Trying To Put All Of This Into A Proper Perspective

Understanding God's Will

This section will try to put all of these things together, and into a proper perspective. To understand clearly what the Bible is trying to teach us. To bring us to the point of seeing the whole picture clearly.
An example we can use is a jig-saw puzzle. There are many peices and shapes. They all depend on each other in order to produce the final result; a picture or some object. Most people try to work the edges first, this gives the foundation to build upon. As you add peices you get pictures. You might construct the barn or the mountain. You will put the water in and keep it separate from the sky. The flowers and animals are put in the proper place. In time, you have a complete product. The word of God is much the same way. Before Christ, they had bits and peices. They had a partial picture of what was to come, but never saw the complete picture. There were too many peices missing. Christ added these peices along with the help of the Holy Spirit. As we look and learn, we see that we are also a part of this puzzle as well.
As you can tell by now, all of these subjects we have coverd in this study are related to each other in one way or another. This chapter deals with knowing the will of God. To understand what God wants from us.

2 Kings 23:3 (NKJV)
Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.

The previous verse is really self explanatory. A study of the Old Testament will show that during the period of history when kings ruled the nation, the king led the people. The king was also the spiritual guide for the people. In most cases, the good kings led the people back to serving and worshipping God. The evil kings took the people further into paganism and idolatry. This particular king was Josiah who was the last totally good king of Judah. Notice in this verse that the people followed along and also took a stand for the covenant that Josiah had made with God.
We need to know what God's will is for us. Simply stated; we must be like God to be pleasing to Him. That sounds like an impossible task, doesn't it? Well, the Bible commands and advises us over and over that we must be like Him. If the Bible tells us that, then we know that it is possible, because God would not require anything of us of which we were not capable. The Bible is and can be our guide. The Bible tells us about God and it tells us about His will.

Psalms 37:23 (NKJV)
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

Notice the language here. To explain: "And God delights in the way of a man whose steps are ordered by Him. The man who obeys God is pleasing to God.

Psalms 32:8 (NKJV)
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

God will instruct us how to go and He will watch over us.

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We (Christians) are the workmanship of God. We are His hands to do. We are His feet to go. We are the light by which others will be led to God. We (Christians) are established to do good works. What are good works? The work that God gave us to do is considered as good works.

Ephesians 5:17 (NKJV)
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Some religions teach that we cannot understand. Some teach that only the clergy can understand and give guidance. Some teach that God has to move someone in a miraculous way to give them understanding. We know for sure that the will of the Lord is to obey His commandments.

Isaiah 58:11 (NKJV)
The LORD will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

As long as we let Him.

Isaiah 30:21 (NKJV)
Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

This could be what we call providence. We find ourselves blessed in a particular circumstance and want to give God the credit. Things we do not fully understand concerning our welfare, we attribute to providence.

Proverbs 15:19 (NKJV)
The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, But the way of the upright is a highway.

Just look at all the ways in which God directs us. He tells us how. He shows us the way. He gives us examples. He gives us commands. He gives us precepts. He has given us everything we need (2 Pet 1:3) to do His will. Even though God has done all of these things, it is still our responsibility to learn and know his will.

Joshua 1:8 (NKJV)
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

"you shall meditate in it...have good success"

Psalms 1:1-3 (NKJV)
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; {2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. {3} He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

"he meditates day and night."

Colossians 1:9 (NKJV)
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

"...filled with the knowledge....wisdom and spiritual understanding."

2 Peter 3:18 (NKJV)
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

"...grow in the grace and knowledge..." The key word is to grow.

2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NKJV)
But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, {15} and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. {16} All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, {17} that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

"...you must continue..." in the Holy Scriptures. Notice it says that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God....." If it is in the book, then is comes from God. That is why we must study the word and apply the word in order to live by the word.

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Understanding God's Will II
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Grow in Grace and Knowledge