Discerning if I am in the Will of God - Tim Conway

I only have one question tonight and it's this it's from a guy by the name of Tim Campbell and he basically asked a very simple question then maybe not so simple to answer but a very short to the point question how do I know if I'm doing God's will so that's where I want to go tonight how do I know if I'm doing God's will well the first thing we probably ought to talk about is this what do we mean when we talk about the will of God somebody help me I mean that's we talked that way a lot will of God will of God am i doing the will of God am i in the will of God how do I know when I'm doing the will of God but what is the will of God thought I heard somebody with somebody just starting to speak and not so much yourself well when I talk about the will of God I'm thinking that it doesn't have I'm really looking for a definition in as much as what that is pertaining to God if I'm talking about the will of God obviously I'm talking about God's will but what do I mean by that when I talk God's will what what concept should we come up with say that again what he commands now would we limit it to just that what he wants what he desires what's in his word his plan right there are things in his plan that doesn't necessarily show up in his word right does God will all sorts of things that aren't in this book now yes this book is an expression of his will but it's certainly not an expression of all of his will right because he has all sorts of plans all sorts of desires all sorts of aspects to what God desires that we just simply can't find in here in fact well that we'll never fathom completely ever commands well this book isn't all commands but obviously when God commands that is an expression of his will desire does God ever will something he doesn't desire yes does God ever will something here let me ask this is God powerful enough to bring to pass all that He wills proven what is one of them what is one title that's given to God God Almighty basically where would you prove in the scriptures that God is capable of anything well how about when Jesus Christ says with God all things are possible which means all things are possible when God exerts his will with God there is nothing that's impossible let me ask you this does that mean that there that everything is possible with God we can't sin so basically what we would say is the will of God what we would say is the power of God the purposes of God the abilities of God he's almighty and all things are possible with him with the exception of those things that would be necessarily contradictory to his character right God can't do certain things not because of any inability in himself but because it's contrary to his nature God can't sin because God is holy God is righteous God is good God only does good God can only dwell with what is good he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity the scriptures would say to us eternally God is not going to dwell not in a not in a pleasant fashion with those who are wicked and unrepentant and die in their sins now he will be in it says in the scriptures that those who are in Hell will be in the presence of the Lamb they will be tormented in his presence okay so God can do all things so does God ever will anything he doesn't do so God actually purposes to do something and then doesn't carry through and do it okay is it possible for God to purpose something that he then doesn't carry forth that will if if look if something isn't contrary to his nature and he desires that it happens does it always happen or do we need to explain that more fully okay if God has determined that he is going to receive great glory through one person as a vessel of Wrath and through another person as a vessel of mercy is that going to come to pass now that's different when God decrees something who knows who can explain what a decree is an edict well let's let's look at things from this perspective if God determines I am going to save a people I am going to send my son and I'm going to save the people is it going to happen absolutely if God has for Nona people and he's for known them in a way that he before they're even born sets his love upon them and he foreknew them and like the scripture says those whom he foreknew he also predestined and those he predestinated he also calls and those he calls he justifies and those he justifies he glorifies now and I know that wasn't an exact quote but that's basically what you find in Romans 8 and verses what 29 and 30 those that happens but let's say this when God says he wants us to do something and he expresses his will not so much he expresses his will as to what he's decreed not so much in his edict not so much in what he has determined his plan is going to be but when God's will is expressed in a sense we heard Commandments when God expresses his will and says my will for you is that you keep this commandment now does that come to pass all the time do men keep all the will of God you see there's a big difference between God when God decrees something and when He commands us to do something and sometimes both of those are viewed as the will of God well it's the will of God to create the universe the way it is that happened in his decree he decreed that such things would happen in eternity he had a plan he's focusing in on glorifying his son through this creation he's he's basically preparing a bride for his son for his sons glory he decreed this thing there's a plan there now that's different than when God's will is expressed this way his will is that you repent right does he command all men everywhere to repent that's an expression of his will but does that happen all the time and yet will that happen all the time and the people he's decreed that will repent because the scripture says what about acts 5 acts 11 that repentance was granted said well also then God has granted to the Gentiles repentance remember the Jews said that we'll see God granted it that means he gave it to them that means that was something God decreed that's something God in his plan it was in the design and it was going to come to pass but not all who are commanded to do the will of God actually end up doing the will of