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Chapter 3:19-29 What was the Law for? 19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. This is talking about Moses. The Law as it were coming through a middleman whereas the promise was given directly from God to Abraham. The Law was delivered by the angels, but the Gospel by the Lord Himself. Hence, the Gospel is superior to the Law, as the word of a Lord is superior to the word of his servant. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Here the Apostle briefly compares the two mediators: Moses and Christ. "A mediator," says Paul, "is not a mediator of one." He is necessarily a mediator of two: The offender and the offended. 21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law. v19-25 So what is the purpose of the Law? The Law exposed our needs once and for all. It was given to show man what he was really like i.e. unable to keep the law and so reveal to him his great need for a Saviour. The law showed what God’s standards of morality and conduct were and we are unable to meet them. The Law was our teacher that taught the ABC of being in right standing with God. Was the Law a bad thing? no it has done its job for you and me by showing our need for repentance and turning to Jesus Christ. The law was given to Moses (acting as a mediator) through angels by God , but the promise was given directly to Abraham by God Himself. Thus in some way showing the superiority of the promise to the Law. A mediator is a friend that comes between two parties and is not to act merely with and for one of them. God is one party and sinful man is the other. 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. v26-29 The believers are no longer counted as servants but as sons of God who have an inheritance in the Father’s kingdom. Through baptism we have identified with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. so we die and rise again new creations in Christ Jesus. The Law made a difference between the Jew and Gentile , the slave, and the freeman but the promise brings all true believers together into the one standing before God as sons of the living God. Some people try to make this scripture try to say all sorts of things that it cannot mean. It clearly does not abolish human sexuality, male and female may be equal in value before God but not in responsibility and are certainly not interchangeable. Jesus Christ is an equal opportunity Saviour looking only at your heart not your race or culture. Belonging to Christ we are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise are therefore entitled to the great blessings and privileges of the promise. Summary It was always God’s position that man could only be justified by faith and that God accounted Abraham a righteous man who acted in faith. The Law was given to expose sin and sinfulness and was our teacher to teach the ABC of salvation that we are unable to keep the law and can only be saved through faith in the promised seed Jesus Christ. Through him we have become sons of God and can inherit all the great and precious promises of God. He will be our God We will be His people He will dwell with us Amen Your Prayer

Ch 3 :1-18 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law 3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. They had heard the one true Gospel, that Jesus Christ had been crucified for the sin of humankind, he died and was resurrected to the right hand of the Father, and everyone who believes in Him, shall be saved by faith in Him. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? This is a rhetorical question, we receive the Spirit by believing of course. 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? Usually it is only the true gospel that gets persecuted. 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? When the dynamic of the Holy Spirit came to them, by faith, how could they even consider going back to a dead religion, Surely, they could see that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, occur where there is faith, but not where there is observance of the Law. Paul, now, takes them back to first principles. 6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Abraham never observed the Law. 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The believers followed his example. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. This is very Good News. Shocking news. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." These curses include poverty, sickness, famine, want, shortage, confusion, defeat, terror, darkness, despair, and separation etc.; see all these curses in Deuteronomy 28. 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them.” The Law only offers life to those who completely obey it. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Jesus took it all on the cross that all believers might go free and receive the blessings of God not his curses. 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. This is the greatest blessing. 