The Will of God Directory

The Studies:

• Part I
• Part II
• Part III
• Part IV
• Part V
• Part VI
• Part VII

Other Series:

• Salvation Study Directory
• Marriage Enrichment Weekend
• Fruit Study
• Sin List Study

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The Will of God: Part VII

Today, my approach is going to be a little different. I will reference the scripture but not actually quote it today. I don't see any sense in quoting it again, when you can simply look at yesterday's post for the passage. Heree's a link: Yesterday's Post1st Samuel 2:17-26

This is a bit tough to look at. Here is Eli, munching down on stuff sacrified to God. He's not supposed to be doing the things he's doing, and then he rebukes his sons, who are caked so deep in sin, that God has decided that since they won't repent, they're done. And God can decide that if he wants to... he is God, afterall. Here's the key verse that Eli spoke: "If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" And they didn't listen to their father or anyone else. And so God decided to put them to DEATH. And the question I must ask myself is this: Am I listening? Am I repenting? Because it one or both isn't constantly being applied, then I could be headed to DEATH... and that ain't cool.

Isaiah 53:6-12
Now, this is obviously a prophecy about Jesus. It was God's will for Jesus to suffer. It was God's will that Jesus did all those miracles. And it was God's will for Jesus to bear all the sins of the disciples. If you repent, your sin falls on Jesus to bear. If you do not repent, you face God with your inequity. And if you face God with sin and quilt, chances are you are not going in to the heavenly kingdom.

Ephesians 5:1-21

This is a very special scripture of this study, actually the basis for the study... I need to UNDERSTAND what God's will is. If I do not try to understand, if I do not seek the wisdom, then I am simply foolish. The Bible says if I do not understand what the Lord's will is, then I am foolish.

Tomorrow I am starting a new series. I do not know if I will return to the "Will of God" study anytime soon... knowing me, I probably won't, since I have other studies to do... but tomorrow I am starting a series on something a little special.

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The Will of God: Part VI

I think today I will just focus on three scriptures. I will have to find a new way to find more for tomorrow, or maybe I will study out something else tomorrow... I guess tomorrow I will decide then, should God bless me with tomorrow.
1st Samuel 2:17-26
This sin of the young men was very great in the LORD's sight, for they were treating the LORD's offering with contempt.

But Samuel was ministering before the LORD -a boy wearing a linen ephod. Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, "May the LORD give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the LORD." Then they would go home. And the LORD was gracious to Hannah; she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So he said to them, "Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear spreading among the LORD's people. If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?" His sons, however, did not listen to their father's rebuke, for it was the LORD's will to put them to death.

And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with men.

Isaiah 53:6-12

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Ephesians 5:1-21

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

OK, these are the scriptures. Tomorrow I will make comments on the scriptures. Johnny Out.

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The Will of God: Part IV

Wow, the Rangers are playing some good baseball.
1st Thessalonians 5:12-22
Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.

This passage has a lot about God's will. So, I will just put it in some bullet points.

1. Respect those who lead me in the Lord.

2. Respect those who admonish me and hold them in high regard.

3. Love them in the highest.

4. Live at peace with each other.

5. Warn those who are idle.

6. Encourage those who are timid.

7. Help the weak.

8. Be patient with everyone.

9. Make sure everyone pays back good for wrong.

10. Always be kind to each other.

11. Be joyful always.

12. Pray continually.

13. Give thanks at all times.

14. Do not be lacking in zeal.

15. Treat prophecies with honor and regard.

16. It is God's will that everything should be tested.

17. Hold on to everything that is good.

18. Avoid everything that is evil.

There were 11 verses in that passage. There are 18 things to take note of... just an observation.

Anyway, no greek definitions... It's late and I'm tired. See you tomorrow morning. Johnny Out.

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The Will of God: Part III

The Will of God: Part III

Wow, another day, another QT. I have had some strange dreams the last couple of days. Rather entertaining, actually. Giant Three Stooges and Spiderman... and a large bald man. You can't forget the bald man. That's all I'm going to say about that, though... I'll just let that role around in your head... So, on the the Quiet Time.

The scripture of the day:

Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. Proverbs 3:9-10 (The Message)

Romans 8:22-30
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

The Spirit intercedes for those who are saved and love God.

