The Will of God (Part 3)

VI. God's declared will also includes guidelines that God has given in scripture of how He wants us to live and what He wants us to do. 1. This aspect of God's will can be ascertained by living according to God's laws and studying the scriptures (Rom 12:2). 2. Prove v.- II. To make good, establish. 5. trans. To establish (a thing) as true; to make certain; to demonstrate the truth of by evidence or argument. 3. We should pray for God's will to be done. A. Jesus was our prime example of this (Mat 26:39,42; Luk 22:42). B. Jesus taught us to pray for God's will to be done (Mat 6:10). C. Ministers should pray for their flock to stand complete in the will of God (Col 4:12). 4. We should be content with the will of the Lord being done (Act 21:14). 5. It's important to know God's will and to do it, so as to avoid beatings from God (Luk 12:47-48). 6. We are commanded to understand what the will of the Lord is (Eph 5:17). 7. How do we discern the will of God when there's not a black and white verse? A. Sin is the transgression of the law (1Jo 3:4). B. If there is no law prohibiting something, then it is not a sin (Rom 4:15). C. Though something may be lawful, it may not be expedient (1Co 10:23). i. Expedient - II. 2. Conducive to advantage in general, or to a definite purpose; fit, proper, or suitable to the circumstances of the case. ii. It may be lawful to eat lunch at McDonalds everyday, but is it expedient for your health? iii. It may be lawful to watch soap operas all day, but does it edify you? D. It was before proved that all things in our lives are not predestinated, but only the things that the scripture says are. E. It was before proved that God's written word contains His will for our lives. F. In areas of life or in situations where the Bible doesn't specifically state what God's will is, we must act within the guidelines set forth in scripture, and any decision or action made within those boundaries is God's will since none of God's laws are being broken. G. Here are a few examples of applying the boundaries set forth in the Bible to determine if we are in the will of God: i. Who does God want me to marry? a. God allows us to be married to whom we will, within His boundaries. (1Co 7:39) b. Is the person ineligible to be married (already married, not biblically free from a previous marriage)? (Exo 20:14; Mat 19:9) c. If they are Biblically ineligible to be married, then it is not the will of God that you marry that person, no matter how right it may feel. d. Will the potential wife perform her God-ordained role in the marriage? 1) Will she be submissive to her husband? (Eph 5:22,24) 2) Will she bear her husband children? (1Ti 5:14) 3) Will she be a keeper at home? (Tit 2:5) 4) Will she provide for her husband's sexual needs? (1Co 7:3-5) e. Will the potential husband perform his God-ordained role in the marriage? 1) Will he be the head and leader of the wife and family? (Eph 5:23) 2) Will he love his wife as Christ loved the church - self sacrificially? (Eph 5:25) 3) Will he provide for his wife materially? (1Ti 5:8) 4) Will he train and educate the children in the ways of God? (Eph 6:4) 5) Will he provide for his wife's sexual needs? (1Co 7:3-5) f. Does the person share your faith? 1) Though it may be lawful to marry someone who doesn't share your faith, is it expedient? 2) We are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers in the church (2Co 6:14), so why would you want to marry one? 3) Intermarriage with unbelievers was forbidden in the OT. (Deu 7:2-4) 4) Those things were written for our admonition, from which we should learn. (1Co 10:11) g. Do they exhibit godly character as described in the scriptures? (Proverbs, etc.) h. If the person you are thinking of marrying is within all these scriptural boundaries, then you can conclude that you are within the will of God to marry them, even if they are not "perfect" for you. i. There may be more than one person that you find who meets these criteria and therefore it would be within the will of God for you to marry either one of them. j. There is not only one person on earth that you could marry and live happily ever after; there are likely many of them. You just have to find one that meets God's qualifications and that you are compatible with. ii. What house or car does God what me to buy? a. Do you have to go into debt to buy it? (Rom 13:8; Pro 22:7 c/w 1Co 7:23) b. Are you established with steady employment first? (Pro 24:27) c. Will buying that house or car cause you to have take away from what you have purposed to give to God and His house? (2Co 9:6-7; Hag 1:4-8) d. Will buying the house or car deplete your savings or hinder your ability to save? (Pro 21:20) e. Will the new house be taking you away from the church geographically to where you could not be in regular attendance, or cause you to miss events and gatherings of brethren in the church? 1) We ought to seek first the kingdom of God and not forsake assembling with the saints. (Mat 6:33; Heb 10:25) 2) We should prefer to be in God's house above any other house. (Psa 27:4; Psa 84:10) f. Is the purpose of it to show off and feed your pride? (1Jo 2:16) g. Will the upkeep of it take time away from your obligations to God, His word, His church, or your family? 1) Possessions own you, you don't own them. (Ecc 5:11-12) 2) Possessions and the cares of life that go along with them choke the word of God in your life. (Mar 4:19) 3) Parents have an obligation to train up their children which must come before your aspirations of acquiring nice possessions. (Pro 22:6; Eph 6:4) 4) Husbands should dwell with their wives according to knowledge: in other words spend time with them and know them well. (1Pe 3:7) h. If you can purchase the house or car you are considering and stay within the boundaries of the above cited scriptures (and any others that apply), then you can conclude that you are within the will of God to buy that house or car. i. As was the case with choosing a wife, there will likely be many houses or cars that would be within the will of God for you to buy. iii. What job or career path does God want me to take? a. Is it a non-sinful profession (not a prostitute, hit man, abortion doctor, inventing evil things, predatory lending, etc.) (1Co 6:9-10; Mat 19:18; Rom 1:30) b. Will it provide for you and/or your family? (1Ti 5:8) c. Will it require travel that will keep you away from church? (See verses above about buying a house.) d. It doesn't have to be a "prestigious" job to be a godly job. (Pro 14:23) e. Can you do the job to the glory of God? (1Co 10:31) f. If the job you are seeking meets these scriptural criteria (and any others that apply), then you would be in the will of God if you took it. g. As with the other examples, there could be many jobs that would be God's will for you to have.