15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. v15-18 A covenant is a solemn and binding agreement in which two parties exchange vows or promises committing themselves to a joint relationship or venture. There may be penalties involved for breach of promise. What types of covenants do we enact in everyday life? Marriage and business contracts (mortgages etc.). So many marriages break up because people want to add new clauses to the deal or the vows that they made. For instance, to have and to hold until you get sick , or get made redundant, or until you meet someone else whom you prefer to your spouse, or until your lack of commitment , selfishness and self pity overwhelm you to the extent that you that you break the marriage covenant. Many business contracts now include penalty clauses to compensate for breach of contract. No sensible business deal will allow you to change the terms after the deal has been struck. In the same way God does not let anyone alter the conditions of his promise to Abraham fulfilled through his seed Jesus Christ, and passes through Jesus to us , to be changed nothing can be added or subtracted from the deal. Because we live in new testament times, we sometimes forget that the law came 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham and Paul is saying here that the law cannot alter the original covenant, deal, or promise. What was the promise? God's announcement of His plan of salvation and blessing to His people, one of the themes integrating the message of the Old and New Testaments. God's promise begins with a declaration by God; it covers God's plan for not just one race, but all the nations of the earth; and it focuses on the gifts and deeds that God will bestow on a few to benefit the many. Summary 3:1-18 We may define God's promise this way: the divine declaration or assurance was made to Abraham representing the whole nation of Israel and specified that: (1) He would be their God, (2) They would be His people, (3) He would dwell in their midst. Amen Your prayer

Chapter 2 Paul sorts out Peter Paul is still addressing his critics who compared his calling unfavourably to the apostles Peter, James, and John. The critics were a bunch of very vocal Jews, who believed that the Christians needed to believe in Jesus and keep the law of Moses. They were also known as the circumcision group. 2:1 Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. Paul is just letting them know that was he was neither dependent upon nor subordinate to the other main apostles. 2:2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. Paul uses great wisdom here, he goes straight to those who were the leaders of the Christian faith, to explain his version of the gospel to them. He was willing to be put to the test and was open to any criticism or correction by the apostles. He was not up for a public debate; this matter was to be resolved in private. 2:3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. Paul’s gospel and practice were the same, he did not command to be circumcised his gentile fellow ministers. 2:4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. They are still around, the legalists. We need to fight against both legalism and against liberalism. 2:5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. 6 As for those who seemed to be important--whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance--those men added nothing to my message. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. 8 For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul’s message and preaching was certainly both powerful and anointed and left the apostles with no other course of action, other than recognise Paul’s calling to preach the gospel to the gentiles. 2:9 James, Peter, and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. 11 When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. Think of one of the best-known Christians in the world, Billy Graham or Reinhard Bonke, imagine God has sent you to give them a telling off! 2:12 Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? 15 “We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified (put in right standing with God) by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. We know that God accepts only those who have faith in Jesus Christ. No-one can please God by simply obeying the Law. So we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, and God has accepted us because of our faith. 2:17 “If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! When the Jews started looking for a way to please God, they discovered that they were sinners too. Does this mean that Christ is the one who makes us sinners? Definitely not! 2:18 If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. But if I tear down something and then rebuild it, all I prove was that I got it wrong the first time. 2:19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. It was the Law the law that killed me and freed me from its power, so that I could live for God. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. I have been nailed to the cross with Christ. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I have died, but Christ lives in me, and I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" I will not turn my back on God’s undeserved kindness to me. If we could be saved by keeping the law, then it was useless for Christ to die for us. Summary Paul went up to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles. He was well received and his ministry to the Gentiles was recognised. None of his gentile companions were forced to be circumcised. When Peter needed correction about falling back under the Law, God sent Paul, to tell him off. Paul, exposed Peter’s hypocrisy in public. Paul begins to explain the differences between the Law and the Gospel. He concludes that if we can be saved by simply obeying the Law then Jesus Christ died for nothing. Amen Your Prayer For full text and access to other parts of Galatians please click below https://www.psalmonesermons.com/post/lessons-from-galatians-part-2

