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April 7, 2019 3:00 pm
Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org requested does God still speak to people today. Let's be honest when someone says God when talking to them.
We get a little suspicious. Sometimes a little concern. Does God talk to us does the Lord speak to us does God Almighty actually have a master plan for our lives, and if so how do I discover how can I learn how to know the voice of God.
How can I know the will of God because we only direction in life. If you're single you're thinking how my going to know who to marry. I don't want to make the wrong choice so that something on your mind. If you're in college or thinking about what should my major be your thinking about what Mike should my career be and then as you move on the life you have other questions we need supernatural" on these things well we have two views that maybe are not accurate view number one is we think finding God's will is really hard. Got sort of hiding it from a sort of like a celestial Easter bunny is not telling us where the golden egg and only over the street under the golden egg. That's when they has a little money in it or something extra. Where is it and we think the lords of their sinks getting warmer and warmer� Call Coco so it's something we can never find or the opposite view is we think God's will is something undesirable.
It's not good.
Sort of like a diet is a happy diet out there. I it just seems like every night I've ever seen her in any god ever gone on is it's either boring or it's horrible and you know it so and basically the rule of all diets is if you want a heated it's probably not in your diet. Or maybe that's just me because I'm drawn to all the wrong foods of data right now. I'm drawn to hamburgers and burritos and I'm trying to pizza all men, I'd hot bread dessert but everything else I can resist right so so we think of God's will away all if it's God's will. It can't be good.
It can be desirable is going to be bad is going to be miserable. That is false as well.
So it's only God is hiding there from us and is not like the will of God is in good so what is it here's the thing you need to know there is joy in the will of God is joy in the will of God. Romans 13 using Romans 1522, Paul says that I may come to you. Enjoy by the will of God.
So when you're walking in God's will.
There's joy.
Let me flip that around when you're not walking to God's will. There's misery. The most miserable place to be is outside of God's will. You don't believe me ask Jonah someday. He found out how that works out the hard way. So God's will is joyful so why does God want to reveal his will to me because God is my friend and friends share secrets with friends.
Remember Abraham is uniquely called the friend of God and were told over and the book of Genesis, the Lord speaking. Shall I hide from Abraham. The thing that I'm about to do, so that's great for Abraham know it's great for you to because Jesus said, I no longer call you servants with friends because a servant doesn't know what his master is doing but everything I've heard from my father. I have revealed to you God as your friend wants to reveal his will.
God is your friend, listen to this once to reveal his secrets to you as well because the Bible says in Psalm 2514 this secret of the Lord is with those that fear him. There are things God wants to unfold in your life and unveil in your life but you need to learn to tune in were taught to seek the will of God and the Lord's prayer, which is a template for all prayer.
Jesus said after this manner therefore pray our father who art in heaven how would be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven is not interesting. Before I get to the petition part before I get to the give me this day my daily bread bar.
I've talked to pray first and foremost, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. So we should not only want to know the will of God. We should want to. We should be anxious to know God's will.
First Peter 42 says don't spend the rest of your life. TVC not for evil desires, but be anxious to do the will of God is not something I have to do it should be something I want to do.
The psalmist said in Psalm 40 verse eight I delight to do your will, oh God yes your law is written in my heart to listen the will of God is not an option for the true Christian and I'll tell you this that after over 40 years of walking with the Lord. A lot of times finding God's will is something that just sort of unfolds as I take steps of faith, so I can wake up every morning and night, and I got audibly speaks to be okay graders a plan for today is a blueprint check so we just leaves me a step at a time.
And that's because God's will is not an itinerary. It's an attitude. In the Bible says the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord. So I read the word of God. I pray for direction. I just started taking steps to just what I find myself smack dab in the will of God. Let's not overly mystified. This lets understand God wants to unfold his will to each and every one of us. God's way becomes clear only start walking in it he does speak, so we need to say Lord, teach me your will. All right. Well, the best place to start is pickup the manual God's given us the manual on how to know his will and it's right here and is called the Bible.
