Stay Focused…Even During the Pain

Stay Focused…Even During the Pain

Romans 5:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:15; Hebrews 5:14; Colossians 1:28-29; James 1:2-4

 

Theme: The chances of being sidetracked increase with trouble and pain, but we must remain focused on learning of the Lord and drawing closer to Him.

Relevance:

By the grace of God, we can stay focused during pain by fixing our eyes on Jesus, trusting God’s permanent presence instead of temporary suffering, and casting our worries on Him through prayer. Remember clarity frequently follows the act of following His guidance rather than preceding it. Scripture frames pain as a brief test that builds endurance, spiritual strength, and eternal hope.

Introduction:

The idea of maturing in Christ is a subject we have given substantial thought to and have even taught this on a regular basis.  As a missionary-pastor, I routinely encouraged, instructed, and coached others through the various stages of personal spiritual development. You see, spiritually we mature with diet and exercise much like we do physically. The word of God provides our meat, bread, milk, honey, water, and ‘green pastures.’ The encouraging and directing words of a spiritually minded coach help tremendously.

As we obey God we begin to understand and appreciate more of Him and His Word. Obedience acts as a pathway to spiritual growth. By putting our faith into practice, we often gain clarity, build a deeper trust, and experience a closer relationship with God. Obedience shows our love, trust, and faith in Him. Insight frequently arises from the act of following His guidance rather than preceding it. This trend of obedience will also feed our souls deeply as more clarity comes with our compliance; thus, our experiences of God’s truth teaches and trains us further (Luk. 11:28; Jn. 13:17; Prov. 2:9).

Still the possibility of distraction exists, especially during painful experiences; we must focus ourselves on spiritual growth still. The following thoughts help us do just that.

Lesson:

God Continually Recommends Incredible Spiritual Self-control to Overcome Serious Challenges to our Development.

A. Cooperate with God’s Work in You. Philippians 2:12-13, “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.”

·        We are to live out and show the reality of our salvation with deep respect and seriousness before God. Christ’s followers are responsible for actively living out and expressing the inner change God has already given us. It does not mean earning salvation by good performances; rather, it shows our efforts in obedience cooperates with God’s inner power, which supplies both the desire and the ability to please Him.

·        The verb “work out” carries the meaning of “work to full completion,” such as working out a problem in mathematics. In Paul’s day it was also used for “working a mine,” that is, getting out of the mine all the valuable ore possible; or “working a field” so as to get the greatest harvest possible. The purpose God wants us to achieve is Christlikeness, “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). There are problems in life, but God will help us to “work them out.” Our lives have tremendous potential, like a mine or a field, and He wants to help us fulfill that potential.^[1]

o   Just as you unpack a box or exercise a muscle to display what is already inside, believers are called to let their internal faith manifest visibly in daily obedience and character.

o   “Both to will and to do of his good pleasure”: God changes our inner desires ("to will") and then gives us the strength and opportunity to carry them out ("to do").

     B.  Dedicate Yourself to Growth to Influence Others Likewise.  1 Timothy 4:15, “Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all") indicates a Christian leader must deeply focus on spiritual truths, fully dedicate their life to practicing them, and let their ongoing personal growth be clearly seen by everyone.

·        “Meditate upon these things” that is spend time thinking deeply about and practicing sound spiritual teachings and our God-given duties rather than just knowing them.

·        “Give thyself wholly to them” literally dedicate our whole heart, time, and energy to these godly tasks without holding back or getting distracted.

·        “That thy profiting may appear to all” we must ensure our spiritual maturity and progress move forward visibly so other people can see the real, positive impact of our faith.

·        Paul is encouraging Timothy to give himself undividedly and undistractedly to the work of the Lord. He should be all-out in his efforts. In this way, his progress will be evident to all. Paul does not want Timothy to hit a plateau in his Christian service and then settle down into a comfortable rut. Rather, he wants him to be always advancing in the things of the Lord.^[2]

     C.  Keep Maturing and Developing Discernment Daily. Hebrews 5:14, “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”) shows that deep spiritual truth is for mature believers. True maturity comes from regular practice and using God's word to tell right from wrong.

·       “Strong meat” refers to deep and advanced teachings of the faith, unlike “milk” or basic beginner instructions.

·       “Of full age” indicates spiritually mature people who have grown past their early stages as new believers.