Ch 1 Correcting the belief in Jesus plus anything else The gospel had been preached and received in Galatia, which region today would be found in modern Turkey. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the churches of Galatia. The main thrust of the letter is to bring correction to the churches because Judaizing teachers had arisen, saying, that faith in Christ alone was not enough for salvation but that the Christians had also to keep the mosaic law (including circumcision). These legalistic teachers had also tried to discredit Paul, by unfavourably comparing him with the other apostles. They tried to discredit Paul so that they could also discredit his teaching. The message of Galatians is still important today as there are still people around trying to add things (believe in Jesus and …something else) onto the gospel and bringing men into bondage. Paul then emphasises the great teaching of justification by faith alone without the works of the law and exhorts them to walk in the wonderful liberty given to them and us by Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle--sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead-- 2 and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. A true apostle and a true message. 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one, we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! Not just life or death, but eternal. 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! There is only one true message. 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. What about you, are you a man-pleaser? 11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. How Paul became an apostle. 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. 18 Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles--only James, the Lord's brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. 21 Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." 24 And they praised God because of me. Paul did not go to the other apostles or bible school, nor a seminary, he was in no way inferior to them or dependent upon them. His calling was direct from the Lord. Summary of key learning points 1. Paul is a true apostle. He was not called, commissioned nor taught by any man; he was directly called by Our Lord. 2. There is one true gospel, that we are justified by faith alone without the works of the law. 3. The one true gospel is believed in Jesus, not believe and Jesus and anything else. 4. It is crucial we know and understand the basis of the gospel, so that no one can take away our wonderful liberty Christ has purchased by his blood and death for us. Amen Your prayer

The smallest faith (mustard seed) still works by love; so just do it! Faith in theory and faith in practice The Christian life begins with faith, continues in faith, and culminates in faith as we meet Our Maker. Faith is a particularly important principle in the Bible. Faith is where the promises and plans of God are brought into reality in the lives of His people. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6) A. Ephesians 2:8-9, We are saved by faith. B. Rom. 1:17, We live by faith. C. Rom. 4:13, We receive righteousness by faith. D. Rom. 5:1, We are justified in Christ by faith E. Rom. 5:2, We have access to God's grace by faith. F. 2 Cor. 1:24, We stand firm in our belief by faith. G. Gal. 3:14, We receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. H. 1 Tim. 1:4, We do God's work by faith. I. Gal. 5:5, We wait for the return of Christ by faith. Indeed, faith is vital to the life of every believer. Amen Definition: Faith at an operational level is a simply a belief or trust in God and that if you feel he is calling you to do something then just do it. The classic biblical definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11 (whole chapter on faith) : 1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible… Some years ago I had an interesting conversation with a friend who told me about a new book written by Annette Capps called 'quantum faith’ the book is available free on the internet as a .pdf file. The author had been doing a course in quantum physics and soon began to realise that the laws of quantum physics (which baffle many conventional physicists because subatomic particles e.g. quarks) do not obey the normal Newtonian laws of physics (such as the law of gravity). In the field of quantum physics it is thought that sub-atomic particles are surprisingly influenced by the person observing them or interacting in some way with them. We know from Hebrews 11 above that God created the whole Cosmos by speaking it into existence. This is a difficult concept for most of us to grasp. How can someone’s words have a creative power? Conventional physics cannot explain how this might work but however when we come into the realm of quantum physics then is a whole different ballgame. If sub-atomic particles can truly be influenced by those observing, then how much more would God’s word when spoken to them be likely to produce effects within and between them? Of course God Himself would have created those sub-atomic particles in the first place. How did Jesus walk on the water when conventional physics says He should have sunk under the water? So some other law was at play here, the law of faith. Jesus walked on the Word of God. The law of faith can transcend the law of gravity. Faith to bless and faith to curse Mark 11:20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.” 