God’s sovereignty over the affairs of earth is a reassuring reality. Yet it is so easy to feel baffled by the perplexities of daily living when we assume the responsibility for every decision and concern. Our heavenly Father never meant for us to bear these burdens on our own. In this message, Dr. Stanley guides us through verses establishing God’s authority. The same influence over global matters also reaches down into our everyday lives, expressing itself through God’s predestined, moral, and desired will. Even when we struggle to work out His ways, we can learn to rest in the fact that He is God. Understanding His power and plan leads us to greater obedience and the trust due our faithful Father.
it’s most reassuring to realize that God
has a specific plan for your life for
each one of us it’s not the same plan
but it’s all for each of us
all designed but what he had for us in
mind no exception
we might not understand how God can work
in the way he works all over the world
but he does because he’s God he’s not
left in the body out we might try to
understand some things that happened we
can’t understand but he has a plan for
our life and he intends to fulfill that
if we are willing to trust him in
obeying and those two things are
absolutely essential whatever God has in
mind whatever he had in mind when he
allows you to be born to come into this
world trusting and obeying him were two
key issues so ask yourself the question
people who know you would they know you
as someone the trust God
it obeys God someone who attempts to
walk in his will or do they just know
you as a person who sort of just does
whatever comes naturally and you want to
be happy and you want to be successful
and you want to fit into the ways of the
world God did not allow you to be born
just to do any other thing you want to
do that wasn’t his plan and many people
will live their whole life and never ask
the question what is God’s plan for my
life
what’s his will for my life once you
begin to ask that question that takes
you deeper and deeper into the whole
perspective of God’s purpose in your
life and when I think about that I think
about one verse down the one hundred and
third song because the question comes is
that well how can God do this that yell
and so forth
one hundred and third song and the
nineteenth verse you know to mark this
verse in your Bible
mark he says the Lord has established
his throne in the heavens and his
sovereignty rules over all thinking that
his sovereignty rules over all that is
no matter what’s going on God is in
charge and he’s in control it may look
like he’s not in control but he is we
listen to all the news and ups and downs
and ins and outs and I’m for this and
I’m for that and I’m opposed to this
that and the other where’s God know this
right where he’s always been he is in
control he will let us do things at
times that are foolish that this Astra’s
destructive but oftentimes he stops us
and sometimes we have a hard time
believing that God is involved in
anything the way people are acting so
when I think about these verses and his
sovereignty I’m thinking about what
Jeremiah said to God he said in that
32nd chapter our Lord God behold you
have made the heavens and the earth by
your great power and by your
outstretched arm
nothing is too difficult for you now if
you and I believe that everything was
within the reach of God and the power of
God nothing in too difficult for him we
would operate a little differently
we wouldn’t doubt some things we would
be wound they claim more of his promises
for God is in charge he is in control
his sovereignty rules over all so no
matter what’s going on in the world you
got is still in charge the problem is so
many people don’t believe that and I
look at watch television once in a while
not think how pitiful and on and on and
only goes so did you finally help to get
up and cut it off and ask the question
Lord has anybody heard about God has
anybody heard about Jehovah Yahweh
Elohim in the Old Testament the God of
all gods the only one through God the
author who has all power to do all
things
anybody believing in him trusting him or
waiting up on him for
action if you listen and watch and do
not read the Word of God you can get
very very discouraged so the title of
this message is looking deeper into the
will of God and I want to talk about
first of all the three major
distinctions in God’s will the three
categories and the first is God’s
predestined will those things he will do
irresistible unchangeable unconditional
that is things that God can do by his
power in his love and things that nobody
can stop he is in control he is the
sovereign of the universe his
predestined will which means predestined
he’s already determined some things this
world may look like his whirling around
at Alek control but God is in control of
whatever is going on and then of course
there’s God’s moral will his moral will
would be explained best in the Ten
Commandments God has a moral will you
shall not steal lie commit adultery no
not in the ten commandments and all
through the scriptures there are some
things that God has forbidden does that
mean they can’t happen though it means
that it’s not the will of God for them
to happen it’s not best for them to
happen it’s costly for them to happen