·       “By reason of use” means learning and growing through ongoing, daily practice of our faith.

·       “Exercised to discern both good and evil” that is training your mind and heart over time to spot the difference between right and wrong, or truth and false teaching.

·       Once more the writer betrayed his concern about his readers’ ability to reject the false ideas which confronted them. Had they been sufficiently mature they would be able to “distinguish” those ideas as “evil” over against the truths they should have known were “good.” But he feared that this capability was not yet really theirs, though he would make every effort to instill it in them.^[3]

D. Remain Focused and On Mission to Continue Developing Believers. Paul notes his toil and struggle, energized by Christ’s power, to present everyone fully mature in Christ. 

Colossians 1:28-29 states: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.” The great Apostle viewed his core mission as boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ, correcting and instructing all believers with godly wisdom to help them grow spiritually mature, while relying entirely on Christ’s powerful energy working inside him to do the hard work.

·       “Perfect in Christ Jesus” points to mature, complete, and fully grown in the faith, rather than completely sinless.

·       “Labour and striving” indicates ministry takes intense, hard work and personal sweat (“striving” is an athletic word for competing in a contest).

·       “His working in me mightily” Paul did not rely on his own strength; he depended on God’s power actively moving through him to accomplish spiritual results.

·       Spiritual adults in Christ, no longer babes in Christ (Heb. 5:14), mature and ripened Christians (4:12), the full-grown man in Christ (Eph. 4:13). The relatively perfect (Phil. 3:15) will on that day of the presentation be fully developed as here (Col. 4:12; Eph. 4:13).^[4]

The Word of God presents pain as a brief test that builds endurance, spiritual strength, and eternal hope. Still the possibility exists for distractions, especially during difficult experiences; we must focus ourselves even more tenaciously on spiritual growth during these seasons. Remember, obedience is our pathway to upward growth in Christ. We often gain clarity, build a deeper trust, and experience a closer relationship with God when we are compliant. Obedience to truth is an active choice turning basic facts into deep, everyday nuts and bolts understanding.

Matthew Henry noted, “We must continue in the faith grounded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel; that is, we must be so well fixed in our minds as not to be moved from it by any temptations. We must be stedfast and immovable (1 Co. 15:58) and hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, Heb. 10:23.”^[5]

---

^[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 77.

^[2] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 2094.

^[3] Zane C. Hodges, “Hebrews,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 793.

^[4] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Col 1:28.

^[5] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2332.

Courage to Obey God Anyway

JOSHUA 1:7

Adversity acts in our lives as a mirror of sorts. It reveals the areas in which we need to improve, from God’s viewpoint. What a benefit there is for us to gain from divine perspective! Often, we feel we know where we are in life and what’s going on in our world. What we need is an objective view of reality...one that is not tainted by our assumptions. You see, just as a college chemistry examine can reveal our fitness for further study of the hard sciences, so life’s adversities reveal precisely where we are strong and whether we are fit for life's challenges. We need this perspective.

As with all other situations, we want to consciously look to the Lord during hard-times. When troubles come your way, also look inward to see what God is trying to show you about yourself.  Our Father is a relentless teacher and people developer. While this requires real honesty with oneself, use these self-evaluations to identify areas which need improvement and refinement. After all, none of us have arrived…right?  In this respect difficulties can be used to our advantage to further our spiritual progress in the Lord.  

I am certain you will agree we must move forward. Yes, this requires real courage and a deepening trust in the Almighty. We must keep growing in the Lord, and this demands bravery because we tend to grow more during adversities. Adversity is God’s tool of examination; accepting this requires real nerve.  Therefore, we need to understand how to use adversity for spiritual benefit. Ultimately, we want to be found obedient to the plan of God.

LESSON: 

COURAGE TO OBEY THE LORD’S WILL

Keeping God's Word Requires Courage

Joshua 1:7, Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

God here encourages Joshua, the new leader of Israel.  Perhaps Joshua was feeling a bit intimidated by the new responsibilities and the future in general for himself and his people. I can recall my first ministry as a missionary-pastor...though I was full of hope and excitement, I still felt deeply my need for assurance and power from on high. There were times I was overwhelmed with the challenges, expectations, and needs. Still the job was mine and it needed to be done in a fashion that honors Christ. Likewise, the plan of the Lord for the nation and his servant Joshua requires courageous faith of the highest order. Yes, like Joshua we need to summon our finest courage to obey the will of Jehovah anyway.

