What God Wills

What does God will? That is a question foremost on a lot of people's minds. People pray, read, and get counsel all trying to determine God's will for their lives. I have spent my fare share of time doing the same thing. That is the wrong focus. The focus should not be on what is God's will for my life or your life. The focus should be on what does God will?

Here are a few things we know God wills. His word declares it so. In no certain order here are things we know God wills.

1. God wills the lost to be saved. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. [Jn 3:16] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [II Pet 3:9] We know God wills people to be saved but do we will the same? Is that truly our desire? If we are honest wouldn't many of us say we are content to sit in our holy huddles in Bible study and fellowship while the lost perish. Do we have a burden for souls? Does it bother us that people perish into eternal damnation everyday? Do we believe that Jesus Christ is the only hope for people to be reconciled to God? Do you we truly believe that the lost perish into judgement and wrath beyond anything we can fathom. Is there anything that would open our tight lips to speak the greatest message this world needs to hear. While many have heard and rejected the truth about Jesus in this nation what about in those nations where His name has not been preached or mentioned. Does that gnaw at your soul?
2.   God wills His children to walk by faith. For we walk by faith, not by sight. [II Cor 5:7] And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. [Heb 11:6] Why do people in the church seek to live contrary to God's will in this area? People want comfort, security, and the safe and predictable path. God wants us to depend on Him. He wants to push us further and further out of our comfort zones to believe Him for impossible things. I just read yesterday that when God put it in the heart of George Mueller to build orphanages he had fifty cents in his pocket. He stepped out in faith and trusted God for the impossible. When his life ended he had trusted God for land and massive buildings that could house thousands of orphans at one time without ever making the needs known to the public. He asked and trusted God for everything needed to take care of those orphans. That is living by faith. It does not take faith to finance kingdom projects. 
3. God wills His children to live in holiness. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." [I Pet 1:15-16] Holiness is seldom preached or written about in the church these days. God calls his people to live set apart; lives consecrated to Him. God wills His people to put away sin and to devote their lives wholly to Him in holiness. God wills His church to clean up her act and lay aside every encumbrance that so easily entangles and trips her up. [Heb 12:1] Churches are filled with compromise. It is easier to break the promise to God than to live against the grain in society. Holiness is costly. It will cost you at the movie theater. It will cost you friends. It will isolate you from others in church. God wills holiness for His church. 
4. God wills His children to lay their lives down on the altar. Therefore I urge you brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. [Rom 12:1] For the believer your life is not your own for you have been bought with a price. [I Cor 6:19] God wants every child of God offered to Him as a sacrifice on the altar. God wills every Christian to submit their lives wholly to Him. God wills all His followers to surrender all of their lives and remaining days to the Lord to do what He pleases. That means your plans, your agenda, your dreams, your comfort, all must die! Your life is His life. His plans must become your plans. His agenda has to be your sole agenda. His dreams must supplant your dreams. 

There are many other things that God wills but these are the four that are on my heart today. We do not have to spend our days saying, "God what do you will?" He has already revealed His will. So in conclusion here are some questions we all must ponder. Will we devote our remaining days to see the lost get saved? Will we devote ourselves to that mission? Will we walk out our remaining days in faith no matter what that means? Will we trust God and follow His leadership no matter how impossible it may look? Will we live in holiness or compromise our sin because others do it? Will we live a life set apart for Him? Lastly, will we lay our lives on the altar in surrender as a sacrifice to Him? Will we make ourselves available to Him for His purposes? These are the things God wills today.