22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. When was the last time you prayed something into or out of existence? What fruitless tree in your life needs cursed in faith? What mountain in your life needs removed and cast into the sea? We need to act on our beliefs in faith. Matthew 17:18 And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. The normal physical laws of the universe can be overcome by the power of faith. If you think about it each act of faith has some sort of mechanism whereby the physical world is acted upon by the spiritual world. Interestingly when Jesus told the disciples they only needed a mustard seed of faith, he was using the best-known example of something small in those days. Today he might say faith, as the size of a quark (sub-atomic particle)! [1] Anyway whether we understand how faith works at a deep level there is nothing to stop us putting it into practice in everyday life. If God has told you to do something, simply be obedient to it. If you are not sure and take wise counsel from Christians, you trust. When was the last time you believed, you were going to receive something from God? Matthew 9:20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her, He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and if we reach out and touch Him in faith today, He is willing and able to let power flow from Him to you. Many people were pressing around Jesus and unintentionally touching Him, but we need to intentionally touch the hem of His garment believing that virtue or power will flow into our situation. Faith without works is dead and so we must make our faith in God work to bring in His Kingdom and to bring God’s love down onto the streets of our cities, towns, and villages. Our God-given faith is a mighty weapon to honour God with. Faith has power to bless, to curse and to move mountains. Let us honour our Abba Father by using our faith in His name and for His kingdom and glory. Amen Personal Prayer [1] Quantum Faith by Annette Capps

How can circumstances inform the will of God? Circumstances Circumstances and events will sometimes indicate God's direction for us. Paul wrote about such a circumstance in his life in 2 Corinthians 2:12, "Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord." Sometimes God opens the opportunity for making something possible, but at other times the door is firmly closed to us. Finances, family, church, travel regulations, health, world events can all be factors that facilitate or hinder the choices that we make. God wants us to be aware of our surroundings and circumstances. The are not the primary means of God talking to us, but they are however, crucial factors as we weigh up all the information. Phil. 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 1 Thes. 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Common Sense God has made us rational creatures (Gen 2:19-20). He has given us the ability to think, communicate, teach, and invent. We are intellectual beings with rational thought. This intellectual consciousness is what makes us unique. A number Christians believe that they have to stop thinking for themselves and let ‘God do their thinking for them’. God wants us to be down-to-earth common-sense people. Sadly common sense is not that common! Prov. 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Prov. 19:8 He who gets wisdom loves his own soul. he who cherishes understanding prospers. Does the proposed course of action glorify God? We are God’s ambassadors, and our lives should be a living representation of his nature and character. All too often people convince themselves that what they are doing is in the will of God. Most often than not in these situations God is not being glorified, they individuals are merely doing what makes them happy or brings attention to them. 1 Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Processing God’s Will God often reveals his will to us in two or three stages. Initially we may get a ‘sense of direction’ in our spirits. The next thing that we should do is to be praying over that matter to see of we ‘sense anything different’ (Luke 11:9-10 Ask, Seek and Knock). Often his word will bring further confirmation; perhaps a verse will standout and really grab our attention (Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet). Our friends and Christian leaders can be praying with us and advising us in the way we should be going. This kind of ‘searching’ is often much more beneficial to those who are really serious about ‘seeking God’s will’, it’s deliberate, well thought through and immersed in prayer and bible study. The alternative to this is a ‘quick flash in the pan’ idea that people rush into without thinking through the consequences of their actions. When God Doesn’t Speak? God does not always speak to us in a direct manner. Christians often feel that they must be doing something wrong, because God is speaking to everybody else apart from them. God primarily wants us to live a life of faith. It is a quiet confidence that God is wholly and completely in charge – He is sovereign. Hab. 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour. If we had all the answers and knew God’s will with pin-point accuracy then there would be no place for faith, because faith is being certain of what we do not see… Heb. 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Seeking is as important as finding God! Through the process of seeking, we are learning to wait upon him, to depend entirely on him and to trust in him. The most crucial factor in this process of waiting is that we learn to live a life that pleases God (Eph 5:10). Heb. 12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. It help to remember that is God is always speaking to us through his creation, his word, and his Son. This may not always mean a specific word, but his always trying to communicate his wonder and his love to us. People often wonder what they should while they are waiting for a specific word of instruction from the lord. - Be faithful. - Be patient. - Be holy. - Be joyful. - Be consistent. - Be available. Amen Prayer This series of teachings was originally delivered as part of a 'Digging deeper' course by Pastor Paul Meiklejohn assisted by Charles Green. Any modifications to the original text were performed by the latter.

