This raises the central question for us, “How can we know God's will for our life?” The answer is simple. Paul tells us that the only way to know the will of God is to pattern our thinking after Christ's. We can only know the will of God through Jesus Christ.
Romans 12: 1-2. God reveals His will to us by His word. The will of God is revealed in the word of God. Over and over again we find specific statements which tell us what God's gracious will is.
God's Plan Is For Us To Show His Love To Those Around Us
God's plan for all who follow Him is to take His love to those around us. That means with our words, but also our actions. This is our purpose to show love, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, to provide for those in need.
Ultimately we use this theme to point our first graders to the Gospel: that God had a perfect plan for saving his people from sin, sending his only begotten son, so that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.
The will of God or divine will is a concept found in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Quran, according to which God's will is the first cause of everything that exists.
Theologian Charles Spurgeon once commented on the matter and stated, “when your will is God's will, you will have your will.” Though a tongue twister, this piece of wisdom is extremely insightful and revealing towards how Christians should model their lives.
We often speak of “God's will” in the church, usually in relation to His will for our life, ministry, the world, etc. But in our efforts to grasp the basic outline of God's will, we need to understand that the Bible talks about His will in three different ways.
What is God's secret will? The Bible speaks about “the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph 1:11). Everything that happens is woven into the purpose of God, and nothing that happens is outside of His will. God works all things according to the counsel of His will.
It involves being willing to give up activities, friends or habits that don't match God's best for your life—walking away from anything that is not pleasing to the Lord. It means making a daily decision to obey God's Word and do what He says, rather than what the world says.
Essentially, scripture teaches us that knowing the will of God is of utmost importance to the true believer and doing his will is the evidence of believing. Do you believe the words of Jesus? He says that knowing and following God's will is more important than anything else in this life.
Jesus is quoted in Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine be done.” Many fail to understand the Bible is not just a dialogue between real people who lived many years ago, but it is also a living revelation meant to speak to the heart of the listener today.
These three things that matter so much to God are the three things God wants to see in us: justice, kindness, and humility. To act justly is to treat people fairly and respectfully. You do not oppress or mistreat others.
The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17). So here's how you pray when God's revealed will and your desires pull in different directions: 'Lord, give me strength to obey, so that Your will may be done.
God wants us to love others and give them the grace He gave us. Jesus said when someone does us wrong, we should forgive them 490 times! (Matthew 8:22) That's not easy. But there are a few verses in the Bible that encourage us to love one another just like Jesus loves us.
God calls all of us to be His disciples and to do His work. In the Bible, God makes it clear that we are to love others, care for the poor, and live our lives in such a way that others see Him in us.
Thus, God's decretive will refers to the secret, all-encompassing divine purpose according to which he foreordains whatsoever comes to pass. His preceptive will refers to the commands and prohibitions in Scripture. One must reckon with the fact that God may decree what he has forbidden.
The Decretive Will of God
Theologians describe that will by which God decrees things to come to pass according to his supreme sovereignty as the “decretive will of God.” This is also sometimes called “God's sovereign efficacious will”; by it God brings to pass whatsoever he wills.
Emerson Eggerichs, author of The 4 Wills of God, explains the key is to follow the Lord's universally-revealed four wills, as summarized by the acronym "BAGS." Believe in Jesus Christ. Abstain from sexual sin. Give thanks in everything. Submit and do what's right.
He is always working to draw you closer to Him. God has a great plan for your life and your future is secure in Him. He has good things in store for you and He promises to walk with you through every season of life. Through the promises of Scripture you can smile at the future and look ahead with hope and joy.
God's Big Plan
This vibrant picture book illuminates a new understanding of the story of Babel in Genesis, revealing God's plan for wonderful diversity throughout the world. God's Big Plan includes a note for parents and educators.