Getting To Know God --- God is Willing

Getting To Know God

THE CREATOR CLOCK

 

Pastor Rory Clark

Barah Ministries

www.barahministires.com

 

Hi there!

 

My name is Rory Clark and I am the Pastor of Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ

 

I have a question for you…

 

What Do You Know About God?

 

These ten-minute lessons will introduce you to God and will make you aware of  some of His attributes.  To help you remember the Lord’s attributes, we’ll use The Creator Clock to help you recognize a few of the many things that are unique and special about your CREATOR.  Tick Tock…what time is it on the Creator Clock?

 

CREATOR CLOCK SLIDE

 

It’s Seven O’clock…

 

TODAY’S LESSON

God is Willing

 

I have to admit it…one of my least favorite things to do is to talk to “pious” Christians…those people who sport a phony pretense toward religious devotion.  They’re easy to spot.  They smile a lot, and they always have a ready religious comment … you say, “It sure is hot today!”  They’ll say, “Amen brotha…”

 

One of my least favorite things to hear the pious Christian say is, “God willing!”  The conversation goes something like this.  “Will you be taking the family on vacation this year?”  The answer is, “God willing brotha.”  That frosts me!  Are you thinking that God is not willing for you to go on vacation?  Are you thinking there is a doubt about that?

 

God IS willing.

 

What does that mean?  It means that God has will.  It means that God makes choices.  It means that God has predispositions. 

 

Many people ask themselves, “How can I know God’s will for my life?”  I remember when I was a young adult, God’s will was always my concern.  “How can I know God’s will for my life?”  When I’d make a decision, I’d always wonder, “Is this decision consistent with God’s will for my life?”

 

Well the great thing is, God’s will is knowable.  God tells us His will in the bible.  If you don’t study the bible, it is almost impossible to know God’s will.  Here’s an example…First Thessalonians, Chapter 5, Verse 18…

 

First Thessalonians 5:18

…in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for those of you in union with Christ Jesus.

 

God’s will is that we are grateful for everything that happens in our lives.  Are you?  Are you grateful in the hard times…when someone you love dies…grateful for the time you had with them instead of regreting the time you won’t have with them?  Quite often in the bible, God’s will is expressed as a series of “do” and “don’t” statements.  Here’s an example…Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 16…

 

Galatians 5:16

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

 

God is telling us through the apostle Paul, “DO” walk by the Spirit…“DON’T” carry out the desires of the flesh.  In Galatians, Chapter 5, Verses 19 to 21, a list of the don’ts…

 

Galatians 5:19

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:  immorality, impurity, sensuality…

 

Galatians 5:20

…idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions…

 

Galatians 5:21

…envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

In Galatians, Chapter 5, Verses 22 and 23, a list of things to do…

 

Galatians 5:22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…

 

Galatians 5:23

…gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

 

God expresses His will by telling us the things to do, which are the good things…the things helpful to us…and the things to avoid, which are the things that can hurt us.

 

It is God’s will that you be saved…Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9…

 

Second Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (a change of mind about a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

Our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is perfect.  His will is perfect as well.  He wants us to follow Him, and following Him means aligning our will with His will.  Mark, Chapter 3, Verses 28 to 35…

 

Mark 3:28

“Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter…”

 

Mark 3:29

“…but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”

 

Mark 3:30

…because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

 

Mark 3:31

Then the Lord’s mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him.

 

Mark 3:32

A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.”

 

Mark 3:33

Answering them, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

 

Mark 3:34

Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!

 

Mark 3:35

For whoever does the will of God the Father, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

 

The Lord wants us to know His will, and to align our will with His, and as we do, we will experience perfection. Matthew, Chapter 21, Verses 28 to 32… 

 

Matthew 21:28

“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’”

 

Matthew 21:29

“And the son answered, ‘I will not;’ but afterward he regretted it and went.”

 

Matthew 21:30

“The man came to the second son and said the same thing; and the second son” answered, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go.”

 

Matthew 21:31

Which of the two sons did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you.”

 

Matthew 21:32

“For John the Baptist came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe John”.

 

It is God’s will that we know and follow His will to show the world how to act. 

First Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 15…

 

First Peter 2:15

For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

 

We sin, we miss the mark of God’s plan for us, when we act independently from God…when our will is different than His…and we have been granted the privilege of acting independently from God…James, Chapter 4, Verse 17…

 

James 4:17

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

 

We sin when we know the will of God and don’t do it.

 

Tick Tock…what time is it on The Creator Clock?

 

CREATOR CLOCK SLIDE

 

It’s Seven O’clock… God is Willing!  Find out what God’s will is, and do it!  You’ll have a great life!

 

If you like these short lessons, visit our website at www.barahministries.com.    That’s www.B-A-R-A-H-ministries.com  We have two different one hour lessons per week to edify your spiritual life. 

 

If you like these lessons, share them with your friends. 

 

If you like these lessons, feel free to help us financially so that we can keep providing these lessons free of charge to people all over the world.  Thanks very much to those of you who have helped us.

 

When you give, do it because you have been given to…not because you HAVE TO give…but because you WANT TO give. 

 

Keep on getting to know God.

 

I’m Pastor Rory Clark.

 

Pastor Rory Clark

Barah Ministries

www.barahministires.com


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