God is not man, that he should lie,or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

 Numbers 23:13-30

God is not man, that he should lie,or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 23:13-30 -  we see an obstinate Balak who is determined to curse Israel, despite God's will that they be blessed.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God once again makes Himself and His will clear.  He will not curse Israel.  In doing so, He also reveals part of His nature - that He does not lie (He is Truth) and when He makes a promise, He fulfills His promises. God also uses both believers and non-believers such as Balaam - a pagan prophet - and He works through them in both words and deeds to accomplish His will. And once again, we must understand that God's will is not to be thwarted.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: As I posted yesterday, Balak does not like God's word spoken through Balaam so he pushes his will, even though it is contrary to God's will.  See v13 where Balak continues to push Balaam to curse Israel.  Balak is not as wise as Solomon who shared in Proverbs 19:21 "[m]any are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." In vv25-30, Balak, continues to disregard God's will and in chapter 24 (for Saturday) we will God's reaction.
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Do NOT blatantly and repeatedly disregard God's will.  Claim the promise that God's Truth is eternal, it never changes, and God does not lie - we can rest in His Word and His promises.  Follow the example of Balaam who finally recognizes that He must follow God's will and desires. Understand God's will (Romans 12:2) and pray for obedience and that God make it not burdensome because You love Him and You want to follow His desires because of how good He is. 

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Your Truth is eternal, You never lie, nor change Your mind, and we can rest in Your Word and promises.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You save and how You are faithful.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.

Numbers 22

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. Numbers 22:31-32

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 22 - we see one of the more odd passages of scripture where God works through a donkey to deliver His message to the pagan prophet Balaam, who was hired by king Balak to curse Israel.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: In v12, God is clear to Balaam that Israel is blessed and that Balak’s desire to curse Israel will not be allowed.  We must understand that once we know God’s will, nothing we can do will thwart God’s will.  To emphasize that God is at work in chapter 22, we see God refer to His will as “angel of the LORD” ten times in the text. It rarely is clearer that God is at work – when we see God at work so clearly, we must pay attention – perhaps there are distractions that blind us.  In fact, we see Balaam disobey God in v21 and leave on his own accord.  In v22, God shows his anger for this disobedience, and in vv23-30 we see God work through an angel of the Lord and Balaam’s donkey to prevent movement.  God even goes to the extent of speaking through the donkey to be clear to Balaam.  This apparently was not enough for God to get his message (and will) across to Balaam.  So in vv31-35, we see God open the eyes of Balaam so that there is no question that God does not want Balaam to pass. In v33, we see God’s great mercy as He shares that Balaam deserved to die (as we all do as we all sin and the wages of sin are death – Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8, Romans 6:23). 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: God’s will is pervasive in scripture, including the ten commandments (Exodus 20), and the most important of these commandments – to love God, and to love others (Matthew 22:34-40).  When we understand God’s will in our lives, we better be sure to follow His will.  When we willingly controvert His will, be prepared for harsh punishment – God will do what it takes to get your attention.  When you don’t have clarity regarding God’s will, saturate yourself in the word – see Romans 12:2 where Paul encourages us to be transformed by the renewing of the mind “that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Study God’s Word, wrestle with it, pray for wisdom (as Solomon did in 1 Kings 3:9), and practice spiritual disciplines (corporate worship, fellowship with other believers, etc.).
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): If God’s will is clear, do not willfully disobey Him!  Claim the promise that renewal of the mind will help you understand God’s will.  Follow the example of Solomon who asked God for wisdom.  Love God – and if you love God obedience to God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3).

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves, saves, and is full of mercy that never ceases, providing new mercies every morning.  I am not deserving of Your mercies nor my salvation.  My sin is great and it continues…daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You do not have, because you do not ask.

James 4

You do not have, because you do not ask. James 4:2

Based on a discussion with a good friend and brother in Christ, I sought greater clarity on core questions of prayer, including the extent to which God hears and responds to prayer.  This morning I had doubt about how God does respond to prayers given I agree with John Piper's view - expressed in his book Providence - on how God is sovereign over all details in life.  I could not reconcile how God could change course on any aspect of how He is sovereign, as I have often read about how nothing can stop God's will from coming to pass.

This post from DesiringGod.com helps resolve much of my doubt.  Key to this post are distinctions made between God's will of command and His will of decree. While we can, particularly over time as we grow in our understanding of His Word, understand God's will of command as scripture lays this out for us to understand, we can't grasp God's will of decree (certainly not in advance!). There is also often tension between these two wills - for example as the post uses do not murder as an explicit command from the Ten Commandments as an example of God's will of command.  Yet at the same time, we see how Jesus was murdered as being an example of God's will of decree.  It is not for today for me to unpack and reconcile how God's will may be in conflict in terms of what He commands and what He decrees.  The core focus for my examination today is to look at whether God responds to prayer and the extent to which perhaps God adjusts His course in the context of His will of decree. 

