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Teaching Us To Think (Part Three): Proving God's Will

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God does not disregard the testing stage in His plan. He is a manufacturer of righteous character, training Christian soldiers to lead His Kingdom alongside Him. He produces sons and daughters in the image of Jesus Christ, testing every person He chooses, no matter their background. He puts them through rigorous paces to check and improve their quality, wanting to know how they endure in adverse and good situations. He will not pass any product that does not meet His high standards of righteousness, maintaining His reputation as God. He tests us on the proving grounds of human life, aiming to develop likemindedness with Him so we can rule in His Kingdom. Through this process, He ensures we prove what is good, acceptable, and perfect in His will by living it. He wants us to test His declarations, not just accept them, to be mindful of their wisdom and goodness at all times. By putting His will through the paces, we engrave these experiences into our character, affirming that His way is right and perfect. God uses situations to teach us to react according to His will, even under pressure, ensuring we understand His way is best through personal experience. He provides His Word as an instruction manual to learn His will, requiring us to read, study, meditate, and discuss it. With the aid of His Spirit, we gain understanding and discernment to apply His will, proving it through actions like tithing, as seen in Malachi, where God promises blessings for obedience. Proving His will is not always quick or easy; it often requires time, deep thought, and discernment to evaluate outcomes. God gives us a head start with His Word to distinguish good from evil, but we learn best through experience and trials over time. This process of determining His will demands patience, especially in relationships, avoiding snap judgments and showing mercy and forbearance. Passages like Ephesians 5 emphasize proving what is acceptable to the Lord as integral to our Christian walk, producing fruits of goodness, righteousness, and truth. Philippians 1 links this proving with growing in love, gaining spiritual knowledge, and discerning excellence to glorify God. Abraham's life exemplifies this process; he proved God's will by obeying commands to leave Ur for Canaan, enduring trials and learning from failures, showing faith in God's promise even when asked to sacrifice Isaac. His story illustrates that proving God's will involves both failure and success, aiming to bear fruit by thinking through God's guidance in our lives. We must remain alert, evaluating ourselves and situations to align with God, striving to grow in righteousness. As children of God, we cannot live carelessly but must hone our minds to discern good from evil, mirroring our Savior, Jesus Christ. Proving God's will requires intensive effort, especially in challenging times, ensuring we are not lazy in our thinking but vigorous and insightful as God shapes us into His image.

Seeking God's Will (Part One): Holiness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

As children of light, we are called to walk in a manner that reflects our transformation from darkness to light, proving what is acceptable to the Lord. This process of determining God's will involves living out His commands, even when understanding is not immediate, trusting that He will eventually reveal the reasons behind His instructions. By faithfully obeying, we gain insight into His expectations, as our actions align with His character and purpose. In situations where God's will is unclear, and specific guidance from Scripture is not apparent, we must rely on a deep knowledge of His character. Understanding His traits allows us to make decisions that mirror His nature, narrowing down options by eliminating those contrary to His ways. This approach requires us to grow in the mind of Christ, applying His character to practical choices, even when direct answers are not evident. Our conduct as children of light means imitating the example of Jesus Christ, following His actions and words as a guide. By walking as He walked, we align ourselves with God's will, striving to reflect His character in every decision. This ongoing pursuit of knowing Him more intimately equips us to discern His desires, ensuring our choices honor Him in all circumstances.

The Model Prayer (Part Five): Your Will Be Done

Bible Study by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The prayer's third petition requests, not only that God's purpose be fulfilled, but particularly that the individual follow His will more fully.

Joshua and the Gibeonites

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

The Gibeonites' pretense of coming from a distant land resulted in their slavery. Yet, through their influence, they contributed to Israel's destruction.