There are clear statements in the Bible that tell you what God's will is. + God's will is that you be saved, by repenting and putting your faith in Jesus Christ, who died for your sins. + God's will is that you be sanctified, that is, that you be growing in practical holiness. + God's will is that you be filled with the Holy Spirit, that is, that you make the choices to let the Spirit be in control of your talk, your actions, and your worship. + God's will is that you submit to the authorities He places over you. + God's will is that you be prayerful and thankful. + God's will is that you suffer for doing right. If you do those things, you will do well and God will be honored. There are two more things I want to say in summary regarding God's will. At least one is likely to surprise you. Scripture indicates that there is a specific course God will guide you on through your life. In His sovereign providence, He assures that His will is accomplished. Three passages suffice to paint the picture. + Acts 20:24 + Hebrews 12:1-2 + 2 Timothy 4:7-8 The Bible does not command you to go on a search to find God's will. Instead, it commands you to do the will of God. Why? Because God doesn't give you advance notice of the specific things He intends for you to do. He gives you thorough and comprehensive plans for the kind of person He wants you to be. The way you discover the race set before us is by being the kind of person God wants you want to be. Fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2) is the link to our passage for today. 1 - Act Like Who You Are (11-12) a - Flee (Run!) b - Follow (Pursue!) c - Fight (Battle!) d - Fasten (Hold Tightly!) 2 - Keep The Commandment (13-16)

False teachers don't worship God because of who He is and what He did in sending His Son to die in order to save us. They use God and His word for what they can get for themselves. And they proclaim a false gospel that is about how to receive the earthly benefits of salvation rather than how to be saved. It's true, there are wonderful benefits of salvation, but they are secondary to the matter of being reconciled to God. To introduce our passage for today is simple. We just need to read the sentence that comes before it. 1 Timothy 6:3-5: If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. A false teacher is like the shepherd who loves the wool and the meat, but not the sheep. The last phrase in verse five tees us up for what is before us today. Do You Want Great Gain? 1 - Heed The Call To Contentment (6-8) 2 - Heed The Warning About Wandering (9-10)

2 Contrasting Realities for You to Grasp Regarding Death 1. Death of a Dream 22 2. Death of One's Delight 23 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 22 & 23

4 Responses Revealing Your Spiritual Maturity 1 - An Effective Introduction (19) 2 - The Effect of Anger (20-21) 3 - The Effect of Hearing (22-25) 4 - The Effect of Speech (26-27) a - What Are You Thinking? (26) b - What Are You Doing? (27)

1 - Consider the God of Comfort - The Master of Mercy (1-2) 2 - Hover on the God of Holiness - Reckon with the Wrath of God (2) 3 - Contemplate God's Calling - Ponder God's Plan (3-4) 4 - Gaze on the Glory of God (5-31) a - Meditate on the Minuteness of Man (6-8) b - Weigh-in the Wearability of the Word (8) c - Proclaim the Praise and Power of God (9-10) d - Recognize God will Come with Reward and Recompense (10) e - See God as the Shepherd (11) f - Consider God the Creator (12, 21-22, 26, 28) g - Wonder at God's Wisdom (13-14) h - Know the Nothingness of Nations (15-17) i - Understand the Uniqueness of God (18-20) j - Settle on the Sovereignty of God (21-26) k - Gel on the Justice of God (27) l - Engrain the Eternality of God (28) m - Plug-in to the Power of God (29-31)

3 Aspects of Relationships to Consider in Your Walk of Faith 1. The Promised Son 1-8 2. The Persecuted Son 9-21 3. The Partnered Servants 22-34 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 22 & 23

I reject the idea that is taught by many, which says that it is somehow less spiritually profitable to study in order to preach or teach well, in comparison to Scripture reading and study which is not for sharing with anyone. I came to my conclusion that God's word is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and I should long for it like a newborn longs for pure milk. Always. Not sometimes more than others. To say that "devotional" reading is somehow more spiritual than the deepest study of Scripture is absurd. The corollary to this conviction about the everyday practicality of Scripture is the theme of our passage for this morning. You live according to what you truly believe. Another way to say it is the other way around: One can tell what you believe by the way you live. I tried out a few titles for this: Behaving As You Believe, Doing According To Doctrine, Living Like You Love God. I settled on a title that emphasizes your personal application in the form of how to statements. 1 - How To Recognize Supervisors (1-2) 2 - How To Recognize Sound Words (3) 3 - How To Recognize Shirkers (4-5)

1 Timothy 5:22-25: Do not lay hands upon anyone too quickly and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. Do not go on drinking only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments. The sins of some people are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed. 1 - Be Careful (22a) 2 - Be Pure (22b) 3 - Be Wise (23) 4 - Be Humble (24-25)

3 Aspects of Relationships to Consider in Your Walk of Faith 1. The Promised Son 1-8 2. The Persecuted Son 9-21 3. The Partnered Servants 22-34 Next Week's Reading – Genesis 22 & 23

These pithy instructions from the Apostle Paul to Timothy and to us are built around four commands which help us individually and every church collectively, to develop and maintain God-honoring leadership by godly elders and pastors. We'll see these four commands, and save three more for next Lord's Day. 1 - Consider Worthy (17-18, review) 2 - Do Not Receive (19) 3 - Rebuke (20) 4 - Maintain (21)