Offering your bodies as living sacrifices Holy and Pleasing to God Rom. 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will. These two verses are central to our pursuit of ‘knowing God’s will.’ Living Sacrifices: Living as disciples of Jesus often means living sacrificial lives. Jesus said, ‘take up your cross and follow me’ (Matt 16:24). Sacrificial living is costly and means preferring others more than we prefer ourselves (Rom 12:10). Sacrificial living is not easy, we often feel unappreciated and misunderstood. Holy: Peter says, ‘But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy (1 Peter 1:15:16).” God’s will be that we live holy lives (1 Thes 4:3). Consequently, living a life that is contrary to God’s standard is going to seriously impair our ability to actually hear God when he does reveal his will. Pleasing: The whole purpose of finding and doing the will of God is to please him (Col 1:10). All too often people want to know God’s will so that they will be happy themselves. Even Jesus surrendered his own pleasure in order to please his Father. Rom. 15:1-3 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Conformity: The world is in darkness. When we refuse to conform, we reveal God’s light and expose their darkness (John 3:19-21). When we come to Christ we are to live with a new standard of purity and obedience (1 Peter 1:14). Transformation: ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come (2 Cor 5:17), we are to ‘put on the new self created to be like God in righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:23).’ We are to no longer live the way that we used to before coming to Christ; we are to be different – we are to be like Christ. Renewed Minds: Whatever is true, lovely, praiseworthy… (Phil 4:9) we are to think on those things instead. We are to set our minds on God (Col 3:2) and not on earthly things. Real change can only happen if we change our thinking, that is why we need to address this vital area of our lives. Once we have fulfilled these conditions then we will be able to test and approve what the will of God is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will. The Permissible Will of God 1 Cor. 6:12 “Everything is permissible for me” — but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” — but I will not be mastered by anything. There are many things that are permissible for Christians, but some things are better left alone. Paul mentions two areas in the Christian life that can easily entangle the believer: food and sex. These two areas can be used for good or for ill. Paul is saying that in his pursuit of God’s will he is not prepared to be mastered by anything – for Christ has set him free. There are things in life we are free to use at our discretion. What to wear, what to eat, what kind of music we prefer, films to watch at the cinema etc. If we do these things with thanksgiving, God will bless them. These are permissible choices. However, in our choice we must ask ourselves are they constructive for godliness. Clothes, music, media, and the arts can all master us unless we use them wisely. With choice comes responsibility before God. 1 Cor. 10:23 “Everything is permissible” — but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible” — but not everything is constructive. Paul uses introduces another factor in helping us make good choices – the ‘weaker brother’. In 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 Paul says that even if something is perfectly acceptable, if it causes someone else to stumble in their faith, then we should be prepared to forfeit that for their sake. 1 Cor. 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 7 we consider how we cant test the will of God.