So grab your Bible to Romans chapter 12. Here are the words of the apostle Paul on how to know the will of God in your life. Romans 12 reading verses 1 to 2 pulses, I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service will be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. This is called a conditional promise by that I mean there is a promise and the promises you can know what is a good acceptable and perfect will of God. The conditions are. I must do what he tells me to do first and that is to present myself to him and not be conformed to this world but Paul begins with the word therefore, I beseech you therefore, by the way, the word beseech this means, I urge you and pleading with you. I'm begging you, brother, policy II begging you to present yourself to God. Therefore, therefore what will as I've often said whenever you see the word therefore find that when it's therefore in the menses, drawing on what is been previously set.
So what is been previously said Romans 1 to 11, which basically tells a I'm a sinner, separated from God. I can't meet God's standards. I can't keep the law.
I can save myself, but Jesus died for me and about turn for my sin but my faith in him and him alone. I am forgiven.
I'm adopted into God's family, and I'm justified in light of this policy in light of all that God is done for you. This is what you ought to be doing for him present yourself to him.
A modern translation of verses one and to put it this way.
So here's what I want to the Duke, God helping you take your everyday, ordinary life, your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life and place it before God as offering good translation and I think we need to understand this is to everybody. You might say we, I think those were called the ministry should do that. I'm not really called to ministry, you know, I think this is directed to every follower of Jesus Christ were all called to glorify God with our life.
The matter what our vocation in life.
It yes some are called to be evangelists.
Yes, some are called to be pastors, just some are called to be worship leaders, and others are called to be missionaries. That's all fantastic. But we also need more Christian doctors and we need more Christian nurses and we need more Christian way for lawyers and we need more yes and we need more believers glorifying God in business and entertainment and sports. We need more godly police officers. We need more godly firefighters. We need more godly first responders. We need more Christians in the military and many more Christians, especially in politics. We do everywhere. We need Christians, we need more Christian artists were Christian actors more Christian news just a midget musicians. I guess magicians to as long as it's a sleight-of-hand, no black magic stuff see the point is we need believers everywhere honoring the Lord with the gifts that he has given to them. So you would only need to do number one verse one. Present your body as a living sacrifice. What is that mean means give your whole being to God. Give your physical body to God gives your personality to God gives your present to God.
Give your future to God. Give your resources to God. Know what we need to present our minds fill your mind with God's truth, not the junk twisted worldview of this culture, we need to consciously and proactively choose to think about godly things more often. Philippians 4 says fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable, and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent, and praiseworthy. So present your mind to God. Number two. Present your words to God. Present your tongue to God. Think about what you say before you say it over in James 35 it says the tongue is a small thing, but what an enormous damage it can do a tiny spark.
Consider great forests on fire.
Think before you speak.
Think before you tweet.
Think before his hip send on your email. Think before you posted on Facebook. Think before you spread that information, it may not even true.
Think TH I nj that's an acronym, ask yourself this tea is a true H isn't helpful. I is it inspiring and is it necessary K is a kind if it doesn't meet that acronym don't say it to Greg.
If I live that way. I'd never say anything hallelujah but you know what an enormous damage.
A tiny spark and do a consider forest on fire.
That's what words can do the was virgin that said alliance halfway around the world by truth is still putting the choose on to amazing lies spread so quickly, but I know this from experience above a little spark, starting a four star years ago I was in Virginia sitting at a friends cabin out in the middle of nowhere and that he didn't have central heating and he said the way we keep discover this we put logs in this stove) that heats the cabin and he says Greg you know how to build a fire.
I said, does Drew Flynn count I did you know this know you truly just sunlight know we don't have jazz here. We'll use during flame logic to build a fire.
Do you know to build what I said. Actually, I don't know that I do in the civil is still get some kindling is a great warrior by that looks at me like you're such a moron general by kindling you get off the ground is a great can you show me what it looks like so walking around in any showing me what kindling is in a dried up little branches and things like that and so he comes in he builds a fire get the great fire going system. Here's the deal. This fire will fill up with so you take the ash and you put it in a metal bucket and then you can put more water in the barn to got to keep this thing going perpetually and sure enough, at about 11 o'clock at night it's getting cold and putting more logs into the problem is there was a lot of ask Troy scoop the ash out put it in the metal bucket and then it burned to those logs and know I've got too much on my bucket. I got to empty the bucket. I look at it looks good so I go out on the porch of this little cabin it's pitch dark out and I throw out the ash I see about 12 little burning embers and went out the fire starts on the other one spoke of the home for sale free. I literally run outside, picking up these live members with my hands throwing them up on the gravel driveway Prato God helpful. God help their run of the house for the bucket to fill with water. Think the smallest bucket I've ever received by that I'm in a bring the whole forest down and I did it was said no I didn't foresee those little fires and go to foreign the dances with a little burning coal can do the same is true of our words and we need to present our hands and feet to God your body to God.
Proverbs 616 says there are six things the Lord hates no seven things he detests notice each one of these is a body part haughty eyes, which means an arrogant look, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent heart that plots evil and feet that raised to do wrong.
Some people are feet that raised to do wrong.
Let me put it another way there called toddlers right they learn how to walk in there. Just you have to follow them everywhere.
Everywhere you know they they just don't know what they're doing yet, but that some people are this way. They just always looking for things to destroy or ways to wreck havoc know God doesn't want us to do that present that to God, to present your feet to God and we talked earlier in Romans about how beautiful are the feet of those that bring the gospel so we present our minds, we present our words, we present our actions. And yes, we also present our finance. If you really given your heart to God.
It will affect your finances and let me turn that around. If it hasn't affected your finances have you really given your whole heart over to the Lord, you know, and second Corinthians 85 Paul writes about the generous believers who lived in Macedonia. These people are not wealthy but they heard about a need and they gave generously, and Paul commends them and he says this they did, giving themselves to the Lord. So before they give their finances. First they give themselves in the finances followed to give your heart to the Lord. Number two. Don't be conformed to this world.
Don't be conformed to this world but be transformed to the renewing of your mind. By the way, the Greek verb used here for conform refers to the act of assuming an outward appearance that does not accurately reflect what is within another would still masquerade as if you really belong to the world that would be patterning yourself inconsistently with who you really are Halloween.
Maybe you dress up as a character like last year I was SpongeBob SquarePants and Dr. was about Tom.
You put on a mask so I'm Capt. America. All you know she's wonder woman or whatever and you you pretend that's a really who you are, so the I did a paws communicating this don't pretend to be something you are not don't be conformed to this world. Or is the JB Phillips translation puts it, don't let this world squeeze you into its mold so present yourself to God. Don't be conformed to this world. Here's a question you need to ask yourself, are you going to be a conformer are you to be a transformer, a conformer or a transformer you the unity conformed to this world are you going to transform the world are you to be a thermostat or a thermometer of thermostat tells you what the temperature is a thermometer sets the temperature actually other way around. A thermometer using a thermometer tells you what the temperature is in the thermostat sets itself. You know you can be a thermometer you just react to whatever it is all blended with that you can be the thermostat examiner set the temperature of this room. I want to walk in this room, to be a light for Jesus Christ or Dominic Keith in compromise and try not to stand out in any way. Don't be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may know what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. God's will is good to remember that some 8411 says no good thing will he withhold from those who walk up rightly so. The Lord tells you not to do it. He's trying to keep you from a bad thing. Using a lot I want. This is a good thing the Lord says give me it isn't that so I'm keeping you from you because it was a good thing I given it to you no good thing will I withhold from those that walk up rightly, some 34 eight says O taste and see that the Lord is good and blessed is the man the trust in him. Now our definition of good might be different than God's definition of good our definition of good is probably something along the lines of its fun it's pleasurable it's pain free and it's in the moment God's definition of good may be that which is productive or character forming and more eternally focus. Now that doesn't mean that there are times God is not working in my life and is not fun but I'm saying is there are things I go through that are not enjoyable for the moment, but the producing something that is far greater. And that's why it's good.
And one day I'll see that when I get to heaven I'll understand a lot of things that I went through, but until the day I have to trust the Lord. I look at the small picture God looks at the big picture. I look at the here and now God looks at the by-and-by so you have to understand that his will for you is good even though it might be difficult at times. So how do I discover the will of God first and foremost, God speaks to you through the Bible and that's why you need to read the Bible and that's why you need to read the Bible every day. That's why you need to memorize the Bible because God will never contradict what is written in Scripture right and I bring this up because my that people say crazy things to me that they tell me the Lord told them God's holiness and vegetables come up.
You know I were living together were having sex with the Lord said he's cool with it. Did he actually say he's cool with the direct quote. I don't know who you're listening to, but God didn't say that the how do you know the great because the Bible says this is the will of God. Even your sanctification that you abstain from immorality, so I know the word of God and that so don't tell me. The Lord told you to do something the Bible says you should not do so.
As you know the word of God, you'll be able to discern those voices that you hear or people that speak to you saying they're speaking for God you evaluate everything according to Scripture everything you need to know about God is found in the pages of the Bible. Second Timothy 315 says 16. Rather, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God is useful to teach us what is true and makes us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. That's important because sometimes our emotions get the best of us right here had a time when you just gripped with fear, anxiety, you're panicking.
And then you corrected with the word of God. All right, here's what the Bible says go back to what Scripture says I don't need pious platitudes. I don't need cute little post from Pinterest or you know sunsets with nice sayings on Instagram, I need the word of God.
That's what's going to sustain me in times of difficulty and that's her skin assisting you nothing else, so it's there in the word Jesus said, behold, I come of the volume of the book.
It's written of me to do your will also God number two God will speak to you through circumstances.
I don't know that I've ever base any big decision of my life on circumstances along. However, I have found that when I'm in the will of God. Circumstantially things will come together. This is what we often referred to as doors opening right are doors closing. So the Lord will open doors and give you an example, the Lord came to Philip, who is having some great meetings and people were coming to Christ and people were being healed and an angel of the Lord said to him, go to the desert. Nothing else is go to the desert is a creature go to the desert. Okay so seem to standing in the desert, leans on a cactus can await what am I supposed to do here and what principle lizards.
I mean why why am I here and all of a sudden the distance he seizes dust cloud looks like some people are approaching them to get a little closer and he can make it out looks a good chariot. Oh, it's a few chariot so for security around this one sure if this is someone important now. The person pulls into view and he can see this is a foreign dignitary from Ethiopia good gone to Jerusalem searching for God and he's reading out loud from the scroll of Isaiah chapter 53, and Philip setting their need to get okay Lord I got it from here. I think I know it's going on. He says to this man from Ethiopia excuse me, I'm Philip just hanging on the desert. As it turns out, to understand what you're reading. The member Ethiopia says how can I unless someone shows me the way. So Philip climbs into the chariot explains Isaiah 53, which happens to be talking about the death of Jesus on the cross that man believes in Jesus and is baptized so this is how the Lord will often lead you one step at a time.
I don't get like divine direction in the morning like go to the gas station a 403 and you gonna talk to some guy. Usually it's I'm driving along the my idiot light goes on I'm running on fumes. So I go to the gas station I pull and I'm pumping gas is a guy right around the other studies pumping just as a got good great. All of a sudden something comes up. Maybe I C7 he says something we start a conversation. Now I'm sharing the gospel with them now is going to the next level. I realize that was a divine appointment.
I'm telling you the Lord will lead you more than you realize. If you'll just tune in to the promptings of the holy spirit so circumstantially. But then there is at work in your heart.
