PRACTICAL MATTERS FOR LIVING A PRODUCTIVE CHRISTIAN LIFE - #3 GOD'S PRESCRIPTIONS
READ 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5
“And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 5And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”
There's a prescription here for how to live your life every day. This is a thrilling prescription for daily living. God has a responsibility, and we have a responsibility. It is important that you learn this fact. You do your part and then God promises He will do His part.
Here's the prescription:
1. You Must Focus Upon Doing the Will of God.
Paul is very tactful in the way he goes about it. He's very complimentary. He says in verse 4, “…we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. He says I have full confidence about you that you are going to do and will do the things you've been commanded to do -- the will of God.
Decide now to do the will of God. As God reveals His will to you, determine to do it. In doing the will of God, you will have the very best possible life that you could ever experience.
Romans 12:2b says, "...that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." God's will is good, it is acceptable, and it is perfect.
You can count upon the will of God. It's a wonderful life to live just doing the will of God. Every morning when you wake up you ought to pray, "Lord, I want to do your will today. I commit myself to do Your will today." Just take one day at a time.
Do you wonder what God's will is for you thirty years down the road? Don't worry about that. Think about God’s will today. Live for Jesus today. When you go to work in the morning say, I'm going to do the will of God with His help today. As you live for Jesus on a day-by-day basis, make up your mind that it will be in the will of God - Nothing more, nothing else, nothing less. What a way to live! That's your part.
2. God commits Himself to do His part.
You do the will of God and then God commits Himself to do His part. Verse 5 says, “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”
He is saying you do the will of God and God will direct your life.
What a beautiful word is the word “direct”. The Lord will guide your life. I Thessalonians 3:11 puts it this way, “Now God Himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.” We are living in a wilderness, a desert land. However, God is committed to guiding us.
Think about Israel. When the Children of Israel were going through the wilderness, the Bible says that by day there a pillar of cloud led them. At night that cloud became a pillar of fire to guide them. You and I, though, have the blessed Holy Spirit in our hearts, and the Lord has committed himself to guide our lives if we are committed to do His will.
You do His will, and He promises to direct and fill our lives and hearts with His love. What a home for the heart -- the love of God.
Live every day of your life being guided by the Lord into his love and the patient waiting for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a shelter for the soul the patient waiting for Jesus Christ is.
Proverbs 3:5-6 speaks about how we should live our lives. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Isn't that a promise! Do His will!
Remember Eliezer, Abraham’s servant. He had been sent to find a bride for his son, Isaac. God led Eliezer, and he found a bride for Isaac and made this statement, "I being in the way, the Lord led me." (Read Genesis 24)
Isn't that a great promise? God says in His word, that if you follow Him, He will direct and guide you. This is the prescription for living the Christian life.
Your Friend and HIS,
Pastor Abbott
MEDITATIONS
1. What are you doing to follow the will of God?
2. What are you doing in the ministry of your church, that you know to be the will of God?
3. How have you seen God’s direction in your life?
4. Take a moment to rejoice in the manner you have chosen to obey the will of God. How has your obedience changed your life?