Lessons on Finding & Fulfilling God’s Will (Proverbs 19:20-21) – PART 4
3. God uses godly counsel to instruct us. Proverbs 19:20-21, Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end. There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. A young couple took their car out for a Sunday ride one afternoon. While driving on a country road the car’s engine suddenly died. The young man got out to look at the car, but to his frustration, he didn’t have any idea what to do to get it running again. An older man passed by, stopped and offered to help with the car, but the young driver didn’t seem interested. So, Henry Ford, the maker of that car went on his way, and the wise advice and help he could easily have given was never received. Too often we’re tempted to think, “I don’t want anyone’s input! I’ve already got my mind made up. I already know what I want to do. If I ask for advice, someone might tell me my plan is a bad idea.” The foolish person doesn’t seek or listen to counsel from others before making an important decision. Don’t be indecisive—or decisive on your own. Below are three Scriptures that regard heeding wise counsels and the consequences of refusing them: Proverbs 11:14, Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Fools think they don’t need advice, while wise men seek counsel. Without sound counsel, failure is likely. Likewise, multiple counselors give further insight. Proverbs 12:15, The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. Fools do not take criticism well. They buck when corrected. They tend to be proud and self-righteous. The wise person will listen to criticism and correction. Proverbs 13:20, He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. It’s been said, “We will become like the books we read, the movies we watch, the friends we keep, and the media we listen to”. The company we keep does influence us. Bad company corrupts good character. Those who run with fools will eventually be destroyed by their sin (I Corinthians 15:33; Psalm 1:1). A great problem existing today is that many people lack wisdom.
Points to Ponder: People can learn wisdom in three ways: 1. From the Bible - This way is the BEST way. 2. From the mistakes of others - This way is a GOOD way. 3. From your own mistakes- The WORST way. Questions to Consider:
PRAYER: Lord God, thank You for the godly people that You have allowed to come into my life. Help me to walk in Your instructions and live a life pleasing unto You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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Lessons on Finding & Fulfilling God’s Will (I Corinthians 2:12) – PART 3
There are some things in life that we will not discover any other way than the Holy Spirit teaching them to us through personal study of and the preaching of God’s Word. The Lord uses the Scriptures and His Spirit to guide, fill and accomplish the Father’s will in the believer’s life. 2. God uses His Spirit to instruct us. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (I Corinthians 2:12). We are instructed to follow the Spirit of God (Romans 8:14; John 16:13). Jesus didn’t leave us here as orphans. He gave us the Holy Spirit to be with us forever (John 14:16–18, 26). The Holy Spirit is always present to give guidance in our lives. The Holy Spirit not only influences us to seek God’s way, but He leads us into all truth and teaches us the things we ought to know (I John 2:27). John is not saying that we do not need a teacher. One of the gifts of the Spirit is the “gift of teaching”. He is saying the Holy Spirit will give you an anointing whereby you will be able to understand all truth. God will never tell you to do something contrary to His Word. Sometimes God, in His grace, uses results to give us an undeserved second chance. At times, we run ahead of God in a decision and bypass the will of God due to our impatience. Results have a way of bringing us up short, informing us abruptly that we have lost our way. They are like the rude awakening experienced by the driver who suddenly discovers that the unfinished expressway has ended. Immediately he realizes how foolish he has been to drive around that warning sign encountered earlier. This can be a manifestation of God's grace, for in many cases, we can return to the point where the wrong decision was made and begin again. We still lose time, but God mercifully allows us to return to the right road of His will. God may also show His grace by closing a door in our face which otherwise would have led to disaster. Although, we often get frustrated when this occurs, we should give thanks. God does not continually run around slamming doors to protect us from our own foolishness or disobedience. God knows that often a burn on the hand or a good spanking teaches a mischievous child far more effectively than a thousand artificial roadblocks. Of course, such roadblocks will not be needed if we are sincere and obedient before God. PRAYER: Lord God, Your Spirit leads me. Help me to rely on Your Spirit, Who is always with me. May Your will be done on earth and in my life, I pray in the name of Jesus, the light of the world, amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Lessons on Finding & Fulfilling God’s Will (Psalm 119:105) – PART 2
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). God has a plan and design for your life. You are not a leaf that fell by chance to be scattered by the wind. Scripture says the steps of a good man are “ordered” by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). Much of the will of God is wrapped up in becoming the Christian we ought to be. If are being the Christian we should be, we will be doing what we should do and end up where we ought to end up. Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. If you have ever had trouble determining God’s will for your life, you’re not alone. How in the world do we know what God wants? To know God’s will we must totally surrender to God’s will. Too often, our tendency is to make God’s decision for Him. We should never go to God with options and expect Him to choose one of our preferences. When we go to Him we should approach Him with empty hands—no hidden agendas, no crossed fingers, nothing behind your back. Go to Him with a willingness to do whatever He says. If you surrender your will, then He will “make you perfect in every good work to do his will,…” Hebrews 13:21 How do we receive this direction from the Lord?