God you see where I'm coming from in this when we talk about how do we know when we're in the will of God we're not talking about the decrees of God we're talking about obedience right we're talking about God's Express will we're talking about his commandments we're talking about his word we're talking about that which is right for us to do in order to please him that's what I want to talk about tonight because that's where who's our friend here Tim Campbell that's that's where he's coming from when he says how do I know if I'm doing God's will he means how do I know that what I'm doing is pleasing to the Lord that's where we have to come from now look if you're maybe if you're lost in this room you're not a true Christian maybe you haven't wrestled with this but I guarantee you every every child that God wrestles with this mind the will of God I don't think I read this I actually think Craig read this and he told me this I think he read or listened to a sermon by al Martin somebody may recognize that name Martin said at least the way I believe Craig believed the story to me is that one night al woke up pastor Martin woke up and he's thirsty and so he goes to the refrigerator and he puts his hand on the handle and suddenly he froze the Bible talks about it's no longer I that lived but Christ who lives in me well he had that text right there in the middle of the night I don't know of a 3:00 a.m. or what but there he is seized up his Christ is this God's will is this what Christ wants is this Christ living in means this me living in me and he stood there frozen with indecision is this God's will that I get this milk I want a glass of milk but is this my Willers is his will this is me doing as well or is this me going contrary to as well and he was frozen with that and sometimes we ask ourselves that we cut we as a Christian we need to ask those questions we want to live for the glory of God we want to do that which is pleasing to him I mean look in all the ways that you can define the will of God I would say this when it comes to whether word doing it or not you could basically use maybe a text like Colossians 1:9 to define it Paul says so from the day we heard we have not ceased to pray for you asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will now listen to this that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will so what does that tell us his will is knowable there's a knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God let me tell you this he defines for us what a knowledge of God's will is so as to walk in a manner worthy of him when you're filled with a knowledge of God's will it's so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord if you want to know what that means with regards to us what it is to be in the will of God it means to have a knowledge of what is walking and worthy manner of the Lord fully pleasing to him am i doing that which is worthy of him and by doing that which is pleasing to him that's what it means how do I know if I'm in God's will I'm doing that which pleases him I'm doing that which is worthy of him the psalmist 143 Psalm 143 10 teach me to do your will for you are my god you know what top Tim isn't the first one to ask that question the psalmist teach me to do what can we say about this how do we know when we're in God's will how do you know when we're not in God's will I mean I've seen some people seized with that I don't know whether to go to school or not I don't know if that's God's will or not I've seen people wrestle with do I marry her don't I marry her I mean maybe you know about one guy in the church he totally he didn't want anything to do with this girl he was considering to marry at all he didn't want to talk to her anything he was trying to just figure out is this God's will I did marry her so I guess he figured it out it was God's will but how do we figure it out I mean is it you know what if Paul was praying for the Colossians that they might have a knowledge of his will you know what he's you know what Paul realizes it's knowable we can find it it's not this hidden thing it's not like whoa God is always secretive and gods always hanging it out there and just when we're just about there he pulls it back it's not that kind of thing it's God has a will for us in fact in one place it says we need to renew our mind that we can figure out what that will is what's good what is acceptable so how do we how do we figure this out where do we go let me tell you this now this may shock some of you but let me tell you tell you what the scripture says it says that if you are lost if you are in your sin if you have not bowed the knee to Jesus Christ guess what guess what's true about you and the will of God you have no capacity to do the will of God none a lost man or a lost woman does nothing according to the will of God they are in rebellion at every hand listen to what scripture says Romans 8:7 the mind that is set on the flesh what's the mind that's set on the flesh it's the mind that set on worldly things earthly things things that have to do with the corrupt nature it's that part of us that is sinful that part of us that's depraved it's a mind that's set there and guess what it says it's hostile to God you know what that means if it's hostile to God it's not given to his will because what's according to his will is what pleases him but the person that's mind is set on the flesh doesn't do what's pleasing to God and doesn't do what's worthy for God because it's bent against God there's a hostility there's an enmity in fact what it says is it does not submit to God's law indeed it cannot we heard Commandments if you think law what is law what are Commandments they're expressions of God's will and guess what it says about those who are in the flesh those who are lost they have no capacity whatsoever to obey it says they cannot it's not that their hands are tied it's that they will not they have no disposition for it they have no desire for can I tell you something that basically when you come to the scriptures do you know what one of the greatest trademarks of the lost versus the trademark of the saved is it's got to do with the will of God not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven guess what Jesus is saying you know what the dividing line is between those who will inherit heaven and those who will not inherit the heaven what is it those who do the will versus those who do not do the will and basically those who are emiti with God are not doing as will they cannot they do not keep as laws they cannot that is what is true of the lost person they are at enmity they resist his will you know what the world doesn't realize that the lost man does not do the will of God ever not his expressed will he resists God at every hand he resists he chafes he despises it he doesn't like it he has no tolerance for it he doesn't mind he doesn't mind the God of his own imagination and he doesn't mind the God that he is created who's like a big celestial Santa Claus that looks down on him and is just pleased with him no matter how much sin he does that's not the God I'm talking about I'm talking about the god of scripture who reveals his will the natural man hates that God he hates him people will say I don't hate God know start explaining to them what the God of the Bible is like and very soon you know what you're gonna find their God and the God of the Bible's is a different guy and what you're gonna quickly find is no they don't hate their God but they hate the God I remember one time talking to my brother and I was explaining to him about God throwing people into hell and how he was just they defied his glory that they had lived in sin that and I was explaining to my brother and he said your gods like that you can have him I'm basically I don't you know I mean if you asked my brother do you believe in God yeah I believe in God if you ask my brother you think you're gonna go to heaven you say yeah I don't think I'm gonna go to heaven you said you know do you do you have any appreciation or affection or any any ability down or God yeah he would probably say he does but when you start explaining what the biblical God is he all of a sudden gets fangs he doesn't like it do you see that's how the natural man is men love to suppress their knowledge of the true God in fact that's what Romans 1 says they do any time they catch glimpses of the true God they suppress they suppress they suppress in fact you know what scripture says that men who suppress their knowledge of God God gives them over to do every sort of wickedness never read that in Romans chapter 1 you know what that means when man suppresses what he knows about God God gives him over to disobey the will of God can you imagine God doing that why because there's hell to pay folks you despise the glory of God and it is a wickedness that is unimaginable all sin falls short of the glory of God that's again we're told that in the book of Romans sinned and fall short of the glory of God I'll tell you when God gives us Commandments when God sets forth his will through his laws he is setting forth a righteous standard he is setting forth a standard that is according to his glory and men come along and they say fidgets I don't want it listen to what Peter says so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh and he's just talking about living in this body no longer for human passions but for the will of God you know what the basic bent of the Christian is no longer to live for passions the lost man lives for passions the lost man makes decisions based on what's going to bring him the greatest amount of physical pleasure I guarantee men live that way men live for the greatest amount of pleasure physically and Peter's saying we don't live any longer live that way now our primary goal in life is not to live for sexual lust it's not to live for the party on the weekend it's not to live to get drunk it's not to live to get high it's not to live for a rush of speed it's not to live for the adrenaline rush it's not to live for sports it's not to live for the fun and the pleasures and the thing is now we're driven by another by the will of God Matthew 12 verse 50 whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother that's what Christ says the world is passing away along with its desires 1st John 2:17 but whoever does the will of God abides forever you know what when it comes to those who are going to inherit heaven and those who are going to perish eternally do you know what the issue is gonna be on that day the will of God even when you boil it down to things like he separates them like sheep from the goats well done I was in prison and you visited me have you ever wondered why that's so important I was in prison and you visited me Lord when did we see you in prison and visit you as much as you did it to one of these my little ones you did it to me over here you didn't do that Lord when didn't we do that as much as you didn't do that to me how does that square with all these other things because that's the heart of the will of God the will of God is that you visit the widow and the orphan in their affliction and so Judgment Day it shouldn't be any you know what's gonna be set there on the blocks the will of God basically why why is that the issue because do you know what God says he's gonna do if he saves you listen nowhere in the Bible doesn't say if you do the will of God you were in heaven it doesn't say that why is it that those who are on their way to heaven are so closely attached to the will of God can I tell you why God says in the New Covenant if I save you I'm gonna write my law on your heart you know what that means I'm gonna put within your heart desires for what's pleasing to me you know what's pleasing to me that you keep my laws that's pleasing to me this is God speaking I'm gonna write my laws on your heart that's why that's such an issue that's why that's the dividing mark no.1 scripture says if you're lost no one does good not even one no one does good you know what the will of God is it's good that's what Romans 12:2 says that you might discern what the will of God is what is good and acceptable and perfect the will of God is good and acceptable and perfect and right there in Romans three 12 it says no one does good not even one basically that's the picture this is the dividing point guys it's the dividing point so here's what we need to ask you know what I'm