Piper writes the following on the question of whether prayer is pointless:

"A common response to this conclusion is that it seems to make prayer pointless, because answered prayer happens only when God has decreed that something be done. Wouldn’t the decreed event happen anyway? So why pray?

But that kind of response does not come from careful biblical thinking. Careful thinking would see that God really does things in response to prayer. “You do not have, because you do not ask” (James 4:2). God wills that events be caused by prayer. And careful biblical thinking would also see that, just as God decrees effects, he also decrees the causes of those effects. As he decrees ends, so he decrees means. As he decrees that a straying saint repent and return, so he decrees the prayers that bring him back.

Prayer is a real cause of real events in this world. God has willed it to be so. And so it is."

Piper's post also offers thoughts on how we should pray: out of humility, out of recognition that we make mistakes, and how we should pray using words "if it is Your will." 

I am encouraged to pray - and we all should be.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion - I know You hear my prayers, and I know that You respond to prayers - thank You Jesus for never leaving or forsaking me and for encouraging me to bring my prayers and burdens to You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and sposues to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

"For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Acts 5

"For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” v38-39

For believers this is a powerful reminder that God's will is unstoppable - period.  An equally important message is that plans that are of "human origin" (as noted by Gamaliel) will fail...we must seek guidance and validation that our plans are in line with God's purpose and will.  

How can we validate that our plans are in line with God's will for our lives?
- Read the Bible; it is God and it is God's word for us
- Pray
- Seek wise counsel (Exodus 18:13-27)
- Ask yourself if you are at peace; peace is an indicator of the extent to which You are following God (Galatians 5:22)
- Seek confirming circumstances (God is unstoppable and His will should be clear to the extent that you are getting "positive" results).

To be clear, you should probably use ALL five methods to validate God's will for your life as for many of us, myself included, we can can easily use one method or another to validate that our own plans are God's will.

My Prayer: Lord, You are indeed great and Your design and will is perfect.  I have seen Your hand in my life and in the life of others.  Perfect!  I know You have a plan for me and it is not to harm me but to prosper me as You say in Jeremiah.  Thank You Jesus that You love me so much despite my sin.  I am weak, selfish, impatient, I worry too much, I am quick to anger, slow to listen, etc.  Please forgive me for such sin and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as Your do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me know and follow Your will for my life.

The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes.

Zephaniah 2:4-15

The seacoast shall become the possession of the remnant of the house of Judah, on which they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening.  For the LORD their God will be mindful of them and restore their fortunes. Zephaniah 2:7

I continue my study of Zephaniah using the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for this book.  For today, my focus is a commentary-assisted review of Zephaniah 2:4-15, which is the text for the first division for the next chapter of the commentary, which includes two divisions.  The first division covers 2:4-15 and the commentary further breaks this down into nine subdivisions - and I tackle the first five today.

Across both the two main divisions and all subdivisions - covering Zephaniah 2:4-3:8 - the commentary shares the following main idea: "[i]n light of God’s judgment, God’s people must seek the Lord in humility or face destruction."  The commentary heading for the first division - covering Zephaniah 2:4-15 - is entitled: The Enemies of God’s People Will Be Judged because of Their Pride.

• The land of the Gentiles will become the feed for the animals of God’s people (2:6): "The specific judgment is that [the enemies of God's people's] land would become pastureland for the people of God....Verses 7 and following explain the future possession of God’s people. This would have been most offensive to the enemies of God’s people. Perceiving themselves to be superior physically, not to mention wealthier, they would have found it absurd that the nation of Judah would overtake them. This is, however, what God decreed because of their insolence and arrogance. In fact, verse 7 gives a foretaste of what was coming for the people of Judah. Yes, they had turned their backs on God, and yes, they were defiantly disobedient, but God was offering them redemption, and it appears, in verse 7, that God believed they would return to Him. He tells us that He would, in fact, return to them." 
  
• The land of the Gentiles will be given to God’s people (2:7): "Verse 7 tells us that God will be doing just such a work here among His people, and part of that restoration will be the settling of the enemies of Judah under the authority of Judah. Out of the ashes will rise this restored people, dedicated to God and enjoying life as He intended it. The resurrecting work of God is intended to help humanity flourish."
  
