The Will of God

Participant

The computer glare is making me dizzy and giving me a headache. Gotta go. Will be back soon. I love you guys!!!!

March 14, 2008 at 3:13 am#83886

seek and you will find

Participant

Seek and you will find. Wonderful that you have changed and have found our Savior Jesus Christ. God the Father has given us to Him and Jesus has promised that he will not loose us. I for one depend on Him. I have been born again, and understand a lot of scriptures and looking back know that I too have changed. I love what you said that you hate arguments, because I do too. I came here to fellowship rather then anything else. But of course found myself involved in debating anyway. But my love is with those that Love rather then to have to be always right. I still have to learn to except all and on that I am working on. Thank and I am looking forward in further discussing what you have to offer.

Peace and Love Mrs.

March 14, 2008 at 9:37 am#83901

Participant

Hi Shania,
We do not know for sure that the apostles were baptised but Jesus told them they had been washed by the Word. God has many means that He uses to save men and those who give the followers a cup of water because they belong to Jesus will not lose their reward.

So how God does things is not our business.

Obedient servants must preach the way of Jesus who was reborn of water and the Spirit.

March 14, 2008 at 5:46 pm#83914

theodorej

Participant

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Feb. 19 2007,08:15)

Hi,
This is the safe place on the rock.
Seek it daily

Greetings Nick….I thank you ….you have finally hit on a topic that has confounded and confused me for as long as I can remember…..In seeking the will of God ,how is one to recognize Gods will when it is before them ??
In addition how is one to discern that it is in fact Gods will…?

March 14, 2008 at 5:59 pm#83915

Participant

Hi TJ,
The Lord's prayer, for the reborn children of God, of Mt 6 includes a seeking of the will of God.

“10Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. “

I know that God wants us to seek and He is faithful.
He can and does guide the steps of those who seek His will.
He channels their behaviors so that they become led by the Spirit.

Gal5
25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

God is faithful.
2Tim2
13If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

March 14, 2008 at 6:13 pm#83917

Participant

Quote (Nick Hassan @ Mar. 14 2008,14:07)

Hi CO,
The only difference is that CO, by a sad misconception, believes all men are being transformed into the image of Christ

Hi Nick, just to clarify my “sad misconception”, please have a look at Ro.8:29 …whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, …
God will be “All in all” .(1Cor.15:28)

Blessings.

March 14, 2008 at 6:20 pm#83921

Participant

Hi CO,
God will be all in all
of those who are among that remnant people

March 14, 2008 at 6:21 pm#83922

seek and you will find

Participant

Hello chosenone long time no hear, welcome back. I like to say something about the scripture you quoted. Romans 8 : 29 Did you not know that we are predestined to be called? But many are called but few are chosen. Question is chosen to be what. I belief that the chosen ones are the elect that will sit with Christ on His throne and will reign with Him a 1000 years. That is what I belief that means.

Peace and Love Mrs.

March 14, 2008 at 6:38 pm#83923

Participant

Quote (seek and you will find @ Mar. 15 2008,06:21)

Peace and Love Mrs.

Thank you Mrs. much appreciated.
Yes, I did know that all is predestined, glad you brought this up. I believe that the statement 'many are called but few are chosen', was made by Jesus to the Jews while still under the “Old Covenant”, while still under the law. We are not now under the law, but under “Grace”.
Pleasae look in the book of Ephesians, the first chapter. This gives a good explanation about how all is pedestined, and that “all is of God”. Please let me know what you think, I value your opinion, you are not judgemental and I appreciate that. I am mortal, prone to error as any mortal is.

Blessings.

March 14, 2008 at 7:40 pm#83937

seek and you will find

Participant

Quote (chosenone @ Mar. 15 2008,06:38)

Quote (seek and you will find @ Mar. 15 2008,06:21)

Peace and Love Mrs.

Blessings.

Good Post but did you ever consider what Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount. If all we had to do is believe like it says in Ephesians do you think that road is steep and few would find it. There has to be more to then just believing in Christ. I have had a dialog with Ken, who mo longer is with us, but I have found all of that of some interest to me. My Husband believes like you do. I am not to sure about that anymore. I am going to take a second look at all those scriptures He has given us. He at times was kind of self-righteous, but we have to overlook that. All is in the Covenant Tread. I will bump it up.

Peace and Love Mrs.

P.S. I appreciate your comment and I appreciate you too.

March 14, 2008 at 9:54 pm#83942

Participant

Quote (chosenone @ Mar. 15 2008,06:38)

Quote (seek and you will find @ Mar. 15 2008,06:21)

Peace and Love Mrs.

Blessings.

Hi CO,
So Eph 1
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace seems to be the saints and not the heathen nations.