it’s just a stress or them to happen
because he is the God who gives us
freedom and liberty up to some degree
this moral will is where we get in
trouble we just thought we want to do
things our way when we want to do it we
can explain it away and yet when we
violate the Ten Commandments we violate
the teachings of Jesus there is a price
to be paid and there is no substitute
for obedience and there is no one
greater than God and when I listen to
some of the things that that people are
saying about that we’re gonna do this
and we’re gonna do that there is a God
who ultimately determines what you will
do what you will not be he allows
disobedience and rebellion but only at a
price
sin does not come cheaply rebellion
toward God is not cheap now listen to
people talking about what they’re going
to do in this and all the things that
are happening in they want freedom to do
this and that and the other with no
listen with no sense of responsibility
to the sovereign god of the universe we
are all responsible to him although we
like it or not and then of course
there’s God’s desired will those things
that he desires for us his desired will
for us well let’s begin with salvation
God desires we are saved he disaster be
baptized he desires and we walk after
his will he desires that we learn to
pray and learn to follow his lit
teachings of Scripture it’s his will
that we learn to obey Him early in life
it’s his will that we learn to listen to
him follow him and acknowledge that he
is the ultimate guide in life so in
order for me to be obedient I need to
know what his will is how am I going to
know what his will is Who am I going to
find out you listen to the true Word of
God and you read the Word of God and you
believe the Word of God if you want the
truth of God if you want to know how to
live out your life in order to be
obedient you’ve got to know the Word of
God so don’t raise your hand naturally
when I say that I’m trying to cover for
you how many times this past week did
you pick up the Bible and read a verse
you have seven days in a week 24 hours a
day you have many things on your
schedule that you have to do many things
that you don’t have to do that you want
to do you don’t work all the time you
have free time how much of that free
time did you spend asking God Lord what
about this should we buy that house
should we buy that automobile should I
allow my son to go to college here
should I allow my daughter to go out
this guy should allow my son to be a
part of that club in other words when is
the last time you asked the one who
knows the answer to everything about his
will what does he want
would you not agree that God will always
want what’s best for you how many of you
believe that same n he’ll always want
what’s best for you you really believe
that then why don’t you ask him why do
you make so many decisions without
asking him watch this he has a will a
purpose a plan he knows what’s best for
us in every single circumstance of life
and he invites us to ask and ask and it
shall be given you seek and ye shall
find knock and it should be open to you
God is willing to show us as well this
is the confidence that we have in him
that if we ask anything according to his
will he’s going to hear us and if we
know that he hears us we know that we
have the petitions that we desired of
him then why not get in the Word of God
and find that Lord what would you have
me to do in this particular situation
what what does obedience require me is
does this fit the will of God or does it
not and the reason people are in such
deep debt is because they spin with us
in the will of God listen this is a
major issue in this country indebtedness
is a major major issue and you said
what’s that got to do with the Bible
we’ll just start reading you’ll find out
God has a lot to say about money
and not not being in debt and so when
you think about one sin leading to
another God has a will for us his will
is always best for you it’s always best
for you his his yes is best his no is
best because he wants what’s best for us
and so when we think about the will of
God the will of God is God’s best plan
for us now you say well my life is sort
of mixed up and I don’t know how to turn
next so let me give you one other
division of
and that’s his his personal will for
your life and we can divide that into
three categories and first of all that’s
his intentional will that is what did
God have in mind for you I don’t know
who your parents were how they raised
you but what did God have in mind for
you think about that for a moment his
intentional will what did he have in
mind before you ever born what does he
even have in mind about your education
what do you have in mind for example
about this the spiritual gifts when you
trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior you
were listening you were gifted with the
ability talents and skills to do
whatever God wants you to do and when
you think back early in your life you
were thinking about when I grow up I’m
gonna be this I’m gonna be that and so
forth did you ever ask God what he
wanted you to do you say well how do you
know what God wants you to do and if
you’re sitting here and you don’t know
the will of God for your life maybe you
never ask him maybe think about this did
