For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7
Will of God
This is the will of God
Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:22-24
Praying For Others
“Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.” Acts 12:5-9 (KJV)
Prayer, in the early Church was not a means for changing the will of God, but the means of getting into the will of God, and doing it. God works and moves when His people pray.
Puritan Preacher Thomas Watson is quoted
“The angel fetched Peter out of prison, but it was prayer that fetched the angel.”
Peter’s life lay in the balance; yet he lay peacefully in prison, lying in chains, and bound to a prison guard. He had confidence in the Lord God, and peacefully slept while God was at work delivering him from a cold dark, damp and dank prison. Yet, he slept so soundly the angel needed to smite him on the side to awaken him, and it seems “Raised him up”.
There is no place the child of God can get where God is not there. God was in prison with Peter that day. Why was Peter in prison? For preaching Jesus and Him crucified, buried and resurrected fulfilling the will of God for His life.
Peter was being an obedient servant of the Spirit of God. We must learn to be praying for all those who do the will of God; and pray that we be doing the will of God, and glorifying His name.
Warren Wiersbe has written
“God works when churches pray, and Satan still trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees.”
Peter was delivered from prison. When the Church prays, when we who love the Lord Jesus Christ prays, heaven pays attention, people’s lives change, things change, and God is glorified.
Jesus Speaks – Christmas Day One Hundred Seventy and Two
Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and in Thy name have cast out devils, and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)
Please note that these are the words of Jesus. Those who do the will of His Father are those who will enter the kingdom of heaven.
What do I want for Christmas?
I want you to do the will of God in Christ Jesus, and that is to believe on Him whom the Father has sent.
“Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent.” John 6:28-29
Day Two Hundred Sixty and Seven
What do I want for Christmas?
On this LORD’S Day I want the Word of God to come into my heart, my soul, my mind with the power of the Spirit of God; to do the work God has sent it with His Spirit to perform in me and the people who will hear it; and I want us to see what God can do when His redeemed people hear, and yield to His Word and His way and His will.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:14-16 (KJV)
Those Doing the Will of God
There came then His brethren and His mother, and, standing without, sent unto Him, calling him. And the multitude sat about Him, and they said unto him, ‘Behold, Thy mother and Thy brethren without seek for Thee.’ And He answered them, saying, ‘Who is My mother, or My brethren?’ And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, ‘Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.'” Mark 3:31-35
Words for Christian Living 061313
“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 (KJV)
Sometimes it seems so hard to know the “Will of God”; yet it is given to us in God’s written Word. Many Christians spend their time “Searching for the will of God”. Is it God’s will for me to be a missionary, go to Africa, go to Russia, go to the jungles of the Amazon? The problem is we spend our time searching and it is right before us in black, red and white.
Notice Paul’s words above, and all this instruction can be summed up with Jesus’s words quoting the Old Testament,
“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30
and He went on and said,
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31 (KJV)
If we are not doing the will of God at home, in our daily labors, in our recreation, in all our daily activities; God’s will will not be found in Africa, Russia, or the Amazon. God’s will is as close as your heart and the Word of God. Let us commit ourselves to doing the will of God. The search is over.
-Tim A. Blankenship
The Christian and the Ordinances of Men
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” 1 Peter 2:13-17 (KJV)
No one likes the word “Submit”, however the Christian is given decree, commandment by the apostle Peter, and Paul (Romans 13:1-5) to submit and be subjected to the “Ordinance of man”. We may not like it, and we will also see that that command is when the king, or governor is doing righteously, for good, and not for evil.
The Christian is free from sins guilt, condemnation, and free to be obedient to the LORD. In the LORD we are not to use our freedom for evil purposes, or as Peter puts it “For a cloke of maliciousness”; or a cover to do evil.
Peter ends the statement with “Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king”. And that is the direction we are to take. We are to love the brethren, and honor the king; however we are to “Fear God”; not the king, or any form of government.
-T.A.
The Fire and Hammer 