Commit to Know God's Will

We are created in God's image. One of the implications of that reality is that we are to live out God's character in our lives. The best life, the life we were created to live, is discovered in doing God's will.

Since God created us to do His will, then it is logical to assume that God will not hide His will from us. He wants us to know His will.

How do we discover God's will?

We discover God's will by studying His word. The combination of the Bible and the Holy Spirit allow us to know and do God's will.

This is the point Henry and Richard Blackaby make in the book Hearing God’s Voice:

Many people underestimate God’s Word. It is far more powerful than many realize. From Genesis to Revelation God’s Word has the power to speak directly to a person’s heart. By the Holy Spirit, God takes his written Word and applies it specifically to people’s lives...The Bible is not merely one option for discovering God’s will. God’s written Word is the plumb line for our lives as we walk daily with him (p. 91).

If we hope to discover God’s will then the starting point needs to be the Bible. The Bible is God's revealed word to us, and the Holy Spirit is our divine teacher who helps us understand how God's will applies to our lives.

Finish reading at Paul's Ponderings: Commit to Know God's Will

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The Key to Spiritual Formation

Intention is needed if we are going to make improvements in our lives. This is true in whatever we do, and that includes spiritual formation. Spiritual formation requires us to make the choice to pursue spiritual maturity.

In my journey of spiritual formation the workbook Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby played a significant role. In Experiencing God Blackaby wrote; “Adjustments prepare you for obedience. You cannot continue life as usual or stay where you are, and go with God at the same time. That is true throughout Scripture.” (p. 127)

This is a key point that Blackaby makes throughout Experiencing God. For us to experience spiritual formation requires us to adjust our lives to God’s will. It is not enough to know correct doctrine or simply go to Church each Sunday. What is required is for us to obey God and follow Jesus wherever He leads us.

Finish reading at Paul's Ponderings: The Key to Spiritual Formation.

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From Evernote:

The Way of Obedience

The quest of our lives is to become the people God created us to be. This isn't an easy quest because there are many paths that we can travel on this pursuit, and yet only one path will lead us to our destination. If we are unwilling to follow this road we will miss out, not only on God, but also the life He created us to live.

Henry Blackaby in the workbook Experiencing God wrote:

God's commands are designed to guide you to life's very best. You will not obey Him, however, if you do not believe Him and trust Him. You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him. You cannot love Him unless you know Him (p. 63).

The road we are to travel is the road of obedience.

This quest to become the people God created us to be begins with our knowledge of who God is. We cannot love, trust, and obey God unless we first know Him. Knowledge is the foundation of faith. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote:

But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Romans 10:14-15; ESV)

Without a knowledge of God it is impossible to have faith. And what is faith? This is the definition that I use: Faith is the combination of trust and action which is demonstrated by our obedience. Without faith there is no true obedience.

The great biblical example of faith is Abraham. In the land of Ur Abraham heard the call of God. How well did Abraham know God at this point in his life? I know that it has been suggested that at this time Abraham may have worshiped other gods rather than being a worshiper of the One True God. Blackaby in Created to be God's Friend makes this point; "To our knowledge, Abram was not seeking God; God was seeking him" (p. 16). In other words the beginning of this journey is actually found in God's desire to have a relationship with us and not in our desire to have a relationship with Him.

The revelation of God, found primarily in the Bible, provides us with the initial knowledge that we need to trust God and obey Him. This revelation provides us with enough knowledge to make that first step of faith, and as we continue to trust and obey God with our lives we begin to develop a deeper trust in Him.

The relationship Abraham had with God at the beginning was not very strong. Abraham knew God well enough to trust God to lead him to the Promised Land, but based on the biblical account we know that there were other areas of His life that Abraham did not trust God. With time and experience Abraham learned to trust and love God like few people in history have. At the end of his life Abraham knew God a whole lot better than he did when he first left Ur to follow God into the unknown.

The apostle John talks about the relationship between obedience and a relationship with God:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:3-6; ESV)

The only way to know God and thus become the people God created us to be is to obey God. There is no other way that will happen. We can spend time talking about purpose and goals and self-improvement techniques, but if we don't turn to the Life-Maker we will miss out on life.

Since God is the Life-Maker He alone knows what brings purpose, meaning, and joy into our lives. As God's creation it is essential that we look to Him for the directions we need for life. Part of those instructions are found in the Bible. As we begin this journey to become the people God created us to be we need to rely heavily on the wisdom we discover on the pages of Scripture. As we mature and gain experience with God we will begin to rely on prayer and other Christians to provide the wisdom that we need to discern God's will for our lives. As we surrender our lives to God's will in obedience we begin to catch glimpses of the person God created us to be.

It is by traveling the road of obedience we not only discover who we are, but we also begin to discover more about who God is. Only as we obey God do we begin to experience Him at work in the world around us as He transforms our hearts. It is this experience which helps us understand God's heart and thus we are brought a little closer to Him.

The Way of Faith is Obedience

If life is a quest to become the people God created us to be how do we discover which way to go?  There are many roads out there on which we can travel, but only one leads us to God.  If we are unwilling to follow this road we will miss out, not only on God, but also the life He created us to live.

Henry Blackaby in the workbook Experiencing God wrote:

God’s commands are designed to guide you to life’s very best.  You will not obey Him, however, if you do not believe Him and trust Him.  You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him.  You cannot love Him unless you know Him (p. 63).  

The road we are to travel is the road of obedience.

This quest to become the people God created us to be begins with our knowledge of who God is.  We cannot love, trust, and obey God unless we first know Him.  Knowledge is the foundation of faith. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote:

But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Romans 10:14-15; ESV)

Without a knowledge of God it is impossible to have faith.  And what is faith?  This is the definition that I use: Faith is the combination of trust and action and is demonstrated by our obedience.  Without faith there is no true obedience.

The great biblical example of faith is Abraham.  In the land of Ur Abraham heard the call of God.  How well did Abraham know God at this point in his life?  I know that it has been suggested that at this time Abraham may have worshiped other gods rather than being a worshiper of the One True God.  Blackaby in Created to be God’s Friend makes this point; "To our knowledge, Abram was not seeking God; God was seeking him"  (p. 16).  In other words the beginning of this journey is actually found in God’s desire to have a relationship with us and not in our desire to have a relationship with Him.

The revelation of God, found primarily in the Bible, provides us with the initial knowledge that we need to trust God and obey Him. This revelation provides us with enough knowledge to make that first step of faith, and as we continue to trust and obey God with our live we begin to develop a deeper relationship with Him.

The relationship Abraham had with God at the beginning was not very strong.  Abraham knew God well enough to trust God to lead him to the Promised Land, but based on the biblical account know that there were other areas of Abraham’s life that He did not trust God.  Yet over time Abraham learned to trust and love God like few people in history have.  At the end of his life Abraham knew God a whole lot better than he did when he first left Ur to follow God into the unknown.

The apostle John talks about the relationship between obedience and a relationship with God:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:3-6; ESV)

The only way to know God and thus become the people God created us to be is to obey God.  There is no other way that will happen.  We can spend time talking about purpose and goals and self-improvement techniques, but if we don’t turn to the Life-Maker we will miss out on life.

Remember we will not begin this quest to become the people God created us to be if we do not have a minimal knowledge of God.  If we do not believe God exists we will not seek to know Him better let alone discover the life He created us to live.  This quest begins when we act on the little bit that we know about God.  Through living this journey and experiencing God along the way we begin to know God better and better.  Ultimately our knowledge of God is not increased through study and church attendance, but through living a life of obedience.

By traveling the road of obedience we not only discover who we are, but we discover God as well.   Only as we obey God do we begin to experience Him at work in the world around us.  It is this experience which helps us understand the heart of God, and thus brings us a little closer to Him.

Daily Thought: It Can Be Lonely

It is a moment of trembling to realize the Heart of God, but this comes to the one who chooses to let God draw him closer to Himself.  Often this will occur in one, while others around him do not know anything at all about the seriousness of the moment with God.  But God desires such a relationship, where He can share His Heart.  This is the "friend" He is looking for.  This is the kind of relationship He is shaping in the one He calls.  This one will see father, see clearer, and see more than others around him.  This, too, will often separate him from those around him, especially because of the intensity with God this revelation creates.  It is sometimes lonely being a "friend of God"!

Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, Thomas Nelson (1999), p. 131

Daily Thought: Doctrines Don't Save

Doctrines do not save or transform lives.  Christ does.  Doctrines do not give specific guidance to lives.  A divine Person does.  You do not pray to a doctrine; you pray to a Person.  Merely to believe and understand a doctrine is not to experience the abundant life Christ desires for you.  In order to do that, you need to experience a Person.  The doctrine can lead you to Christ, but it can never substitute for him.