• The Gentiles’ taunting of God’s people has incurred His wrath (2:8): "It is most likely evidence of the enemies of God’s people taunting them about their God. Their taunting is most likely a blow at the character of God and therefore is much, much worse than simple name-calling. The mocking of the people of Judah may have been much like the psalmist described: “My adversaries taunt me, as if crushing my bones, while all day long they say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” (Psalm 42:10)....While God gives much grace, at the end of the day those who disparage and attempt to challenge God’s character will fail. Not only have they taunted God’s people, but they have also “threatened their territory.” They not only have disregarded God, but they have attempted to usurp God’s authority by encroaching on the territory that God has given to His people." 
  
• All the people who have opposed God and His people will bow before Him (2:11): "Ultimately, inherent in this issue is the fundamental question of the gospel: what will you do with God? In the end, everyone will ultimately respond with the same declaration, “Jesus is Lord,” as Scripture reminds us. However, Scripture also affirms that most of those who will ever live will make their declaration through forced submission. Only those who voluntarily declare that Jesus is Lord, in this life, will enjoy the benefits afforded to the children of God.  Those who reject Him will not escape the declaration that Jesus is Lord; instead they will find it to be a sobering and terrifying moment as they declare it to be so, but they do so too late, having missed their opportunity to submit before God. Scripture teaches that their just recompense, then, will be eternal judgment. Verse 11 reflects that truth." 
  
• God will use His own people to destroy the Gentiles (2:9): "Verse 9 points out that these enemies would eventually be reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah. They would be a “perpetual wasteland,” according to the prophet. Their property and land would become the possession of the people of God." 
  

Be one of God's remnant that is saved from eternal damnation - confess your sin and declare Jesus as Your Lord and Savior!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO full of grace and compassion - I am not unlike those in Judah who often stray from You.  I was an enemy of You and hostile to You, yet You loved me first and made me one of Your elect!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

 

Help Me Repent When I Sin, and Give Me Hope That There is Freedom From Sin...Through Christ

Today's Reading
Leviticus Chps 20 to 27

In Leviticus we continue to read about God's rules for holy living.

We also see in chapter 26, rewards for obedience and punishment for disobedience.

Rewards

¹ " 'Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God.

² " 'Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.

³ " 'If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, ⁴ I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. ⁵ Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

⁶ " 'I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. ⁷ You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. ⁸ Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

⁹ " 'I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. ¹⁰ You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. ¹¹ I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. ¹² I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. ¹³ I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.

Punishment

4 " 'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, ¹⁵ and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, ¹⁶ then I will do this to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and drain away your life. You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it. ¹⁷ I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

¹⁸ " 'If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. ¹⁹ I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. ²⁰ Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of the land yield their fruit.

²¹ " 'If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve. ²² I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.

²³ " 'If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁴ I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. ²⁵ And I will bring the sword upon you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. ²⁶ When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

²⁷ " 'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁸ then in my anger I will be hostile toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over. ²⁹ You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰ I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars and pile your dead bodies on the lifeless forms of your idols, and I will abhor you. ³¹ I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings. ³² I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. ³³ I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins. ³⁴ Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate and you are in the country of your enemies; then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. ³⁵ All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

³⁶ " 'As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them. ³⁷ They will stumble over one another as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies. ³⁸ You will perish among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you. ³⁹ Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their fathers' sins they will waste away.

⁴⁰ " 'But if they will confess their sins and the sins of their fathers—their treachery against me and their hostility toward me, ⁴¹ which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin, ⁴² I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³ For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them. They will pay for their sins because they rejected my laws and abhorred my decrees. ⁴⁴ Yet in spite of this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them so as to destroy them completely, breaking my covenant with them. I am the LORD their God. ⁴⁵ But for their sake I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations to be their God. I am the LORD.' "

While this is a covenant of hope, it is also daunting in that there are so many rules and regulations for living. The only freedom we find is in verse 44 and 45, where it says that God will not destroy us. This is not the freedom we have in Christ...with Christ we have freedom from sin because He knew we would sin. It is important for me to repent when I sin and also not be a slave to sin...for this I am grateful to Christ for Him dying on the cross for me.

My Prayer: Lord, please help be obedient to you and when I am not, help me repent. Help me also remember that I have freedom from sin only because of you - Jesus Christ. I am thankful for this.

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

 John 7:14-24

So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.  John 7:16-18

I continue my study of John and today I focus on John 7:14-24, where Jesus, now that He is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths, starts teaching in the temple.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method. 

