“If any man will do His will, he shall know…” John 7:17
Dear Ones:
How hard is it to KNOW the will of God? Is it difficult for God to speak to us through His word? Or is it too hard for God to use circumstances to convince us of His will? As someone has remarked, “Knowing the will of God is NOT difficult; WE are difficult.
In Jesus’ day, He was confronted by the Pharisees, who were “learned,” religious men. They had a very difficult time believing that Jesus could truly know the Scriptures, since He was, in their eyes, uneducated. And yet, the Lord Jesus would say with great authority: “My doctrine (teaching) is not mine, but His that sent me.” (Jn. 7:16) These “learned” men could not see the truth of Who Christ was, nor the Divine nature of the truths of which He spoke because the great issue is the attitude of the heart. They were not willing to hear, learn, and embrace the veracity of what Jesus declared. One understands by believing. It is with the heart that he first sees.
On one occasion, Jesus, on the Sabbath, healed a man born blind. The Pharisees confronted the man, declaring to him that Jesus was a sinner, certainly not of God. In his second confrontation with the Pharisees, the healed man declared to them: “Now we know that God does not hear sinners (those rebelling against God): but if any man be a worshipper of God, and DOES HIS WILL, him He hears.” (Jn. 9:31) Previously, the healed man had said to them: “I have told you already, and you would not hear.” It is clear that these Pharisees could not see Who Jesus was, nor understand His teaching, recognizing it was from God, because they were NOT willing to hear, believe, and obey. They were the ones who were blind, because of their unbelieving heart.
When the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the church at Colossae, he addressed this matter of knowing the will of God. He did so in the form of a prayer. “….(We)…do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be FILLED with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you might walk worthy of the Lord.” (1:9,10) We see here that God ALONE can give the knowledge of His will. He will do so in answer to believing prayer. James tells us in his epistle, that we must ask, or pray IN FAITH, “…nothing doubting.” The believer who stakes all upon the faithfulness of God, WILL SEE, if he prays. Please note that Paul’s praying is unceasing, and that he is trusting the Lord to give the fullness of the knowledge of His will. In all aspects and circumstances of life, we are to walk worthy of Christ. This is only possible as we KNOW the will of God.
Dear Father, enable us to pray as F. Havergal so precisely wrote: “Take my will; and make it Thine; It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart; it is Thine own; It shall be Thy royal throne.” Fill us with the knowledge of Thy will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that we might truly walk in a manner that honors and glorifies Thee. We thank Thee in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad