(Part 2) Lesson # 13 God's Will & Guidance

God's Will: Sovereign and Commanded

So this is part two of lesson number 13 fundamentals of the faith God's will and guidance. Let's turn to the book of Psalms. We're gonna look at Psalm 37 verse 4. I Think we ended around section C in The book so that's a response to God's will.

We had gone through the verses and determined. Okay, is this the sovereign will of God or the commanded will of God? And we have talked about the difference that the sovereign will of God is is one thing.

We don't necessarily know what God's plans are or what his ultimate will is. But there is the commanded will of God the things that he's revealed. For example, thou shalt not steal that is a Command we know that it's not God's will to steal.

But there are certain things that God is doing or will do that He doesn't clue us in on so there's the sovereign will of God the command of will of God. We went through those verses, but look at Psalm 37 verse 4.

Talking about this idea of knowing God's will. It says delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart. Matthew Henry writes this. To delight in God is as much a privilege as a duty.

He has not promised to gratify the appetites of the body and the humors of the fancy. But the desires of the renewed sanctified soul. What is the hearts desire of a good man? It is this to know and love and serve God.

Responding to God's Sovereign Will

So with that in mind look at section C, how should we respond to God's sovereign will. Proverbs 3 5 and 6 trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways.

Acknowledge him and he will direct your paths or make your paths Straight. So if you want to be led by God and get Guidance from God if you want God's will for your life. What do we have to do? We delight ourself in him.

We seek the Lord delight ourself in him and then he puts his desires in our heart. And if we acknowledge him in all of our ways, what is what does he promise to do in this verse in Proverbs? He will direct our paths.

So if we see God and obey God, he will lead us. Right, he will guide us. I think too often what happens in that verse in Psalm 37 is a good example of Of how some might take a verse out of context delight yourself also in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your Heart so some people read that and there I have all these things that I want these dreams for my life to be.

You know Successful and wealthy and I want to do this and I want to do that and oftentimes people are led about by their own will write things that I want and If I want it That must be God putting it in my heart.

Well, no. Not necessarily. So we have to kind of contrast that to what the revealed will of God is in the scriptures. So God does give us the desires of our heart. That's what the psalmist writes. But we need to discern whether or not these are our thoughts and desires or are they?

Actually the Lord's thoughts and desires and how do you know? Is it based on a feeling? Well, I mean God uses can use our feelings, but I have to test it against Over and against what the word of the Lord says.

Larry.

Yeah. Along that same line. I know I Have a hard time leaning on my own understanding and You know seeing where I should go based on my understanding not necessarily God's.

Right. Yeah, but I think that is a common Danger a common thing that we could all we have a thought we have an idea and we think well that must be God Who gave it to me? It could be. We have to be careful about that so I forget which verse it is in the New Testament, but the Apostle Paul talked about how we have the mind of Christ, so If the Word of God dwells in us richly and if we are walking with him daily Then sometimes we just know okay.

This is this is right. This is wrong. We should know that but then those areas where we're not really sure. Maybe wait on it pray on it, but Marcus you had a.

We do if we put the desires of our heart first. We've got things all backwards. It says delight yourself in the Lord. If you are delighting yourself in the Lord the things that are going to That are the desires of your heart are going to be those things that he cares about he cares about Lost souls He cares about us.

And if you delight yourself in him or all that he's done or just the kind of Savior and God that he is if you're delighting yourself in him and his kingdom and eternal things. Yeah, he's going to give you the desires of your heart because the desires of your heart are going to be more of him.

Yeah.

Let's say somebody has the desire they feel that you know, God is telling me to go to the mission field. Well, I mean that's something that God would do. God would call someone to the mission field so they they plan for it and they they organize they pray about it they Look for funding or whatever, but then something happens and they you can't go they can't go sometimes God will close the door and it's obvious to us.

Sometimes he'll open the door and it's obvious to us. Sometimes, you know, he might not do it right now, but he'll do it six months from now a year from now. Just use one personal example. I was convinced years ago that The Lord was calling me into the ministry and I was convinced to that because I had the desire the first thing about a Pastor or a bishop that if a man desires the office, you know I I just did I had this desire to preach and teach the Word of God.