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Although initially hesitant to go into Judea from Galilee because "His time had not yet come" (vv6,8), once there Jesus goes straight to the temple to teach (v14).  RC Sproul identifies preaching of the Word is central to a church and Jesus squarely focuses on teaching as a priority with His ministry.  In response to the Jews who marveled at Jesus' "learning" without "stud[ying]," Jesus responds humbly and shares (vv16-18) that His learning and teaching is not His own but that of the Father who sent Him.  He then shares that anyone seeking to follow the Father's desires will "know" (with certainty or a promise implied) whether Jesus' teaching is from God or not.  This echoes words from Romans 12:2, where Paul writes that as we read God's Word (seek Him and His will for our lives), He renews our mind and gives us the ability to know the inerrancy of God's Word and His will for our lives.  Jesus then challenges the Jews (leadership) as He shares that they share falsehoods and act with hypocrisy because they seek their own authority/glory (v18) and not the will of the Father who authored the very Word they claim to follow.  Jesus' final statement (v24) in response to the Jews is quite pointed as He shares that they judge by appearances (external behaviors) vs understanding someone's heart and intent.   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People often seek their own glory and emphasize their own authority vs that of God.  This drives pride, arrogance, envy, anger, etc.     
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking your own glory and emphasizing your own authority.  Do not judge on appearances.  Claim the promise that if you seek His will, You will understand the authority of God and the inerrancy of His Word.  Follow Jesus' example in humility to know where our learning comes from - in fact - every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17).  Understand and do God's will.  Study His Word to discern His will and allow for the renewing of your mind.     

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, Your are an awesome God who loves and saves.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings...my sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Luke 23

He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. v25

While all of the gospels (Matthew 27, Mark 15, John 19) include the account of Jesus before Pilate, only Luke includes this language that Pilate "surrendered Jesus to their will" and my focus is on use of the word "will" because typically this word is used to describe God's will for our lives and how we can determine and follow God's will for our lives.  

I started this morning by looking for the Greek words of the text - found here which indicates the Greek word used here for "will" is θέλημα (pronounced thay-lay-ma-ti).

When "will" is used in the context of people following their "own" vs God's will for their lives - it implies either a weak personal or no personal relationship with Jesus as the definition for will includes following a human "desire" or "pleasure" vs finding joy and fulfillment through Christ.

There is NOTHING in this world that can fill the holes in our heart that ONLY Jesus can fill.

I have previously posted on God's will for our lives and used Romans 12:2 to illustrate how daily study of God's Word serves to renew our minds and direct our thoughts towards God.

John Piper has an OUTSTANDING post on this topic.

Dallas Willard should also be considered.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has transformed my heart, mind and life - thank You Jesus for doing a work in my life!  I know You are not done and I need more of You in my life - my sin of course persists!  I worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21-22:5

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

Session #12 of David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 21-22:5.  The title of the session is The Consummation of the Kingdom.

We live in between two worlds:

• pilgrims on a journey in this country today.
• citizens of a kingdom in a country to come.

 We live between two times:

• the birth of Christ; kingdom of God has come and is a present reality.
• the return of Christ; the king of God is coming and His kingdom is our future.

We live for one purpose for the glory of God...meaning it is glorified when God's kingdom is consummated; people who are ruled and a place where the King has dominion, and purpose for the King and His kingdom.  Revelation is the culmination of the Bible - all of history pointing to this point.

• Creation: Genesis 1-2 | people (His blessing), fellowship (perfect), purpose (God's glory multiplied to all peoples)
• The Fall: Genesis 3-11 | disrupted fellowship (place), God's glory marred
• Patriarchs: Genesis 12-50 | place and promised fellowship
• Exodus and Conquest: Exodus - 1 Samuel 8 God and His place | tabernacle (place)
• United Monarchy: 1 Samuel 9 - 1 Kings 11; 1 Chronicles - 2 Chronicles 9: God with His people | temple (place)
• Divided Monarchy: 1 Kings 12 - 2 Kings; 2 Chronicles 10 - Esther - God with His people | exile (place)
• Jesus: Matthew - John - God among His people | incarnation (place)
• Present: Acts - Jude - God IN His people | body (place)
• New Creation: Revelation - God's final blessing and judgement

We give our lives to this kingdom - the climax of this story. Revelation 21:6 - "It is done".

It will be the end in two ways:

• inexpressible joy; Heaven exemplifies God's eternal blessing for conquerors who have turned from this world to Christ.
• irreversible justice; Hell exemplifies God's eternal judgement for cowards who have turned from Christ to this world.

We're going to dwell forever in the in-most place with the Holy God of the universe! Revelation 21:3

Death will be replaced by life!  Revelation 21:4

No more sin.  No more sorrow.  No more sickness.  No more separation. Tree of life - exists as blessing - no longer as curse Revelation 22:2-3

We will see His face! Revelation 22:4 We will reign with Him bodily resurrected - all creation will be restored. Every nation, people, tribe, and tongue living, loving, working, and worshiping together. Unified songs: worthy is the lamb! Glory to our God!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God indeed and it gives me great peace and excitement to KNOW that You have already defeated death and that I will reign with You forever in Heaven!  Thank You Jesus for reserving a place for me.  I am not deserving.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people.

