Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme:

Read:  1 Samuel 24:1-7; Hebrews 1:1-2; Psalm 143:10

Think:   How do we find the will of God in our lives? It seems like such a simple question, but it can be challenging to discern it in the heat of passions and strong emotions or in the midst of the everyday life this side of heaven. To get a handle on God’s will, Pastor Ben pointed out how we might see and discern it in three different ways:

Providential will—This is God’s will in the big matters of eternal consequence for us all. For example, Jesus clearly taught nobody but the Father knows the exact date and time that this world will end. So this is the part of His will that’s already fully known by God but we aren’t able to know any more than what He has chosen to reveal in His Word.

Moral will—This is God’s desire revealed through the laws or principles that He has handed down to us. These make His will evident in the world through the choices we make and the actions we take as his people. For example, it might not be against the law to carry out a specific action, but if we know it is compromising our ability to follow God or maybe love our neighbors as God would have us love them, it’s a conflict with His will.

Personal will—This one is the part of Divine will most of us really struggle with, as Pastor Ben pointed out. It’s the one part of God’s will where we have the most freedom and opportunity to really seek God and his purposes. But when we choose otherwise it can be a place of pain and challenge. For us to put own will and plans ahead of God’s will always results in struggle

As Pastor Ben mentioned, the personal will of God for each of us can be something we can easily get in trouble with. Often we see people who are too loose in proclaiming God’s will – “The Lord told me…” And a lot of times it turns out to be a convenient spiritualization of our own choices. The example that we heard was some of us can be very quick to say “Well, God told me to do X” where in many cases, X was just something that we chose to do out of personal will.  And not only was X our will it didn’t clearly fit with God’s providential or moral will as revealed in Scripture.

This Fourth of July as we celebrate the amaing country we live in and the freedoms we are blessed to have  we have to remember that ultimately it is God who gives us those amazing freedoms --- and the ability to think, to choose and chart our own life course. Within that free choice He allows us to see His amazing purpose, plan, and abundant life we can experience if our choices are submitted to Him.  

His will for each of us is good… and it’s perfect… And it’s there for the choosing!

Do: Ask Andy Stanley’s “Best Question Ever” today: In light of my past experiences, my current circumstances and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wisest thing to do? Take some time to get quiet before the Lord, maybe listen to some worship music and seek His wisdom…

Pray:   God, teach me through your gracious Spirit today to discern and do your will. I want You to be part of every detail of my life! I ask that I would hear You and follow You as you reveal your will for me. Amen.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.