JANUARY 24, 2010

GOD'S WILL

FOR ME

Scripture Reading--Ephesians 5:17

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding

what the will of the Lord is."

We may describe God's will for an individual's life as three-dimensional. We can illustrate this relationship by drawing a circle and writing your name inside. Now we draw three more circles around the original circle.

The outer circle represents God's universal will for everyone. God's will for every human who will ever live on planet Earth is that he would be saved. God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" ( 2 Pet. 3:9 ). He "will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" ( 1 Tim. 2:4 ). God has no greater desire in His heart than that sinners would be saved from their sin.

The second circle represents God's general will for every Christian. This will is based on God's revealed will in His Word. Christians should live by the basic biblical principles of holiness, godliness, and practical Christian living ( for examples, see 1 Thes. 4:3, 5:18 ).

Finally, the inner ring represents God's personal will for each Christian. Here His will is specific and custom-fits each believer, expressing God's desire for the individual's life. In Psalm 143:10a, David prayed, "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God." In this prayer, he asked God to make His will clear as it applied to David's life. God has a perfect plan--or an agenda, we might say--for each of His children. It's crucial for each believer to know and to follow that plan for his life.

To be out of God's will or to miss His will for your life is tragic. God's will must determine your direction in this life and your destination in eternity. God's will is best.

ASSIGNMENT: From Scripture, make a list of five qualities God desires for every Christian. Determine whether you're living according to God's will.

--Tom Palmer--

READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN " 1 " YEAR: Job cc. 28-31