you ever get on your knees and say yeah
I don’t want to waste my life I want my
life to count and if I want my life to
count if you’re gonna help me answer my
prayer gotta pray the right thing so
what is it you want me to do very very
few young people today will talk to you
about the will of God for their life
because they never gave it any thought
that God has this God who is sovereign
over the universe has a plan for your
life did you as a parent ever sit down
with your son or your daughter and say
well let’s talk about one of the most
important things in your life well what
is that they may be thinking about their
education know what’s the most important
thing in your life the will of God and
I’ll tell you this is the truth not
maybe it’s the truth
every night I was at home with my family
from the time my children were born
I prayed over their bedside with them
they had they
no idea what I was talking about that
yard would show them his will for their
life
very rarely watch this we wait too late
to do the most important thing the most
important thing they’ll ever learned was
the will of God and so when you think
about it to yourself and your vocab
occasion for example if you go look for
a job that you just look for a job with
you just say Lord what do you want me to
do now think about this for just a
moment the right person to ask first of
all is God where do you want me to work
what do you want me to make how do you
how do you want me to invest my life
think about this as the days go by your
time and not times ticking away you
don’t think it is well you get my age
you realize taken away you don’t stop
you don’t quit you don’t worry you don’t
fret you trust God you want to make
every day count but do you realize that
God has a plan that he has an answer for
all these questions that you have and so
oftentimes questions that we should
bring before Almighty God we just make
the decision watch this carefully
because we make decisions based on human
knowledge limited human knowledge and
own emotions that oftentimes aware out
in left field and oftentimes to please
somebody else the only person I am
obligated to please according to the
Word of God is Almighty God I’m
obligated to please him want to place
him smart thing today the wives thing to
do is to please God because watch this
if you know him you know this he only
wants what’s best for you amen but you
see many parents can’t say that they
want what looks the best to their
friends and neighbors that their
children’s riving this or net we run
them the will of God is from the most
important things in your life but he
said what should I ask God about
everything nowhere
what is it that so unimportant I don’t
to talk to God about so what does he say
he has a will for our life and this will
we have an intent his intention of
wilfred of life his circumstantial will
for our life which is what his
circumstantial will is this so i messed
up here but i get my life straightened
out with god and surrender my life to
him and we get a new start because why
is there circumstantial will because god
knows us and he knows we’ll fail we
knows will make wrong decisions at times
he knows we’re human as we say and so
that’s his circumstantial will does he
cast this out no and we live in our
circumstantial will with less oftentimes
accomplishing less being less satisfied
less happy less peaceful less less less
because we don’t stop to ask him first
now when we stop to ask him he’s willing
to corrected some things he’ll correct
some things he won’t correct because of
the circumstances and so his
circumstantial will is here i am here’s
the mess I’ve made this is how far I’ve
come their Lord or do you want to do
them at this point and listen there’s
God’s immediate will that is what does
he want you to do right now in your life
what’s his will today in your life you
can’t change yesterday but you can
certainly make a difference for tomorrow
because tomorrow is a privilege is an
opportunity and God is with you his
immediate will what’s his immediate will
for what he wants you to do today for
example let’s turn to James for a moment
and let’s look at this passage and in
the fourth chapter
look at this 13th verse come now you who
say today or tomorrow we will go to such
in such a city and spend the year then
engage in business and make a profit
doesn’t that sound like people today
here’s what I’m gonna do I’m gonna make
it big yet you do not know what your
life will be like
tomorrow you are just like a vapor that
appears for a little while and then
vanishes away instead now you ought to
say if the Lord wills we will live and
also do this or that but as it is you
boast in your arrogance all such
boasting is evil therefore the one who
knows the right thing to do and does not
do it to himself it is a sin so as you
look at your life ask yourself the
question what about how you spend your
time
what about how do you spend your money
how about your friends our relationships
the things that you bought your
testimony you say well God isn’t
interested in little things like what
God is personally interested in what you
think what you say what you do how you
look how you operate and so you’re not
living in a vacuum you’re living in a
world inhabited in your spirit by the