This is what I mean by the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Sort of a spiritual story. I have found that when I'm in God's will.
I will have this piece does it make sense because of this piece of art were even told over in Philippians chapter 3 verse 15 let the peace of God rule in your heart are literally a better translation.
Let the peace of God is an umpire settle with finalities. All matters that arise in your heart. I found when I'm in the will of God.
All have the peace of God.
Isaiah 55 says you shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace. The mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field will clap your hands finally there is God's time. Just as important as the will of God is the timing of God. Sometimes we have the right idea were just a little ahead of schedule. Think of old Moses. Moses had the right idea.
Get the Israelites out of Egypt, he was just about 40 years to sit it took matters into his own hands that didn't go well at all. He went into exile and to the desert for 40 years and then the Lord commissioned him to go and deliver the people of Israel saw comes down to this. If the timing is wrong, God says slow. If you are wrong, God says, grow if the request is excuse me if you are wrong.
Got to go if there cusses right in the timing is right.
I got it all messed up thermostat thermometers I can get quotes right I need espresso and I needed now, let's start over ready is this is good. I didn't write it, but it's good. Maybe that's why it is good because I didn't write it. If the request is wrong, God says no. If the timing is wrong, God says slow. If you are wrong, God says, grow, but of the request is right, and the timing is right and you are right, God says go Ellsworth wait for right God's time as God wants to reveal his will to you which are not always going to grade you shouldn't say that. Don't know I don't always like the will of God. I'll be honest, there are things God's love my life and I'll say Lord really seriously is this necessary while you allowed this to my life. Job struggled with that talk about horrible things happening.
He lost his family. Most of them probably wished he lost his wife, after which he said to him, she looked generous and wanted to just curse God and die is like so those encouraging words. These covered in foil's head to toe.
He's lost his children. He's lost his possessions and what is he do Job 121 he says to God, thank you Kim I from my mother's womb naked shall I return. The Lord gives the Lord takes away less of you. The name of the Lord, giving Job like God's will. At that moment, I doubt it, but he acknowledged God was in control. Even Jesus struggled with the will of the father that might surprise you but it's true in the garden of Gethsemane, as he was contemplating the horrors of Calvary that were on the horizon. He said father of it's possible let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will. So it wasn't easy, but he submitted to it wife because he knew God's will was good, God's will for you is good and look at what it accomplished. It purchased the atonement for all of our sins. So I don't know what you going through right now.
Maybe God's will is it making sense to you right now but let me just say this to you.
Never be afraid to commit an unknown future to unknown God, a God who loves you a God who is good, God was a plan that is good for you in a God who promises that he will make all things work together for good to those of love him and the called according to his purpose. I told you the story before but I'm setting it up to tell another story of my son Christopher is been in heaven now over 10 years. He just celebrated his birthday and Christopher was a little boy that you know when he was a little boy, I should say. Rather, we would go to toy stores and I'll admit I spoiled my first son I would just take him to toy stores for no reason am I am really big toys. Maybe I was trying to relive my childhood. I don't know but that we went to Toys "R" Us and Star Wars toys were out.
This is the first time Star Wars came out so that they took right 70s so were looking at all the Star Wars toys and there's all the little figures you know Yoda and Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Consolo, etc. so he's looking at all the figures and I said Christopher pick out any figure you want so you thought about it for a while. He picked Consolo Consolo data circuit buddy but the all that time he was looking at those little characters. I was looking on the top shelf at all the hardware excluding spiders millennium falcon and so he picked out on so I said that's a good choice about a millennium falcon to go with that I pulled his giant box off the shelf when he was very happy till we get home and VCs. The millennium bulges roles are Isaac what are you doing today so they moral of the story is let your dad choose for you right get the illustration so we think God you know of God just wants to take everything that I just want to wreck everything.just wants to ruin everything. One award concept of your loving father in heaven's will for you is good, doesn't the Bible say in Ephesians 320 that God is able to do exceedingly above and beyond that which we can ask or think right so you want to do more so now that was a set up for this story so fast forward many years. My younger son Jonathan has his son Christopher was named after his uncle after Jonathan's brother same name Christopher David Lori so I'm with little Christopher in a toy store and he is really in the Legos and so I said, you can pick out some Legos and and there was one little characters you wanted and there was one tiny little box with the character. One other tiny little legal thing that it was all set have the same character a bunch of other things in it so you know, Legos are, you know that right so I took the little box of Legos like to do big when I said Christopher will give you either one you choose looked on about things that I'll take the small one.