 Numbers 32

For if you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness, and you will destroy all this people. Numbers 32:15

I continue my study of Numbers, and in the text today - Numbers 32 - where the people of Reuben and Gad petition Moses to occupy land east of the Jordan River, an alternative to entering the Promised Land.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.

• What do we learn from the text about God?: God often turns us over to our earthly desires and sin as a means to discipline or chasten His people (see also Romans 1:24-28, Psalm 81:11-12, Acts 7:42).  God's will was to bring all of His people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, and He would lead the people in battle to overcome those who inhabited the land.  In the text today, the people of Reuben and Gad propose an alternative to remain east of the Promised Land because they see that this land was good for their livestock - vv1,4.  Moses, speaking on behalf of God, initially rebukes - see vv6-15 - the people of Reuben and Gad, but they share in vv16-19 that they will not abandon the mission to work with the other tribes of Israel to conquer the Promised Land, and Moses relents to the request of the people of Reuben and Gad - v33.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Very often we, just as the people of Reuben and Gad did, seek to bend God's will in our direction, failing to completely trust and surrender to His plan. Although God, through Moses, allowed for this with the people of Reuben and Gad, we should remind ourselves that God seeks complete dependence and obedience to His will - see also this search in scripture for the string "just as the LORD commanded."  Jesus did not propose anything to the Father short of a brutal beating and crucifixion...He simply said in Luke 22:42 "not my will, but yours, be done."
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid seeking to bend God's direction and will to suit your own desires and agenda.  Claim the promise that God's will is "good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2) and that obedience to Him is not burdensome (1 John 5:3).  Follow the example of Jesus and follow the Father's will completely. Abide in, trust, follow Him.   

Comment and discuss this post

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves and saves!  Thank You Jesus. I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and I know my desires and sin often pull me away from You.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”....‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Revelation 6-7

“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”....‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ Revelation 7:3...16-17

Session #5 of  David Platt - Revelation: The Hope of Glory (requires login which I have though my church) focuses on Revelation 6-7, as the intensity of the last days unfolds for both unbelievers who are damned and believers who are saved.  Broadly speaking, Platt indicates that we must approach this book with proper humility; there are a variety of interpretations and disagreements over Revelation, but this should never drive us towards division or despair.  We can all agree, regardless of our interpretation, that God always wins!

Key Reminders:

• Concerning the church...in essentials, we must have unity (we believe these central truths...)
• In non-essentials, such as with practical views on alcohol, schooling, interpretations of other aspects of Bible that remain mystery such as Revelation, we can have freedoms - avoid division 

 Regarding Revelation

• The arrangement of the book seems cyclical, not chronological (not meant to be read as day-to-day sequence of events); think cycles and spirals
• Visions gradually build towards climactic consummation
• Timing involves the last days - only point where something definitive is available - beginning of last days started when Jesus rose from the grave as His kingdom has come and continues to unfold (in between first and second coming)
• Theme is gospel of Jesus Christ; all visions given to us to primarily to encourage, exhort and compel us to believe and hold fast; rise up and be faithful and to patiently endure

Four Gospel Truths

• God is ultimately sovereign over evil; all permissions and power given (or allowed) under authority of God; Satan can do nothing apart from divine permission; suffering is always used to fulfill divine purposes
• Men and women are morally responsible for evil; men and women are decidedly sinful and dangerously self-destructive; sinfulness of man comes full circle; men and women deserve death
• God will judge men and women who turn from Him and live for this world; scope of His judgement will be cosmic; breadth of His judgement will be universal (and terrifying!) (6:12-17); duration of His judgement will be eternal
• God will save men and women who trust in Him and live for another world (chapter 7); Christians are secure on earth in the midst of tribulation; God plans the persecution of His people; God promises protection for His people; God has you sealed for eternity! God empowers perseverance for His people; Christians will stand in Heaven at the end of tribulation; They will shout God's victory; They will soak in God's glory; they will be satisfied by God's goodness and soothed by God's mercy (7:14-17)

 Practical Takeaways

• Non Christians should repent of sin with urgency and believe; Christians should stop toying with sin today!
• Proclaim the gospel with urgency!
• Humbly cry out for God's justice amidst persecution! 
• Confidently cry out for God's mercy amidst suffering!
• Build your life and family on that which lasts forever!
• Spend and sacrifice your resources on that which brings eternal reward!
• Remember that this world is not our home!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, who has saved a placed for myself and all believers in Heaven...for eternity!  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not deserving of such blessings.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.

Psalms 69

I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. v30-31

We exist to worship and glorify God.