Henry and Richard Blackaby, Hearing God's Voice, Broadman and Holman Publishers (2002), p. 12

Daily Thought: The Holy Spirit is Essential

"The Holy Spirit is absolutely essential in helping believers grow in their understanding of what God has purposed for them.  God wants every believer to experience what Jesus called the abundant life (John 10:10).  Therefore, the Holy Spirit leads Christians into a deeper and deeper knowledge of him.  It is a planned, deliberate process.  It is inconceivable that God would draw people to  give their lives to him, only to abandon them to live out their Christian lives independent of his direction.  God cares about each of his children, and he takes an active part in guiding them to experience his will to the fullest." ~ Henry and Richard Blackaby, Hearing God's Voice, p. 68

Daily Thought: Take the First Step

"Don't let the unknown of the second step determine whether or not you will take the first step.  Some people are not willing to take the first step unless they know what will happen when they do! Faith leaves the next step to God and 'steps out' in obedience, believing God will supply 'all things that pertain to live and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue' (2 Peter 1:3)." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to Be God's Friend, p. 47

Daily Thought: God Will Speak

"We constantly want God to 'show us Your will for my life' even after He has assured us that He is doing just that.  But God will do it in His way and in His time.  We want to help God! He does not need our help; we need His help!  The 'silences' of God do not mean He is late, or inactive, or not working.  It means that this is where faith works!  We are to continue faithfully doing the last things that we heard from God, with confident expectation that in God's 'fullness of time' He will speak and not delay." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p. 117

Daily Thought: The Product of Choices

"Your life is the product of choices you have made, and your church is the product of choices it has made.  Your prayer meeting is a reflection of the choices you have made as a church.  Our nation is a reflection of the choices that have been made by the people of God concerning their relationship with God." ~ Henry Blackaby, Holiness, p. 22

Daily Thought: Not for Observation

"This is always God's pattern: He chooses, He calls, and He shapes a person in an intimate and loving relationship.  God reveals Himself and His ways to the one He can trust.  God's revelation is not for observation but to enable obedience! It takes time with God, but it also takes a daily, consistent walk of faith and obedience." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to Be God's Friend, p. 119

Daily Thought: Communicating with God

"Prayer is communication between two persons.  Prayer does not involve reciting a wish list to a cosmic ombudsman.  It is not a means of tapping into a supernatural power source.  It is not a ritual formula we recite with the hope of stumbling upon the right words that will mysteriously open the vaults of heaven....For many, prayer is simply an avenue to inform God of their concerns and desires.  Yet God desires far more as he communes with his children." ~ Henry and Richard Blackaby, Hearing God's Voice,  p. 119

Daily Thought: Obedience Matters

"Obedience to God is not a minor matter.  Obedience is our very life, with God!  It should again be remembered that 'partial obedience' is really disobedience with God! This is true for every person.  God plays no favorites and makes no exceptions!...Today, too many are convinced that all God is looking for in their belief of Him is a verbal statement of faith! This is not true and never has been true.  God said to Abraham that He knew He believed Him, and feared Him, because he 'obeyed My voice' and did what God commanded, offered up his only son, the son he loved." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p. 176

Daily Thought: Deal with Sin Immediately

"If we do not see immediate consequences of our sin, we feel it is all right with God.  If God does not come and deal with us severely when we know we have sinned, we will probably assume it must be all right because there have not been any consequences to our sin.  But you do not have to wait for the consequences—you can know from the Word of God whether it is correct or not, or whether it is sin or not, and deal with it immediately.  Do not let the sun go down on sin in your life.  Do not presume on the mercy and the grace of God.  Deal with sin immediately." ~ Henry Blackaby, Holiness: God's Plan for Fullness of Life, p. 44

Walking the Road of Obedience

If life is a quest to become the people God created us to be how do we discover which way to go?  There are many roads out there on which we can travel, but only one leads us to God.  If we are unwilling to follow this road we will miss out, not only on God, but also the life He created us to live.

Henry Blackaby in the workbook Experiencing God wrote:

God’s commands are designed to guide you to life’s very best.  You will not obey Him, however, if you do not believe Him and trust Him.  You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him.  You cannot love Him unless you know Him (p. 63).  