Poppa and I said okay buddy, why are you taking the small when he says I don't want you to have to spend too much. He got the big one to so look, your father loves to bless you, your father wants to reveal his good and perfect will for you. Let me close with this thought of God's will.
We say what is God's will.
There's some things we know are God's will. Number one, we know that it is God's will for everyone to be saved everyone to be forgiven of sin.
We know that because the Bible says God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, so God wants to forgive you of your sin immediately joined us here today and you're not sure if your sin is forgiven. You don't know God in a personal way affect your life is kind of a mess and you don't know what's going to happen next in your fill with anxiety and fear, and you don't know where to turn. I'm telling you God has everything you want that's found in a friendship and a relationship with him.
Jesus as he stands at the door of your life, and he knocks that's Revelation 320 turn about a concert I went to visit someone in this church on a Saturday, knocked on the door, no answer, so he took out his business card wrote Revelation 320 behold, I stand at the door not next day he saw a red church.
She put a little card in the offering.
It was his card with another Scripture written, he wrote Revelation 320. She wrote Genesis which said I was naked and in the garden and afraid, so we will deal with San Francisco back to Revelation 320. You can find a verse to support anything right.
It is true. Jesus stands at the door and he not but only you can open that door and asked him to come into your life and if you done that yet.
Think about this by asking God to forgive you of your sin, you could leave here today wherever you might be in this new relationship with the Lord. He's just a prayer away. You have to admit you're a sinner and turn from that sin and understand that Jesus Christ, the son of God died on the cross for you. Yes in Gethsemane the garden. He struggled with it, but he went through with it because he knew there was no other way for you and I all of us to be made right with God and of all ask him to forgive me, you'll enter in the my life and change me if you need him in your life, to give you an opportunity to ask him to come in.
Let's all bow our heads for a prayer together. Everybody praying please father, thank you for loving us so much that you sent Jesus to die on the cross in our place or Jesus, thank you for coming then laying your life down on the cross.
Now we pray for anyone who has joined us wherever they may be. If they don't know you yet. Let this be the day they believe.
Let this be the day they pass from darkness to light. Let this be the day the day, they change your eternal address from hell to heaven help them to come to you now know what I heads about in our eyes are closed and were praying. How many of you would say I need Jesus in my life.
I want him to forgive me of my sin. I want to know that when I die I will go to heaven.
I want this relationship with God you been talking about. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus if that's your desire. If you want Jesus to come in your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to go to heaven when you die if you want to start this friendship with God wherever you are, would you just lift your hand at the let me pray for you. Lift your hand apply St. I want Jesus to date and I'll pray for you wherever you are. God bless you. God bless you that your hand and I need Jesus today. Pray for me. God bless you and you. God bless you and you anybody else raise your hand up some of your watching the screen.
Of course I can see you but would you take the little step of faith saying yes I need Jesus today. Pray for me.
Raise your hand up or pray for you wherever you are. Bless you away one more moment anybody else you want his forgiveness today.
God bless you. God bless all of you.
Now when I asked every one of you that this racer can to pray this prayer I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me.
This is where you're asking God to forgive you of your sin again as I pray just pray this out loud after me. Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner.
I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin.
I turned from that sin. Now, and I choose to follow you from this moment forward as Savior and Lord his God and friend. Thank you for hearing this prayer in Jesus name I pray, amen. God bless you