Finding God's Will - April 22 Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4

Today’s Readings

Context

Paul turns from personal remarks to teaching important truths to the Thessalonians, though still with a personal perspective. He admonishes the Thessalonians to obey God's will in abstaining from sexual immorality, to live quiet, godly, and productive lives, and to have the proper attitude about the coming of the Lord.

It seems likely that some "second coming fever" had hit the church and some were dropping out of life to await the Lord's coming. That is why Paul told them to live quiet lives and to work hard (verse 11). Then, the well-known passage about the appearing of Christ is designed to teach people to avoid controversy and unhealthy interest, but to let the fact of Christ's coming lead them to be comforted and confident. They were likely upset when Christians died, expecting that they would all live to see the end times. Paul put it all in perspective.

Devotional - Finding God's Will

"I just don't know what God's will is for my life. I'm praying and trying to seek his will and find it."

That is a noble goal, and I believe that God, by his Spirit, will lead each of us where he wants to be and to do what he wants us to do, as he guided Paul throughout Acts. But sometimes we get so focused on seeking these individual leadings that we fail to see some specific things that the Bible reveals are most definitely the will of God for you. It is not healthy to seek to know the specific will of God if you are ignoring God's revealed and eternal word and what it tells us about the will of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (which we will read tomorrow) tells us that God's will is that we give thanks in everything. Couldn't be clearer. If I am not giving thanks, I am not following God's will. There are several verses that indicate that God's will for our lives is to endure with joy and strength even through intense suffering.

Our first priority is to do God's will as revealed in God's Word before we seek specific direction from the Spirit.

In this passage, part of God's will is revealed unequivocally, but it is a command that is increasingly difficult to obey in the world in which we live. Look at verses 3 through 5.

For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, so that each of you knows how to control his own body in sanctification and honor, not with lustful desires, like the Gentiles who don’t know God.

What is God's will for my life? Plain. Clear. Not debatable. that I abstain from any form of sexual immorality and that I live in control of my body not giving in to the lustful desires of the flesh. I don't really need to pray about this. I don't need to ask God what his will is on the matter. He's made that abundantly clear.

• I am to remain absolutely faithful to my wife - not just "technically" in body, but also in my soul and in my spiritual. 
• I am to control my body in honor. It is the dwelling of God and I should not defile it with trash, with smut and filth. When Jesus died for me and saved me, he gained ownership rights over my body (1 Corinthians 6) and I lost the right to indulge the flesh. 
• If someone monitored what I watch on TV and where I go on the internet, they should see that I honor God and that I do not indulge the flesh. 
• I must resist the relentless attack of pornography on my mind and heart. 
• I must guard my heart and my thoughts, not indulging lustful fantasies. 
• I must guard my tongue, that I do not speak the kind of filth I would not act on. 

These are not options. This is God's will for my life, as plain as could be. And the good news is that the power of the Spirit dwells within and because of that, we can rely on God to empower us to accomplish his will. He can strengthen us to say no to temptation, cleanse us from sin, purify our hearts and minds, and give us zeal to follow the will of God.

Father, I thank you for you power at work in me through Christ to purify me. I testify that my body belongs to you and I ask for your power to obey your will and abstain from immorality, impurity and every form of uncleanness - of the body, of the  mind, of the mouth, of the soul. 

Think and Pray

Are you walking in purity or do you have a secret life of sin?