5/3/13- Seeing God's Will

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. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:1,2 ESV)

⁹ For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9) 

¹² For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Thoughts: Is it possible to understand God's will?  For some God is so high and transcendent that no one can really hear Him.  But the united biblical view is that God does reveal His specific will at times.  The limits on it are found in 1 Corinthians 13:12- we see the will of God dimly as in a distorted and unclean mirror.  Certainly scripture is clear on many things- but even then we distort it with our sin.  However Paul gives us a way to see God's will clearer.  If we give ourselves fully- even sacrificially to God, not giving into the world (which distorts our viewpoint), our minds will be made clearer.  We will be changed to the point that we can understand or discern or even "prove" God's will for us- what is good and acceptable and perfect.
   The truth is, if we have our hearts wrong- we can even distort scripture.  I see it all the time- the twisting and manipulating of scripture- as the devil did in asking Jesus to throw himself down in Mt. 4.  As someone said, "the devil can quote scripture too."  But what is important is loving God with our heart, mind, strength and soul so that we can see.  Jesus said it like this- "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God."  We see God when our hearts are submitted to His heart and our will submitted to His will.  
    I remember once talking to a Christian friend of mine in college about dating a girl who was known for her promiscuity.  It was obvious that because the girl was attractive he wanted God to give him the green light.  He was looking for signs and picking scripture out of context in order to make him not feel guilty.  He would walk outside and see two birds flying together and say it was a sign from God.  He would quote the scripture "judge not lest ye be judged" as a way to blind himself from saying anything was wrong with his choice.  In the end he regretted his choice.  But I say this to point out that our hearts are deceitful (Jer. 17:9).  But if our hearts are drawn by God so that we want our heart to be in tune with His- we listen to Him and are able to see clearer. 

Prayer: Three things I pray O Lord: to see Thee more clearly, love Thee more dearly, follow Thee more nearly day by day.

8/20/12- Knowing God's Will

³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)

 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. (Romans 12:2)

Thoughts: Jesus says that it is possible to not only understand but to do God's will, and that in so doing we become united- a family of faith.  Paul says that the precursor to doing this is to allow God to change our mind and to not just give into the views of the world around us.  So the first step is to refuse to just be a chameleon in the world- going the way of the crowd with our eyes focused only on the here and now.  The peer pressure to be like everyone else is great. But resisting this pressure is essential to understanding, testing, and doing the will of God.  Ironically, we may think that God's demands to be holy are too high and unobtainable.  But so are the demands to be "normal."  No one ever completely fits in.  You cannot please everyone- who has their own definition of normality or average-ness.  Our goal is to do God's will - which is always above average, and is pleasing and perfect for us.  

Prayer: Lord, let my goal be not to sink into the least common denominator, but to rise above the crowd.  Let me seek your will above all else today.