What is the will of the Lord?
1 Timothy 2:4
4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
One of the traps I see people fall into and myself the most is the trap of being complacent. I used to want this little island where I could go and be by myself to do nothing but study the word of God.
Think about a monk with a vow of silence. What good is he to the world if he never speaks of God and only lives in solitude while he studies? Has any monk changed the world?
Are we just supposed to continue with learning?
Ecclesiastes 12:12
12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Our entire purpose as individuals and as a church is not only to learn, but to keep what we learn. These things should be applied to our lives. If we are not active in taking what we know and doing something about it then it really becomes useless.
Right now we know the way of salvation because we have been down that road. But there are many who dont know the way of salvation. There are many Christians living behind a wall not going out and fullfilling that great commission to preach the gospel in all the world. Instead we sit and take in the food of Gods word while the world goes hungry.
It isnt about knowing everything. It isnt about filling our heads with knowledge. What it is about though is fearing God and keeping His commandments.
God commands us to do His will.
Matthew 21:28
28But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
There are those who talk about serving, and those who do it.
If we are to keep the commands of God and Do His will, what will we be doing?
Ephesians 5:1-17
1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
The world walks around with no light in darkness. Every moment they perish into everlasting torment. God asks us to redeem the time (or in other words to use it). With our time are we really being the light to the darkness? Gods will is that none should perish.
The light shows the filth.
One thing we should know is that when you dont acknowledge a problem, you cant fix it. If you dont acknowledge your on the way to hell you wont change direction. But light will force you to acknowledge it.
One thing I notice about people is that they compare themselves to others. So if someone with filth in their life looks at someone with God in their life what is the reaction? Suddenly they see what is and is not acceptable. The light from the one shines into the life of the other.
Now we know where our light comes from:
Psalm 119:104-105
104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
But the world does not have this since they do not look into the word of God. Still God gives them help.
Remember the Gospel is written in the stars. He calls us stars and lights. Think about the sun. Imagine it as the word of God. Now there are those who look at the sun and they are in the daylight. But what of the rest of the world who are in the night? They may not see the sun, but they do see the moon and how it reflects that light.
What if the moon were hidden?
The night would be darker.
So it is Gods will that we (although we may not shine as bright as the word itself because we dont know it all) shine. We are to be out preaching and not hidden. We should be the light that confounds the dark.
We will be hated.
John 3:19-21
19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
We will also convert others.
Ephesians 5:14
14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Think of people as mirrors. When they face darkness there is nothing to reflect. But when the light shines on them they begin to shine as well. It is Gods will that we first look into the word of God ourselves, but then we should also share it.
1 Timothy 2:4
4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
One of the traps I see people fall into and myself the most is the trap of being complacent. I used to want this little island where I could go and be by myself to do nothing but study the word of God.
Think about a monk with a vow of silence. What good is he to the world if he never speaks of God and only lives in solitude while he studies? Has any monk changed the world?
Are we just supposed to continue with learning?
Ecclesiastes 12:12
12And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 13Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
Our entire purpose as individuals and as a church is not only to learn, but to keep what we learn. These things should be applied to our lives. If we are not active in taking what we know and doing something about it then it really becomes useless.
Right now we know the way of salvation because we have been down that road. But there are many who dont know the way of salvation. There are many Christians living behind a wall not going out and fullfilling that great commission to preach the gospel in all the world. Instead we sit and take in the food of Gods word while the world goes hungry.
It isnt about knowing everything. It isnt about filling our heads with knowledge. What it is about though is fearing God and keeping His commandments.
God commands us to do His will.
Matthew 21:28
28But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
There are those who talk about serving, and those who do it.
If we are to keep the commands of God and Do His will, what will we be doing?
Ephesians 5:1-17
1Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth
10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. The world walks around with no light in darkness. Every moment they perish into everlasting torment. God asks us to redeem the time (or in other words to use it). With our time are we really being the light to the darkness? Gods will is that none should perish.
The light shows the filth.
One thing we should know is that when you dont acknowledge a problem, you cant fix it. If you dont acknowledge your on the way to hell you wont change direction. But light will force you to acknowledge it.
One thing I notice about people is that they compare themselves to others. So if someone with filth in their life looks at someone with God in their life what is the reaction? Suddenly they see what is and is not acceptable. The light from the one shines into the life of the other.
Now we know where our light comes from:
Psalm 119:104-105
104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
But the world does not have this since they do not look into the word of God. Still God gives them help.
Remember the Gospel is written in the stars. He calls us stars and lights. Think about the sun. Imagine it as the word of God. Now there are those who look at the sun and they are in the daylight. But what of the rest of the world who are in the night? They may not see the sun, but they do see the moon and how it reflects that light.
What if the moon were hidden?
The night would be darker.
So it is Gods will that we (although we may not shine as bright as the word itself because we dont know it all) shine. We are to be out preaching and not hidden. We should be the light that confounds the dark.
We will be hated.
John 3:19-21
19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
We will also convert others.
Ephesians 5:14
14Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Think of people as mirrors. When they face darkness there is nothing to reflect. But when the light shines on them they begin to shine as well. It is Gods will that we first look into the word of God ourselves, but then we should also share it.