That's what I wanted to do. But there's no commanded will in the you know, there's no verse in the Bible that says, okay Mike Grant you are gonna go there's nothing in the Bible that would tell me that so how do I know if it's God's will?

Well, if nobody recognized the gift and I never had an opportunity and I never was Ordained then I guess it wasn't God's will but here I am. So I'm saying that's the will of God, but Sometimes we don't really know with how it's gonna work out and we have to trust in God's sovereign will To either open a door close the door or for him to tell us to wait Maybe has something better for somebody.

I don't I don't know. Okay Let's look at B Response to God's will how should we respond to the sovereign will of God first Peter 419? Therefore Those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing What is right?

Okay, so even suffering Can be the will of God sometimes when we suffer if things go In an area where it's things get difficult. We said well this isn't working out too. Well, I'm I'm going through these hard times this must not be God's will because bad things are happening wrong.

Or not necessarily wrong, but you know, sometimes well, there's one verse it is appointed Unto us to suffer. I think that second first Thessalonians chapter 3 That they were appointed the Thessalonian Christians were appointed to tribulation.

So sometimes suffering is the will of God for his people. So it can be God can use just about anything so we shouldn't make assumptions James 4 13 and 15 if the Lord wills we will live and Also do this or that and that's the statement.

Where you know, I'm gonna do this tomorrow. I'm gonna do this next year I'm gonna do that. We all have these plans these things that we're gonna do things. I'm gonna accomplish and what should our attitude be?

Yeah, Lord willing. That's why we always say I'll I'll see you in church on Sunday Lord willing. We don't know. I plan to be there, but you know 50 different things could happen. So That should really be our attitude with everything that.

You know, I have the plan. I this is the right thing to do. I'm planning on doing it, but it's God willing. Because ultimately it's not in our control a lot of things the things that are in our control do what God says but if it's Not in our control or God could change the plan.

We need to be open to it. So Lord willing you had a hand up.

He's bedridden with chronic pain here or there or everywhere. But another verse along those lines and we memorize them because we have to lay hold of these. We can't go by our circumstances. We have to go by God's promises or We can't let them shake our faith.

We did suffering tests our faith. Mm-hmm. There's oh, yeah, you believe in me. How about if you if you suffer will you still believe in me? Are you will you just get mad at me that we're separate but it's Philippians 129 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ Not only to believe on his name, but also to suffer for this.

Yeah, so when suffering comes of any kind. And I'm going through some myself lately. What's your response. Gonna be is it gonna be. I Still trust in you. Yes.

Don't be slain me yet. Well, I trust him. Joe said yeah, I think would be the mark of Not necessarily a false convert, but it would be the mark of an maybe Immature believer to say I'm gonna trust in God as long as everything goes.

Well, well, I was everything's going good. I'll worship God. I'll follow Jesus long as everything's going. Okay. See we want to control the situation. This is my life. I want to do this. I have plants.

We want to be in control. That's kind of human nature but Part of the Christian walk is to kind of let go of some of that if not all of it and say Lord actually You're in control. Anyways, whether I You know say so or not.

So I'm just submitting my life to you. What do you want? So it's less of us and more of him and that but that takes growth to really to walk in that. Okay. Let's look at number two, how should we respond to God's?

Commanded will so we looked at how we should respond to a sovereign will which we're not always aware of but how should we respond? To his Commanded will. Ephesians 5 17 do not be foolish. But understand what the will of the Lord is.

How do you know what the will of God is? How do you know? Right. How do we respond to God's commanded will or his revealed will. Well, it's revealed in the Bible. Okay, Deuteronomy 29 verse 29 Says observe all the words of this law.

Okay. Now that was given to the children of Israel that they were to observe all of the Mosaic Law. Did they do it? No, and when they didn't do it. Well, just just read the Old Testament. You see how the history of Israel it was a constant up and down and When they did not walk in God's ways what happened?

He he punished them and Sent them away into captivity raised up their enemies against them and these are basic principles. Although it's a little different now. It's a new covenant. We're not Israelites living under the 613 commandments of the law.

I get all of that, but I think the same principles Apply if we do not observe what God commands. I mean, what can we rightly expect? Yeah, things are not going to go well and God's blessing isn't going to be there.

