UNDERSTANDING THE WILL OF GOD: Part 1
By Dan Beaty


Many of us have come to appreciate the importance of living in the will of God. Perhaps we learned this after having made a poor decision which bred a disastrous outcome. There are many motives people may have, but the real value in knowing His will is the peace of mind we can enjoy as we live in obedience to Him.

Anyone who truly loves the Lord will naturally desire to do His will, but sometimes human emotions can easily obscure God's purpose from our minds. The effort to determine God's will in specific circumstances has driven people to chasing after signs and dreams and even prophecies that are usually very vague and open to broad interpretation. Over the centuries, many people died violently and needlessly as a result of terribly flawed interpretations of the will of God.

In spite of all this, the fact remains that God does speak to His people in dreams and visions and prophecies. Some of these cannot be confirmed by the scriptures in every detail, but there is still a great measure of safety that can be found from a pure relationship with the Father and a thorough study of His Word.

It is true that much of what we will be discussing here must come as a result of direct experience, but we also believe in the importance of communicating and sharing experiences with each other. This can definitely eliminate some of the trial and error involved. In this series of articles, we hope that together we can explore some very fundamental principles that will aid us in following on to know the Lord and His will. Ultimately we must all experience the relationship that Jesus had with the Father when He naturally lived that will in human flesh. Every day direction and decision-making must grow out from this foundation.

Understanding the will of God begins with an understanding of the nature of God Himself. At first this might seem presumptuous, until we begin to reflect on the great lengths He has went in order to express Himself to us. He definitely wants us to know Him and His will, even though many religious ideas have often distracted us.

In past centuries He has gave us Moses and the Prophets to guide us. These men taught us and expressed unto us God's nature and purpose, each in their own unique and individual way. The answer to the question concerning God's will was answered by Micah very eloquently: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." {Micah 6:8}

These words definitely clarify the issue, and many of us would do well to step back and look at our personal and collective Christian activities to see if they really contribute to this stated purpose. I don't believe any of us could go very wrong if we kept fairness and mercy and humility as principles to guide us as we walk in the presence of the Lord.

Being the final message from God, Jesus went even further. He was the fullness of the Divine Nature expressed. {Hebrews 1:1-3} He told us not only what to do but what we can BE. He said we can be like our Heavenly Father from Whom we sprang forth. Jesus also brought us the Kingdom of God. In this sphere of existence where Jesus walks, the will of God is not only practiced, but also powerfully demonstrated. It presents man in His highest level of existence. All other kingdoms are clearly contrasted from this one which is of divine origin.

Before Jesus came, it was understood that God was the Creator. This tells us something of what He does. By coming and living among us and dying to end our guilt and mistaken identity, Jesus revealed unto us the true nature of God. GOD IS LOVE. He not only has love but He IS love! It takes a great commitment to the truth, and the forsaking of some old ideas in order to let myself truly believe that -- but when I do, the load that is lifted and the freedom that is realized is beyond compare! All fears are cast out for I have finally found someone in Whom I can fully trust.

If you are truly committed to receiving the Love of God and surrendering all your cares unto Him, you are ready to begin a fantastic journey into God and His glorious, heavenly Kingdom, here you will surely learn of the great beauty, the wonder and the passion of His will for you!


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