The importance of nurture and discipleship Discovering ‘God’s will’ should never take priority over discipleship. If our focus is on events rather than process, we tend to concentrate on the present or the next few weeks or months. God’s discipleship plan will take a lifetime to unfold. Few people have the foresight to be able to see long-term. Sometimes the call of God can take a decade or two to mature; often we are just not ready to give God everything. God often gives us a glimpse of what he is going to do, and we tend to assume that he is going to do it right now. Abraham, Moses, and Joshua were all in their old age when the promises of God were finally realised. Many characters in the bible had to go through a sustained time of ‘training’ before they were ready to serve God at his level. So often we want to bypass discipleship and dive into the programme. For God, discipleship is the programme. Discipleship is not a means to an end; it is the main thing. He is much more interested in who we are and what we’re becoming than he is about choosing what kind of job we would like. True discipleship is about learning to lay down our will for his will. We cannot fulfil God’s will unless our own will has died. Jesus said, ‘take up your cross and follow me.’ Even he had to lay down his will in order to discover his Father’s will. Matt. 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Doing stuff for God doesn’t make us mature believers – discipleship does. Eph 4:13 … until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Heb. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Deitrich Bonhoeffer in his book the ‘Cost of Discipleship’ talks about the Christian who assents mentally to the gospel’s message but fails to put its truth into practice; he calls this ‘cheap grace’ - “Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth that has a place for the Fatherhood of God but omits Christ as the living Son. … There is belief in God, but no following of Christ… He wants to follow but feels obliged to insist on his own terms to the level of human understanding. He places himself at the God’s disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. This is no longer discipleship, but a program of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves, and to be judged in accordance with the standards of our own rules." When we practice true discipleship, we will be well on the road to discovering the will of God. Process is much more important than event; event is short lived and temporary; process is the steady gradual transformation of a person’s life. Discipleship is studying the life of Jesus and then putting his words and example into practice. Finding God's will require us to seek Him by spending time reading His Word, the Bible. God's Word is the primary source for discovering His will. Prayer is also essential in finding God's will. Through prayer, we humbly ask God for direction and share with Him our desire to accomplish His will. This involves placing faith and trust in Him, knowing that He has a plan and purpose for our lives. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 6 we consider how to offer a sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God.

Is it an event or a lifestyle? Lifestyle Versus Event Today's society is very event led; life seems quite dull unless we are doing something. Recent politics have emphasised performance related pay. At the same time many modern churches have a stringent programme of activity. The result of this can inadvertently lead to a person’s worth being measured by what they do. It can also make us believe that God is ‘programme-based’ in his love for us. We often associate God’s will as an event, i.e. doing this or that, going here or there, apply for this job, marry that person and so on... ‘God’s will’ can include specific instruction, but more often it is to do with relationship, lifestyle, and nurture. Relationship It is God’s will for us to have an intimate and close relationship with him. Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Jeremiah 30:21 I will bring him near, and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?’ declares the LORD. Knowing God’s will does not necessarily equate with activity. Sometimes God withholds his plans from us so that we will master the art of waiting. Waiting on God is an essential ingredient to knowing God’s will. Many people want to bypass the waiting and get straight into the doing. For some people, doing nothing is a waste of time, for God our inactivity is a vital element in getting to know him. Psalm 119:166 I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands. Psalm 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word, I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Activity without intimacy is of little importance. It’s not uncommon for people to want to know God’s will more than they actually want to know God! Activity is an event; relationship is a process. We cannot effectively hear God’s voice or do God’s will unless we have first learned the art of knowing God. It’s like having the benefits of sexual pleasure without the security of a loving relationship, or like a farmer reaping a great harvest without first labouring over the crop. Knowing God’s requires intimacy, time, and commitment. There are no shortcuts to doing God’s will. Many Christians fall away because they have become bored, impatient, or distracted. Others spend so much time trying ‘to do’ God’s will that they simply burn themselves out. Isaiah 40: 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD, shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Lifestyle Doing the will of God is much more about being the right person rather than doing the right things. People often focus on life-events rather than the process of a sanctified life. God is much more interested in ‘who we are’ than he is in ‘what we do’. It’s easy to get caught up with Christian activity and neglect the importance of Christian character. It is God’s clear will that we: Be financially responsible (Luke 12:21) Live by faith, not by sight (Rom 1:17) Live a life of sacrifice and service (Rom 12:1) Renew our minds (Rom12:2) Transform the way we live (Rom12:2) Fellowship with other believers (Rom 15:32) Give ourselves fully to God (2 Cor 8:5) Do the best job for our employer (Eph 6:6) Stand firm, and remain standing (Col 4:12, Eph 6:13) Mature into strong believers (Col 4:12) Have a servant attitude (Phil 2:5) Avoid sexual immorality (1 Thes. 4:3) Live a pure life (1 Thes. 4:3) Rejoice in every circumstance (1 Thes 5:18) Keep our eyes on Jesus – the perfect example (Heb 10:7, 12:2) Persevere in the work (Heb 10:36) Do good to all men (1 Peter 2:15) Understand that God’s will includes suffering (1 Peter 4:19) Be faithful in prayer (1 John 5:16) Most of these verses are direct references to the ‘will of God.’ There are, however, simply hundreds of other commandments on how we should live our lives. It is God’s will that we honour our parents, tell the truth; that we should be kind, generous, and gentle. We should be calm, temperate, and full of compassion. The list goes on and on. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ It is clear that our attention needs to be on our character and personal development rather than ‘activity or events.’ It is God’s will, first and foremost, that we live a life that is a true reflection of the Lord Jesus Christ. God wants us first of all to be pure, blameless, and holy. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 5 we see the need to be nurtured in discipleship.

