If the Lord Permit

Introduction: I would like for you to turn to the 16th chapter of I Corinthians.

As I thought about this evenings message, I could not get this thought out of my mind.

I discussed it briefly with Pastor while away in camp. I had written some notes in my devotional time concerning what we are about to read…

And then as I meditated on this verse, I realized that perhaps this was something I had heard before.

And lo and behold, as I made diligent search this particular phrase was highlighted by Dr. Sexton while we are Temple Baptist Church in His morning service.

And as I thought about that, I was reminded of the words found in I Corinthians 1:18 “18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”

Oh my friend, faith does come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Never think that you have wasted your time coming to church and hearing the preaching of the Word of God.

Never think that reading your Bible makes no difference.

Or that somehow the time spent speaking to God in prayer has been a waste.

I was greatly affected by His Word and the preaching of it.

And I learned once again this, that if I come into the church house intently listening to God’s Word being preached, if I come with a heart prepared to listen to God’s Spirit, He will take His Word and teach me.

Let’s read together this passage beginning in verse 1-9.

I Corinthians 16:1-9 “1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. 4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. 5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia. 6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go. 7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit. 8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”

Let’s pray

We make plans and many times God over rules our plans.

We are all endeavoring to walk with the Lord. To walk in harmony with His ways and according to His plan.

Illustration: Monday after work I had come home and made plans to cut my grass. And sure enough a fast moving pop up shower moved in and quickly flooded the road and our yard making it impossible for me to mow.

And so it seems sometimes with you and me. We make plans, we head in a certain direction.

And God changes our plans. He intervenes. I believe Dr. Sexton in his message entitled it the Interference of God.

We start to head a direction and sometimes we find it to be a dead end.

We desire to serve the Lord and seek His face and sometimes it is that we may be wrestling with the decisions before us.

Sometimes we may feel like, everything is against us, and God is distant from us. Illustration: Let me give you a few numbers just to set the stage as to how important this subject is:

The Bible says that we can expect on average to live 70 years potentially 80.

That is 29,200 days (80 years).

That gives us a total of 700,800 hours (24hr days).

Under the category of Essential/Recreational things we have

Sleep - 6.8 hrs on average - 28% of time.

Bathing - 30 min/day - 2% of time.

Eating - 3 hrs per day - 12% of time.

———-— 42% of time.

Phone/Internet - 4-6 hrs on average. 5hrs - 20%

TV - 3 hrs - 12%

————— 74% of an entire life.

Church Attendance - 3hrs per week - (24 min per day) ->1%

Outreach - 24 times per year average 3hrs each time(72 hours per year —- 5760 hrs over a lifetime out of 700800 hrs). ->1%

Bible Reading - 30 minutes per day — 2%

Prayer - 30 minutes per day - 2%

————- Total for spiritual activities 4% of our lives.

So of the time that we are spending—- how vital is it for us to be directed by the Lord?

I would like to point out few things regrading this phrase, If the Lord permit...

Notice with me the fact of wills.

I. The Fact of Wills

A. There is my will.

Verse 5 expresses this, notice what Paul states,

I Corinthians 16:5 “5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia: for I do pass through Macedonia.”

He says, I am going to come by this way and when I do my purpose is to stop by… Paul is giving a positive declaration of what He was going to do. He is expressing His will.

But then look in verse 7, Paul say I will not see you now by the way...

I Corinthians 16:7 “7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.”

Paul assures this local church I am going to come by, but not right now.

And it occurs to me of the magnitude of the ministry of Paul, or even Peter.

How many decisions were before these men? Do I go this way, or do I go that way? Should I stay here, or should I leave.

Then notice in verse 8, the Bible says, Paul speaking, I will...”

I Corinthians 16:8 “8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.”

This ability to make choices is God given.

Paul had to make choices. Peter had to make choices. John the apostle had to make choices. And for every choice, there were consequences. There were effects. I am reminded how John was exiled to the island of Patmos for the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. He made a choice to stand up and testify of the Lord and He ended up on and island. And island 10 miles long and half as wide. But yet God revealed so much to Him in that place, did He not?

Revelation 1:9 “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

And as with everything else, there is a stewardship requirement of the choices we make.

Notice we me also the tenth verse of this chapter, Paul gives these encouraging words.

I Corinthians 16:10 “10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.”

Timothy was following after the same things that Paul was doing. He was a son in the faith to Paul. What an encouragement.

I can look and see many of you following after the Lord, even as I also do.

Then we see this exampled in others, look at verse 12.

Notice I Corinthians 16:12 “12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.”

Now this is interesting because Apollos was an eloquent man, mighty in the Scriptures and there were issues initially at this local church people taking sides saying, I am of Paul and I am of Apollos and I am of Cephas… and I am of Christ..(I Corinthians 1:12-13) but yet here Paul’s desire is that Apollos come unto them, but His will was not at that time.

B. There is God’s will.

God is doing a work in this World. Christ is building His church...

And He is accomplishing His work, according to His will.

Ephesians 1:9-12 “9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” We can rest in this truth, that God is working in this world. We have this confidence, that the work of the Lord is going on even at this moment. What is it the Lord is doing?

C. There is the enemies will and that of the world.

“The doorway of opportunity always swings on the hinges of adversity.” - Dr. Clarence Sexton

In this passage after Paul speaks to them of His plans and God’s design for him, He tells them something wonderful in verse 8 and 9. Would you look at it with me.

