09/18/2024
When we pray we often ask for things we need, but do we also seek God's will for us in prayer. It is so tempting to determine our own way or to follow blindly the path that others have blazed, but our ways and those of others will be found lacking if they aren't guided by the will of God throughout our lives. We should place Jesus, and God's will for us, before all else. Our faith in God's will and the gospel of Jesus should be all consuming, and ever on our minds.
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
Philippians 3:8 KJV
Pastor E.M. Bounds wrote on this subject, and of the absolute necessity to pray for God's will in our lives. This is what he wrote...
"Prayer believes in and seeks for the very highest religious life set before us in the Word of God. When we make our own standards, there is delusion and falsity for our desires, convenience and pleasure form the rule, and that is always a fleshly and a low rule." – E. M. Bounds
Pastor Bounds is telling us to seek God's will when we pray and to not follow our own desires, or those of others. We also find this wisdom as we read scripture...
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12-13 KJV
Working out our own salvation doesn't mean to abandon the Word of God or find our own truth, but rather to seek His will with full knowledge of His Word, His majesty, and His dominion over us. We should seek God's will in all things. This is the message to the Philippians and it is a Word that is meant for us as well.
My father passed away a few years ago. He had taught me many things as I grew up under his roof, and in his life I saw the template for how I should live my own. When he died, I was on my own, but the memory of those lessons lived on within me. Honor, truth, respect for others, manners, and so many other lessons remained... I didn't have to redevelop those things by myself, but I did need to use those lessons as I evaluated what I was currently facing in life.
God's word and the teachings of Jesus are much like my earthly father's lessons. The benefit however is that I can speak with them through prayer. I can ask God what His will for me is when I face each day of my life. I can call on Jesus’ name when I am in need.
Bounds talks about the fullness of God's will and why we should ask it of him in all things.
"When we allow others to set our standard of religion, it is generally deficient because, valuable virtues may be lost, while defects are carried through." – E. M. Bounds
Earlier I commented on using my earthly father's life as a template... well, templates carry with them the defects of the original. My father was a very good man but he wasn't perfect, so it is of paramount importance for me to seek God's will, even in things which appear obvious to me by what my father taught me. By doing this, then the template I leave for my own children will have fewer defects and guide them further in seeking God's will in their own lives.
This morning I pray that each of us seeks God's will during our individual prayers. I pray that no matter how good the lessons are that we have received from our parents, and our churches, that we will ask God to refine them further and perfect them though His will. I pray that with the Lord's guidance that our lessons will have fewer deficiencies and pass a more perfect template for life to our children. May God bless you, and through the Lord, may you be a blessing to your children.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the plan you have for our lives, and for being willing to share that plan, your perfect will, with us. Thank you for the gospel of Jesus Christ, your Son, that teaches us how to pray that your will be done, how to fold your will into our everyday lives, and how to obey you perfectly, and without modification to your plan. Lord help us to push our own wills, and plans, into the background of our lives, and lean on you, and your direction, in all things. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who knows the beginning from the end, and how our individual lives are meant to contribute to your amazing will, and the Holy plan you have laid out for all creation and beyond. Help us Father as we seek out your will, and give us the wisdom and strength we need to obey it perfectly so that we will follow you righteously, and obey you in all things. You are our loving and good Father, and we trust in your mercy and grace to see us through this life, and into eternity with you. We know that we are broken and weak, and that without the redeeming blood of Jesus, and your overarching love for us, we are lost, so we pray without ceasing for your guidance, your will, your strength, and for you to see the image of your Son Jesus when you look at us, and judge us. On this day of our judgement we pray that you will find us worthy, and having been obedient, just as Jesus was. We will humble ourselves before you Lord, sweating the blood of Christ in fervent prayer, and weeping the tears of our contrition. Then, as you lift us up we will praise you, worship you, and call out with all the heavenly host “Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, who was, and is, and is to come!” In that moment we will give you all the glory, and love you with all our hearts, minds, souls, and strength. In that moment we will have been made perfect in your will, and be holy as Jesus Christ is holy… we will be your children and abide forevermore in your house.
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, and all God’s Children say… Amen!
“And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
Luke 22:41-42 ESV
“And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
Luke 22:43-46 ESV
Rich Forbes