Keep a list of particular passages that have given you direction. The Scriptures help you see where your feet are standing and where the path leads. God may not show you miles ahead on the path, but He’ll show you the next step. God does not give roadmaps. But as you follow Him, He will reveal His will unto you. In the wilderness wanderings, He used a pillar of cloud by day and fire at night (Exodus 13:21). PRAYER: Lord, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Thank You that You don’t leave me in the dark alone. You give me light. Your Word instructs me. Help me to follow Your it. May Your will be done on earth and in my life, In Jesus name I pray, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Lessons on Finding & Fulfilling God’s Will (Ephesians 5:17) – PART 1
Ephesians 5:17, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the LORD is. One of the most common questions people ask me, “What is God’s will for my life?” The reality is that all of us need guidance and direction, and that is why God has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to help apply it to our circumstances and decisions. No one has ever gone wrong by following the Bible’s instructions. The reason is because the Bible is an infallible guide for our life, containing all that we need to please God: What is God’s will for my life? Am I even traveling on the right path? When I come to a fork in the road, which choice should I make? How do I receive this direction from the Lord? Here are three ways the Lord instructs us in the way that He is leading us. 1. God uses His Word to instruct us. 2. God uses His Spirit to instruct us. 3. God uses godly counsel to instruct us. On an overcast night, a ship was fighting rough seas as it approached the narrow entrance to a harbor. To the inexperienced passenger, the chances of finding and navigating the path to safety seemed remote at best. The slightest miscalculation could result in disaster. The captain, calm and relaxed, was asked by the nervous passenger, “Captain, 'Sir, how do you know when to guide the ship into the harbor entrance?” The captain pointed to the random dots of light on the dark shore. 'Do you see those three brightest lights there on the land?' The passenger looked, then nodded. 'I have learned,' continued the captain, 'to steer my ship parallel to the shore until those three lights all line up as one. When the three lights agree, then I know that I can guide my ship safely into the narrow entrance of the harbor.' So it is with God's will. When you have agreement among the three lights of God's Word, godly counsel, and the inward witness of the Holy Spirit, you can proceed with confidence. Sure, other road signs may add support, but those three are essential. If one of those signs does not agree with the others you should assume that something is wrong. If, for instance, you feel that the Spirit is prompting you and that circumstances are positive, but your course of action violates God's Word, you can be certain that it is not God's will. Obeying this principle will save you great heartache and bring confidence into your decision making. It is exciting to watch God's Word, circumstances, and the inward witness slowly move into perfect alignment. With such agreement, there is certainty that you have found the narrow entrance into God's perfect individual will. PRAYER, Lord God, thank You that Your will for my life is not a mystery. Please forgive me for resenting and resisting Your attempts to change me. I choose now to cooperate fully with Your desire to transform me. Anything You want to teach me, I am willing to learn. Anything You want to change in me, I am available to receive. Thank You for loving me enough to make me more and more like Jesus, in whose name I pray, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Burning with Bitterness (Hebrews 12:15)
Hebrews 12:15, Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; There was a woman who was sick after being bitten by a dog. She went to the doctor to see if the dog had rabies. He examined her, did a number of tests and told her the bad news. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I’m afraid you’ve contracted rabies.” The doctor left the room for a minute, and when he returned the woman was busy writing on a piece of paper. He asked, “What are you doing, writing your will?” She said, “No, I’m making a list of all the people I’m going to bite before I die.” There was a lot people she was bitter at. That’s just the way most people think about revenge. When a person becomes offended and doesn’t deal with that offense correctly, that bitterness often churns so long in a person’s soul that it turns into a root of bitterness. God is telling you that if you don’t repent of bitterness and remove it from your life, it becomes deeply embedded in your soul. Once it becomes this deeply rooted in your soul, your negative opinion of the offender will become firmly fixed. Where does bitterness come from? Bitterness can come about as the result of what others do to us or say about us. Sometimes, bitterness can result from the events of life themselves, as we blame God or others for our troubles. Bitterness will affect every relationship within your life, but it will affect your relationship with the Lord most of all. A man who hates to be slapped on the back, packs his coat with TNT and waits for this man who always slaps his back. His idea is when he hits me, I will get him, I'll blow him up. Hate kills both the person who you hate, but also yourself as well. Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat. Hatred and bitterness hurt the hater much more than the one hated. Hating someone holds little effectiveness. The one that is hated often is unaware of it and is unaffected by it. Yet the one who hates is often consumed with the feelings and allows them to govern thoughts and actions. We cannot control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we respond to the things that happen to us. A wise one once said, "I will never allow another person to ruin my life by making me hate him." Whenever someone does something to us, we can choose how we will respond. Right now, you may be in a mess, but it is never too late to follow the Lord. There is a price to pay for disobedience, but God can take the broken pieces of your life and mend them back together. The Holy Spirit is willing, ready and waiting to help you grab hold of those roots of bitterness and pull them clean out of your life. All He needs is your invitation, so why don’t you go ahead and ask Him to assist you right now? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I ask You to examine my heart and expose any resentment or unforgiveness lest any root of bitterness would spring up inside me. Help me to walk in the Spirit that I may produce the Fruit of the Spirit. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Lies About the Will of God – Part 2
More Lies of the Devil concerning the will of God. Lie #4. The will of God is difficult and hard to discern. The will of God is not difficult. The difficulty is choosing to do the will of God over our own will, surrendering to it. God will make His will known to those who are willing to do it. Lie #5. God Only Speaks To A Certain, Few Holy People God’s will is not limited to those with position. He just doesn’t speak to only the Paul’s, the Spurgeon’s or the Moody’s. He has a will for every saint at every conceivable level of commitment. If you choose to follow in His will, you will be led to more dedicated life. He calls us where we are! Lie #6. God Only Reveals His Will To The Young God calls people of all ages, He never stops using His saints. If He were finished with you, He would have called you home. If you are sitting on the sidelines, I can guarantee you that you need to seek His will! It is never too late to do the will of God. Lie #7. God hides His will. Do you want to know what God's will for your life is? He wants you to know even more. Discerning His will is not a game of hide-and-seek. It is not some kind of egg hunt where God camouflages His will and we have to try and find where it is hidden. God never hides His will. So why do we struggle with knowing what God's will is? The answer is because we have a will also. And when God's will and my will don't match, a decision must be made. I must answer the question: "Who is Lord of this area of my life?" It doesn't matter what I sing, what I profess, or what I believe intellectually. If I choose my will over God's in any particular area, then Christ is not Lord in that area—self is. God does not hide His will from us. God wants to reveal His will. In the truest sense of the word, you don't find the will of God, the will of God finds you when you're walking in the Spirit. Lie #8. The will of God is unpleasant. The devil’s desire is to make you think that the will of God will ruin your life. He will make you think you will miss out on the fun things in life. That if you were to fully surrender to do God’s will that God will send you on a foreign mission field to suffer. On Monday September 29, 1997, I surrender to the Lord and what scares me the most is if I had missed it. When I surrendered my life, I came alive. I bloomed/blossomed that day. The will of God is good Romans 12:1. God is not out to make your life miserable. When you’re in the will of God you do not want to be anywhere else. It’s not what is happening to you, it is what you’re missing by not being in the will of God. PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I am thankful that I will never be disappointed in performing Your will. It encourages me that You want me to do Your will. Thank You for taking pleasure in my life to give me the resources to find and to fulfill Your purpose for my life. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Lies About the Will of God – Part 1