I Corinthians 16:8-9 “8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost. 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” It has been pointed out that this verse does not say, “There is a great door and effectual opened to me, BUT there are many adversaries.”

There are some who would want to put the word ‘but’ in that statement. But it is the word ‘and.’ Rather than a reason for stopping it is just a declaration that there is adversity in moving forward with the Lord. In John chapter 16, the Lord was dealing with His disciples. He was not in a public setting, but was speaking to them intimately. It is a precious scene. He is tenderly teaching them and equipping them for what they would soon face. Turn there with me for one moment.

John 16:1 “1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.”

We get offended so easily don’t we?

The Lord spoke these things to His disciples, so they would understand what was coming. In verse 2 the Bible says,

John 16:2 “2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”

The world is so twisted and deceived that they will kill thinking they are doing the will of God.

And this tells us that the World is in opposition to the will of God.

If God’s design is for men to be men and women to be women, the World and the prince of this world is against it.

If God’s design is for the sanctity of life… my friend the world and the devil are against it.

If God’s design is for men to come to saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, the rejecting world and our enemy is against it.

If God’s design is and will is for you to accomplish the works that He has set aside for you to accomplish… the world and the devil are against it.

God is accomplishing His will in this world, His Spirit is at work, His people our at work, His Word goes forth according Isaiah 55:11 and accomplishes His will.

Then there is you and me.

The Bible tells us the we are labouring together with Him (I Corinthians 3:9).

We are not to be against Him.

We have our will.

Back in our text I want us to make these observations.

- We ought to will ourselves to do certain things.

- We ought to will ourselves not to do certain things.

In Daniel chapter I, when Daniel purposed in His heart not to eat the Kings meat, He made both a positive stand on what He would do—- which was keep Himself undefined before God and a negative statement —- something he would not do which was eat of the kings meat.

There are choices ever before us.

How do we make right choices according to His will?

That is the question, is it not?

II. The Future of Choices

Illustration: A traveler came to a fork in the road and could not decide which way to go. As the traveler approached the fork he noticed someone standing there.

Which way should I go?” said the traveler to the man standing there.

“That depends,” said the man.

“On what?” the traveler asked.

“It depends on your destination. Where are you going?” the man asked.

“I don’t know,” the traveler said.

“Then,” said the man, “it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

We see a future of choices before us. They are decisions that must be made. The time God gives us will be spent and our destination must be known as a Christian.

What does God want accomplished?

In Isaiah 55:1-11 “1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, And he that hath no money; Come ye, buy, and eat; Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, And let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, Even the sure mercies of David. 4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, A leader and commander to the people. 5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, And nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee Because of the Lord thy God, And for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee. 6 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts: And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; And to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, And the snow from heaven, And returneth not thither, But watereth the earth, And maketh it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: It shall not return unto me void, But it shall accomplish that which I please, And it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

Psalm 135:6 “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, That did he in heaven, and in earth, In the seas, and all deep places.”

“‘That’ is both a mystery and a certainty.” - Pastor Sexton

“There is a limit to the revelation God has made of Himself. We know certain things about God’s decretive will that He has been pleased to set forth for our information in Holy Scripture. But because we are finite creatures, we do not comprehend the total dimension of divine knowledge or the divine plan. As the Scriptures teach, the secret things belong to the Lord, but that which He has revealed belongs to us and to our children forever (Deut. 29:29).”

“The sensitive Christian understands that in the labor of his occupation, he is responsible to make a contribution to the kingdom of God, to fulfill a divine mandate, to embark on a holy calling as a servant of the living God. Such a Christian is keenly interested to discover how best to serve God through his labor.”

His Will Must Be Considered. --- This is answering that question what does God want accomplished.

Psalm 143:10 share with us this truth, the psalmist says, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

As we sit here tonight, all of us have ideas. All of us have plans and thoughts as to what is to be done and how it is to be done…

But does it matter what God wants and how He would have it to be accomplished?

Do we consider the will of God or do we operate on strictly our own reason and intellect?

Colossians 4:12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

Is My Will In Subjection to His?

This is a question intended on prompting you to a predisposition. A before choice that will equal success.

We might call it this, a surrender to the will of God. In other words, as God moves and as God overrules my designs I will be in subjection to Him. This is what Paul meant by the phrase If the Lord permit...

Is There Clear Scriptural Guidance On This Matter?

When I am determining the trajectory of the life that God has given me, with all of the decisions before me, we must ask the question, is there clear scriptural guidance on the matter?

Has God given us certain instructions concerning how we spend out time? Are there certain necessities that we know are according to God’s will?

We could all come up with a short list of things that God has clearly given guidance on in the Scriptures:

Personal evangelism

Reading the Bible

Prayer

Assembling together as a local church

Loving one another (brothers and sisters in Christ)

Separation from the world

These are all big categories. We could delve into any of these subjects and see how they fit into all areas of our lives.

Have I Brought These I Matters Before the Lord?

Too often we are found acting without asking… we fail to ask God for guidance. We fail to ask the Lord for direction.

‘Illustration: Digging for a water line 60 yrs old.

Colossians 1:9 tells us that we seek His will through prayer: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”

“Take my life and let it be”

Consecrated Lord to thee.