Now you might be walking with God and things aren't going well as you want them to go. But you have the promise that God is with you and will bless you even when you suffer, you know. Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake, but there's no blessing of God when we're just walking in disobedience.

So the children of Israel were commanded to observe all the words of this law. Do we have to observe? Okay, let let's see if you're paying attention Last last Sunday to the sermon. Do we have to observe all the words of the law?

It's not a trick question. I promise. Okay, God's law given to the nation of Israel. Do we have to observe the whole law? Why not? Okay, Christ has fulfilled it good. Thank you Ray. Yeah, we have a new covenant in a better covenant.

Yeah, number three. No one can fulfill or no one can really keep it anyways. But that you know, that's no excuse to break the Commandments obviously, but as far as the Ten Commandments go are we? Obligated to observe.

Or keep the Ten Commandments. Yes, everyone says yes keep the Ten Commandments. Anyone want to say no. How about the fourth commandment. I shall keep the Sabbath day. Holy. Now I always bring that up because I know that Christians are kind of divided on that one, aren't they?

Marcus you want to settle this issue once and for all for all believers everywhere.

Of the Ten Commandments that one is not Corroborated in the new covenant. Yeah.

Yeah, and I do think Christ. Yeah yeah, and Barb you wanna. I can't remember the reference but.

Somewhere in the Old Testament, it said that the Sabbath was given by God to Israel. Yeah.

Yeah, and that's what that's one of the main arguments that nobody Observed the Sabbath up until Mount Sinai and then there's no command to reaffirm it for New Testament Christians. Which I generally would agree With that but again based on principles that you see in the Old Testament Christians recognize Sunday as the Lord's Day.

So this is the day we gather and assemble. I would argue Christ fulfilled the Sabbath. But that you know, I don't want to open up that. Yes.

I read something once and it really helped me understand the difference. The law of the Old Testament and us from the New Testament you know from Genesis 20 to Yeah, Exodus 20 to where they to the end of numbers whatever where all the rest of the laws are.

This was the Constitution and Bill of Rights of the fledgling nation of Israel, right? Yeah, and We are not the nation of Israel. Yeah, in fact that nation doesn't.

Yeah. Right, so all that to say this we should observe the Clear commands that are given to us in the New Testament and you will find among some church traditions that there are certain points here and there where Christians will disagree.

But should we obey Christ? Yeah, and You know, I I personally am of the view that I I view Sunday as as the Lord's Day and If people don't view it that way, you know, that's again. That's sort of a different subject but staying on point.

Deuteronomy 11 verse 1. How should we respond to God's commanded will keep his charge? His statutes his ordinances and his commandments. Okay. Now again someone well, that's the Old Testament and yep, but there's always things to learn.

One last time because I feel like I've sort of opened up a can of worms with the Sabbath and Lord's Day thing the more I study the word just the the more I'm convinced that There should be a day set apart unto the worship of God that that's My belief the more I study the more I'm convinced of that.

And you look that's sort of been the tradition of God's people for thousands of Thousands of years but some are of the viewpoint that Marcus mentioned where well every day is God's day. You know in the New Covenant every day belongs to the Lord.

Well, right, but we're not going to church every day. So, I think there is something to be said about having one day set apart unto God if for no other reason. Based on the principles found in the Old Testament whether you think they're binding or not, but okay.

Let's move on. God instructs we obey Psalm 25 8 through 10 good and upright is the Lord therefore he instructs sinners in the way He leads the humble in justice and he teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the Lord are loving kindness and truth to those who keep his covenant and his Testimonies.

The Meaning of Guidance

So this is number two on the subject of guidance. It says because of his great love God has predestined called Justified and will glorify all believers. He also Guides us a the meaning of guidance. Guidance is God's active role in our lives.

Accomplishing his purposes. Note the following words used in the Bible to describe God's guidance. Write down how the verse conveys the meaning of each word. Okay. The first word is to lead to lead. Another way of putting this is to shepherd.

Or to bear or carry Psalm 78 verse 52 but he led forth his own people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. And then Psalm 139 verse 24 says lead me in the everlasting Way, so who leads us?

