Judging The Will Of God For Your Life

Title: Judging the will of God for your life

Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. [8] For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

The other day I had a very vivid image go through my mind of a house we lived in back in Nebraska. It was a beautiful summer day about 10 years ago. I remember that the grass was green and I was mowing it was hot so I stopped to get a drink of water and looked around at my neighbors and the flowers and my garden, and for a moment I wished I was back there in that time in that place. In my mind I thought what if I was to leave write now, move my family and try to go back…. would it be the same.

Of course I quickly put the thought out of my head because I knew it wouldn’t be the same

That it would be wrong

And that where I was at now was right were God wanted me to be.

How do I know I am in God’s will

1. the Word of God demonstrates to me that my life is being spent in accordance with his will

2. The Holy Spirit of God Confirms to me that where I am at and what I am doing is God’s perfect plan

3. My circumstances declare the divine providence of God in my life

We can be preoccupied with thoughts like this.

Of how our life was at a different time.

How it could be better IF ONLY

This was true of the Israelites

Psalm 137:1-4

By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

[2] There on the poplars

we hung our harps,

[3] for there our captors asked us for songs,

our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

[4] How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land?

The Israelites did not like where they were,

They had judged or determined that they had been handed a raw deal

but the truth is their captivity was given them according to God’s plan

In there case it was a judgement for their unfaithfulness to the Lord.

They had been an idolatrous nation for centuries.

God was performing his will by having them in that location

And after returning from captivity history records that they would never again be an idolatrous people.

__________

I think sometimes people judge that they are being held captive by there circumstances, relationship, job, or even by a place,

That they are somehow not where they are supposed to be

but

actually they are still in the center of God’s will for their life

Let me ask you a question……………..

When was the last time you sat down and prayed and asked God what his will for your life is?

Or when was the last time that you sought the Lord asking him if you were on the right track fulfilling his plan for your life?

Are you in God’s will?

The purpose of my message this morning is to get us to realize that we must seek the Lord and judge correctly in these matters.

And be like Jesus who said…John 6:38

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

Because as someone has said "the center of God’s will is our only safety"

Prayer

Throughout scripture we see examples of God’s plans being played out.

I want to share some important principles from these examples that will help us as we Judge the will of God for our lives….

I. It is man’s place to help carry out the plans of God

Exodus 40:16

Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him.

God told Moses how to build the tabernacle, and Moses delegated jobs in order to do it.

God allows people to participate with him in carrying out his will.

Our task is not just to sit and watch God work, but to give your best effort when work needs to be done.

Ill never forget a picture of ziggy "Go God Go"

Our place should be "how may I help God How may I help"

God may never direct you to build a tabernacle or an ark or a temple

But he has given you a life to grow

A family to watch over

A church to take part in

A job to do you best at

A community to get involved in

In Matthew 28 Jesus told we disciples his plan for us…IT was Go>>>>>>>>>