gonna run through very quickly here at the end how we can know God's will but you know what we probably need to talk about a little bit first that goes right along with this do we desire God's we're listen you know what the Bible tells us listen people say they want to know God's will you guys know who Joe Hannon was or Joe hainan never hear that name before you've read all the way through the Bible you've come across it you may not remember it let me just tell you story Jeremiah Jeremiah about chapter 42 all the commanders and forces in johanan the son of Korea and J's and ayah the son of Ho Shia and all the people from the least to the greatest came near who that come to became Jeremiah they said to Jeremiah the Prophet let our plea for mercy come before you and pray to the Lord your God for us for all this remnant when was this remnant there after that after Nebuchadnezzar came in and he basically he destroyed Jerusalem now you've got these scattered Jews they're running around and they've come to Jeremiah the Prophet they say look go to the Lord for us for our remnant here because we're left with but a few as your eye see us that the Lord your God may show us the way we should go and the thing we should do Jeremiah the Prophet said to them I've heard you behold I will pray to the Lord your God according to your request and whatever the Lord answers you I will tell you I will keep nothing back from you then they said to Jeremiah may the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to all the word with which the Lord your God sends you to us whether good or bad we will obey the voice of the Lord our God to whom we are sending you that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God Jeremiah goes to the Lord he seeks the Lord in their behalf and Jeremiah 42:19 he comes back to them he says the Lord has said to you O remnant of Judah do not go to Egypt know for a certainty that I have warned you this day and Jeremiah 43 and verse 1 it says Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the Lord their God with which the Lord their God had sent him to them Azariah the son of hosh I and Johanna in the son of Korea and all the insolent men said to Jeremiah you're telling a lie the Lord our God did not send you to say do not go to Egypt to live there Jeremiah 43 for so johanan the son of Korea and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord to remain a morning of Judah let me tell you something we may have some people right here right now and you're saying well yeah I'm curious what's the will of the Lord but you have no intention of keeping it and that amazing they came to him and they said Jeremiah seek the Lord for us we want to know the will of God whether it's good or bad you know what they'd already made their mind up you know what the problem with a lot of people is that come to God and they want to know his will but they've already determined what they're going to do they don't really want to know his will what they want is God to applaud what they've ever already figured out they're gonna do ladies and gentlemen if that's the way you live your life you are feared because you are not interested in the will of God and you're gonna find out in that day Christ is going to say you're gonna come to an Lord Lord we were there we were in the church we were in the Bible study we did the thing and he's gonna say depart from me you worker of iniquity it's those are going to enter who did the will of my father in heaven we got too many people like this and they're in the churches they wonder they why do you come to church what we want to hear the preaching why you don't want to hear the preaching well because you know I think I'm supposed to I think it's a helpful to me whatever their reasons are I think I got it you don't put the notch on my belt I gotta have this it's important if I'm gonna please the Lord it's important if I'm gonna get heaven and the Word of God has spoken and you walk out you didn't walk into that church with the intention to hear the voice of God and do what he said you say you do but when you actually hear it you say God did not say that preacher doesn't know what he's talking about Jeremiah didn't know what God did not say that Jeremiah you see we're willing to hear you as long as it tickles our ears we're willing to hear you as long as it's what we want to hear but don't you come talk yeah you're gonna you're gonna listen to the Lord whether it's good or bad and it turns out to not be what they wanting I'll guarantee you this ladies gentlemen God if you haven't been a Christian that long maybe you don't know this yet but God is in the business of testing our allegiance to him you Christians found that out this when you get something in your life not quite right he puts his finger on it get rid of that or change that or stop that or do this it's like you know sometimes we get real bold Lord show me your will as long as it's not that you know that's so often that's how we are there's nine ways that a floor it would have been alright with us let's see the Lord knows the Lord knows folks we got it you know what you know what the scripture says delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart now that's key we have to ask ourselves that do we really delight ourselves in the Lord so that when God tells us do you know what really delights me it's if you go to the right not to the left and then our desires will be in accord right he'll give us the desires of our heart if those desires are delight driven you see that that comes out of Psalm 37 by the way delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart and Wendell's desires are delight driven delight in God driven then it's safe for God to give us what we desire you see but when your desires are earth driven flesh driven sex driven lust driven when they're fun driven pleasure driven and money driven and personal gratification driven earthly driven it's not safe to give you what you desire not at all listen to this one John 7:17 if anyone's will is to do God's will he will know whether the teaching is from God isn't that an interesting statement if a person's will is to know God's will or to do God's will rather if a person's will is to do