Okay, the Holy Spirit leads us. God leads us. How does God lead us? Through his word. Through his word. How else does God lead us? Like a shepherd. Okay. Okay okay, he He leads us in that way. I think of what the Apostle Paul said when he in 1st Corinthians.

Is it 11? I believe where he said follow me as I Follow Christ. One thing you really can't escape is that we all follow. Other people don't. I know somebody was why I don't follow it. I only follow Jesus.

I don't follow any man like in the ultimate sense, right? We follow Christ. I get it. But let's face it other people have a great Influence on us. No way. If I were to listen to somebody Hours a day or an hour per day seven days a week.

What they say and just their approach to things is gonna have an impact right, so Who are we looking to who are we listening to? Whether you're aware of it or not. It has a real impact on the direction that you're going.

So, you know you fill your mind with secular music. Television Politics all there's all these different competing voices and if we're listening to this and this and this and this but it's very little church.

Very little Bible very little, you know. Pretty good odds that you have the wrong way of thinking about at least a few things. But this this is so important that we're part of a church Community where we are led not only by the pastor or the leadership of the church but we influence we have an influence on one another we teach one another and Without the church what I'm saying is without the church.

You know, it's like driving a car with Three wheels, you know, you need that fourth wheel to really get where you want to go so Marcus.

One another and Staying close to the Lord another verse. I don't know the reference to it is Jesus said my sheep hear my voice. And it's also described as a skilled small voice in the Old Testament. The another one that I do know the reference for is Romans 8 16.

It says the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. So that has to do with assurance of salvation of learning. Here the Lord's voice and you've got to be careful because there's so many voices That are flying at you like you say out of the radio out of the television Billboards, yes everywhere.

Yeah, I hear his voice you you need to you need to be quiet and you need to be spending a lot of time Nurturing your spirit not nurturing your flesh all the things that the flesh desires. Things that taste good things that look good things that feel good.

Yeah. You can't keep. You've got to start doing those things that nourish and strengthen your spiritual ears.

Right, and I'm not even saying that well, you know. You should totally tune out everything everything from the world that you shouldn't listen to this and this and but I've. Because I want to know what's going on in the world.

Right. I think we should we shouldn't just retreat and live on some compound somewhere where we don't know. We've shut the outside world out. I that's that's dangerous too. Although it's tempting sometimes.

It sounds good but We need to train ourselves to think biblically. So if you do hear a secular song and nine times out of ten, they're singing about fornication or something. Like you have to train your brain to say, okay.

That's not right because the Bible says this, you know, or Jesus would how would Jesus view this? I mean, so I I know I do that with just about everything I it all comes through this this filter of Scripture and I'll respond sometime.

I'm sure people find that annoying. That something comes up and it well, you know, this the Bible says this but we need to do that. We need to test everything because we are being guided so. The only question is who are we listening to who are we following?

How are we being influenced? Psalm let's see where we leave off Psalm 78 Verse 52, but he led forth his own people like sheep and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Psalm 139 24 lead me in the everlasting way.

We should have eternal things on our mind not just the temporary things and the things of this world. So that's the word lead number to guide. That's the next word to show. To guide means to help show or understand Psalm 23 verse 3 Speaking of the Lord.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness. For his name's sake Psalm 73 verse 24 with your counsel you will guide me and where do you get the counsel? You know, yeah, I don't want to make it all the Bible the Bible the Bible the Bible right, but Here here's why here's why.

Obviously the scripture is the foundation, you know Christ is the foundation the Word of Christ. But how do you apply that to the modern day? Because let's face it the the scripture is dealing with things that happened 3 ,000 years ago in Israel.

It's dealing 1900 years ago and the churches of Galatia like it's dealing with ancient problems now. There's no new thing under the Sun. But how do we make proper application to the stuff we're dealing with?

Right. You have to take the Application you have to take the principles found in scripture and apply them to the here and now the Bible doesn't do that for us so the Spirit may do that in our heart, but again that I think that's where the church comes in and Where preaching and teaching comes in?

Okay Transgenderism is never directly addressed in the scripture directly. But are those principles are there principles that apply. Right now a person if they read the Bible for themselves and study they can probably figure that out for themselves.

