God's will and My will

Intro:

Competition

“Following God’s will can be challenging, but we get the most reward when we follow Him.”

YouTube: Matt Chandler on Discerning God's Will

“If we understand God’s Word and desire to honor Him with all of our decisions, our will must be aligned with His.”

1/10

Story: Deciding whether to stay working in a coal mine or go to Bible College

Have you ever been there?

Decisions being simple or life changing

Do you think God cares what you do?

The apostle Paul wrote of how God blessed believers in him.

He describes the process of God saving us and when it began.

(specific kid) When do you think God started to process of saving you?

Part 1:

Ephesians 1:4–6 CSB

For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Did you know God knew what you were going to do today even before you woke up?

God knows all

He not only knows but is actively involved.

He is not just a builder who built everything and left it alone.

He is the king over all of it.

God knew all before the earth was formed and before time began.

Even before your parents thought about having a kid, before your grandparents were born. when the earth wasn’t even around! God knew who you would be and he chose you to be his child.

You are no accident! God wanted you and called you to be his!

Is everyone God’s Child?

What did we do for God to choose us in Christ?

We can be so thankful that while we were sinful, God knew that we would be sinners, he still choose us.

-Chosen in Christ: God chose us through Christ. Being chosen by God is wrapped up in our relationship with Christ.

-Chosen to be holy and blameless in love: We are not sinless, but because we are in Christ, we have been forgiven and have his righteousness.

-Adopted as His sons: Talk about sons being the inheritane

-Chosen according to the pleasure of God’s will: God’s focus is to make sure his good and perfect will come to pass. When it does, we experience the full measure of God’s boundless love, and we bring praise and glory to God. God has adopted us to that our lives bring glory to him.

1: What do these verses communicate to you about God’s will for your life?

2: How should we live in light of these truths?

Part 2

Romans 11:33–36 CSB

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

My wisdom versus by parents wisdom

God choosing us should make us incredibly humble. Like an ant standing before a huge person.

It does raise some questions about life, faith, eternity. Does God choose some people and not others?

How can we know what God’s will and purposes are?

No simple answers. Paul himself calls it a mystery.

We want to fully understand how God is sovereign/in control, and how we have free will. Paul was a brilliant man barely scratching the surface of the depth and the wisdom of God.

Is 55:8

Isaiah 55:8–9 NET

“Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.

We may not be able to completely understand all of God, but if we could, then we would not be human. But we can understand certain things about God. Scripture is clear that God loves all people and that He is full of grace and mercy toward us.

When we don’t understand, we can be sure of one thing. That God is in control and he is working out his plan for good.

3: How is the mystery of God’s will both a comfort and a challenge?

4: What do these verses we just read reveal about God’s nature?

5. Is it possible for us to understand God and his will?

Part 3

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

What’s the first word?

If we see a therefore, we need to know what it’s there for.

OT sacrifice versus “living” sacrifice.

Surrender to doing what God wants for our lives.

Does that mean that each one of us is going to be a pastor or missionary?

We need to not only surrender to God, but not be corrupted by culture.

Living according to the culture, to be woke, leads to self centeredness, immoral living, and it certainly does not glorify God.

The world is so good at getting people to believe it’s lies. Here are a few that sound good:

-You are always enough!

-You are good enough!

-Believe in your heart

-Believe in yourself

-Do whatever makes you feel good!

Believing the lies of the world leads to unhealthy and God dishonoring behavior. As God’s children, we need to be transformed by the holy spirit to see everything according to scripture.

-Make some bad choices! You are growing up!

6. Since God’s will is a mystery, how can we know and do God’s will?

7. How can we present ourselves a living sacrifice?

9. What do you do or desire that is not pleasing to God?

10: What does God desire for you instead?

13: How an you learn more about God’s will, particularly in regards to your own life, thorugh others in your church?

14: Where does the world find its wisdom?

Where should we find wisdom?