To follow the Lord faithfully requires courage. It always has. Fear of failure, fear of screwing up, fear of embarrassment, fear of not being able to sustain/maintain, fear of people, fear of the unknown, fear of conflict, and a host of other fears have stopped many people from even attempting to follow the Lord's plan for them. Yes, I do understand that God expects extraordinary things of us. No one can make our adrenalin flow and our hearts pump like the Lord and His plans for us. God habitually thinks big regarding his will for our lives…to say that He is ambitious about our futures is a massive understatement. We feel acutely that things could go wrong if we are not attentive enough or capable enough. However, God-sent adversity enable us to see if we are truly keeping pace with His plans.

Obviously, God was calling Joshua to faithful obedience. He wants him to stick to His will with great loyalty. There was no room for wandering here and there indiscriminately, and there was no allowance for a relaxed approach to the task ahead. God impressed his servant with the need for obedience and commitment. Such a standard generates motivation and tension in the same heart. 

DON’T ALLOW TROUBLES TO KNOCK YOU OUT OF GOD’S WILL

Adversity can knock us off stride. Often our routines or locations change in a time of trouble. A flood may force us from our home; an illness may force a change in work habits. A loss of employment can devastate a family with a series of changes…second and third order effects. The death of a love one can change the surviving family member’s lives in significant ways…. Life can be tumultuous; feeling trapped and without any other options we acquiesce to demanding and life-draining necessities…forgetting our own dreams…. The chances of being blown off track with God can suddenly escalate exponentially. What can we do?

1.  Remain Undaunted and Persistent in Obedience!

2 Tim. 1:7, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

We need courage to remain true to God's Word and to live according to God's commandments to us. This is especially important when we confront discouragement, disappointment, or despair in the aftermath of adversity. Recognize the spirit of fear that is threatening you did not come from God; it came from the enemy-Satan. Rest in the powerful resources God has equip you with to withstand the strains you must face. God gave you “power,” “love,” and a “sound mind;” employ these helps to sustain you through adversities.

When God called Ezekiel to the ministry of the prophet to Israel during their exile in Babylon, He also challenged him to be tough-minded and determined.  He made it extremely clear that Israel will not respond favorably, but Ezekiel was to remain undaunted by their lack of response to the message.  God told Ezekiel to refuse to allow himself to be discouraged and to Preach the Words of God.  Ezekiel 3:7-11, But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. [8] Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. [9] As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. [10] Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears. [11] And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Beloved, this is precisely what Ezekiel did though it was accomplished through extremely hard conditions. Likewise, we need to be tough-minded and determined to see God’s will through!

     A.  Troubles Will Temp You to Give Up. Our loss or pain may lead us to think, What's the use? Why bother? Why live a godly life if this is what happens to Christians?

      B.  Keep Your Eyes on the Lord and Eternal Rewards.  Remember always that the Lord doesn't promise us worldly success and circumstantial ease in this life. He promises us His unfailing presence and His eternal rewards. Recall the words of the Psalmist in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

When troubles come many began to reduce or neglect their spiritual activities and their zeal for service is greatly dissipated. 

1.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Church & Christian Fellowship.

2.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock You Out of Witnessing & Soul Winning.

3.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Bible Reading, Praying, & Devotion.

4.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of Growth and Maturing.

5.  Don’t Allow Trouble to Knock you out of God’s Calling and Ministry for Your Future!

Insist on continuing in the fundamental areas of obedience and commitment to the Lord. The trial will only reveal the level of your constancy in Christ!

2.  In Troubled Times, Cherish and Obey God Anyway!

A.    Time and again in the law of Moses we find the word keep.

B.     The children of Israel were commanded to keep the feasts, to keep the law and commandments, to keep the Sabbath day holy, to keep the ordinances, to keep their oaths to God, to keep themselves from evil, to keep God's judgments.

C.     To keep means to hold fast and to cherish at the same time.

When adversity strikes, this should be our mind-set: above all else, we need to hold fast to the Lord and cherish our relationship with Him. Rather than blame God or turn from God, we need to turn to God and rely on His help. Do not allow troubles to push you farther away from your heavenly Father; use them to cling to God even more tenaciously.

REALIZE THAT WE PROSPER AS WE CONTINUE IN THE LORD’S WILL REGARDLESS!

Joshua 1:7, Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

God prescribed blessing for His people and ensured they understood how to secure His great blessings upon themselves. There was no secret formula and Israel did not have to struggle under great rigor to figure out how to be blessed of God. God told them up front. Yes, from the very start God made it abundantly clear that obedience brought tremendous benefit, fortune, prosperity, and good to God’s people.

     1.  Consider What Moses Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

Deut. 29:9, Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

Moses said to the children of Israel as he led them into a covenant relationship with God to: “do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.” (Deut. 29:9). Keeping God’s laws in the face of adversity truly leads us toward prosperity—a better state of being...a more ideal situation. Our obligation is to follow through obediently and God is free to bless as He sees fit.

     2.  Consider What David Said About Obedience and Prosperity.

1 Chron. 22:13, Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

That was the advice of King David to his son Solomon. He said this to Solomon as part of his final blessing to him. As New Testament believers, we enjoy so many spiritual blessings simply because we are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. While we are not guarantee financial or material wealth as Israel was, we are privileged to enjoy some of God’s highest and most profound blessing. Beloved, we really do not miss out on anything of eternal value because of the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Let us sing with the Psalmist of Israel in,

Psalm 27:13-14, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. [14] Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Yes Beloved, life can be hard…really hard. It may seem at times that obeying God is the last thing you want to do. You may have occasions where you wonder if your obedience even matters…still follow your Lord faithfully. I urge you to refuse to allow bitter feelings, doubts, and frustrations to obscure what is truly important. Just as King David left a way of blessing for his son Solomon, our King Jesus is our generous source of blessing for all eternity. Trust and obey Him even when life makes no sense at all.

Remember troubles should be used for spiritual progress and benefit.  When adversity comes your way, it is time to look inside to see what areas may need to be strengthened to continue to grow spiritually and to stay on course with God’s specific plan for your life.  Self-examination should not be limited to areas of sinfulness or pride; it may also involve areas of weakness we need to strengthen and develop.  Fear is often a natural response to difficulties, and troubling circumstances.  But God calls us to use these challenges to grow in the areas of courage, hope, and faith.  Remember we should never waste an adversity. Learn all you can from each one. Realize that you can grow when you are willing to examine yourself closely and make the necessary changes. Beloved, have courage to obey God anyway. 

Renewing Your Mind

ROM. 12:1-2

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN DEVOTION AND SERVICE

THEME:  Dedicate Yourself More Completely to His Glory and Service.

For the Christian, the Foremost Priority must Be to Live for Christ and to Seek First His Kingdom (Matthew 6:33). That Does Not Line up with All the Talk We Hear Today about Self-realization. The Christian, However, Knows That We Were Created by God That We Might Glorify Him. Therefore, We Should Not Live to Please Ourselves, but, Rather to Exalt and Serve Our Lord.  Our Dearest Treasure Should be the Light of His Smile and Approval—this is the Ultimate Goal of Our Lives.

Many Believers get saved, and never discover what God has saved them for.  Others get saved and spend their entire Christian life pretending from Sunday to Sunday.  Some even get saved and spend their new life living for themselves primarily.  Then there are those who get saved and live for God with fervor, joy, excitement, sacrifice, and great heart-felt devotion. They are few, and they are real!  May the Lord help us through this series to become such Living Sacrifices.  The work of God can only move forward as individual believer began to take seriously their commitments to Christ.  Accepting the church covenant without seeking to live out that covenant is merely a ritual, not devotion.  Making a trip to the altar without ever seeking to live out the decisions made there is purely superficial if it is not life altering and character shaping.  

Note once again our key passage of consideration:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.[2] 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. (Rom 12:1-2)

  Present Your Mind to God as an Offering.  Vs. 2, “your mind”

Ephes. 5:17,  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

  

“Understanding” means Knowing the facts, Thinking Through them and putting them together, and then Yielding to God’s Expressed Will in accordance with your discovery.    

   

       A. To Think About God’s Will.  

“Understanding” has the idea that our thinking apparatus must be engaged to discover the will of God.  

