What is the Lord's Will?

What is the Lord's will for our lives?

We find the will of God in a general way through all the Word of God, and in particular from the moral Law of God.  God's commandments are not burdensome to those who love the Lord, and they see that His Law is righteous.

The Apostle Paul describes the will of God in one particular way by living a pure life from sexual immorality.  We see this truth in, 1Th.4:3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality."  Our sexuality can create life and it can destroy relationships.  There's a good reason why God instructs us to keep his Laws. 

Our culture is depraved in many ways but we need to see the will of God in the Bible because we cannot know it in the world.  The Bible is the light of God's truth, it is the Word from God.  We can come to know the will of God when we see the goodness and righteousness of all His Law.  Jesus upheld this Law and this is the will of God for us too.  Our hearts will be blessed if we accept His will.

FAITH TODAY: Jn.14:21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.  And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love and manifest Myself to him."

The Word of Light

The Bible is called the Word of God, but it also brings the Light of the world to us.  It is a supernatural book that can penetrate and change us from the inside out.

Psalm 119:9-11, "How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

The Psalmist describes keeping his life pure from sin by guarding himself with the Word of God.  This is the necessary Spiritual power we need, the power of faith in God through His Word.  We see the sin in the world and we find it distasteful when we have our hearts immersed with the Bible.

Also, we see that the Word of God brings Light to our souls because it is God who comes through in the Word of God.  He is the Light, and we live in darkness.  When we bring the Word into our lives, the Light of the kingdom of God comes in.

FAITH TODAY: Mt.4:16, "The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.  From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

Incarnation

Advent is upon us and we heard another good sermon today on the incarnation of Christ.  John 1:14 has to be one of the best verses in the Bible, and certainly one of my favorites.  Every time I hear someone teach or preach on this verse I get excited, it's just that good, it says so much and it means so much.  God became a Man, the specific Man who is the Messiah and Savior for those who trust in Him.

At the beginning of this chapter, we see that the Word was with God in the beginning and the Word was God.  The OT Israelites never saw God directly but they heard God, they heard His Word and understood that He spoke to them in many ways.  John was using language the Jewish people could understand.  Now he even described the Word of God as coming to them in the flesh, as a real human being, yet without sin.  The Word of God was Jesus.  

The incarnation of God was not only to become one of us but to provide redemption to those who believe that Jesus is Christ.  We see that this Man is also glorious, He is no ordinary man, He is the only begotten, or the only Son that proceeds forth from God.  He is glorious because He is without sin, and He is full of grace and truth.

In Christ, we see the grace of God that provides salvation for our sins.  We also see the truth of God who fulfills all the righteous requirements of the Law of God.  And that means He is still the grace and truth of God today.  We need both the grace and truth of God.  For it is by grace that we receive truth and it is by truth that we can understand what grace really is all about.

Jesus is the Christ, the incarnation of God, full of grace and truth.

FAITH TODAY:  John 1:14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Got Vision?

Finding a Biblical vision in our troubled times can be a big help and inspiration for the Christian.

Jesus is the Christ, He is the Word of God that has come into the world.  He is alive and full of glory and power in heaven today.  

The Apostle Paul was singularly sold out to the glory and majesty of Christ.  It consumed him.  And this vision should be our all-encompassing vision as well.  There is no middle ground for Jesus, either He is the Son of God and God, or He was only a good moral teacher that has no authority today.

Paul describes Jesus in the book of Colossians as the image of God, the visible manifestation of God. He is also the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all things, and He is the Head of the church.  Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, and Lord.  He is the Alpha and Omega of our salvation and all things.  Therefore we can pray to Him and trust in Him in every part of our lives.  He loves us lavishly.

FAITH TODAY:  Col.1:15-16, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him."