Living God who has equipped you and will
equip you to do his will every day all
day if you’re willing to surrender your
life to Him and yield to him what your
potential is at this point in your life
only God knows but it’s probably a whole
lot larger than you think it is you say
well I’ve made so many mistakes who
hasn’t made mistakes different kinds of
mistakes and this mistake may be tragic
to somebody and this person’s mistake
may be lots of more tragic than this one
that’s not the issue this is God and
this direction but it’s you and me God
whatever in my life is missing what is
it Lord wherever I’ve blown it
show me where it is whatever I need to
confess and repent of whatever I need to
surrender to you I’ve never surrendered
God I want your best in my life ask
yourself this you turn around look back
over your life to the time you were
maybe a little before you’re a teenager
or thereabouts
look back over your life what would you
change we’d probably all change
something right we’d all change
something let make over your life what
would you change
second question is this why did you come
this far
thinking that somehow you could make it
without yard and think about this
whenever you did trust your life to the
Lord Jesus Christ as your saving you a
baptized John the church did you
surrender your life to the Lord then
when I think about this as overwhelms me
that holy God who is the sovereign of
the whole universe loves me enough to
show me his will and to show anyone
who’s willing to ask are you willing to
trust God where you are with who you are
and your mistakes here and your
successes there the things that are good
in your life that things are not are you
willing to say to him Lord you know all
about me you know how I really messed it
up I’m asking you to forgive me of my
sins and I know I don’t have years and
years and years making it up but lord
would you help me to spend the rest of
my life the way you’re a circumstantial
will circumstances being what they are
would you help me to live my life the
way you want me the rest of my life the
way you want me to live it would you
tell him that don’t be trapped by the
devil who watch this the devil says too
late too late
just think no other sermon it’s too late
it’s not too late as long as you’re
breathing they get right with God and
your opportunities may be gone but there
may be more opportunities than you
realize there may be ways that God can
use you you never even thought about and
the reason you didn’t think about him
you didn’t ask him about them I’m saying
that you don’t give up you ask God
show you Lord circumstances being what
they are I’ve wasted as far as your
circumstances here but you got you’ll
forgive me you promise you
so what’s the next step in my life my
life is just what it is what’s the next
step God would you be willing to say to
him today Lord the next step in my life
I’m gonna take it whatever you tell me
to do God I’m gonna do it would you be
willing to tell him that today do you
trust him enough this tip to tell him
there whatever he requires with you next
you’re gonna do it do you trust him
enough to do it or do you sit here and
listen to this and think yeah but you
don’t know my circumstances where nobody
knows everybody’s circumstances I’m just
asking are you willing to trust God all
of us need to trust him whatever’s going
on in life you have the privilege you
have the privilege to talk to a holy God
who has all power and all love and all
authority he’ll take you where you are
and do something in your life you
probably never imagined but are you even
willing to give him yourself just to see
what he’ll do what what would God do in
your life if you fully surrender your
life to Him I think you’ll be surprised
pleasantly surprised you have the
courage to say god I believe you have a
will for my life I know you’re not
pleased to have been living it out but
today I’m asking you to forgive me I
could blame some postcard but I’m not
gonna blame anybody I’m asking you to
forgive me and starting today when I
walk out the doors of this church I’m
walking out surrendered to your perfect
will whatever that is I’m going to do
whatever you say and I’m gonna believe
God because you’re an awesome god of
love and kindness and goodness and
reconstruction you’ll take me and you’ll
do what’s best in my life from this
point on
wow what an awesome difference guys you
make in your life if you’re willing and
father how grateful we are that you are
a forgiving God cleansing reconstruction
all the good ways that you work in our
life and I pray that every person who
gives this message will be deeply
convicted deeply inspired for some it
will be deeply painful but honest enough
to surrender themselves to you and see
what you will do but the rest of their
life oh god that’s my prayer for the
rest of their life what will God do but
the rest of my life and father you just
full of surprises we know that’s true
for the wonderful surprises maybe we
don’t think mere worth it are nobody
cares but we know that’s not your
attitude you just waiting for us they
say yes Lord but you to start your
reconstruction and our life they’ll
change us forever
and that is my prayer today in Jesus
name Amen
you
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