           1.  Discovering God’s Will is Not Mystical.

Too often we get the idea that God’s will is mystical and completely rules out clear thinking processes.  Don’t reduce discovering God’s will to some mystical experience that can’t be tracked intelligently!  This is not only wrong but extremely dangerous.  Becoming a living sacrifice means that we must not only “Know” God’s will but also “Understand” what He expects of us individually and then set out to do it.  This doesn’t mean that we understand everything that He requires, but we will at least know what He requires is always reasonable and never too much!

ILLUSTRATION:   Our move to the Ansbach area to pastor Berean Baptist Church was not a mystical experience.  We had talked with the church and candidate for the pastorate.   I had met many of the church members which truly was a joy.   We had talked extensively about doctrine and practice, there was some confusion, but they were willing to follow the Word of God.   When they extended the call, I felt compelled to respond favorably.  It was clear thinking, meditation on the Scriptures, prayer and yielding to God.  Just walking through the open door of opportunity He clearly and obviously had opened unto us (Rev. 3:7-8; Acts 16:5-12; Numb. 13:25-33). Often it takes faith to seize the opportunity God gives you; this was certainly the case with us.  There were no flashing lights, no hand writing on the walls, no signs, dreams, and visions.  There were no voices without bodies speaking to me.  No, just scripture, prayer, clear thinking, careful examination of my motives, and correct circumstances.

           2.  Discovering God’s Will Requires Thinking.

                A.  Do Not Resort to Guessing.  Guessing will confuse you and is a sign of laziness.

Proverbs 21:5,  The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want.

                B.  Do Not Listen to Your Heart.  Your heart will mislead you.   Jeremiah 17:9,  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

                C.  Decide God’s Will by Thinking Biblically. Ephes. 5:17

God has given us the capacity to think and we need to employ it by Thinking, Gathering Facts, Examining the Facts, and Weighing the Facts and Praying for Wisdom (Js. 1:5) to make decisions which express “Understanding” (Eph. 5:17).

APPLICATION #1:  Gather the information, think through applicable Bible verses, and consider your circumstances.  Frequently and sincerely ask the Lord in prayer for a wise and understanding heart regarding specific decisions and responsibilities (1Kg. 3:7-12).   Does it allow you to be or remain completely dedicated to God?  Does it Facilitate serving Christ through my church?  Will I have to forsake the Lord in some way to do this?  Will my commitment to Christ be weakened or compromised?  Will my intentions be misunderstood or misread?   These are good questions to think on when making decisions.  Matthew 22:37, Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

   

APPLICATION #2.  Understanding God’s Will Leads to Braking With Sin.

Job 28:28,  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

APPLICATION #3.  Understanding God’s Will Leads to Obeying His Statements.

 Psalm 111:10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

APPLICATION #4: Obedience is a sign that we do understand His will very well.  The most intelligent believer is the most obedient one.  Those who make God's word their rule, understand themselves and their best interest!  It is of some understanding to know God's commandments and be able to discuss them insightfully, but a “good understanding” is reserved for those who actually “do” them and walk according to them.

ILLUSTRATION:   I can go back to one evening in October 1991 and recall a period at the altar in Grace Ind. Bapt. Church when I dedicated my entire life to God.  I took my hands off my life and decided to go all the way with God in His plan for me.  Many of the decisions in my Christian growth and progress were made in advance that night because I had made that one decision to live for God.  When I begin to hear the importance of going to Sunday School, and through the day light savings time change I ended up in Sunday School and I have been faithful every sense then.  Through preaching and teaching I learned about the importance of Sharing my Faith with the lost and sense I had dedicated my life, I became more serious and faithful to this privilege.  Then I heard about Tithing through my local church and I stopped giving to TV Evangelist and begin to give 10 % of my income to the church.  I begin to understand the importance of Missions, so I begin to give to missions and pray for our missionaries, after all I had dedicated my life to God.  I read in the Bible about being Holy and Separated in my Lifestyle, Language, and Appearance so I begin to trust God to cleanse my life of poor habits, language, and even my companions.  On the list goes concerning my personal experience of consecrating my life to the Lord’s Will and Service personally.  It did not happen automatically or over night, but God showed me first the need to dedicated my entire life to Him and His service!  Everything else was natural to living the Christian life by faith!

       B.  To Examine God’s Will. 

There is an important phrase in Rom 12:2 that relates to understanding the will of God and it is “That ye may prove.”  I think it would be good to examine this closer.  These words were commonly applied to the operation of testing metals, or trying them by the severity of fire.  Hence, it also means to explore, investigate, and ascertain.

