WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU?

Good morning! My name is Charlotte and I am writing to help us give our first thoughts to the Lord.

A lot of time when you have lived a lot of years, you look back and try to analyze what you have actually done in your life - or not done. If you are a Christian, your thoughts go to what have I accomplished for the Lord. Have I done whatever I have done with a sincere heart? Was my well being in mind or was I doing this for the Lord and with His direction? In my life I have seen others succeed and actually make big money on their talents for the Lord, and I wonder where I went wrong or if I went wrong or maybe God just had a different path in mind for them that did not apply to me.

What does the scripture say about the will of God?

In 2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul proclaims that he was AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WILL OF GOD. We know that Paul was 'called out' by God directly so this was an obvious calling on Paul's life for a work cut out just for him.

2 Corinthian 8:3-5 says FOR TO THEIR POWER, I BEAR RECORD,

YES AND BEYOND THEIR POWER THEY WERE WILLING OF THEMSELVES; PRAYING US WITH MUCH INTREATY THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE THE GIFT, AND TAKE UPON US THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MINISTERING TO THE SAINTS.

AND THIS THEY DID, NOT AS WE HOPED, BUT FIRST GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD, AND UNTO US BY THE WILL OF GOD.

This scripture talks about being willing - to pray for Paul and his team. But Paul had a different idea of what he wanted from the people than what happened and what was the will of God. AND THIS THEY DID, NOT AS WE HOPED, BUT (there's the but) FIRST GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD and then to praying for Paul BY THE WILL OF GOD.

So no matter what job the Lord gives us to do in our life - even if it is 'just praying,' first we need to give ourselves to the Lord. Then our 'just praying' becomes mountain moving in our lives and the people we 'just pray' for. Actually, 'just praying' and seeing God move because we prayed is the most exciting thing I can think of.

Colossians 4:12 says this EPAPHRAS, WHO IS ONE OF YOU, A SERVANT OF CHRIST, SALUTES YOU, ALWAYS LABORING FERVENTLY FOR YOU IN PRAYERS, THAT YOU MAY STAND PERFECT AND COMPLETE IN ALL THE WILL OF GOD.

Epaphras, whoever he/she was, was a servant of God and his/her labor was in praying. His/her prayer was that the Colossians as well as you and I may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

What does it mean to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God?

In 3 John 2 John writes BELOVED, I WISH ABOVE ALL THINGS THAT YOU MAY PROSPER AND BE IN HEALTH, EVEN AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS.

Paul and John wrote the same thing under the direction of the Holy Spirit that FIRST THEY GAVE THEIR OWN SELVES TO THE LORD and EVEN AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS.

From this we can see that above any work that we do, the check is to make sure we have given our selves completely and wholly to the Lord and we continue to prosper spiritually by growing in God.

From this we would get that prosperity in the material realm and perfect health for our body are the will of God for us BUT are the results of our soul prospering.

Does this mean that if we are not in good health and don't have a lot of financial prosperity that our soul is not prospering?

It does not mean that. This is a journey we are on. We do not start at the top and work down. We start at the bottom and work up. The first rung on the ladder is giving ourselves wholly and completely to God....trusting Him no matter what, and as I Thessalonians 5:18 says IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU.

To go through adversity of any and all kind and stand right slap dab in the middle of it and thank God and praise Him for His goodness because we know that all things work for our good. We might not even be able to see any good, but the test is to stand and give thanks and praise - this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.

I John 2:17 says this AND THE WORLD PASSES AWAY, AND THE LUST THEREOF; BUT HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDES FOREVER.

Lord, remind us to give thanks in all things, no matter what and to praise you because our lives are in your hands to work and will as you choose. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.

Have a great day today!

Charlotte