Romans 12:1-8
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Prophesying: prophēteia (pronounced: prof-ay-ti'-ah):

• Prediction (scriptural or other): - prophecy, prophesying.
• A discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; especially by foretelling future events.
• Used in the NT of the utterance of OT prophets - of the prediction of events relating to Christ’s kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions pertaining to it, the spirit of prophecy, the divine mind, to which the prophetic faculty is due; of the endowment and speech of the Christian teachers called prophets; the gifts and utterances of these prophets, especially of the predictions of the works of which, set apart to teach the gospel, will accomplish for the kingdom of Christ.

Will: thelēma (pronounced: thel'-ay-mah)

• A determination (properly the thing), that is, (actively) choice (specifically purpose, decree; abstractly volition) or (passively) inclination: - desire, pleasure, will.
• What one wishes or has determined shall be done; of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ; of what God wishes to be done by us - commands, precepts.
• Will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure.

So it is the will of God that we have gifts and we use them. We could be prophets, which are people who declare things that relate to God's kingdom and purpose. We could serve. We could teach or encourage. We could give $$ to help the needs of others. We could be leaders and we could be merciful. My personal opinion is this: we should do all of these things, and maybe more. But our strong suit, well we should be excelling in that particular area over the others.

2nd Corinthians 8:1-7
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

It is God's will that we exceed expectations. It is God's will that we exceed in giving, faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, and in love for others.

1st Thessalonians 4:1-8
Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

It is the will of God that we should be sanctified and to avoid sexual immorality and that there should be a controlling of one's own body that would glorify God in a holy and honorable way. If I were to live a life of impurity, then I would not be rejecting a person, but rejecting God instead.

Sexual Immorality: porneia (pronounced: por-ni'-ah):

• Harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry: - fornication.
• Illicit sexual intercourse; adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.; sexual intercourse with close relatives; sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman.
• Metaphorically the worship of idols; of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols.

This study is awesome. I like keeping it to just four scriptures, because that way I do not feel overwhelmed in a whole bunch of passages... I can focus more and get more out of it. Anyway, Johnny Out.

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The Will of God: Part II

The Will of God: Part II

I have decided that on this "will of God" study will consist of four passages each day. There are so many to check into, that I don't want to overwhelm myself with a whole bunch of passages each day.

1st John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Doing God's will gives the result of eternal life. Loving the world is not the will of God.

Exodus 18:13-16

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?"

Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws."

People sought out Moses because he knew what God's will was. Wise people are sought out because they know God's will.

Mark 3:31-35

Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."

"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.

Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."

God's family consist of people who do the will of God.

John 7:14-18
Not until halfway through the Feast did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. The Jews were amazed and asked, "How did this man get such learning without having studied?"

Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him."

People who want to do God's will search for it. They study out the teachings of JC. There are two types of people in this passage: The one who speaks to gain honor for himself and the one who speaks to gain honor for God. There isn't someone in the middle (or gray area) in this passage.

God's will is more and more clear as I study this out. I am really enjoying this study. I kinda wish I didn't wait so long to do this thing... but I did. At least I am studying it out now. Johnny Out.

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The Will of God

The Will of God

I have been sitting on this study for a while. Somewhere like a couple of months. And, to be honest, I wasn't going to start it today, but I changed my mind at the last second.

Today's scripture: The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Isaiah 58:11 (New Living Translation)

Now, on to the "Will of God"...

Ephesians 6:5-9 /Employees/, obey your earthly /bosses/ with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like /employees/ of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is /employee/ or /boss/.

And /bosses/, treat your /employees/ in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

It is God's will that I serve my boss with respect and fear. I also should serve my boss with a sincere heart.

Hebrews 10:32-39

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him." But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Perseverence over persecution is the will of God. Living by faith and not shrinking back is the will of God.

Acts 20:25-31

"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

The will of God is proclaimed. There should not be any hesitation (or fear, I suppose) of those who preach the good news. Those who proclaim the will of God will be overseers, which are shepherds.

1st Peter 4:1-11

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

He who has suffered in his body is done with sin and does the will of God. The will of God is NOT debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. The will of God is being clear minded and self-controlled. Those who do the will of God love, since love covers over a multitude of sins. That is it for today. Johnny Out.

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