               1.  Examine & Renew the Mind by Revelation.  (The Word).  (Heb. 4:12-13)

We Discover the Will of God from the Word of God and by allowing our minds to be renewed and our lives transformed to conform to His will. (Rom. 12:1-2).

The sense is, that such a “renewed mind” is essential to a successful inquiry for the will of God.  Having a disposition to obey Him, the mind will be prepared to understand His precepts and requirements.  The reason why the mind is renewed is that we may continue to do the will of God: the mind that is renewed is most prepared to appreciate and understand His will.

               2.  Examine & Renew the Mind by Dedication.  Rom. 12:2, “that ye may prove”

Therefore we must prove--- test and approve, refusing the normal conduct of the sinful world and reaffirming for ourselves the spiritual norms appropriate for the redeemed. Aiding this process is "the renewing of your mind," which mean that the believer is to keep going back in his thought to the original commitment– the “Living Sacrifice.”  Thus, dedication leads to discernment!

APPLICATION: You must obey what you know!  Dedication to obedience is the way to understand God’s will better and more completely.  All who dedicate themselves to do His will demonstrate conclusively that they have a good understanding  (Eph. 5:17).  Obedience is the key to receiving more direction from the Lord. If any believer will obey His blessed revealed will, he can expect to know more and more clearly the doctrine of Christ (John 7:17).  Obey what you know and He will more clearly show!  The more you obey the more you will receive from the Lord.  This is a wonderful promise for everyone who is earnestly seeking the truth.  If a person is sincere, and truly wants to know what is the truth, God will reveal it to him.  “Obedience is the organ of spiritual knowledge.” 

APPLICATION:   “Good success” and spiritual prosperity is reserved exclusively for those who do God’s will, according to what was promised to Joshua regarding obedience to the law (Josh. 1:8).  It is at this point we make our way prosperous and enjoy good success. We have every reason to praise God, to praise Him forever, because he has placed us into such a wonder way to blessed living.  Too often we want to know all the details of a matter before we take the first step of faith, this is not the way God work.  You most obey what you know and He will more clearly show!  He will reward the obedient with more blessing, opportunities, insight, progress, promotion, and service (Matt. 25:20-30; Lk. 12:40-48; Lk. 19:14-27).

ILLUSTRATION:   Nathanael beautifully illustrates the truth of obeying what you know in order to receive more instruction and insight from the Lord.   John 1:45-51,  Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. [46] And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. [47] Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! [48] Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. [49] Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. [50] Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. [51] And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.  The language referring to Jesus as the one Moses wrote about indicates that Philip was also a thoughtful seeker -- one who read the Old Testament Scriptures and was looking for the Messiah. Moses had written about the Messiah in the Law (see Deut 18:15-18), and the prophets had foretold his coming.  Instantaneously, Nathanael realizes that Jesus is “the Son of God” (Ps 2:7) and “the King of Israel” (Ps 2:6; Zeph 3:15).  Unlike many of the studied religious leaders of the day, these simple men understood the Scriptures, and knew what to look for. So when the Messiah came, they recognized Him!  Jesus foretells that the Disciples would hereafter see the angels ascending and descending upon Him, “the Son of Man” (a messianic title, see Dan 7:13). As students of the Old Testament, his disciples would have realized that Jesus was alluding to Jacob's vision of the ladder connecting Heaven to earth (Gen 28:12).  Jacob had left home, having lied to his father and cheated his brother of the birthright. Yet in his dream Jacob saw a vision of angels ministering to him. If God could reveal himself to a sinner like Jacob, surely he could reveal himself in an even greater way to Nathanael. To Nathanael and the others, the Heavens would be opened -- i.e., they would be given insight into the things of Heaven [(Acts 10:11 (Evangelization); Rev 4:1 (Expectations); 19:11 (Revelation)]. Furthermore, they would realize that Jesus, as the “Son of Man,” was the vehicle of communication between Heaven and earth. Just as God had appointed Jacob to be the father of the twelve tribes (under the new name Israel), God had appointed Jesus to be the founder of the new spiritual kingdom. The point is clear, Nathanael was ready to receive more insight from the Lord because he immediately believed what the Lord had said and his heart was free of guile, thus honest, transparent, and sincere.  He could secure more insight because he responded in faith to the first and more basic truths.