[The people] are the shoot I have planted,

the work of my hands,

for the display of my splendor.  Isaiah 60:21

 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.  1 Corinthians 10:31

 

We often struggle trying to understand God's will for our lives.  Yet God makes it clear that we exist to glorify and worship Him.  This is a good place to start.  God also wants us to know Him so we should be reading and studying God's word.  As we worship and get to know God, we are better positioned to understand God's will for our lives.  

 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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 12:1-2

 

We should not struggle with this topic.

My Prayer: Lord, what an awesome God You are...You know all things, You are in all things, You hold all things together, and You are able to do anything...You don't need me but You are able to use me...as broken as I am...for Your glory and my good.  You know everything about me yet You chose me and then suffered and died for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of such a blessing. I am too easily distracted by the things of this world.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from this sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me grow in my faith. Give me strength. Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin...and serve You.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

Mark 3:31-35

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 3:35, which is the text for the third division for 3:31-35. Excerpts from the commentary for the third division: 

• Pointing to Kent Hughes' commentary on Mark and referencing Christ's emphasis on being part of the family of God vs earthly bloodlines, the commentary shares 'this new family relationship is far superior, far stronger, far more satisfying, far more demanding, and far more dear than any human family relationship (ibid.). It is an eternal relationship that is marked by unshakeable grace, and those who receive such grace are marked by humble obedience.'
• The commentary then points us to Tim Keller's commentary where Keller compares v35 to the Prodigal Son: 'Jesus . . . is the true elder brother. He willingly brings us into the Father’s family at his expense. He died for us, he was plundered for us. We sit at the Father’s table dressed in Jesus’ clothes, with his ring on our finger. All through him. We must celebrate and live out the fact that we are members of a kingdom family, and it is all at the expense of our big brother, Jesus Christ. Do you live every day as if you are a member of God’s family, accepted and loved? Remember, a child in a family obeys not in order to be loved and accepted, but because he already is loved and accepted.'
• The commentary then points to scripture that highlights text on the topic of the "will of God:" Acts 13:22, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 6:6, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 5:18, 1 Peter 4:2, and 1 John 2:17.  

The commentary then offers the following observations about the family of God and His will:

1. "We became children of God by spiritual birth, not by physical birth (John 3:1-8). 
2. No one is born a Christian. You become a Christian and a member of God’s family only by adoption (Romans 8:12-16; Galatians 4:4-7). 
3. Becoming part of the family of God begins when we receive and believe in Jesus, which is a sovereign work of His will, not ours (John 1:12-13).
4.  Doing the will of God gives evidence that we are part of God’s family (Mark 3:35). 
5. Those incapable of knowing and understanding the will of God are objects of God’s saving grace and mercy in Christ. People spend eternity in hell as a result of their conscious and willful acts of rebellion and disobedience against the revelation of God they have received, and those who are incapable of understanding God’s will cannot rebel in this way (see Deuteronomy 1:39; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:11-12). (For more on this, see commentary on Mark 10:13-16 and Akin and Mohler, “Why We Believe.”) 
6. Revelation brings responsibility. The more you know of God’s revealed will, the greater is your accountability. Punishment is not all the same in hell, and rewards are not all the same in heaven. 
7. In spite of sophisticated and even well-intended arguments, there is no biblical warrant or evidence that people will have an opportunity after death to believe in Jesus or that eventually all persons (and perhaps even demons) will be saved. Just as eternal life is forever, so is eternal death. 
8. If it were true that all will eventually be saved, evangelism would be unnecessary, and missions would be a waste of time, lives, and money.
9. Because the Bible promises that people from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation will be in heaven at the throne to worship the Lamb (Revelation 5; 7), we rejoice in knowing that the family of God will consist of the 16,600-plus people groups scattered around the world, 7,000-plus of which are still unreached. It is the will of God that they hear and believe and that we go and get them for His glory."  

Confess your sins, surrender your heart and life to Jesus as Your Savior, and be adopted into His family! 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me and who saved me - while still an enemy and hostile to You.  Thank You God for saving me and for adopting me into Your family.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Be VERY Careful to Listen to God's Will

Today's Reading
Joshua Chp 22

Here we see how Joshua praises the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for their obedience to the Lord:

Then Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh ² and said to them, “You have done all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and you have obeyed me in everything I commanded. ³ For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the LORD your God gave you. ⁴ Now that the LORD your God has given them rest as he promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. ⁵ But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

In the same breath, Joshua warns the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be "very careful".  Why?  Because he knows how quickly we can fall away - we are but human, and he has seen how quickly the Israelites disobeyed the Lord.

After the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh reach their homes on the west side of the Jordan (not on the same side at the other tribes of Israel), they built an altar and without knowing more than this, the Israelites confronted the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to scold them of building an altar of worship to other Gods.  Yet, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh and explain themselves and the Israelites find favor with the altar.

³² Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders returned to Canaan from their meeting with the Reubenites and Gadites in Gilead and reported to the Israelites. ³³ They were glad to hear the report and praised God. And they talked no more about going to war against them to devastate the country where the Reubenites and the Gadites lived.

 ³⁴ And the Reubenites and the Gadites gave the altar this name: A Witness Between Us—that the LORD is God. 

While this story seems to end well - it raises important questions, such as:
- was this altar truly God's will or was it the will of the Reubenites and the Gadites? 
- to what extent do I "take license" with God's will and substitute my own will?

Needless to say, I (and we) need to be very careful indeed.  I know how powerful my own selfish interests are and in a heartbeat I can substitute God's will with my own.

My Prayer: Lord, I know your will for my life is great and it is perfect.  I have seen how my life has played out and I am truly blessed that you are in my life and you are in control.  Thank you for the many blessings you have bestowed on me.  Forgive me when I try to substitute my own will.  Help me love you more every day, draw closer to you every day, and be more like you every day.

The word of the Lord you have spoken is good, Hezekiah replied.

2 Kings 20

The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. v19

Isaiah delivers a grim prophecy to Hezekiah:

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” v16-18

The Macarthur Bible Commentary indicates that this a "surprising" reaction from Hezekiah and that perhaps Hezekiah is somewhat relieved that such doom will come to pass only after he is gone.

Yet such a reaction causes one to think - what is our reaction to God's will for our lives?

Jesus willingly submitted His life to God's will by going to the cross:

My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done. Matthew 26:42

God does not promise us a trouble free life (see yesterday's post) so we should be prepared to view our circumstances through God's lens.  God is in control (Colossians 1:16-17) and He will either allow or cause our circumstances.

Our circumstances may be difficult yet we cannot begin to understand the "goodness" (using Hezekiah's words) of difficult circumstances until we draw closer to God (Romans 12:2).  God "transforms" us by "renewing" our minds.  Of course it is only God who can give us such "renewing".

God please help me understand - good or bad - how my circumstances are Your will for my life and how Your will and plans for my life are perfect, for Your glory, and my good.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God, full of grace and love for me...even though I am sinful and broken.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such grace and love...I am harsh with my words and actions.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Philippians 2

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13

I continue my study looking at the life of Paul using John Piper's 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul.  Today, I move to chapter sixteen - Reveling in God’s Power in and through Ours.  Here, John Piper highlights how Paul encourages us to see how God's sovereignty and believers' wills do not conflict and work against each other but instead in concert.  Piper first starts by presupposing God's sovereignty over all matters in earth and heaven, pointing to Ephesians 1:11 and Romans 8:28.  He then provides the following texts as examples that describe God's will and our will working together:

• 1 Corinthians 15:10
• Philippians 2:12-13
• 2 Corinthians 8:16-17 

Piper writes about these passages: "What is so striking about this way of seeing reality is that God’s decisive, sovereign rule in the world and in our lives is not a hindrance but a help in doing what he calls us to do. God’s sovereignty does not make us fatalists. It does not paralyze us and make us say, “What will be will be.” It does not disillusion us with the meaninglessness of an impersonal cosmos. Instead, it empowers us to exert all our will and all our energy because we know this is how God works in the world— through people. God’s pervasive rule in the world gives us hope that nothing is meaningless.*"

*John Piper. 30 Reasons Why I Love the Apostle Paul

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are so good and I have seen Your hand and will in my life and how Your will and my will together work for Your glory - amazing!  I am not deserving of how You do all of this and bless me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not conform 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

Do not conform 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. v2

I have many times posted or referred to Romans 12:2 as it is to me a foundational verse.  Paul instructs on two matters: (1) to avoid conformance with the sin and evil of this world; this is very similar to repentance; (2) to focus on renewal of our minds - how we do that is daily study of God's Word and through prayer.   There is then a promise - that if we do (1) and (2) we will be able better understand God's will in our lives both over more contemplative decisions and spontaneous decisions.  John Piper has great posts on these topics -  The Renewed Mind and How to Have It, and What is the Will of God and How Do We Know It?

