James 4:15

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”

The best path for a Christian to walk is one that aligns perfectly with God’s will. He is, after all, omniscient, which is to say that He is all-knowing. Who can better navigate for us? In the words of a popular song… ‘No one, no… no, no one.’ With this in mind, the Christian has one simple task, “Follow God’s Will.” If we do this, we will walk on the path He has chosen for us and be greatly successful in His eyes. However, success in God’s eyes is not necessarily success in man’s eyes. Today, we will discuss the difference in these two distinctly different perceptions.

The greatest examples of how to live a Christian life have always come from those who took our text to heart and really did all they could to “Follow God’s Will,” which means they walked the best path possible. These remained faithful even if their path involved suffering and death. Sadly, far too many perceive this type of end as a great failure because they believe that we are to live our “best life now.” Incredibly, the preeminent voices of our day even proclaim that we should never be sick or in need of anything. However, this idea does not square with Scripture, at all. Here is proof positive…

We know that Jesus is the greatest example, as He never did anything of Himself. Instead, He only did what He saw the Father do (John 8:19). He demonstrated this in His prayer, in the Garden of Gethsemane, that the cup from which He knew He must drink could pass Him by. I believe, this particular prayer was recorded in Scripture for the sake of all of us mere mortals. He wanted us to know that it was ok to struggle with the fact that our path may lead us into difficult circumstances. He also wanted us to know that the Father’s will is always the best choice. We can liken this prayer to the instance when Jesus spoke to the Father just before calling Lazarus out of the tomb:

John 11:41-42

“Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.”

Now, back to our present example…

Jesus knew that He was on a distinct path, a path chosen before the foundation of the world:

Revelation 13:8

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” emphasis mine

Thankfully, the Lord partook of the cup fulfilling the Father’s will completely and perfectly. Without His obedience, our names would not be in the book of life and hope would be a figment of our imagination. The Lord’s absolute surrender to the Father made a way where there was no way, and His actions set all of us free from a life of sin and death. He also provided us with a “Blessed Hope” that brings great peace of mind as we watch the great falling away mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 take place. Here are the corresponding passages:

Titus 2:11-14

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” emphasis mine

2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” emphasis mine

Before returning to our main thought, consider where the human race is in terms of following the will of God. If you are intellectually honest with yourself, you are scratching your proverbial head and wondering what in the world is going on. Things have really gotten out of hand in a very short time. Not long ago, our churches were full, and children were thriving in the youth programs that abounded. Now, the youth flee our assemblies, as they would rather partake in the pleasures of this life than those of the next. I might suggest that we will continue to lose them if we succumb to the notion that we need to entertain them to keep them.

Instead of light shows and fog machines (things the worldly do much better than we), our children need sound teaching about Jesus in order to combat the many fallacies that inundate them daily, like evolution and gender fluidity. Most importantly, they must learn how to submit themselves to God so they can resist the Devil, which is the only way for them to escape his wiles and snares:

James 4:7-10

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Our youth can only know these truths if we share it with them when we have the chance. Sadly, many churches now spend the time they have with their young ones ‘entertaining’ them instead of ‘training’ them. We must not make this mistake. Our children can be mighty in the Lord from a very young age if we will train them in the way they should go. This way is what we speak of today, we must simply teach our children to “Follow God’s Will.”

At this time I turn to an excerpt from last week’s message entitled, “Follow Jesus.”

Be a Good Soldier for Jesus

This would be an opportune time to speak briefly about the life of a soldier of Jesus Christ. Notice, Paul said that a good soldier does not entangle himself in the affairs of this life so that he may please Him that chose him. The best soldiers sell out completely for their cause. They have no time for distractions. A good soldier in God’s army would look like Paul, who, following the example of Jesus, went where God said when God said, and said what God told him to say.

It is very important to point out that neither Jesus nor Paul were involved in trying to overcome the systems of this world. Jesus proved this when He said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Sadly, in today’s church, many errant voices call for Christians to overcome the systems of the world in order to bring forth the kingdom of God on earth. Those of us who understand how things will play out in these last of days understand the fallacy of this path because Jesus does not need us to build His earthly kingdom, as He will establish His earthly kingdom at the end of the Tribulation, but that is a message for another day.

Where is He Leading You?

