God's will for your life...

I know God’s will for your life. Let me say that again. I know God’s will for your life. Now, before you bring out the torches and a stake to remove me for heresy, let me explain.

I do not know who you will marry. I do not know what job you should take. I don’t even know what cereal you should choose tomorrow. But I do know what God is asking us to do today. And you can too.

In our new series, The Christian Lifestyle, we will explore how to live the Jesus way. And in our first talk, the apostle Paul is going to be crystal clear about how we can honor God with our lives.

If you want to live in God’s will, then join me for the three part journey in this message. Here’s the first step...

Be a walking worship service.

Early in my ministry at Ironbridge, there was a season when I was especially discouraged. I messaged my aunt, a deeply Spirit led person, and asked for advice. She wrote back with this advice, “God will accomplish his work. It’s your job to worship.”

What? I’m not the worship pastor… I’m here to lead, deliver messages, and counsel. What are you suggesting? That I just sit around in my office singing all day?

The more I thought about her message, the more I remembered what worship looks like, it looks like doing everyday activities with a motive to honor God. Check out Paul’s description of worship....

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

As we unfold his words, we will uncover that worship is not just singing songs, it is offering your energy to show the world how good God is.

Paul appeals to them to use their bodies, their lives, and their work to all point to Jesus.

This is a big ask, why should we do this?

Paul explains that we can live for God because God died for us. We don’t offer our lives to get God’s mercy. We offer our lives because we’ve been given God’s mercy.

God’s mercy is the soil that Christians root their lives into to produce good fruit.

What soil is your life rooted into?

The soil of discipline is not soft enough to produce growth.

The soil of guilt is too rocky to produce growth.

Only the soil of God’s mercy is healthy enough to produce healthy Christians.

And being a healthy Christian looks like giving your body to serve God. Doing God’s will is not theoretical, it is tangible.

Culture has a lot to say about your body…

Some say that your body is your choice. This thinking assumes that you are the god of your body.

Others think that our body chooses for us. This assumes that your body is your god. If our body is hungry, we have to feed it. If our body wants sex, we give it sex. If our body wants to inflict self harm, we harm ourselves.

Christianity gives a refreshing third option, your body has purpose. Your body can be used to point others to God. The God who gave his body, to die for us, so that we want to live for him.

Don’t offer your body to this world, it will abuse you.

Don’t offer your body to your boyfriend, he will use you.

Offer your body to God, he will bless you.

You are not a slave to your body. Your body is not bad. Your body can be a walking worship service.

So that when people see you work hard in your studies, they want to know about your God. So that when people see you serve others, they want to know why you love.

If you want to live God’s will, begin by offering every normal moment as an act of worship.

Next,

Be a thinking world changer.

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

Everyone in this room is heading in two directions: we are being conformed by our surroundings or we are being transformed by God’s Spirit.

Which direction are you heading?

I love how one writer, Jon Courson, illustrates this principle. Are you a thermometer or a thermostat?

Thermometer’s are up and down all day because of the surrounding temperature.

Thermostats are set by the external influence of the user.

Are you a thermostat or a thermometer? Here is a test. Do you only act like Jesus when it benefits you? Sure, it’s easy to act like a Christian at church. But what about when you’re at school. Are you still proud to represent him there?

If the answer is no, there is hope for you. Here is what you must do: change your lifestyle by changing your thinking.

How can we change our thinking? Well it’s not going to change by our own thoughts. Our thoughts are what got us into this mess.

It’s not going to be changed by engaging the thoughts of our modern age. The culture is not seeking to change you. It is seeking to control you. It’s slavery introducing itself to you wearing the name tag “freedom”. This world wants everyone to be conformed.

Picture play dough. Imagine that you are the play dough and that my hand is the modern age. If you surrender your thoughts to me, when I want to press you, you will be anxious. I tell you to work long and hard to prove your worth, so no wonder you’re feeling stressed. I tell you that truth is subjective, until of course, I have an opinion, and if don’t fit into this mold, you will be cancelled.

It’s tempting to think that following the world is cool and unique. It’s not cool, it’s simply conforming to the mold that everyone else is fitting into.

To be a world changer, you will need to change your thinking. And our thinking is changed by engaging with the thoughts of God.

Listen God’s word daily and you wont have to guess about what his will is, you will know his will. Your mind will be renewed.

Lastly,

Be confident in God’s plan.

One of the questions that is common in our age group is, “what is God’s plan for my life”. This is important consideration. It shows that the seeker wants God’s guidance for the thousands of decisions we are going to make in the next few years. Here are a few examples:

should I go to college or begin working?

who should a date?

Chipotle or Chick-fil-a (we all know what God’s will is for that one…)

For all of these decisions, a common method to decipher God’s plan is to look for signs. “Lord, would you let a chick-fil-a delivery van pass by.” “God speak the name of the person you want me to take to prom.”

Unfortunately, this method can often led us to look for signs instead of following the Spirit. It leads us away from God instead of closer to him.

If you’re seeking God’s will, it doesn’t make sense to wait for a voice from heaven, if you’re unwilling to follow the word of God you’ve already been given.

Jesus once taught, “O you of little faith? 31 (Therefore) do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Some people make it seem like it’s more spiritual to be confused about how to live. Jesus said, that worry about the future exposes small faith. He is teaching us to trust him with our tomorrows so that we can follow his plan for today.

To get practical, Paul tells us in our passage,

(that) by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Here is what the word “discern” means: Put God’s will into practice to discover how practical it is.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “God our Savior, (who) desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

God wants you to be saved. Trust in him and see if it leads to peace.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Live a life of gratitude. See if that makes you happier.

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Trust and follow God as your leader. See if he doesn’t make your life more clear.

How can you know you are living in God’s will? It’s simple. Listen to his word. Live the way of his word.

But you may be thinking. His word won’t tell me about whether to go to “VT or VCU”. His word won’t tell me to go to “chipotle or Chick-fil-a” how do I know what to do?

Using ideas from his word, let me give you a biblical guide for making decisions:

Get close to Jesus

Ask your Christian community for advice

Consider your circumstances (location, strengths, weaknesses)

Apply your interests

Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”