Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE

TEXT: Col. 1:1, 9, 10; 4:12

INTRODUCTION:

The importance of the knowledge of God's will for each believer may be observed by the prpminence in Scripture; the will of God as related to lives vitally used by. God; and by the apathy and 'uselessness' of so many believers in our day. Too often 'the will of God' is an ethereal, mystical, intangible 'something1 unrelated to an intelligent approach to the problem based on principles. This matter came to be as a result of and request to teach juniors at camp on this matter. It has been used in pastor's clinics, with adults and high school level in local churches and on two major mission fields facing extreme problems involving the whole future of that mission field. Sound Baptists have historically held that 'The Bible is the ONLY standard and rule for faith and practice.' Is the will of God, excluded from this??

I. THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE WILL OF GOD.

1. In certain sense unbelievers have place in His will. cf Pharoah

2. Related to believers it embraces all believers.

a. Romans 12:1-2 directed to whole church not pastors etc.

b. Colossians 1:1 involved Paul, 9, 10 involved whole church

NO BELIEVER IS EXEMPT

II. THE PREREQUISITES TO KNOWING GOD'S WILL.

1. Salvation, Acts 9:5, 6

2. Submission, Acts 9:5, 6. Immediate submission should be the

NORM of Christian experience, I Cor. 6:19, 20.

3. Dedication, Romans 12:1, 2

4. Desire to do Mk. 3:35; I Jn. 2:17; Jn. 7:17 "If he DO he shall know". Yielded life must be followed by yielding.. Romans 6.

III. THE PRINCIPLES DETERMINING THE WILL OF GOD.

1. God's will is not a single line of thought but two converging lines of thought and direction; the vortex being the life of the believer

CALLING Col. 1:1 CONDUCT Col. 1:9, 10

2. God's will for CONDUCT is same for all believers, never known in answer to prayer but always through the principles, precepts and direct teaching of THE WORD OF GOD.

a. Prayer not the means of knowing God's will for conduct, but the means of appropriating His power to do His will when we know it.

b. The Word of God sole guide to conduct. cf. Ps. 1:1 with 2; Ps. 119:11; Ps. 119:105; Col. 1:9 with 10.

3. God's will for CALLING NEVER VIOLATES GOD'S WILL FOR CONDUCT. Psa. 37:23.

IV. THE PRACTICE OF GOD'S WILL.

1. It is apparent from Acts that not all believers were to enter full-time Christian service, but all were to be fully dedicated to God's will. cf Peter, Paul Barnabas with Dyonisius, Damaris, Jailor, Lydia, etc.

2. In your life check such direct and clear teachings as "Seeketh not her own" I Cor. 13:5; "Not over self confident" II Cor. 3:5;

"No deceitful approach" II Cor. 4:2; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:11;

Eph. 6:7; I Thess. 5:22; 1 Tim. 3:8 (Not greedy filthy lucre);

II Tim. 2:22; Rom. 12:10 "In honour preferring one another"

Eph. 4:1, I Tim. 3:6, etc.

V. THE PROGRESS IN GOD'S WILL AS TO CALLING

Compare Acts 9 - Paul's general call with Acts 16 - specific-Macedonia.

VI. THE PEACE OF GOD IN DOING GOD'S WILL.

Isa. 26:3; Phil. 4:6-9; Col. 4:12

FROM THE LATE DR. R.L. MATTHEW

E-Mail

Site created by Tom Walker