July 17th, 2014. GODS WILL FOR GOD And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and well pleasing and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 Knowing Gods will is sometimes a difficult thing for us as believers. We all want to find Gods will for our life. But often the motivation in seeking Gods will is self- centered. It is Gods will for me, with the emphasis upon me. Of course, God has a will and purpose for each of us, but many times we may have no idea that Gods will is for God! It is not just His will for me. It is His will for Himself. Vision gives us the ability to prove what is not only the good but also the well pleasing and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2 indicates that in order to prove the perfect will of God, we need the transformation that comes from the renewing of our mind. Transformation and mind- renewing are related to vision. The vision of the major things on Gods heart automatically imparts the ability to prove the will of God. Without vision, we will be trying to figure out what Gods will is. Finding Gods will for our life becomes a major pursuit. We look for some indication of His leading. We look for impressions. We are expecting that perhaps God will speak to us in a dream. We often are eagerly waiting for an open door. This is not to say that the Lord does not use various means to reveal His will to us, but many times we are seeking for something that has nothing to do with Gods own will for Himself. We are without the overall vision of the mystery of His will, which is Christ and the church-- the governing vision of the universe. Let me illustrate. When I join the Army, I am under the direction of the big will of the Army. My decisions and my little will about where I live, how I spend my time, and when I am going on vacation are all within the scope of the big will. The big will is really the will that controls and directs my life. My little will moves within the sphere of the big will. We all must know that there is a big will for every believer. That big will is Christ and the church! That is Gods revealed will for you and for me. My little will-- who I am going to marry, where I am going to school, where I am going to live-- is to be discerned within the sphere of Gods big revealed will. And this revealed will of God is identical to the heavenly vision that Paul obeyed. Thus, like Paul, we can prove and know the perfect will of God. It is vision that gives us the ability to prove it! And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God [Romans 12:2]. AND CONFORM YE NOT TO THIS WORLD. The term world has several significations, but here it means the sentiments and the morals of men; to which, not without cause, he forbids us to conform. For since the whole world lies in wickedness, it behooves us to put off whatever we have of the old man, if we would really put on Christ: and to remove all doubt, he explains what he means, by stating what is of a contrary nature; for he bids us to be transformed into a newness of mind. These kinds of contrast are common in Scripture; and thus a subject is more clearly set forth. Now attend here, and see what kind of renovation is required from us:It is not that of the flesh only, or of the inferior part of the soul, as the Sorbonists explain this word; but of the mind, which is the most excellent part of us, and to which philosophers ascribe the supremacy; for they call it ἡγεμονικὸν, the leading power; and reason is imagined to be a most wise queen. But Paul pulls her down from her throne, and so reduces her to nothing by teaching us that we must be renewed in mind. For how much soever we may flatter ourselves, that declaration of Christ is still true, — that every man must be born again, who would enter into the kingdom of God; for in mind and heart we are altogether alienated from the righteousness of God. THAT YE MAY PROVE. Here you have the purpose for which we must put on a new mind, — that bidding adieu to our own counsels and desires, and those of all men, we may be attentive to the only will of God, the knowledge of which is true wisdom. But if the renovation of our mind is necessary, in order that we may prove what is the WILL OF GOD, it is hence evident how opposed it is to God. The epithets which are added are intended for the purpose of recommending Gods will that we may seek to know it with greater alacrity: and in order to constrain our perverseness, it is indeed necessary that the true glory of justice and perfection should be ascribed to the will of God. The world persuades itself that those works which it has devised are good; Paul exclaims, that what is good and right must be ascertained from Gods commandments. The world praises itself, and takes delight in its own inventions; but Paul affirms, that nothing pleases God except what he has commanded. The world, in order to find perfection, slides from the word of God into its own devices; Paul, by fixing perfection in the will of God, shows, that if any one passes over that mark he is deluded by a false imagination. July 17 MORNING Thou [art] a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, The LORD [is] longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation]. O REMEMBER NOT AGAINST US FORMER INIQUITIES: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy names sake.-- O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou [it] for thy names sake:for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.-- We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, [and] the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But [there is] forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. JONAH 4:2. Nu 14:17, 18. Ps 79:8, 9.-- Jer 14:7, 20. Ps 130:3, 4. July 17 EVENING SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT AND BELIEF OF THE TRUTH. Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, [that] the spices thereof may flow out. Behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, [what] clearing of yourselves, yea, [what] indignation, yea, [what] fear, yea, [what] vehement desire, yea, [what] zeal, yea, [what] revenge!-- Fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth; proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. The Father... shall give you another Comforter.-- The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE. In a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 2 THES 2:13. Ca 4:16. 2 Co 7:11.-- Ep 5:9, 10. Jn 14:16.-- Ro 5:5. Ga 5:22. 2 Co 8:2. 1 Co 12:11.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 06:38:57 +0000
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