But it helps to have a teacher. You know, you can have it. Let's say you're learning to play violin and you have a book. You have the instruction book to play violin. You can you learn to teach yourself how to play?

Yes, you can but you will be far better off if you have what a teacher and That's really what what we need. And being part of a local church. Marcus. Nowadays we hear LGBTQ Plus. Yeah. Amen. That's true, he's right.

Yeah, well, I don't. I don't know but.

But it's an assault on God. God created them male and female. Amen.

Right, but and then okay, so let's let's Know but People say okay. I feel this is God's will because God God made me this way. God created me this way. There are people it's called side B theology gay Christianity.

It's being promoted by some of the top names and evangelical Christianity. But they're argument that yeah, this is the way God made me. Now, I'm gonna be celibate. I'm not gonna Engage in that but this is who I am.

It's my identity and I'm gonna take the identity in Christ and this identity and kind of blend them together. And it's okay as long as I don't act on it. But they they're going by their feelings that and I don't doubt that they really think that I was born this way or God Made me that way.

How do you? Come back at that. So, that's not it's not easy. A lot of people wouldn't. Well, how do. Yeah, how do I how do I approach this? Yeah. Yeah, you know and I'm sure they can always take a verse and try to turn it around and use it to their advantage, too.

I'm sure they'll try. But you're just going to go back to what the Bible says. Do I see? This Ideology in Scripture. Do I see this. And in Scripture just go back to what the Bible says. To what the Word of God says.

And Larry.

There are 283 direct quotations from the Old Testament in the New Testament. Yeah, you can't Unhitch right from the Old Testament because it's in the New Testament, right?

Yeah. That was part of my sermon from last week and really stressing that but the whole approach that People within the church try to argue for those points as they say well Jesus never addressed us. We're Christians and We looked at Jesus and Jesus never addressed these issues.

He never said that was wrong. Well, hold on. Hold on a minute. If you have a proper understanding of who Jesus is who is he he's the Lord he's one. With Jehovah God of the Old Testament who did address all all this different stuff.

So you just have to kind of know what the Bible says and then learn to apply it and We're on solid footing. As long as we stick to what the scripture says and you don't have to buy into Their arguments bring it back to the Bible bring it back to scripture, but don't be afraid to apply the scripture.

I think once the church stops applying the Word of God to current issues. Then we do become irrelevant. And we're not irrelevant. So we need to address some of these things. But the word yeah, the Old Testament still it's still true.

God's moral law is still it always will be True. Okay, Psalm 73 verse 24 with your counsel you will guide me and Then the third word so we looked at lead Guide and the third word is direct. It means to establish or prepare to make straight.

Proverbs 16 verse 9 the mind of man plans his ways but the Lord directs His steps. And then 2nd Thessalonians 3 verse 5 says may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Direct and Indirect Guidance

B says the nature of guidance. The chart below outlines ways that God guides people directly and indirectly. Okay, so there is direct guidance. How what is what is direct guidance look like number one spoken revelation from God two visions three dreams and number four the Prophet or Apostle speaking for God.

Indirect guidance would be God's Word conscience or conviction. Providence that is circumstances controlled by God and then finally wisdom and Counsel, so how are we being directed? Or guided by God right now.

How are you or how are you being guided by the Lord? Directly or indirectly. Okay, well, I don't know any prophets or Apostles. I mean, I know a few people out there who claim to be but I don't know of any prophets or Apostles.

God has never given me a vision and. So I we are at the very least being guided by the Lord. Indirectly, we have the Bible God's Word, right? That's number one indirect guidance God's Word. Number two conscience or conviction.

That's a bit we can't. I know I talked about feelings and feelings can kind of lead you in the wrong direction. We can have an idea that isn't necessarily biblical. So we don't want to discount this. Because God does guide us through conviction and our conscience.

Does anyone want to share maybe a time where you have been guided by conviction or conscience.

Cream. But the Lord was really waiting on my heart to come home for Mary Margaret, yeah. It just was really bothering me, yeah. And so I said to my husband. I have to go home. Yeah. And I came home and I prayed with her and She died in front of me.

She was so happy that she got baptized. Yeah, that made such a difference in her life. But God knew that I needed to pray with her and talk with her before she died.

