TIME TO DECIDE: The Will of God in Our Lives 2-8-26

TIME TO DECIDE: The Will of God in Our Lives  2-8-26

INTRODUCTION

Renewal comes from God but begins with decisions we have to make.

Angels, dreams, fleece v my reality

Once generations accepted what they were taught.  Then generations challenged.  Then generations began tinkering.  

Tinkering - Doctrines, practices, values, churches, relationships

When my son lived at home he had a motorcycle, car, moped, pocket bikes, bikes in all manners of disrepair at our home.  He likes to tinker. He now has motorcycles in his garage.

Tinkering leads to indecision.  Stops and starts.  Uninformed decisions.  Chaos.  

59 years - childhood certain, sure, unchanging

                   Young minister professional, all business, 

                    Recently uncertain, focused on people, dynamic, active

What does God want?

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

“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 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

Let us pray.

I. The Seduction of Freedom

"Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire."

Epictetus

A.  Freedom as the highest outcome of life

B.  Freedom as a value

C.  Freedom as an end goal

“I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

II. The Satisfaction of Searching for "God's Will"

When Betty Goldstein of Staten Island, New York, entered the hospital, her husband Ron wrapped her 3.5-carat diamond ring in a napkin for safekeeping. But in a forgetful moment, the 63-year-old Goldstein threw the napkin in the trash.

When he realized his mistake, he dashed outside, only to see the garbage truck rumbling down the street. So he called the local sanitation department and got permission to follow the truck to a transfer station. Workers began sorting through hundreds of garbage bags and recovered the ring an hour later.

Dennis Davidson, “Discerning and Discovering Spiritual Blessings”, 7/4/2011.

The goal was to find the ring.

A.  A beginning with no end

B.  Certainty of nothing

C.  A search without discovery

D.  Activity with no action

"Success is finding God’s will for your life and doing it.”

Dr. Bob Jones, Sr., Founder of Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina.

III. Living the Will of God

George W. Truett said: "To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge! To do the will of God is the greatest achievement!" 

George W. Truett, "Toolkit," Cell Church, Winter, 1996, p. 10.

1 Peter 2:15 NIV

“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.”

‭‭ 1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

A.  How can we know the will of God?

Charles Swindoll from his book The Mystery of Gods Will (pgs 44-51) gives us the following insight in how we can know:

1. God leads us through His written Word.

2. God leads us through the inner prompting of the HS.

3. God leads us through the counsel of wise, qualified trustworthy people.

4. God leads us into His will by giving us an inner assurance of peace.

B.  How can we accomplish the will of God?

C.  How can we help others live the will of God?

"Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right." 

Abraham Lincoln

CONCLUSION

Are you living God's will right now?  Are you doing what God would have you do?    

“You feel you were hedged in you dream of escape; but beware of mirages. Do not run or fly away in order to get free: rather dig in the narrow place which has been given you; you will find God there and everything. God does not float on your horizon, he sleeps in your substance. Vanity runs, love digs. If you fly away from yourself, your prison will run with you and will close in because of the wind of your flight; if you go deep down into yourself it will disappear in paradise.

A quote of Gustave Thibon; given in a lecture by Gabriel Marcel, 1942.

“Just do it.”

Nike

“Have you decided to follow Jesus?”

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins     and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.