Dealing with hindrances in your life Understanding God’s will for our lives is not always a straightforward process. As we have seen, we need to have a God-centred perspective, with a close intimate relationship with God and we need to have the right motives. Here are some other hindrances that may prevent us from hearing God: Deliberate Sin Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. John 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Throughout the bible, we find that sin separates us from God. Even though Christ has taken away God’s wrath, he still needs to discipline us if we stray from his standards. Hebrews Chapter 12 teaches that this only proves that we are the true children of God. No sensible parent would simply stand back and let their children do as they please. Since God is holy, he also wants us to be holy. If we want to know the will of God, we need to live a holy and sanctified life. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified… The above reference is really about sexual purity, but every act of disobedience can have a diminishing affect on spiritual lives: bad tempers, telling lies, being unkind, being argumentative and angry are just but a few vices that lead us away from God’s purpose. Disobedience 1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Some people chose to only do the things that suit them, things that they enjoy. God requires that we obey whenever he speaks. He will only reveal his will to those who having an obedient heart. An Unteachable Spirit There are some people who decide that their way is the only way and there is no telling them. They are simply unable to talk or receive any kind of constructive criticism. If they are unable to take instruction from their fellow Christians, it’s unlikely that they will not take any advice from God. Proverbs 1:30 Since they would not accept my advice, and spurned my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways, and be filled with the fruit of their schemes. For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them. Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Proverbs 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. Pride Knowing that God wants to speak to and use us should be a very humbling experience. To serve God requires that we take on the attitude of a servant. John talks about the pride of life. This “pride of life” motivation is what drives many people to devote their lives obsessively to their career or to the pursuit of money. While we have our focus on personal ambitions, it will be extremely difficult to make God’s purpose the main thing. People who expect God to ‘fit in’ to their plans will be disappointed. Zephaniah 2:3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. 1 Pet. 5:5 Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Other Distractions There are many people who are happy to do will of God - until something better comes along. Their focus is on the excitement and buzz of the event, but as soon as the event is over the ‘day-to day’ journey soon looks much less attractive. An important part of fulfilling God’s purpose is faithfulness. Many people can only hold onto a ministry for a few months before they lose interest. God can only use people who are in it for the long haul. Hebrews 10:36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Being Uncooperative God always works through community. He himself lives in complete harmony within the framework of the Trinity. We will not be able to fulfil the purposes of God unless we are prepared to work in cooperation with other Christians. We can do the ‘right thing’ but have the ‘wrong attitude.’ If we are not prepared to take advice or instruction from others, we are not going to get very far. If our way is the only way, then it’s unlikely that God will be able to entrust with ‘his way.’ If we are going to have God’s blessing, we need to submit to our leaders so that the work of the church can run smoothly. Ephesians 5:21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. No Spiritual Covering There are many Christians who just want to ‘go it alone’ and believe that they do not need the covering of leadership. God always works within the confines of leadership and government. People who reject the authority of the church are in danger of excluding themselves from the plans of God. Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 4 we consider whether God's will for your life is something found in an event or is it found in your lifestyle?