March 15, 2008 at 12:10 am#83954

Participant

Nick, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'Grace seems to be to the saints”. I believe all salvation is of God, by His Grace, and Him alone. We have no part in our salvation, God chooses us, we do not choose Him. Nothing we can do can earn us salvation, “the flesh cannot please God”. Only when we are baptised with the Holy Spirit, and this only by Gods' Grace, when He alone choses, does one worship in spirit and truth. See 1Cor. 15:23-28 as to the order of each class.

Blessings.

March 15, 2008 at 12:12 am#83955

Participant

Hi CO,
So all are chosen?
That is a JW folly to say all are forgiven at death?
Do you agree with such ideas?

March 15, 2008 at 12:27 am#83957

Participant

Hi Nick,
It's not a matter of whether I agree or not, it's a matter of what scripture says. You read it didn't you?

Blessings.

March 15, 2008 at 12:32 am#83958

Participant

Hi CO,
I see the letters Paul wrote to the saints
but you say they are for general distribution?

March 15, 2008 at 12:52 am#83960

Participant

Hey Nick!

(don't understand how to quote, so I copy and paste:) )

You said:

“Hi Shania,
We do not know for sure that the apostles were baptised but Jesus told them they had been washed by the Word. God has many means that He uses to save men and those who give the followers a cup of water because they belong to Jesus will not lose their reward.

So how God does things is not our business.

Obedient servants must preach the way of Jesus who was reborn of water and the Spirit.”

I completely agree with this statement, but maybe I understand it differently (?)

What do you think of this?

Rom 2:25-3:1

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised . 26 If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised ? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision , are a lawbreaker.

28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

NIV

This verse says that even if you have done the outward act of circumcision but do not walk in the way of a believer that you are condemned, but if your circumsision is of the heart, [you have cut away the flesh and you walk in the Spirit in obedience and submission], the Father is pleased. Do you think that this could apply to water baptism and Spirit immersion? What if there is a little old baptist lady in Tennessee in a small town and she never was offered Spirit immersion. However she lived faithfully to her heavenly father- loved Him with all her heart, served Him and others- do you think that He would turn her away?

Nick, I really do thank you. I do not admit to posessing all truth and if you can show me where I am in error, I would like to know.

March 15, 2008 at 1:12 am#83961

Participant

Hi Shania,
I loved your exposition on seeking the will of God.

hear! hear!

The letter to the Romans was to encourage the newly reborn converts fronm Judaism there who were tempted to give up and return to the Law. So, tongue in cheek, Paul explains to them that none of them are capable of perfectly fulfilling the Law and the new circumcision of baptism [Coll2.9f] and walking in the Law of the Spirit is the only way for them.

March 15, 2008 at 2:38 am#83970

Participant

Hey Theodore!

There are some scriptures that answer your question about how to know and recognize the will of the Father:

Deut 30:11-31:1

11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

NIV
[/U]

It says that He has placed His word in your mouth- it says that you have a choice: life (him) or death (sin). He says to choose Him- that is His will, what He wants…. but how do you know what is Him and what isn't? There are some ways:

Matt 7:16-23
16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit , but a bad tree bears bad fruit . 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit , and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit . 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
NIV

So here, we see how important it is to do His will, but before that Jesus says that we will know a tree by it's fruit. Here, he is talking about leaders and pastors: does what they preach line up with the word? Are people repenting and are hearts changing? Is their message turning the hearts of the children back to the Father? Do you think that it is the same with Him? In other words, if an oppertunity presents itself and you are not sure that it is Him, does it line up with scripture? Will it cause you to grow or tear you down? [It helps to know Him on a personal level- you have to pray about it. If it is His will, He will be faithful to show you.]

Also, here is another thing that you can do: ask Him for confirmation. Read about Gideon. [Judges 6:36-40]

Be encouraged!

Jer 29:10-14
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”
NIV

God has plans for you, but you have to seek Him with all of your heart (that is pretty intense) in order to find Him. Did you catch that? He tells Jeremiah that His plans will give him a hope and a future, and then He says, you will find ME when you seek ME with all of your heart. The only hope and future you can have is HIM. It is His will for you to find Him, and for Him to bring you out of captivity. Now you may be thinking, “I am not in captivity” Really? Are you?

Rom 7:21-25

21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
NIV

2 Peter 2:19-20
for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
NIV

You have a choice every moment of every day- who will you serve? Sin, or your Father? {nobody get confused here, I am not saying that you lose your salvation with every sin- but we work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Remember that the Isrealites were delivered from Egypt in a day but it took a long time for them to come out of their captivity} In order to understand His will, you have to put to death your flesh (sin) nature and let Him renew you. Take on His nature- (remember that His first desire for you was to be made in His image and likeness)

Rom 12:1-2
12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will .
NIV

You will be a slave- you will either serve Him or your flesh (which, in turn, is serving the enemy because it is opposed to God). However, if you choose Him, you will be able to know His will.