God's will then he will know and what Jesus is saying is to the people that were standing around him who were questioning whether in fact Jesus was from God and we might say questioning whether Jeremiah was from God we might say wondering whether brother Tim and his teaching are from God if your will is to do God's will guess what God will give you a knowledge of that you know what Jesus was doing he was telling the people what God's will was and they were mocking him and scoffing him and saying we know Moses we don't know who you are and he's basically saying look if your will was to do God's will to really do it you would know what I was telling you is according to God's will but because you have no desire to do it God isn't going to show you what is you see folks when we really want to know it God will show it when there's sincerity when we come to God he'll let us know he's not gonna keep us in the dark listen to this Psalm twenty five eight good and upright is the Lord therefore he instructs sinners in the way he leads the humble in what is right and teaches the humble his way you want to know the will of God that's his way that's what is right who does he teach his humble weight or who does he teach his way to who does he lead in what is right the humble which what's what's you what's humility mean it's not coming to the Lord with your own agenda already figured out it's submissive Lord if you show me what you want me to do I'm gonna do it even if it may not be the place that I find most comfortable I'll do it how about this one Psalm 25 twelve who is the man who fears the Lord him will he instruct in the way he should choose you know what he's telling us if you're humble and you fear God you're the man God's gonna show his will to well sometimes God's wills not that hard to figure out right 1st Thessalonians 4 verse 3 this is the will of God your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality look if any of you young guys come to me and say is it the will of God that I sleep with my girlfriend who I'm not married with no it's not God's will how do you know well I mean it's plain God's Word says it if that's the will of God the will of God is your sanctification you abstain from sexual immorality I'll tell you this we got any of you lost young men here and you're here and you're sleeping with your girlfriend I can tell you this not God's will you tell it well I love her it's not God's will you'd say it feels good it's not God's will say but I've been doing a long time it's not God's will bottom line it isn't and then I'll tell you this Paul tells the Ephesians for this very thing the wrath of God is coming you may say but I love her you may say it's not that big a crime we're not hurting anybody else for this the wrath of God is coming and I'll tell you why because God designed marriage to be a picture of his relationship with his people and you defile the picture and you defile the will of God what else 1st Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you you say I don't know what the will of God is I'll tell you what the will of God is you want to give them lots of glory by this he's glorified this is the will of God you think him in everything you want to hey look you want to get to the end of this Bible study and walk out that door and have some idea about the will of God we'll go home and don't sleep with your girlfriend and give thanks and all things that's the will of God how about something else it's so very often you know we're just in a haze we don't know what God's will is those are two things right there absolutely the will of God I'll tell you this it's the will of God you'd be saved God commands all men everywhere to repent acts 17 first John what is it about 3:23 maybe first John see if that's right first John 3:23 this is his commandment that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another just as he has commanded us want to know the will of God what it's the will of God you repent it's the will of God you believe on his son this is his commandment that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another I'll tell you this aside from being saved your earring a hopeless helpless spot when it comes to the will of God you know why because if you're in the flesh and you walk out that door guess what you can know that it's not God's will for you to go home and sleep with your girlfriend and you can know it's God's will to go out of here and thank God for everything but I'll tell you this you won't do it you won't do what God tells you to do you know why you won't because those who are in the flesh those whose minds are set on the things of the flesh they do not have the Spirit of God they have not been changed they are not new creations in Christ they cannot keep God's law they don't have any ability they're at in hostility against him they're under the power of sin they're dead in their trespasses they're following the course of this world they're following the Prince of the power of the air their sons their daughters their children of Wrath like the rest of mankind and they simply do not have desires for what's good they're like dogs they're like beasts and if you're one of those you're like that you will go back to your vomit all the time bit why because that's your nature dogs go back to lick up their vomit that's what Peter says pigs go back to their mire look it takes being a land to want what lambs want it takes being a new creature to have the desires of a new creature pigs go to the mire lambs go to feed where there's green grass your nature has to be changed I can tell you what the will of God is for you but you will go out and lust after women and be ungrateful and unthankful unless you run to God and look for him to do something for you that I can't do our church can't do this Bible study can't do no Christian you know can do your only hope is in Christ your only hope is there well we could go further than just where it says in God's Word this is the will of God I'll tell you this you know what Jesus Christ said to do go into all the nations and do what he said for us to baptize he said to disciple people he said to teach them all things whatsoever I commanded you guess what guess