WHAT IS GOD’S WILL?

GOD’S WILL IS…

YOUR SALVATION

2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

1 Timothy 1:15 – “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

YOUR SANCTIFICATION

1 Thess. 4:3a – “This is the will of God, your sanctification (holiness).”

God will isn’t necessarily that we are happy – His will is that we are holy.It is the will of God that you live a life pleasing to God100 years from now your earthly pleasures will have zero value, but only the treasures you stored up in heaven as you pursued holiness.I have never seen a hearse with a U-Haul on the back of it.The early church father, Augustine, looking back on his life and childhood was distraught over the things that even consumed his learning.“Far more useful, then, were those studies [of learning to read and write] than others in which I was forced to memorize the wanderings of some fellow called Aeneas, while forgetting my own waywardness, and to weep over Dido, who killed herself for love, when all the while in my intense misery I put up with myself with never a tear, as I died away from you, O God, who are my life.

What indeed is more pitiful than a piteous person who has no pity for himself? I could weep over the death Dido brought upon herself out of love for Aeneas, yet I shed no tears over the death I brought upon myself by not loving you. O God, you are the light of my heart, bread for the inward mouth of my soul, the virtue wedded to my mind and the innermost recesses of my thought; yet I did not love you, and breaking my troth I strayed from you. Even in this troth-breaking the approval of people all around me rang in my ears: “Fine! Well done.” To pander to this world is to fornicate against you, but so loudly do they shout “Well done!” that one feels ashamed to fall short of their expectations. For these things I did not weep, yet I wept for Dido, “slain as she sought her last end by the sword,” while I myself was abandoning you to seek the last dregs of your creation; dust I was, and unto dust returning.”

God’s will is that you are more concerned with Him than the things of this world.

YOUR PURITY

1 Thess. 4:3-8 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”

(VS 3) – Sexual immorality = porneiaGod’s will is that we abstain from ALL sexual immorality(VS 4) – This word literally means, “how to possess his own vessel”Article I read a few years ago about a wreck in Hong Kong38 deaths, 101 hospitalizedWorst maritime accident in over 40 yearsThe city was gearing up for a huge fireworks display to observe China’s National DayThe passengers of the ship were traveling to see the highlight of a four-day holiday – the fireworks displayAs they were traveling to view this beautiful sight, in celebration, they were struckAnother ship had run straight into themOne person said, “I was shocked – this was supposed to be an incredible event” and it was ruined because a captain lost control of his vessel & there were devastating consequencesOne newspaper wrote, “As terrible as this tragedy is, these things happen, and we can only hope that as a result safety will improve.”I have never heard of a positive coming from sexual immorality. I have only seen devastating consequences. I have only