God’s Will for our lives

You are made to enjoy God and all His glory and exult God to all the nations. Through God’s Spirit, He Empowers us to make more disciples of Jesus by Sharing, Showing, and Teaching His word and serve the world. Because the gospel is good news for everyone, we must go beyond our immediate circles to make disciples among people who have never heard of Christ. This comes by committing to praying faithfully and include regular fasting as a part of our spiritual disciplines. To accomplish all of this we must meditate on the Word of God, so we can discover more of his truth and how he desires for us to live it out. To include the gospel regularly when we engage with people around us every day. And To know we can participate in God’s will to enjoy him and exalt him in our own contexts.

Would you rather research first or spontaneously embark on a trip? Why?

We all approach big events differently. Some of us are planners: we make our lists; research the best routes, restaurants, and rests; and then coordinate as many details as possible. Others of us would rather just throw a bag together, jump in the car or on a plane, and see what adventure happens to us. Those opposite ways of approaching travel are similar to how we think of God’s will: we either want it written clearly and in detail so we can know what to expect, or we launch ourselves out there with a vague idea of where he’s leading. In today’s session, We wraps up our series on the foundations of our faith, I will explain how God has the same purpose for each of us, yet we live it out in wildly different ways.

Why is “What is God’s will for my life?” the wrong question?

we are asking the wrong question. Instead, we should be asking, “God, what is your will in the world, and how can I align myself with it?”

God isn’t hiding his will. As we’ve seen throughout this series, God wants us to enjoy him in all of his glory and then exalt him to the world. And because each of us is unique, his purpose plays out in beautifully different ways.

In Acts 13:1–4, “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.”

Paul and Silas were called to a specific ministry the rest of the Antiochan Christians were not given. And in 14:26, we see where that specific ministry came to a close. Sometimes we are called to serve God in a particular way for a specified amount of time, not the rest of our lives.

Now we are going to look at four ways God calls us to live. First, we are called to salvation. God has invited each believer into a relationship with him, and just as someone shared the gospel with us, he wants us to carry his message of grace to others.

Second, God calls us to mission. We are called to make disciples of all nations in whatever context he has placed us, using whatever abilities he has given us.

Third, God calls us to our station in life, the positions we hold personally, professionally, and culturally. As mothers and fathers, students and leaders, or even as citizens of a particular region or country—wherever God has placed us in a community, we are called to make disciples. Our tasks in our station in life, whatever they may be, allow us to exalt God in a specific way that others cannot.

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Fourth, God calls us to service—to make disciples “in different ways, at different times, among different people, in different locations, and through different vocations,” Saul and Barnabas may have been sent away to preach to far-off people in Acts 13, but the church in Antioch continued their ministry at home, obeying God’s call to love and serve their city and to pray for their missionaries. We too are asked to faithfully live out the unique call God has placed on our lives.

Enjoying and exalting God is not limited to church contexts. Many of us work in corporate, retail, and other professional environments. We nurture our own family relationships. Some will go to faraway places to share the gospel, but most of us will stay local, following God’s will as we influence his kingdom one relationship at a time.

“Don’t worry about finding God’s will.” Rather, we are to ask one another how to join his efforts right where we are and rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom and strength as we go. As we each do our part, the gospel spreads and disciples are made across the globe.

If there is time

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul urged the Ephesian church to reflect their faith in their actions and to love one another tangibly, because they were united together in Christ. Christ himself gave us the gift of grace, but that grace shows up in a variety of ways within the unified church.

Ephesians 4:11–16 “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

In verse 12, Paul tells us why God gave the church such a variety of leaders: to equip the saints (believers) for the work of ministry. In other words, they aren’t there to do all the work but to teach and model their tasks so that every believer can do the same. The wide-ranging work of the church is meant to be shared by all of the varied and gifted members of the church.

In verses 13–14, Paul describes the purpose for building up the church—that we might all reach maturity in faith and knowledge of Christ, being able to identify and withstand deceptive teachings and practices. Faithful leaders of different skills and gifts together produce faithful disciples who know God’s truth and experience the fullness of being one in Christ.

In verses 15–16, Paul completes his reflection on the beauty of a united body of believers in which each element plays its part so that the whole works together to enjoy and exalt God. When we each embrace the gifts God has given, use them for the betterment of the church, and love others well, we reflect the glory of Christ to the community watching us. We’re walking in the path God has designed for us, and he is delighted.

Each task within the church requires gifts and callings that differ from that of other people. To accomplish our mission, we need people with a wide range of abilities, passions, and opportunities.

SO What?

If you could sum up the problem with today I would say it would be the word Disunity. Why is that so prevalent. Because Satan always wants to do the opposite of what God wants. Do you see what God wants… He wants unity within the church.

What happens when we grow in Christ together and go out into the world together?

When we know Christ personally and grow in the gifts he gives us, our love for others will send us out to tell them about our savior. Some will go far, others will pray for them and send them, but all of us are equipped to work for God in whatever context he places us. He invites us to use our gifts and circumstances, in our own unique ways, to enjoy him personally and to exalt him to our families, our neighbors, and the nations. The foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ our Lord, whom we trust and worship and want others to know too. As we deepen our relationship with him, may we continue to invite others both near and far to find joy in Christ.

How will you seek opportunities to serve God where you are?