The road we are to travel is the road of obedience.

This quest to become the people God created us to be begins with our knowledge of who God is.  We cannot love, trust, and obey God unless we first know Him. Knowledge is the foundation of faith. This is what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote:

But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Romans 10:14-15; ESV)

Without a knowledge of God it is impossible to have faith. And what is faith? This is the definition that I use: Faith is the combination of trust and action and is demonstrated by our obedience. Without faith there is no true obedience.

The great biblical example of faith is Abraham. In the land of Ur Abraham heard the call of God.  How well did Abraham know God at this point in his life?  I know that it has been suggested that at this time Abraham may have worshiped other gods rather than being a worshiper of the One True God.  Blackaby in Created to be God’s Friend makes this point; "To our knowledge, Abram was not seeking God; God was seeking him" (p. 16).  In other words the beginning of this journey is actually found in God’s desire to have a relationship with us and not in our desire to have a relationship with Him.

The revelation of God, found primarily in the Bible, provides us with the initial knowledge that we need to trust God and obey Him. This revelation provides us with enough knowledge to make that first step of faith, and as we continue to trust and obey God with our live we begin to develop a deeper relationship with Him.

The relationship Abraham had with God at the beginning was not very strong.  Abraham knew God well enough to trust God to lead him to the Promised Land, but based on the biblical account know that there were other areas of Abraham’s life that He did not trust God.  Yet over time Abraham learned to trust and love God like few people in history have.  At the end of his life Abraham knew God a whole lot better than he did when he first left Ur to follow God into the unknown.

The apostle John talks about the relationship between obedience and a relationship with God:

And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says I know him but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:3-6; ESV)

The only way to know God and thus become the people God created us to be is to obey God. There is no other way that will happen. We can spend time talking about purpose and goals and self-improvement techniques, but if we don’t turn to the Life-Maker we will miss out on life.

Remember we will not begin this quest to become the people God created us to be if we do not have a minimal knowledge of God.  If we do not believe God exists we will not seek to know Him better let alone discover the life He created us to live.  This quest begins when we act on the little bit that we know about God.  Through living this journey and experiencing God along the way we begin to know God better and better.  Ultimately our knowledge of God is increased through living a life of obedience, and not just through Bible study and church attendance.

By traveling the road of obedience we not only discover who we are, but we discover God as well.  Only as we obey God do we begin to experience Him at work in the world around us.  It is this experience which helps us understand the heart of God, and thus brings us a little closer to Him.

Point to Ponder: The only way to know God and thus become the people God created us to be is to obey God.
Verse to Remember: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. (1 John 2:6; ESV)
Question to Consider: Does my faith stop with belief or does it continue through obedience?

Daily Thought: Absolute Obedience

"Any place will not do with God. Absolute obedience to His directives is essential to God's fulfilling His purposes...Absolute obedience is in fact a matter of life and death, and has eternal consequences." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p, 55

Daily Thought: The Evidence of Faith

"Faith is obvious in our lives when we are confronted with an opportunity to believe God and we obey Him immediately." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p. 122

Daily Thought: A Sense of Urgency

"For one to realize God is working out His eternal purpose in his life is to live with a sense of urgency. Only one life to live, and it will soon be past, and only what is done with God will last! This can, if one believes this truth, bring to all of life an urgency to live meaningfully and to live well! To know God will give urgency. To have urgency will bring a willingness to obey God quickly. To know that what is done with God will last gives urgency to setting priorities and living with intentional focus and certainty not to waste life or live life carelessly." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p, 8

Daily Thought: The Outcome of Worship

"Worship is a deliberate, steady, focused time with God.  Worship anticipates not only an encounter with God, but also a clear next word from God.  Worship is totally God-centered! God-focused! Out of worship comes a clearer and more focused relationship of faith and obedience with God.  Worship is God's way of developing character and directing the life into the center of His will...The ultimate outcome of consistent worship is a life totally yielded to God, on God's terms." ~ Henry Blackaby, Created to be God's Friend, p. 83

Daily Thought: The Problem Begins with Us

“The salvation of the nation has little to do with Washington or Hollywood—it has to do with the people of God! If God’s people do not sense that the problem is with them, then America does not stand a chance of revival or survival.” ~ Henry Blackaby, Holiness, p. 21