Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 1

There are certain things that we can emphatically declare are the will of God for every person, and there are specifics just for you that He reveals over time.

Knowing the Will of God, Pt. 1

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

(Jeremiah 29:11-13)

This week in our devotions, we will be discussing a topic that is of much interest to me and many others: the will of God. There are certain things that we can emphatically declare are the will of God for every person. In 2 Peter 3:9 we read: "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Also, Scripture teaches us related to God's will: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality." (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

In Dr. Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles series of messages, his tenth principle is "God Will Show You His Will". I like the way he states that emphatically and with confidence. Not that God may show you His will for your life, but He will indeed show you. Why? Because God loves you and He wants you to experience in this life the very best He has for you. I will be sharing with you this week many insights and helpful pointers from Dr. Stanley related to knowing God's will for your life.

Stanley teaches that oftentimes when we think of the will of God for our lives, we only think in terms of major items. We think about the big picture and what we should strive to achieve and accomplish. But Dr. Stanley said that is only a part of knowing God's will. God has a plan for every day of our lives! He wants to be involved in the day-by-day decisions that we make. Decisions reflect the condition of our hearts, and that is what God is interested in.

One of the primary passages (if not the primary passage) of Scripture Stanley points to pertaining to the will of God is the focus of today's devotion: Jeremiah 29:11-13. I am reminded of what a pastor friend said one time when looking at promises in the Old Testament: "These verses may not have been written to us, but they were written for us." This biblical text was written by God through Jeremiah the prophet to the Israelites in the 7th century BC. But since it is the Word of God, the message applies to every believer who reads it. God's Word is amazing!

These biblical verses do not say God has a plan for our calamity or ruin. God desires to bless and guide His children. I believe it gives Him great delight to show us His will. And I know it pleases the Lord when we hear Him and do what He tells us to do.

More tomorrow on the will of God for your life. Please jot down any prayer requests that you have and send them to us at: pray@dfea.com