Last night I spent some time riding along with one of our Lompoc Police Officers who attends our church. It was great riding with him and dealing with issues that we were called to handle. It is a busy city even on a Monday night. While we road, he mentioned Sunday’s service and two things that stood out to him. First, we dedicated his son, Ryan to the Lord, as it was baby/ child dedication day. We dedicated 15 little ones that day. Second, he spoke about the guardrails that God has given us in regard to our lives and knowing God’s will. He
really understood the value and the picture language of God giving us guidance by providing the guardrails of His will. I had many positive comments about the theme: God's Will. People stated, I really need to discover God's Will. One man said: "Pastor Bernie, are you reading my mind? I have been asking God to teach me about learning and discerning His will." Well, I am not a mind reader but I do pray and listen to God's heart and listen to the hearts of the people at LFC. As we started on our brand new series: Discovering God’s Will, we shared about the Providential and Moral will of God. What we do is live within the guardrails of God’s known will. We know there are some things He does because He is God and with or without us, He will do them. Life works best when we move forward embracing His Providential will for our own lives. For example: We know that God wants us to love Him and love others. We don’t need to pray about it but rather just live it. Just love God and loves others every chance we get and deny ourselves. We don’t need to pray about sharing our faith and being salt and light in this world. God has already providentially established that as a part of His will for those who become a part of His family. God longs for us to be at a place where we say: ‘Lord, I don’t care what you reveal to me, the answer from my perspective is Yes Lord.’
Remember this: Amazing things happen on the other side of ‘Yes.’
When you and I get to a place where we are willing and obedient and God, He desires to share His will with us. It is essential to remember:
God does not give us direction for consideration but for participation.
So when we live inside the guardrail of Providential will and the Moral will of God we begin to perceive the Personal will of God. The Moral will is one we can begin to live out without much thought or prayer. Just do it Right! Just live Right! We don’t need to hold an all night prayer vigil to discern if God wants us to love others, that is Providential or to discern if we should lie or not, that is Moral.
As we live with a heart to trust God fully He has made an incredible promise to us of leading us in His way.
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (NKJ)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart (intellect, emotion and will) and do not trust in yourself – don’t lean on what you know or understand, but lean on God. The problem here is that some of you are very capable, intelligent, strategist, and process thinkers. What you have is a problem. The reason, your capability may tell you that you can do it – accomplish it and make it. Well, there are some things you can do but you and I can do nothing without the heart of God and His empowering.
As we trust and acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths. What a promise!
This direction comes out of us doing what God has already told us to do. It flows out of us living our lives based on His Providential and Moral will. As I do all I know to do in all God has taught me so far, then He will direct my path.
Phillip Yancey has said it best:
I do not get to know God, then do His will; I get to know Him by doing His will. (Reaching for the Invisible God.)
May we all trust in Him more and more and do that which we know is His heart.
Leading by following,
Pastor Bernie
really understood the value and the picture language of God giving us guidance by providing the guardrails of His will. I had many positive comments about the theme: God's Will. People stated, I really need to discover God's Will. One man said: "Pastor Bernie, are you reading my mind? I have been asking God to teach me about learning and discerning His will." Well, I am not a mind reader but I do pray and listen to God's heart and listen to the hearts of the people at LFC. As we started on our brand new series: Discovering God’s Will, we shared about the Providential and Moral will of God. What we do is live within the guardrails of God’s known will. We know there are some things He does because He is God and with or without us, He will do them. Life works best when we move forward embracing His Providential will for our own lives. For example: We know that God wants us to love Him and love others. We don’t need to pray about it but rather just live it. Just love God and loves others every chance we get and deny ourselves. We don’t need to pray about sharing our faith and being salt and light in this world. God has already providentially established that as a part of His will for those who become a part of His family. God longs for us to be at a place where we say: ‘Lord, I don’t care what you reveal to me, the answer from my perspective is Yes Lord.’Remember this: Amazing things happen on the other side of ‘Yes.’
When you and I get to a place where we are willing and obedient and God, He desires to share His will with us. It is essential to remember:
God does not give us direction for consideration but for participation.
So when we live inside the guardrail of Providential will and the Moral will of God we begin to perceive the Personal will of God. The Moral will is one we can begin to live out without much thought or prayer. Just do it Right! Just live Right! We don’t need to hold an all night prayer vigil to discern if God wants us to love others, that is Providential or to discern if we should lie or not, that is Moral.
As we live with a heart to trust God fully He has made an incredible promise to us of leading us in His way.
Proverbs 3: 5 & 6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (NKJ)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart (intellect, emotion and will) and do not trust in yourself – don’t lean on what you know or understand, but lean on God. The problem here is that some of you are very capable, intelligent, strategist, and process thinkers. What you have is a problem. The reason, your capability may tell you that you can do it – accomplish it and make it. Well, there are some things you can do but you and I can do nothing without the heart of God and His empowering.
As we trust and acknowledge Him, He will direct our paths. What a promise!
This direction comes out of us doing what God has already told us to do. It flows out of us living our lives based on His Providential and Moral will. As I do all I know to do in all God has taught me so far, then He will direct my path.
Phillip Yancey has said it best:
I do not get to know God, then do His will; I get to know Him by doing His will. (Reaching for the Invisible God.)
May we all trust in Him more and more and do that which we know is His heart.
Leading by following,
Pastor Bernie
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