June 19^th, 2016

9:30 am ______________________________________ Be Careful To Maintain Good Works – Titus3:8-15

10:00 am _____________________________________________ Abigail (The King & A Fool) – I Samuel 25

Nursery Today: Second Service: Polly, Alt. -- Margaret

Cleaning Schedule: This week - Debra & Polly, Next Week: Mike & Karen

Birthdays: June: 22^nd – Nancy Parks, 23^rd – James Holland, 24^th – Patrick Holland, 25^th – Walter Groover

God’s Will

Most of the old writers speak of God’s revealed will, directive will and permissive will.

1. God’s revealed will is His Word. He has clearly revealed to us His will for our thoughts, attitudes, actions and ways. He has not left us without a knowledge of His will. There is a principle and precedent in God’s Word for everything we face in this life; every decision we make; every thought, word, deed, action, reaction, person, place and thing. There is nothing new under heaven. There is nothing we face that is not spoken of in Scripture and so if we will know His will, it is revealed in scripture. And that will for the believer is that he know, be found in, and be conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ.

2. God’s directive will is His sovereign control over all things (directing all things). Although ‘the lot is cast into the lap (man’s seeming choice and will) the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord (Prov.16:33). The Lord is working everything after the counsel of His Own Will. He is directing all things for His Glory, and the good of His people.

3. God’s permissive will is Him allowing things to happen that are contrary to His revealed will and seem contrary to His directive will . . . like Sin! Was it God’s will for sin to enter this earth? Yes, but He didn’t cause it (direct it), but allowed it, according to His permissive will. But even sin brought about His will in salvation. The wrath of man shall praise Him. Was it God’s will for David to kill a man’s wife and commit adultery? No, it was against His revealed will prohibiting adultery and murder, but somehow in God’s permissive will it brought about God’s sovereign, directive will in putting Solomon on the throne (and having David write Psalms of God’s great glory and the sinner’s great comfort).

What about open doors. Most think that if a door is open, God must have opened it, and if a thing works out, it must be God’s will. NOT SO! God often allows (permissive will) doors to open, opportunities for whatever, to see if a man will go through it . . . to test him. And just because everything works out without opposition, doesn’t mean “ It must be God’s will.” A man may be offered a good job (open door) where no gospel is; and he may take it, and everything seems to be working out just fine; but he is clearly outside of God’s revealed will, and if a believer, he will suffer for it. God allowed him to do that to teach him a hard lesson. Everyone usually blames God’s will for doing things they wanted to do; for opening doors that they opened themselves and wanted to go through. But no, God’s will may be clearly known in all things.

Every believer desires to do the Lord's will. He wants to do what the Lord's Word says. And I believe that for every situation we face and every decision we are to make there is a scriptural example or principle given. If we seek diligently we will find the answer to every question regarding what the Lord would have us to do. Like the faithful Father that He is, He never leaves His children without clear instruction. His Word is a "lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path." "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Prov. 3:6). If we really want direction from the Lord, He will give it. Most of the time we have not because we ask not, and I believe sometimes we ask not because we may already know the answer and do not really want to do what we know should be done. That is sad but that is our flesh. May God deliver us from our fleshly will and make us willing and obedient to do His will. I submit three things that I believe can be applied to every decision we need to make; every situation which arises that we need an answer as to what to do. Examine everything using this threefold criterion.

1. 1. IS IT FOR GOD'S GLORY? -- Is what I am about to do or where I am about to go in the best interest of God's glory? Will God receive more glory in this way or another? "Whether we eat or drink, do all for the glory of God."
2. 2. IS THIS FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH? -- How is this decision going to affect the church of which I am a member and vitally joined to? No believer is independent, but is a member of the body. Everything we do affects the church. We need to guard against anything which may bring reproach upon our God and His church, and we need to seek ways to serve the body and not ourselves. "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
3. 3. HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT MY FAMILY'S SPIRITUAL GOOD? – If I have a husband, wife, son or daughter; everything I do, every decision I make affects them in some way. I must lay aside my personal desires in favor of them. I must do what is best for their spiritual good. ".... as Christ loved the church."

The very last consideration (and perhaps no consideration at all), is my own personal desires or happiness.