Notes of Faith June 26, 2026
God’s Will
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
The subject of God’s will for the individual Christian always promotes lively debate. How are we to know what God’s will is for us? While the discussion continues, we can know for certain at least three things that are God’s will for every Christian: to rejoice always, to be persistent in prayer, and to live with an attitude of gratitude in all things.
Recommended Reading:
Romans 15:30-33
When Paul wrote that “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” he was likely referring to all three of the disciplines he had just mentioned—not just to the last one about giving thanks. And it is not incidental that his very next words were a warning about quenching the Holy Spirit’s fire (1 Thessalonians 5:19). When the Holy Spirit is given free range in the Church, Christians will manifest joy, will be consistent in prayer, and will be grateful (along with other manifestations—Galatians 5:22-23). Joy, prayer, and gratitude are three “barometers” which can reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit and how yielded Christians are to His filling and leading.
Based on these three measures, are you walking in God’s will today?
The essence of Christian ethics is gratitude.
R. C. Sproul
Mark 3:32-35
32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You." 33 Answering them, He said, "Who are My mother and My brothers?" 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, "Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 "For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother."
Rom 12:1
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
1 Thess 4:3-7
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.
1 Peter 2:15
15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.
1 Peter 4:1-2
Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
If there is confusion as to the will of God, perhaps there is need to be in His Word more, to hear, listen, and respond to Him as He speaks to each and every person.
May we all pursue the will of God, to live righteously, pleasing to God, and a blessing to all those that He puts around us!
Pastor Dale