Isn't this beautiful? Isn't He good? We don't deserve this, but He is so faithful!

Matt 7:7-11

7 “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.

9 “Which of you , if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
NIV

Ask for bread! Do you know what this means?

Matt 6:10-11
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread .
NIV

Matt 16:8-12
“You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread ? 9 Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread ? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread , but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
NIV

John 6:32-40

32 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the t
rue bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread .”

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
NIV

John 6:48-51
48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread , he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
NIV

The bread is the word. We see it as teaching, as in “what are you feeding yourself?” Leaven was a type of sin, that is why Jesus said, “the leaven of the Pharisees and Saducees.” You either feed on the true bread from Heaven or the leaven. Also, we know that Jesus is the Bread of Life… what does it mean to eat His flesh and drink His blood? You are taking on His nature: you are letting Him into your body. (that is why communnion is so serious and you have to search your heart before you partake)

Back to the original verse, ” Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? “

Ask for fish- what does this mean?

Matt 4:18-20
19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
NIV

Here is something really cool. At the calling of some disciples:

Luke 5:1-11
5:1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2 he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen , who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

[Many times, Jesus taught by what he did.]

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

5 Simon answered, “Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

[My commentary: “I am a fisherman. This is my profession. I do it all on my own and have been doing it my way all this time. I know what I am doing. (but there are no results- sound familiar?) But if you say so, I'll do it.]

6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

(so much fish that they did not have the capacity to handle it. You see, when you are weak, He is strong. You cannot “catch fish” on your own- by works of the flesh. You need Him.)

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” (Hello!) 11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. (they stopped fishing their way and started fishing His way. Stopped looking for their own fruit and started serving Him on His terms. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is walking in the Spirit!)
NIV

Now at the end of the ministry, after the crucifixion:

John 21:2-18
. 3 “I'm going out to fish ,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We'll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

(My commentary: the ministry looks as if it is over, so what does Peter do? He goes back to what he was doing before Jesus! He goes out to fish- goes back to his old lifestyle- but he works all night (in darkness) and gets nothing!)

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven't you any fish ?” (He knew the answer to this- He was just getting them to realize where they were at and what they did not have)
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” (try it my way) When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish .
(ok- now this jogs the memory. This had happened before…)
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (side note: garments represent the righteous acts of the saints. Check it out.) (So he had taken off his righteousness- but he put it back on and he could not even wait till they got to the land. He did not care about getting wet, or cold, or drowning- he ran with full force to his master- what a heart!)
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish , for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread. (there is that fish and bread again!)
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” (you see, they only caught it due to Jesus, but he still gives them credit….)
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish , 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
(Ding Ding Ding!!!! the major difference! The net is not torn. You see, at the beginning, they could not handle the ministry- they had not spent any time with Him, they did not know Him. But in the last 3 1/2 years, Jesus has been teaching them His ways and now they are prepared and being called to carry on the ministry)
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish . 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” (do you agape me?) (agape is self sacrificial, unconditional love, no matter what)
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” (You know that I Fileo you. Fileo: friendship love, give and take.)
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love (agape) me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (fileo) you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love (fileo)me?” (Do you even friendship-love me?)
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love (fileo) me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love (fileo) you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
NIV
You see, through his sin of denying his master, Simon's heart was exposed. Sin shows us where we do not love Him. However, in that weakness and brokenness, Jesus still asks him to feed His sheep. You cannot wait to be made perfect to start carrying out His work
(His will). It is through that death to self and sacrifice on behalf of others that you will learn agape love. The next time you see Simon Peter, he is a different man. It is Acts chapter 2- a week after Jesus ascended. You see, he denied his master because he was trying to save his life- but quickly his heart changed and he decieded that he loved his savior and his Father more than his own life. Do you know that what he did could have easily gotten him killed? It did not matter to him anymore- and look at the fruit that came that day! About 3000! Now that's a lotta fish!

I did not expect to write so much… but one more thing… what are fish and bread? They are food…

John 4:32-38

32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

33 Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”

34 “My food ,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
NIV

This is worth repeating:

34 “My food ,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”

What is your food? Will you ask for fish and bread?

March 15, 2008 at 2:46 am#83972

Participant

Oh yeah… remember Peter?

Matt 10:39
9 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
NIV

Matt 16:25-26
25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
NIV

Luke 9:23-27

23 Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
NIV

Luke 17:32-34
33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
NIV

John 12:24-26
25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
NIV

John 12:23-25

23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
NIV

March 15, 2008 at 5:52 am#83995