HIS DIRECTION – OUR LIVES

  • Proverbs 3:5-6 5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
  • We all want to be blessed by God in every decision we make and that is why we must align our lives according to His direction. In other words, aligning our lives according to the will of God.
  • However, making decisions can often be complicated by the emotions involved. Just take a look at someone who is in love.
  • Some of us are today enjoying the good rewards in life because of a good decision made in the past, but others are regretting and facing the consequences because of poor choices
  • The key is how can we align our lives according to His direction, living a life according to His will.

 

Sermon series title: HIS DIRECTION – OUR LIVES

  1. Seeing His direction – 22nd Oct 2017
  2. Choosing His direction – 29th Oct 2017
  3. Remaining in His direction – 5th Nov 2017

 

  1. Seeing His direction
  • Acts 13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’
  • Acts 13:36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;
  • Some people approach God’s will with a barrier, for example:
  1. Accidental – these are people who simply go by chance. “If it is God’s will, it will happen and I do not need to do anything.”
  2. Confirmation Bias – “My will, not Thy will”. These are people who have already made their decision about what they want and simply force the word of God to agree with what they want. Even with signs or looking for advice, they will somehow manipulate to get what they want or to hear what they want to hear.
  3. Convenience – “My passion and the things I love have to be from God because He loves me so much, so it must be His will”
  4. Dependence – Seeking words through prophets, pastors, leaders, etc. but no intention to seek God personally.
  5. Escapism – There are some, who unfortunately did not make it in life; for example, failed in studies or career, suffered bad relationships, etc. and they need something to cling on to; whether as an excuse or blame or even running away from the problem.
  6. Fear – ““Play safe”; not willing to face change or are unwilling to move forward. Afraid that God may ask them to do something for which they are not willing to pay the price. The easiest way is to avoid hearing God’s will and to stay wherever they are. (even serving in a ministry).

 

Roadmap

  1. Align our Destiny with God’s Direction (Sovereign will of God)
  2. Align our Choices with God’s Commandments (Moral will of God)
  3. Align our Pursuit with God’s Purpose (Personal will of God)

 

  1. Align our Destiny with God’s Direction (Sovereign will of God)
  •  It is “sovereign” in that God is the Sovereign ruler of the whole universe and it is He Who ordains all that happens.
  • Ephesians 1:11 describes God as the one “who works all things according to the counsel of His will,”
  • Simply put, God is in control.
  • There is another thing to note about God’s will: difference between God’s dispositional will and God’s sovereign will.
  • God’s dispositional will shows us what pleases or displeases Him.
  • Mark 14:21 It was God’s will that Jesus should suffer and die, but those responsible for His death were still held accountable
  • 1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
  • This is an expression of God’s disposition toward the non-believer. He certainly wants everyone to be saved but we know not all will be saved.
  • It is therefore very important that we align our lives in His direction or His sovereign will
  • Has it occurred to you what is God’s ultimate sovereign will?
  • Revelation 22:12-14 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” 14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
  • His ultimate sovereign will is that we do His work and commandments – that is to love God and love our neighbor. .

 

  1. Align our Choices with God’s Commandments (Moral will of God)
  • This is the “Thou shall and shall not” part
  • So how do we know His moral will? THE WORD OF GOD
  • Think of the principles given in the Bible on how to deal with money, relationships, power, etc.
  • Many of us were taught to know and claim the promises of God. It is also very important that we know and practise the Principles give to us in the Bible.
  • For example:

 

  1. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
  3. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
  • The important thing here is that the more we are familiar with the word of God and practice them, the more we are aligned to God’s moral will

3. Align our Pursuit with God’s Purpose (Personal will of God)

  • This is dealing directly with God’s will for our lives: Should I take this course? Enter this field? Accept this job? Marry this guy? etc.
  • Key to know God’s Personal will for us: The more we are in line with God’s Sovereign will and obedient towards His moral will, the more we will discover His personal will for us
  • We often ask about God’s will for our lives, we are concerned about knowing His direction for us
  • CALLING:
  1. Christian Calling (Position in Christ) – Christ follower… never change
  2. Career calling (Occupation in this life) – whether we are a teacher, pastor, student, etc… all these “careers” change in season
  • For example King David
  1. His career path: Shepherd, then Musician (for Saul), Soldier, King
  2. His calling: Man after God’s heart; doing all of God’s will (Acts 13:22)
  3. Whether he was a shepherd boy, a musician, a king, his calling never changed.

 

  • Therefore it is important to note that our calling has nothing to do with our career.
  1. Align our career to our calling and not the other way round
  2. Are we motivated by/pursuing our career or our calling?
  3. Career is based on circumstance, calling based on Christ
  4. Circumstances can change quickly but our Christian calling must remain the same
  • An formula for life: Christian + Career calling = Purpose
  • Our calling therefore is to seek God and do ALL his will
  1. Sovereign will – Know and align ourselves to it
  2. Moral will – Obey and do it… for example
  • Under the sovereign will of God, King David was anointed by Prophet Samuel that he was going to be the King of Israel. There was an opportunity for David to take Saul’s life and yet he refused, simply because it was not God’s moral will to do so.
  • Sometimes we fail, even David failed, but he repented before God, and continued to follow God with all his heart, continued to do God’s will. That must be our heart attitude.

 

  • Conclusion…
  • Key to know God’s Personal will for us: The more we are in line with God’s Sovereign will and obedient towards His moral will, the more we will discover His personal will for us
  • Align our Destiny with God’s Direction (Sovereign will of God)
  • Align our Choices with God’s Commandments (Moral will of God)
  • Align our Pursuit with God’s Purpose (Personal will of God)

 

Application

  • Note down one applicable Principle each day when you read the Bible (Example: Psalm 23 – Contentment)