Now back to you and your call. Today, God may be calling you to accept His great salvation or He might be calling you into a new mission for Him. If either of these is true, I urge you to accept the call and begin to serve Him with all the vigor you can muster. If you are a newborn Christian, find a great church that is biblically sound and let those that God has equipped to do so teach you of Him. If you are the latter, I urge you to heed the words of Paul and begin to operate in the ministry into which God has called you.

Personally, I believe First Congregational Church in Hudson, Michigan, is a great place for either. Here, you will both learn of Christ and learn how to teach others about Him. If, while reading these words, God has stirred your heart toward us, then be like Jed Clampett of Beverly Hillbillies, load up the truck, and move to Hudson. All kidding aside, you can receive all the training you desire right here in our church in Hudson. At the same time, you can be part of our local missions team (Soldiers of the Way) and help others in the community while sharing Christ with the recipient in hopes that they hear God’s Word and accept their call to salvation or ministry. Today, I extend this invitation to anyone the Lord is calling to us. By way of example, my wife and I answered the call and came from New Castle, Indiana, to Hudson, Michigan. – end of excerpt

At this point, some may be saying, “How do I know God’s will?” The answer is simpler than most of us think. However, the false teaching spoon-fed to us over the last fifty years or so by the prosperity preachers obscures this truth. God said:

Psalm 37:4

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Those that teach prosperity proclaim this is proof that God wants to bless you financially, physically, and/or spiritually. However, this is not what God is saying here at all. Instead, God is simply saying that He will provide unction to do His will in the heart of those who delight in Him. This, I believe, is how Enoch walked with God. He so delighted in God that God continually provided Enoch unction to do His perfect will.

We need a bit more information here so we may better understand this point. The phrase “and He shall give” in the passage above comes from the transliterated word “Nathan,” which means “to give, put, set.” Therefore, God is saying He will give, put, or set in the heart of those who delight in Him those things they should desire. This is completely contrary to the false teaching that God will provide blessings to those who delight in Him.

A bit of reflection here exposes another layer of false teaching by the prosperity preachers in that they do not want you to seek God’s will. Instead, they teach that seeking God’s will shows a lack of faith because His will is always to bless the socks off His Children. Oh, but our text provides the proverbial stake through the heart of this fallacy because we now know that “knowing God’s will” is the blessing that comes from inclining our hearts toward Him. This is how those who were destitute and/or horribly mistreated while following God’s will were included in Hebrews chapter eleven, often referred to as the “Hall of Faithfulness.”

With this in mind, we now know that we simply need to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will do the heavy lifting and provide the direction we need in our lives. Said another way, when we focus on God, He helps us know what is right in His eyes, even when our path deviates from social norms or leads us toward suffering, persecution, and even death, as modeled by the most faithful witness of Jesus and His disciples. This path is very unpopular in today’s Laodicean church; the church that believes it is rich and has need of nothing (Rev 3). However, that is a lesson for another day.

Conclusion

Being in the center of God’s will is absolutely the best way to live. This is because God blesses those who do His will (Luke 11:28), and He orders the steps of the godly as well (Ps 37:23). Therefore, we only stumble if we deviate from the path He has laid out for us. This is not to say that the life of the obedient is immune to suffering or tribulation. No, it just means that the grace of God is sufficient for whatever comes upon the faithful while they walk the path that God has planned for them.

From the school classroom to the pulpit, false teaching has inundated our children. Therefore, it is paramount that we teach them the truth, for with it, they can be like King David and slay the giants in their lives day by day as they earnestly attempt to “Follow God’s Will.”

***Incredibly, my sister-in-law just sent me a card celebrating my new placement as senior pastor, and this is the featured verse… how apropos.

Philippians 2:13

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”

Website: In His Commission

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Special Message: View this week’s sermon, which features this article on our Facebook page.

Matthew 22:37-40; “And He said to him; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend on all the law and the prophets.” This is also found in Mark 12:28-31 and Luke 10:27. (ESV – all emphasis is mine)

Our Heavenly Father loves us more than we could ever understand. He gives us every chance possible to reach eternal Salvation. In 2 Peter 3:8-9, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

He is specific as to what it takes to be saved and to have eternal life in Heaven. Romans 10:9-13 bears repeating here; “because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

We are told in no uncertain terms that we cannot do works or ever buy or earn our way into Salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9; “for by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Receive and accept Jesus. That is our key message for our Salvation. In Romans 10:9 and 10, we’re told we must confess with our mouths. Please understand that our Heavenly Father does not disqualify anyone who is physically unable to speak, or anyone who is mute, saying they cannot reach Salvation. He knows our every thought.