what God's will is that we go teach all men everywhere what Christ is commanded Paul himself said speaking about the things he commanded finally then brothers we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus that as you receive from us how you ought to live and to please God there it is again you want to know how to please God just as you are doing that you do so more and more for you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus I'll tell you this whatever the Apostles say in the epistles whatever Jesus Christ says in his commandments those are the things were told to do those are the things were told to command those are the things that we're told are pleasing to God we can look at the Word of God all together all of it in its entirety Deuteronomy 12:30 - everything that I command you you shall be careful to do you should not add to it or take away from it wait that's not what I wanted to read how about this one Luke 11 27 and he said these things a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed he said no he didn't say no say no he said blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it you want to know what the path of blessing is keeping God's Word that's his will you go to this book look let me tell you this you will not keep this book you will not do God's will unless you're in this book if you're not reading this book you're not going to know his will go to all the nations and command them what so everything's Christ commanded what is pleasing to God are the things that the Apostle set forth what we find here Mary isn't blessed she was the one at whose breast he drank yay rather those who have the Word of God and keep it that's the will of God for us but okay I know I know if I'm in the will of God I go here and it doesn't tell me what college to go to it doesn't tell me what church to go to it doesn't tell me what woman to marry doesn't tell you what man to marry it doesn't tell you very specific things where where to do this where to do that where to get the job what if your teacher what school to go through you fireman what which one of the stations to work at and basically how do you figure that out how you figure out all these other things let me give you some general principles in the scripture let me just ask you this is it ever God's will that you sin no how do I know that first John 5:17 all wrongdoing is sin or as most other translations say all unrighteousness is sin sin is unrighteous first John 3:4 everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness sin is lawlessness law is the expression of God's will sin is lawlessness sin is opposing God's will so is it God's will for you to oppose his will no obviously now this where I brought in Deuteronomy 12 32 everything that I command you you shall be careful to do it so you don't want to break God's coming and so you don't want to go against his law but when we come to the subjective this is what I would say to you Christian look if you're lost God's will for you is that you repent acts 17 it's that you believe in His Son Jesus Christ first John 3:23 if you're saved and you can't figure God's will out after you've searched his scriptures you seek counsel from godly men and women who know the Word of God here's some general principles listen sometimes we this is gonna scare some of you possibly you know what you know what the New Covenant says I'm gonna write my laws on your heart can I tell you this Christians most of the time they know what is right the law has been written on their heart you know you know what scripture says right there at the end the very last verse of Romans 14 whatsoever is not of faith is sin I'm gonna tell you this if you don't believe something is right don't do it it is not God's will that you do it if you think it's wrong if you believe it's wrong even if you can't go to a specific place in the Bible that deals with it don't do it if you think it's wrong why because whatsoever does not come out of faith is sin in other words when you don't believe something when you have your conscience the same no no no no yeah but I don't really have a scripture on it no no no no see God gave us the conscience is a warning system and the conscience is saying no and you're saying yeah but it makes sense to do it it would be right to do it I don't have scripture that says I shouldn't do it it's not sin listen if you think it's in the scripture says it is if you don't think that God wants you to do it that's isn't that what faith faith right there would be that it would be believing that it's what God wants me to do if you don't believe it's what God wants you to do don't go there don't go down that road first John 2:27 the anointing that you received from God abides in you you have no need that anyone should teach you but as his anointing teaches you about everything in his true and is no lie justice is tough you know what you're saying in one sense God writes some things on our hearts we don't need other people to come along and tell us you know the fact is listen and you know this is true a vast majority of the time often when Christians are coming to others for counsel they already know in their heart what God wants them to do but they don't want to do what God wants them to do and so they're looking for counsel to help convince them to not do what they already know they should do if it's not by faith don't do it stay away from it it's not healthy it's not good James 4:17 says whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him it's sin when you know what's right and you don't go that way it's sin when you can't do it by faith it's sin you know what the scripture says whatsoever is not of faith is sin and the scripture says this without faith it's impossible to what please God you see if you don't do things out of faith you don't please him it's not pleasing folk so there's the first thing look look what God has written on the heart I mean be prayerful go to God examine the scriptures you got a cent let your conscience direct you something else other other principles love you know what Christ said if you love me you'll keep my Commandments in other words if you love me you're gonna be concerned about my will look when you're