The need for relationship in finding God's will for your life Finding God's will necessarily involves having a close relationship with God. This may seem obvious, but many people want to know God’s will without actually getting to know God himself. Human fathers instruct their children about what needs to be done because of their father/child relationship. God can only reveal his will to those who are close to him. Finding the will of God by its very nature means that we have to spend time with him. The bible is the primary source of revelation; prayer is the means with which we communicate with him. Trying to discover ‘God’s will’ without the bible or prayer would be a futile exercise since that would mean bypassing the two main forms of communication that God has given us. Our attitude will influence our response to God’s directions. A pliable and willing heart is an essential ingredient in hearing God. Are we willing to do what God requires? Isaiah 45:9 says, “…Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?” We need to understand that God’s plan may include difficulty and hardship. God’s will for Paul was that “he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:16). When people want to know God’s will they are very often looking for assurance rather than instruction; what they want is to be assured that everything will go as they plan - without difficulty or trial! 1 Pet. 3:17 It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good, than for doing evil. Many Christians are preoccupied with their own personal fulfilment. If this is the case, it will seriously restrict our ability to receive God’s instruction for our lives. God’s plan for our lives may well include a path that we did not expect. It is essential that our intent is to obey, not to evaluate. Some people believe that they have heard from God by the very fact that he confirmed what they knew already! Others desperately want something so much that they convince themselves that that is what God wants for their lives. There are difficulties with both scenarios. Often people have already convinced themselves even before God has actually spoken. They give the impression that they are really only interested in hearing from God if ‘he agrees with them’. We need to be vigilant in making sure that we are not merely listening to our own desires. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. James 1:4 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. We are often the worst judges of our own intention; that is why we need to make sure that we are seeking godly advice and that we are willing to lay down our plans. James 4:13-14 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Amen Personal Prayer In Part 3 we consider how to deal with the various hindrances to finding God's will for your life.

Does God have a plan for your life? This set of teachings is a modified version of a course delivered by Pastor Paul Meiklejohn assisted by Charles Green as part of a 'Digging Deeper' module. Any changes and amendments have been made exclusively by the second author. Almost every Christian would like to know what the will of God is for their lives. What is the will of God? Does he have a specific plan and if so, how do we go about finding out what it is? It can be frustrating when we don’t have a clear sense of direction. God spoke to Moses through the burning bush, to Gideon through a damp fleece, and to Paul with a big burst of light. However, it would be fair to say that these are atypical methods of God talking to people. Proverbs 3:6 "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." Psalm 37:23 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord...." Isaiah 30:2 "Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left." From the above three scriptures, we can see that God's word clearly is saying that God will help us find his direction, but how does he do it? Defining the ‘Will of God’. Do we mean the ‘will of God’ or the ‘will of God for my life’? There is an important difference, the former is God-centric and the other is self-centric. When we talk about the will of God for my life, then we become the subject of the enquiry and the focus is on ourselves rather than God. When we talk about the true will of God then he becomes the primary subject and we become consequential. This is a vital aspect in the study of God’s will; his will needs to overshadow our lives. If our lives are the subject of the study, then it’s necessary for God’s will to ‘fit around our lives’ and not the other way around. Keeping God central is paramount if we are to discover and do God’s will. So, we start with God, not us. If you are making decisions based primarily on what makes "me" happy, then you have your priorities backwards and you will stumble at every turn. We are first and foremost studying ‘God’s will.’ Matthew 10:39, "If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me" (The Message). Motivation is also an important aspect to our study. Many people want to find the will of God so that they can decide whether or not to do it! God will not reveal his will to people who are undecided as to be part of it, he only reveals his will to those who have already committed themselves to doing his will. If our motivation to finding God’s will is merely for information’s sake, then God will not answer our enquiry. James 4:2-3 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 1 John 3:22 We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. What is your motivation for finding out God's specific will for your life? Amen Prayer Next time in Part 2 we consider the need for relationship when we try to discover God's will for our lives.