First, let’s review Psalm 94:11; “The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.”

Next, 1 Corinthians 2:11; “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the Spirit of that person, which is in him? So no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” This is the Holy Spirit who indwells every person who has received and accepted Jesus.

Before Solomon became king, David advised him in 1 Chronicles 28:9; “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”

God hates sin, no matter how large or how small. He knows that we all will sin until we take our last breath on this earth. Every one of us inherited that trait from the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

However, for all who have received and accepted His Son, He provides a means of receiving forgiveness. Looking at 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Our Father goes above and beyond any expectation for mercy and forgiveness that we could ever deserve. Isaiah 38:17, Isaiah 44:22, Jeremiah 31:34, and especially Psalm 132:11-12 all tell us of His mercy toward us who are part of our Savior’s flock. All who were in His will prior to Calvary passed from this earth into a place of peace. This is evidenced by the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. For everyone who passed after Calvary to the present, who received and accepted Jesus as their Savior, their souls are with the Lord (Philippians 1:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:8).

He expects us to love our brothers and sisters as well. One point here: Jesus loved everyone for their immortal and eternal soul, and He accepted all who truly called on Him to be their Savior. For all those who would not accept Him, such as the majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He showed that He did not personally like them, but there was no hate in His heart toward them. He told them exactly where they would be headed if they did not change their ways. Had they repented and accepted Him, He would have gladly forgiven them.

About five years ago, I wrote a message about loving God and loving each other. This current message is a revisit as a reminder for all of us that our time here is getting very short. The only major prophetic events left before the end of this era are the Rapture, followed by the seven-year tribulation/wrath. The last event will usher in a time that will be worse than anything this earth has ever experienced so far. All the signs are here that tell us the last days of this age are about over.

In 1997, Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote a beautiful Gospel Hymn titled, “Loving God, Loving Each Other.”

Refrain) Loving God – Loving each other, making music with my friends. Loving God, Loving each other, and the music never ends.

1.) They pushed back from the table to listen to His words, His secret plan before He had to go. It’s not complicated; Don’t need a lot of rules. This is all you need to know. (refrain)

2.) We tend to make it harder, build steeples out of stone, filled with explanations of the Way. But if we’d stop and listen and break a little bread, we would hear the Master say. (refrain)

Please know that, as stated in 2 Peter 3:9, our Father wants no one to fail. However, He will force no one to receive and accept His Son. It is left up to each individual to make that decision. Jesus knew that more would accept this world than would accept Him, as evidenced by His statement in Matthew 7:13-14 referencing the wide and narrow paths.

One final disclaimer: I have had people tell me they have sinned so badly that they could never be forgiven. What part about “All who call on the name of the Lord will be Saved” doesn’t make sense? Jesus came to provide a pathway for all sinners to be able to repent and be saved and spend eternity with Him.

Our Heavenly Father allowed “temporary” sacrifices prior to His Son being crucified. However, the blood of bulls and goats could never take away our sins (Hebrews 10:4). Only pure, sinless human blood could do that, and there was only one “sinless human” that ever lived on this earth, and that was Jesus, His Son.

Our Heavenly Father does not lie (Titus 1:2). He wants us to spend eternity with Him, or He would’ve never given us His “Love Letter” – the Bible.

For anyone reading this, if you haven’t made a decision to receive and accept Jesus as your Savior, please know that we are not guaranteed another day here. Now would be a great time to call out and ask Jesus to forgive you, and for Him to please add you to His precious flock. Once you take your last breath here, your eternity is set. There will be no forgiveness at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15.

When the Trumpet of God sounds, and there is a shout from an archangel, I hope to see you when we get into the presence of our Savior. That will be within a twinkling of an eye, which does not give time to call out to be saved when the Rapture takes place.

It isn’t too early to get your reservation in. Maranatha – Come Lord Jesus!

huebshman46@gmail.com