Doing the will of God

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I bet you as a believer in Christ want to do the will of God; in fact I will go even so far as to say that most Christians believe they understand the will of God.  It is simple, love your neighbor as yourself, and love God, is that your understanding of doing the will of God?  If so, you are in good company, and loving your neighbor and loving God are surely part of the will of God, but there is more, much more, and verse 16-18 shows us some of the more.  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

The Holy Spirit using Paul’s earthsuit has spoken and in 22 words has given us a clear understanding of what the will of God is for us, plus a few others we have not read.  And now that you have seen it, now that you understand the will of God for you, it’s just a matter of implementation, all we need is to establish a plan, maybe form a group Bible study, or put together a forty day program at the church, and then surely we will be able to execute this command of our Lord. 

We are so good at putting together programs and Bible studies that are designed to change the direction of our lives, to make us seek the things above, and to take our eyes off self, but I know of none of these that can guarantee results.  There is a simple reason for this, the Christian life was only lived by one person in all of History only one person did the will of God absolutely.   And is that not the real issue!  I’ve watched and even tried to live this Christian life and I can testify to being an absolute failure even in the area of loving my neighbor and loving God, and now I see this command: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  Who’s kidding whom?  It is not going to happen, I am not going to sign-up for that forty-day program at church.  Now before you band me from the church, lets get real, you lose your little pet and you do not comply with this Scripture, much less when you lose your child to a disease, or some accident.   In the flesh I cannot rejoice always and I sure do not want to give thanks in all circumstances, and God knew that I was not made to do such things in my ability.  The only one who has lived the Christian life is still the only one who can live the Christian life, and His name is Jesus Christ.

When you and I entered into Christ something died and something invaded our lives and gave us a new identity, we became a new creation.  Colossians 3:3-4, states the following; “For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”  Once we understand that Christ is our life, we can confess this truth taught by a wise man, “I can’t, you never said I could, you can and you promised you would.”  Yes, Jesus in you can do it all for you.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice