lives is "Fellowship with Believers", our brothers and sisters in Christ. John 13:34 - 35 says - "A new commandment I give unto you, that you help one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know the ye our My disciples, if ye have love one to another." God has provided the ideal place for us to grow and mature, - The Church. A body of believers that have made a covenant to carry out Christ's ministry in and throughout the world. The Church is the body of Christ. So we come together to form the body here on the earth. Equipping those to fulfill the callings on their life. Praising and Worshiping God corporately, and equipping the Saints to go and preach the gospel - "The Good News."

4. Witnessing

.....The fourth discipline that we must have in our lives is "Witnessing to the World". Sharing Christ with others. John 15: 8 says - "Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples." A disciple will bear much fruit and that fruit is to be a witness to the world; our testimony, a living epistle to glorify God. The outward expression of an inward change from renewing the mind to what is true of it. The "Salvation of the Soul", or victory of the mind, will, and emotions, through Christ in the Finished Work of the Cross. Through applying these disciplines of living daily in the Word of God, praying in faith and fellowship with God's people, it will become natural and normal to share with others the Christ who is living in our hearts. This is what will make us fishers of men. Hence a true behavioral change.

.....The third commitment mentioned in Luke 9: 23 says - "That if we "Follow" and live in Christ, we will eventually bear fruit." Fruit does not necessarily grow quickly, but it grows continually and bears in season. Fruit bearing is the normal, natural result of the life that has Christ at the center of it. This is produced by the Holy Spirit and is what is called our sphere of influence. This growth is a continuous expansion across the earth equally proportional to the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. Fruit-bearing not only consists of good deeds and helping others, it also relates to the fruit of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance, leading to ministry and service of all kinds. As noted from the diagram, only you limit yourself with God.

.....Our goal in discipleship is expressed in 2 Timothy 2: 21 and says - "If a man therefore purge himself from these (his old ways), ye shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and able for the Master's use, and prepared onto every good work." These disciplines will develop lives that will produce good fruit, as well as balance, according to the Word of God, making true disciples.

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