coming to make a decision you're trying to make decisions in your life that you want to go down a path where you're glorifying God you're doing his will what you need to ask yourself is this is the decision that I want to make consistent with my love for Christ does what I want to do here just speak loudly I mean if I've got these different decisions and I'm trying to figure out the right one can I tell you this it's God's will for you to take that path that it's most going to glorify Christ most going to honor Christ most gonna exalt him and bring attention to him and most going to show your love for him I'll guarantee you that loving Christ is key in determining those things let me tell you this Christ says in John 17 what's at the heart of eternal life knowing God you know what god saves his people to have intimacy with them when you're trying to decide the different paths in life you really need to ask yourself which one's going to bring me in closer intimacy with the father and the son this is eternal life that they know the God who sent Christ and they know Christ himself intimacy knowing take the path that is going to bring you into a greater knowledge of God a greater intimacy with God what else can we say 1st Corinthians 6:12 all things are lawful for me but not all things are helpful now he obviously means not everything is lawful we already said it's not the will of God that you go out and fornicate with your girlfriend that is not lawful when he says all things are lawful for me what he means is all things that are not specifically unlawful are lawful and anything that isn't specifically said to be wrong is within the realm of my liberty but what Paul's saying is just because it's in the realm of Liberty doesn't mean it's helpful Paul saying I'm going to pick the path that's helpful is it helpful to me is it helpful to others is it profitable folks take the path that's profitable he says all things are lawful for me but I will not be enslaved by anything ask yourself those two questions is it gonna help me run the Christian race and is it gonna enslave me in that verse he says the two things all things are lawful for me but all things are unhelpful all things are lawful for me I'm not going to be enslaved by any of them ask yourself that it may be lawful but is it going to be helpful it may be lawful but does it have a tendency to enslave me I need to ask ourselves those things another text that's very similar 1st Corinthians 10 23 all things are lawful but not all things are helpful that's the same as he already said all things are lawful but not all things build up I would say edify build up you need to ask yourself that is is which path as I'm making decisions in life is going to make me more like Christ which one is going to help me be more and more what I need to be which one's gonna build me and build my character as I as I seek to make these decisions how about this one Hebrews 12:1 therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely now hear this lay aside every weight and every sin well sin we can understand we already determined sin is not God's will but what about weights I mean can you can you think about have you ever have you ever tried - have you ever had probably not hip waders on when they get filled with water that's probably bad but listen you ever heard of ankle weights ok I mean look when you practice you might run with ankle weights on right but when you're at the big race you're running in the Olympic hundred meter you see any of those guys with with ankle weights on probably not why I mean we're pretty elementary level here right you're not gonna keep the ankle weights on because they're not gonna help you win that race folks lay aside the weight not just the sin but the weight you're gonna have weight in your life that isn't necessarily sin there's not gonna help you run better I heard John MacArthur one time talk about wearing combat boots ended in a sprint you're not going to do it how about this one first peter 2:16 live as people who are free not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil but living as servants of God you know one thing we need to this comes out of Galatians 5 as well you know one thing that the Apostles tell us don't use your freedom as what a cloak for your evil don't say I'm a Christian what's wrong with that or I'm a Christian and Bible doesn't say there's anything wrong with going to movies if you know full well you're going to movies that are entirely inappropriate well but it's it's a movie that's got it it's got a good it's got a storyline that's good I remember the guy we fielded the question he said I'm going to a movie and yeah even though it's got all the sex scenes and everything it's got it had a it had a good moral to the story that's that's using your liberty as license don't do that that's another thing you need to ask yourself am i wanting to go down this road am I am I making these decisions in my life am i allowing things in my life that I'm Trust trying to justify and I'm trying to I'm trying to explain away as being something that's allowable but really it's just to feed some unrighteousness in my life you need to ask yourselves questions about that ask yourself this to back you know another thing in Romans 14 it says whether you choose to you know Paul's talking there about whether you choose to drink alcoholic beverage or you don't whether you eat meat or whether you don't whether you observe a day whether you don't he says if you're going to do it do it under the Lord if you're not going to do it don't do it under the Lord you know one thing he says there I will not eat meat or drink wine that's going to cause my brother to stumble when you're trying to figure out what to do in life one thing you better be asking yourself be better better you have a millstone around your neck and be cast into the ocean than you cause Christ little ones to stumble I'll tell you what that ought to cause women to fear to watch what they wear less they cause one of their brothers to stumble you're trying to make decisions in life you want to know what the will of God is I'll tell you one thing will of God is do you not cause your brother or sister to stumble and if you