THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW

INTRO:

What is the second most important thing for me and all Christians to know? First the most important thing is to “KNOW THAT YOU ARE SAVED AND YOUR SALVATION IS SECURE AND ETERNAL”. The SECOND most Important thing to know is, WHAT IS GOD’S WILL FOR ME? You will never find GOD’S WILL UNTIL YOUR SALVATION IS SETTLED IN YOUR HEART! God has a plan for each of us. God created us FOR A PURPOSE!

Act 22:14  And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

Chosen of God. Not like the Calvinist say, but in a plan that God has for me.

JESUS, “God in the Flesh”, is our example and Jesus said:

Heb 10:9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

The Apostle Peter wrote to us these words from God:

1Pe 2:15  For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
1Pe 2:16  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

TO PUT TO SILENCE FOOLISH MEN. In other words God knows every Christian will have the eyes of foolish men on them AND GOD WANTS TO SILENCE THEM. Notice the words “as free”. This must be a PERSONAL CHOICE THAT WE MAKE. (Again not like the Calvinist say).

Even in the Old Testament we find that this is true. In the beginning and in the life of Jeremiah the prophet.(Notice the words “before I formed thee in the belly”.

Jer 1:4  Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Jer 1:5  Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

THIS HOLDS TRUE IN EVERY BORN AGAIN, WASHED IN THE BLOOD CHRISTIAN OF TODAY.

1.) GOD HAS A PLAN FOR US:

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath [before ordained] that we should walk in them.

Notice the words “before ordained”. Just like Jeremiah, BEFORE WE WERE EVEN BORN.

2.) GOD WANTS US IN HIS PLAN:

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

That we should walk in His “GOOD WORKS” JUST FOR US.

Eph 4:1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

WE CAN SEE THAT GOD WILL NOT GO WITHOUT LETTING US KNOW HIS WILL. GOD WANTS US TO KNOW HIS PLAN FOR US.

I.) HOW DO I FIND THE WILL OF GOD?

1.) I Must Search the Scriptures.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15  These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

2.) I must have inner conviction:

I must listen to The Holy Spirit THAT ABIDES IN ME:

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
Joh 16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

3.) I must watch for divinely led circumstances:

2Co 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
2Co 9:9  (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
2Co 9:10  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
2Co 9:11  Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

Heb 13:20  Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 13:21  Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

4.) I may have to put out a fleece:

Gideon put out a fleece to know the will of God in his life.

Jdg 6:36  And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said,
Jdg 6:37  Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.
Jdg 6:38  And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.
Jdg 6:39  And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.
Jdg 6:40  And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

5.) I MUST SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF GOD WHEN HIS WILL IS MADE KNOWN TO ME:

Rom 12:1  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.
Rom 12:2  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.

I must stay neutral with my own beliefs and FOLLOW GOD:

Psa 143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Col 1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

6.) I MUST PRAY FOR THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF GOD’S WILL FOR ME:

Deu 4:29  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

Psa 34:15  The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Hos 10:12  Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

7.) I MUST “WAIT” ON THE LORD:

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

8.) I must compare His will with scripture:

God would never tell you to do something that goes against his written word.

2Co 10:12  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
2Co 10:13  But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

1Jn 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jn 2:4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1Jn 2:5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

II.) WHAT ARE THE PREREQUISITES:(“Things that need be settled first”)

1.) I MUST BE TOTALLY SURE OF MY SALVATION:

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

I Must Know, THAT I KNOW, “THAT I KNOW”.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

2.) I MUST BE SANCTIFIED: (set apart” Getting more Like Jesus every day)

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
1Th 4:6  That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1Th 4:8  He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
1Th 4:9  But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

3.) I MUST HAVE THE RIGHT ATTITUDE: (an attitude of gratitude)

1Th 5:15  See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
1Th 5:16  Rejoice evermore.
1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing.
1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th 5:19  Quench not the Spirit.
1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings.
1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

“don’t even have the appearance of doing evil”

CONCLUSION:

I MUST DO WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO DO RIGHT NOW.

Luk 19:26  For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

God will show us His plan for us!

THAT’S WHY HE MADE US!

Amen.