Ready To Do God's Will
"Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The will of the Lord be done.” (Acts 21:13-14)
At the beginning of any race, there is a phrase we are all familiar with: "Ready. Set. Go." Before the race even begins, there is a need to be ready for what lies ahead and to be resolved to do whatever the course requires of us no matter how hard it might be. In other words, we need to make up our minds before we start moving our feet that we are going to get to the finish line.
The Apostle Paul made up his mind that he was going to go to Jerusalem, even after many warnings from every city that chains and tribulation awaited him there. As far as he was concerned, he was bound in the spirit and had verbally made it known, saying that, "none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).
Paul was dead set on running toward the danger, not away from it, if it was the will of God. O how we all need to count the cost like this and realize that any suffering that we have to go through in this life is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18). It may be easy to choose the path of least resistance but the Lord shows us that there is great reward and great blessing for those who are ready and willing to do His will.
When the writer of Hebrews considers all those from past generations who had gone before us and lived a life of faith in the Lord, he reminds the Jewish brethren back then and all of us today to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. 12:1-2).
Whether it is Paul the Apostle or Philip the Evangelist, we all have to decide to keep doing what God has called us to do even when the road might be hard and we or our loved ones do not want to see us go through difficulty. When the going gets rough...the faithful keep obeying.
The Lord has called us to live not for ourselves but for His glory, the sake of others, and His greater purpose to live in light of the light that He has given to us. This involves ordering our lives in accordance with Scripture in the different ways that God reveals His will:
We all have the standards of God revealed to us in Scripture but we need to draw near to God and be open for Him lead us by His Spirit and show us the specific works that He has prepared for us. Thus, in order to be READY TO DO GOD’S WILL, we should walk continually in His standard will...pray and seek to obey His specific will...and rest in His sovereign will.
Paul showed himself to be a faithful follower of Jesus and the warnings he received were to prepare him to endure hardship not to prevent him from moving forward.
Since Jesus submitted His will and resolved to go to Jerusalem and suffer and die for us in accordance with the will of His Father, let us follow Him no matter the cost and remember that God's will is always best and will always be worth it in the end.
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
At the beginning of any race, there is a phrase we are all familiar with: "Ready. Set. Go." Before the race even begins, there is a need to be ready for what lies ahead and to be resolved to do whatever the course requires of us no matter how hard it might be. In other words, we need to make up our minds before we start moving our feet that we are going to get to the finish line.
The Apostle Paul made up his mind that he was going to go to Jerusalem, even after many warnings from every city that chains and tribulation awaited him there. As far as he was concerned, he was bound in the spirit and had verbally made it known, saying that, "none of these things move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself, that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24).
Paul was dead set on running toward the danger, not away from it, if it was the will of God. O how we all need to count the cost like this and realize that any suffering that we have to go through in this life is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8:18). It may be easy to choose the path of least resistance but the Lord shows us that there is great reward and great blessing for those who are ready and willing to do His will.
When the writer of Hebrews considers all those from past generations who had gone before us and lived a life of faith in the Lord, he reminds the Jewish brethren back then and all of us today to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. 12:1-2).
Whether it is Paul the Apostle or Philip the Evangelist, we all have to decide to keep doing what God has called us to do even when the road might be hard and we or our loved ones do not want to see us go through difficulty. When the going gets rough...the faithful keep obeying.
The Lord has called us to live not for ourselves but for His glory, the sake of others, and His greater purpose to live in light of the light that He has given to us. This involves ordering our lives in accordance with Scripture in the different ways that God reveals His will:
- His STANDARD will: What God demands & requires of all people at all times [His Word]
- His SPECIFIC will: What God desires & reveals to His people for a specific time [Our Calling]
- His SOVEREIGN will: What God determines & reserves for all people throughout all time.
We all have the standards of God revealed to us in Scripture but we need to draw near to God and be open for Him lead us by His Spirit and show us the specific works that He has prepared for us. Thus, in order to be READY TO DO GOD’S WILL, we should walk continually in His standard will...pray and seek to obey His specific will...and rest in His sovereign will.
Paul showed himself to be a faithful follower of Jesus and the warnings he received were to prepare him to endure hardship not to prevent him from moving forward.
Since Jesus submitted His will and resolved to go to Jerusalem and suffer and die for us in accordance with the will of His Father, let us follow Him no matter the cost and remember that God's will is always best and will always be worth it in the end.
ACTS IN ACTION CHALLENGE POINTS
- CONSIDER: Are you surrendered to God’s will no matter what
- COUNT THE COST: Agree to do God’s will even if it is hard
- COMMIT: Resolve to go forward once you know God’s will
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