Before we look at the lies told concerning the will of God, let’s look at how one can know the will of God. In Acts 9, When Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, Saul asked Him the two greatest questions anybody could ever ask: “Lord, Who are You?” and “What do You want me to do?” Guidance is promised in the Scriptures. In Acts 9:6, the Lord said to Saul, “… Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” Jesus could not have given him a better promise: to tell him what to do. God will guide you, too. He has a plan for your life. Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way.” In Psalm 32:8. God says, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Aren’t those wonderful promises? Guidance is promised in the Word of God. We have a Father above us controlling all things. We have the Saviour beside us directing our steps. And we have the Spirit within us impressing our hearts. We can know His will. Lies of the Devil concerning the will of God. Before we get into how to know His will, I am first going to address some lies concerning the will of God. There are several lies about the will of God that need to be exposed and then extinguished. Here they are: Lie #1. God will give you a roadmap for your life. God's will for you is not a roadmap — it is a relationship. If you stay in a relationship with Him, He will guide you each step of the way. Lie #2. God is some sort of a celestial wet blanket. There are a lot of people who don't want to know the will of God because they are afraid of what they might find out. But suppose your teenage son says, “Dad, I'm convinced you're a godly man. I’ve decided that whatever you want me to do, I'll do it.” Would you say, “He'll be sorry he ever said that. Let's see how we can make his life miserable”? Of course not! Don't be afraid of the will of God. It’s what you would want for yourself if you knew enough to want it. Lie #3. God only speaks to a certain class of people. Some believe God has a will for ministers but not for any other group of people. But God has a particular will for you whether you are a missionary, or a secretary — a pastor, or a plumber. God has a will for everyone. PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I am thankful that I do not have to go through life wandering around aimlessly. Your promise of guidance for me is promised in Scriptures. Thank You for taking pleasure in my life to give me the resources to find and to fulfill Your purpose for it. In Jesus name, AMEN! Visit the page tomorrow for more lies concerning God’s Will. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Finding Purpose for Your Life (Psalm 32:8)
Psalm 32:8, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. One of the most common questions people ask me is “How do I know God’s will for my life?” God has a plan and design for your life. You are not a leaf that fell by chance to be scattered by the wind. Scripture says the steps of a good man are “ordered” by the Lord. (Psalm 37:23). What a blessed promise from God. God has promised to instruct us and guide us in the way we should go. Notice: This guidance is by His omniscient eye. Psalm 73:24 and Proverbs 3:5-6 points to the same promise. God who knows all and sees all knows far better than we and He is pleading with us to follow His instructions. Unfortunately, every day many reject His guidance. Joy and fulfillment is ultimately only found in that one goal. Everything good comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Lord. The starting place for that kind of joy begins with kneeling before Him as Lord of your life. God’s will for you is to be a Christian. I Timothy 2:3–4, For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. God’s will for you is to be Spirit-filled. Ephesians 5:17–18, Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;. Being Spirit-filled is not an emotional experience or high. It is not fasting and praying. Being Spirit-filled means to be completely submitted to the authority of Scripture in your life. Everyone searches for meaning and fullness to life. The Bible teaches that the purpose of life is to know Christ and to make Christ known. Daily seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life. Every day ask God to help you accomplish your life's mission. Pray for opportunities to fulfill that purpose by asking for boldness to tell others of God's love. God has a unique plan and purpose for your life. Seek to fulfill God's purpose for your life every day. People need a plan in their life. God has a plan for your life, and He is pleading with us to find, to follow, and to fulfill this purpose. Prayer, Father, I am deeply grateful today that You are willing and ready to assume Your rightful place in my life. As my Creator, only You understand the detail and destination of my life in such a way that I can trust You completely. Teach me to do that in a big way and then renew it each day as I live for You. Thank You for making all this possible through Your Son Jesus who saved me and in whose footsteps I can follow. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spiritual Bodyguard (Psalm 121)