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has both transformed my heart and life and given me a great taste of the fruits of the Spirit and many other blessings - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I worry and I have much more sin - please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. James 4:13-16

I continue a pause of my study of Ecclesiastes to study James 4:13-4:17.  This morning, I lean on DesiringGod.com's lab for 4:13-16 (Part 1) where John Piper takes a first pass at breaking down this text in detail. First, Piper broadly looks at the text, including the surrounding text (4:10-12, and 5:1-6), and shares how the key theme is pride. In vv13-14, Piper describes how James is urging us to see how our lives are short, fragile, and in God's hands (not in your control).  In v15, Piper describes how the verse is a statement emphasizing God's providence in our lives where it is His will whether we live (every day) and what outcomes we experience - we are completely owned by the Lord, including our "doings".  Piper describes this particular verse as one of the most powerful statements from scripture on God's sovereignty.  Another example in scripture of God's sovereignty is 1 John 2:16.  We are urged to heed James's words, including v16 where pursuits without seeking God's will are described as boasting and evil. Piper ends the lab by sharing how we should recognize our own brokenness and sin, thank God for every breath that we take, and seek God's will for all aspects of our lives.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - giving me breath, live, and my salvation.  Thank You God.  Of course I am undeserving of all of this, as well as all the other blessings You pour out for me. My sin continues daily and it is great.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If You Are In Relationship with God, He Will Respond

Today's Reading
1 Samuel Chps 25-30

I often hear that God can answer prayer in many ways, including who responds and what the response is.  If only we are in relationship with Him.  Saul is clearly not in relationship with God as Saul continues to pursue David.  As the Philistines gather against Saul, he is filled with fear and sins by seeking a medium to understand God's will and plan:

 ⁴ The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. ⁵ When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. ⁶ He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. ⁷ Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”  (1 Sam 28: 4-7)

Clearly God does not desire us to seek mediums or spiritists as he indicated so through Moses:

¹⁰ Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, ¹¹ or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. ¹² Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)

Through his sin, Saul separates himself from God and is unable to discern God's will and cannot hear God's words for him.

The spirit of Samuel makes it clear:

Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has departed from you and become your enemy? ¹⁷¹⁸ Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. ¹⁹ The LORD will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.” (1 Sam 28:16-19) The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David.

How many times do I go to God and assume that because I don't hear a response that there is no response.  For me the point is clear, if we are close to God he will always respond and we just need to listen for the response and be aware of how it may be delivered - which is often very mysterious unless we are attentive.

In contrast to Saul, David is in relationship with God and he is able to discern - as clear as day.  As the Amalekites talked of stoning David:

But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6)

In drawing near to the Lord, David is able to hear God's response:

...and David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

   

“Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”(1 Samuel 30:8)

I need to draw near to God so I can understand His will for me - in all things.

My Prayer: Lord, I am amazed at how you have used me for your glory and also blessed me.  I know it is through You that these things happen - you are awesome and you are great!  Thank you for your wisdom.  Forgive me for my neglect of you and for my desire of things in the world.  Purify me of these things.  Help me draw near to you. love you, trust you, follow you and be bold in all of this.

I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.

Isaiah 1-5

I will turn my hand against you; I will thoroughly purge away your dross and remove all your impurities. I will restore your leaders as in days of old, your rulers as at the beginning. Afterward you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City. Isaiah 1:25-26

  

Day 173 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) starts my study of Isaiah, whom my commentary* refers to "the greatest evangelistic prophet ever known to God’s people begins an active ministry which will last some 40 years".  My commentary goes on the write: "Isaiah will do for Judah what Joel, Hosea, and Amos have done for Israel: he will tell the people about God’s judgment against religious formalism, idolatry, oppression, immorality, and pride, and also warn them of the captivity they are about to face. Throughout his prophecies Isaiah repeatedly refers to the final day of the Lord, when all people will face judgment like that being brought against Israel and Judah. The imagery is exciting and visionary. Isaiah also looks forward to the coming of the Messiah and Savior, who will redeem all mankind from their sins. For this reason, much of what Isaiah has to say will be as meaningful to future generations as it is to those who live in Judah at this time. Isaiah’s message begins with a condemnation of Judah’s many sins. He insists that Judah’s sins will bring severe punishment, from which neither Judah’s idols nor its leaders can save the people. He challenges the people to come to their senses before it is too late, and to look forward to the last days, when there will be a spiritual renewal and everlasting peace."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) . Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

This morning Isaiah delivers God's message to Judah regarding God's judgment of Judah's sin, and the focus is on empty worship and faith (Isaiah 1), and the sins of injustice (Isaiah 1 and Isaiah 5), idolatry (Isaiah 2), pride (Isaiah 2), sin of its leaders who led Judah into sin (Isaiah 3), sin of its women (Isaiah 3), greed (Isaiah 5), revelry (Isaiah 5), arrogance (Isaiah 5), rationalization (Isaiah 5), and drunkenness (Isaiah). My reading this morning includes reminders of God's grace - that He disciplines those He loves, we should view discipline as training to become more like Him, and that forgiveness and restoration await should we repent.

See also this great post about the danger of rationalizing sin as this is an important reminder of how we allow sin to creep into our lives slowly and it soon takes over.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is slow to anger, abounding in love, and full of grace and mercy for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.