Yeah, so you really felt you needed to do that and There is no there's not even a reason to think that. Well, I don't think that was the Lord. There's no there would be no reason to think that. Yeah, no, I mean the convictions that we have.

And the overwhelming feelings we have to minister to someone to be there for some way. It's all perfectly in line with God's love and his grace. We I don't ever want you to think that we should ignore That kind of a thing.

Yeah, it's a feeling it's an emotion and we've had other feelings and emotions, but we we have to be Led by the Spirit and that's not direct. That that's not direct. You're not gonna get a dream. Most likely I think God could do it.

I recognize that as a possibility. But you're probably not gonna get a dream in the middle of the night that God tells you hey Tomorrow get up and go here and do this right. Or a vision. Probably not gonna have that but we do have our conscience.

We do have those convictions and that can be just as much God Leading us as something we read in the scripture really to go hand-in-hand. What you did was completely aligned with something that a the Christian would do that what God would want us to do.

Mike.

Direct guidance. I would have to say that I have been directly guided. Okay.

God said hey Mike go talk to her.

At the bank where she worked. Filling out my weekly paperwork. Yeah, I heard. And never seen her before my life. Heard of a laugh. Got any counter. And the voice just came through me says pay attention to her.

She's especially. Yeah, here it is plain as day. I was like, what was that? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, close attention, okay, it worked out okay, yeah. But yeah, sometimes we have and you'll hear Christians talking like this that you know, maybe. Okay, I didn't hear an audible voice, but it was like God told me you need to do this and.

That that's written sometimes sometimes you might say and it sounds subjective right but sometimes you just know. This is what I need to do. So We can't discount that. Now and we shouldn't discount it.

So that's one of the indirect ways or you know directly. However, you see it. But yeah the direct Guidance would be when God audibly speaks to somebody because God did that in the Bible. God audibly spoke to Moses and commanded him specifically what to do.

That was that was direct a vision would be direct some people wonder what did I ever have a vision? There's that one time where I I think if you had a vision you would know it, right? So if you're not sure if you've ever had a vision to probably means well it I would say it means you have it.

Okay, and these are not the typical ways that God deals with people although again, can he. Has he yes, can he yes, is he still doing this today? I would leave the door open to the possibility. But again test it against what the scripture says.

And then the prophet and Apostle who speaks for God. God would give direct messages to his servants. But today typically it's it's the Word of God conscience conviction Providence just the circumstances of how things turn out and then wisdom and counsel.

Here's another thing counsel counsel from who. Okay. Yeah, well you say well the Bible again you go to the Word of God, yeah. Get counsel from whether it's a pastor or a deacon just a Christian. You know who has a walk with God we should get counsel.

I think sometimes our pride Causes us to not want to ask advice. Well, I already know I don't need to ask anybody. Yeah, well, sometimes it's very helpful that all I ask people all the time. I have no problem with Asking people what they think.

So if I can do it, certainly you can do it. So we should be seeking counsel. And any other thoughts on on this list? Larry Thinking about.

Seeking counsel or Scripture does say Older men teach the younger men. You know, and that's kind of a mentoring relationship along with Women. Older women teach the younger women, you know how to Do things.

You know, it's kind of a Training process and I don't see too much of that anymore. Right, and you know, it used to be. You know mothers were taught by their mothers. My mom was taught by her mom and Sometimes it doesn't go well when a new younger person is being instructed.

Yeah Yeah, we should. You should be willing to listen plenty of verses and Proverbs about seeking counsel and being Willing to listen to advice. Jen. Did you have your hand up?

I Have this thought coming to my head that I really need to do a Bible study and I really I I really think that I need to ask my sister-in-law to do it with me not to like. Not to like guide her along just kind of like to do it together.

Yeah, um because we've grown apart and I just I thought well. It was so I just stopped and I was like, well, that's an interesting thought but I felt really it just felt like something I should really do and I'm like I I know that I in the past and something good Has popped into my mind or a good thought has popped into my mind of something that I can do.

I'm just kind of brushed aside and I had Just trying to say yes. Yeah, and it's just it's been good good we haven't met every week but it's it's been good for both of us good. And it was more of a like, oh, let's just see what God has to teach us through this.