Psalm 121, describes our God as One Who is a present help every step of the way we travel. Gaining help from God involves seeking help from God. The psalm begins with the psalmist seeking help from God for his troubles and trials. God is always with us, guiding us every step of the way. God has promised to provide stability and security for those walking in the center of His will (Psalm 16:8; 55:22; 91:1-4). Six times we are reminded that the Lord is able to take care of every problem we encounter (Psalm 121:3-8). None of the things that happen to you, none of the troubles you encounter, have any power to get between you and God, sap His grace in you, side track His will from you (Romans 8:28, 31-32). God’s children are always under His protection and watchful care (I Peter 1:5; Matthew 10:30-31). God guards our spiritual well-being from the time we receive Christ’s forgiveness and entrust our lives to Him until the time we leave this life to be with God forever. From justification (Romans 5:9) to the time of your glorification with the saints in heaven (I Corinthians 15:51-54), you are safe: " The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil." Even while we sleep, God is on duty. We can rest in peace because He is always awake. Our great Protector never sleeps. Our spiritual bodyguard is always on duty. What a blessed assurance! The thought is how that our God is never drowsy nor goes to sleep on the job. He is always there for the protection of His people. That was true for Israel when they were in the center of God’s will. It remains true for Christians in the center of His will. There is a great benefit in serving God and living our lives for Him. It means the providential protection of God is always at hand. When God saves our soul, He then preserves our salvation. It is He who keeps us and not ourselves. It is He who is our spiritual preservation. The only serious mistake we can make when illness comes, when anxiety threatens, when conflict disturbs our relationships with others, is to begin to entertain the thought that God has gotten bored looking after us and has shifted His attention to a more devoted Christian. God’s desire and interest in us never waxes and wanes in response to our spiritual temperature. As you learn to trust in the LORD for direction it will take care of your proneness to wander wayward from His holy standards. It will keep you honest and pure in every professional and social contacts. It will keep you mindful of the One to whom you belong and who you serve. It will guard you from many wrong steps in life where God’s name is debased and dishonored. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, at this time in my life, the struggles I’m facing (whether: physical, financial, social, etc.) I ask You to intervene in this situation. Right now, I don’t see a way out of it, but I know Heaven is my eternal home. The pains of this world are only for a season, but the joys of spending forever with You can never be taken away from me. Rather than staring down at life’s problems, help me to keep looking up to You for strength. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com What To Do When You’re Sinking? (Matthew 14:30-31)
Matthew 14:30-31, But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? The mighty disciple had just done the impossible. He challenged the Lord to let him walk upon the sea, the Lord bid him to come, and so the disciple leaped onto the waters and started walking. He had experienced what only one other man had ever experienced, that other man was the Lord. As Peter took one step after another, he realized what was happening. The impossible was happening, but his fleshly nature got the best of him. Peter took his eyes off the Lord and began to look around. Instead of seeing Jesus, he saw the raging storm, he saw the waves, he felt the mighty wind, he became afraid and started to sink. Often times we enter into the place of wonderful experiences, things seem to be going so wonderful, so great. Then like Peter, we take our eyes off of the Lord, we look at the circumstances of life and we began to sink. It is a fact that if you take your eyes off of the Lord you will go under. It is a fact, not a probability that if you stop looking at the Lord, trouble is heading your way. In his moment of despair, Peter did something that was so right, he cried out to his Lord, “Lord, Save Me”!!! In our moment of distress we must learn to find Jesus. Cry out unto Him. He is available, He is able, and He wants to help. When the storms of life rage, God wants us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the Lord of the wind and waves. No matter what is happening, or will come your way, God is in complete control working for your good and His glory. Wait in faith. Let Him guide and sustain you even in the storms of life. Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER, God, I confess I’ve allowed myself to be distracted and I don’t want to be anymore. Please forgive me. I want to trust You. Give me the strength and self-control I need to fix my eyes on You. Help me keep my attention on my Saviour, so I can learn what You want me to learn and be who You want me to be. You are worthy of my full attention. I want to hear Your voice. In Jesus’ name, amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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