have to give up liberties in your life to not cause them to stumble you need to be doing it how about something else there's you know what he says in there he says don't judge don't judge one another we'll all stand before we all have one judge we all have to give an account I'll tell you what are you thinking about the will of God think about the will of God and what that wills gonna be when you actually see them face to face don't think about the will of God when you can kind of shut your Bible turn your ear off to the counsel think about the will of God in light of Judgment Day think about the will of God when you stand before God himself and what that will is not what you'd like it to be not what you would hope it would be not what your carnal friend tells you it is but what you know it is in the scriptures what you know it is in the Word of God what you'll know it is when you have to stand before him in that day first Peter 2:12 keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable they made by you good see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation we just dealt with that text but I'll tell you another thing make decisions in your life do things in you it's the will of God that you so live your life in front of the Gentiles that they'll see your life and by the decisions you make and by the way you seek to honor God and by the good works you do that when God visits they'll glorify God and I really believe a lot of that may revolve around salvation so live your life it's a will of God that you live your life in front of the Gentiles in a pure way don't live before the Gentiles in a way that will give them an excuse to not come to your God I'll give you one last thing the will of God you know Jesus Christ said he said follow me can I tell you one thing it's the will of God to do do what Christ would do you're trying to figure out what the will of God is in your life ask yourself this would Christ do what I'm about to do what do you run from it like the plague jesus said follow me he said pick up your cross deny yourself and follow me if we're gonna be following him following him has to do with doing the will of God it is the will of God that we follow Christ need ask yourselves that these are some good principles good basic principles you want to figure out the will of God in your life so you guys take these things to heart serious we really need you know the Bible talks a lot about the second coming the Bible talks a lot about the judgment really does this good how's it Peter says it so how was the owner read it day exactly I think he poses it in a rhetorical question right how then ought we to live if these things be true what things how they're not we to live if fires going to come down from heaven and burn it all up that's what that that's the very context there second Peter chapter two there's fire coming down fire is gonna burn up this earth that's gonna burn up these heavens and when when Peter gets done with that he says how they're not we to live if these things are so and I tell you the will of God the will of God is to live in light of that live like you really believe that it's all going to burn up that's the will of God but you live in light of that coming Judgment Day you can't live in light of making decisions that are consistent with it all getting burned out that's the will of God we're so earthly minded you know the will of God is set your mind on things above there it is there's some good practical principles anybody want to add any or comment or question anything syn Bursar's wait well it does have an M there and it doesn't seem like you know some sometimes things are almost synonymously used you might get a flurry of words and that might almost be that they could be interchangeable and sometimes maybe that's done for effect whereas sometimes you get something plus a conjunction plus something else because they're actually different you know I guess I would say this I've wrestled with that is there a distinction I've wrestled with well if I allow something into my life that actually slows me down wouldn't that necessarily be sin if indeed the greatest commandment is to love God with all my heart all my mind all my soul all my strength for me to draw back from that wouldn't that in essence be sin because I'm really falling back from a commandment isn't that the one of the connections there sin is lawlessness the greatest law is that if I fail to do that so if I allow any sin and I come back but I would sack to say as much as there might be some logical some logical weight to that at the same time we have to go back to the first Corinthians six text and the first Corinthians 10 text and look at those and they in Paul is saying all things are lawful but they're not always all profitable they're not always all edifying they're not always all helpful and I but I won't be enslaved to anything and so it does seem like there is a category in our lives where something might be in its of itself I mean you know if you think about if you just think about okay tomorrow night's prayer me prayer meeting at 7:00 if you want to come and pray and you want to be alert well you know if you guys get some gift certificate for Red Lobster and you know like great I love seafood well can I say Seth and Bergen if you if you go eat at Red Lobster that is just sinful I mean that's gluttony we're gonna have to punish you as a church no we would say we have we had lip we have Liberty to eat at Red Lobster we would not say that that is necessarily sin but now if you guys determined that well we're gonna run out write it 6:00 p.m. tomorrow we're gonna just get in the table and you're gonna order you know both of you're going to eat about three lobsters and you know you come in to you cut is there is it even necessarily sin to come to church prayer meeting a half hour late no so you come in a half hour late and you guys are just glutted you can't hardly walk you sit down

Channel: I'll Be Honest

Views: 23,560

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Keywords: tim, conway, will, of, god, discern, counsel, guidance, serve, christ, location, place

Id: lUx9nTXrOqc

Length: 65min 22sec (3922 seconds)

Published: Thu Jan 28 2010