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Want to Know God’s Will?

Romans 11:33 [show] [33]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! (ESV)
– 12:2

• why do we have head-fakes in life when things seem good with God?
• we are all sophomores at best
  • sophomore = “wise fools”
    • we sometimes even try to give advice to God, or question if He knows what he’s doing
    • we see God through out own lenses of experience BUT  Rom 11:33-34 [show] [33]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! [34]"For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
      
• we think God owes us something; pay us back for WHAT!? (Rom 11:35 [show] [35]"Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
  )
  • don’t try to fully understand God, because you cannot (do not be confused with studying and knowing God)
• we do not exist and comprehend for ourselves since all is for God (Rom 11:36 [show][36]For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (ESV)
  )
• mercy helps us understand God
  • just looking at Rom 11:30 [show] [30]For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, (ESV)
    – Rom 12:1 [show] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)
    
  • mercy produces change in life
    • helps us comprehend His will (Rom 12:1 [show] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)
      )
  • doing God’s will can eventually lead to understanding it (ie. trying to feed your kid something you KNOW tastes/is good, but they’re refusing even before tasting it)
    • faith is always demonstrated by actions BUT obedience doesn’t save you; its just demonstration of your faith
• living sacrifice means there was a DEAD sacrifice; Jesus was that sacrifice through mercy

Recovery Process of Understanding God’s Will:

• Worship of the creation (downfall)
  • we take everything beautiful and worship it & we try to control our environment
    • God’s will is rejected (Rom 1:19 [show] [19]For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. (ESV)
      )
    • Minds become futile (Rom 1:21 [show] [21]For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (ESV)
      )
    • Bodies degraded (Rom 1:24 [show] [24]Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, (ESV)
      )
• Finding Christ
• Worship of Creator
  • Bodies sacrificially presented (Rom 12:1 [show] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)
    )
  • Minds renewed (Rom 12:2 [show] [2]Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)
    )
  • God’s will understood (Rom 12:2 [show] [2]Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (ESV)
    )

Being Living Sacrifice:

• Phil 4:18 [show] [18]I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. (ESV)
  
  • giving back
• Heb 13:15-16 [show] [15]Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. [16]Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. (ESV)
  
  • through your words (written/spoken)
  • worship is 24/7!

How to control your words?:

• go to God with all your words and wait in silence for God
• do good

• doing’s God’s will will lead to understanding it
  • step 1 is living sacrificially