There are many in mainstream churches that believe you can’t know what God’s will is concerning their life. They sit in pews for years and hear preachers talk about how you can’t know God’s will concerning healing, or protection, provision, etc. Instead, they live life believing God has it all mapped out for them. In other words, whatever happens to them is the will of God for their lives, so this belief basically absolves them of any responsibility of finding out the truth for themselves. Many preachers manipulate the scriptures based on their past experiences to explain away what happens in their lives. “God says in Isaiah 55:8, and 9, ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways your ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than yours, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Christians have heard this so often, it has become the standard reply to any disaster that happens in their lives.
Years ago I was reading through Isaiah 55 because it’s one of my favorite chapters. I came across verse 6 which says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Suddenly, I made the connection with this verse and the next verse. God WANTS us to know His ways, and His thoughts. He’s telling us to forsake, abandon our own ways, and our own thoughts, because they have nothing in common with His. He wants us to find out what He has to say about what life is truly all about. In Isaiah 55:3 it says, “Incline, (turn) your ear to Me, and come (walk, pursue) Me. Hear (which implies obedience to what they hear) what I have to say, and your soul shall live.” (Isaiah 55:7)
While reading in Isaiah 5, a scripture popped out at me. I had read it before but the part I had never seen before gave me a clue about where I was missing it in my own life. Isaiah 5:12 says, “And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operations of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and the multitude dried up with thirst.” People are gone into captivity because they lack knowledge of God, and how He works and operates! This truth opened up a whole new understanding of why my life was so messed up and nothing seemed to be working. There were obviously principles that I lacked and I began my search to find just how God worked and how He operated. One of the very first requirements I found was that I had my part to play in getting my life turned around.
In order to know God’s will, I had to do what Romans 12:1, 2 said to do. Give my body to God, which is the only logical thing to do as He paid a very high price to live in it. The next part, of not being conformed to this world but being transformed by the renewing of the mind that I may be able to prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is, seemed like a very difficult task to accomplish. I asked myself, “Will this take years?”
The task seemed daunting to me, but much to my amazement, it didn’t take years. Before I knew it, what was coming out of my mouth was the Word. My life began to turn around. I was once shy, afraid to open my own mouth, and speak to people. After this revelation, I found myself speaking to people, praying for people, and loving people.
I am in agreement with the Word of God. Knowing God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect. It’s life!
Years ago I was reading through Isaiah 55 because it’s one of my favorite chapters. I came across verse 6 which says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Suddenly, I made the connection with this verse and the next verse. God WANTS us to know His ways, and His thoughts. He’s telling us to forsake, abandon our own ways, and our own thoughts, because they have nothing in common with His. He wants us to find out what He has to say about what life is truly all about. In Isaiah 55:3 it says, “Incline, (turn) your ear to Me, and come (walk, pursue) Me. Hear (which implies obedience to what they hear) what I have to say, and your soul shall live.” (Isaiah 55:7)
While reading in Isaiah 5, a scripture popped out at me. I had read it before but the part I had never seen before gave me a clue about where I was missing it in my own life. Isaiah 5:12 says, “And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operations of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honorable men are famished, and the multitude dried up with thirst.” People are gone into captivity because they lack knowledge of God, and how He works and operates! This truth opened up a whole new understanding of why my life was so messed up and nothing seemed to be working. There were obviously principles that I lacked and I began my search to find just how God worked and how He operated. One of the very first requirements I found was that I had my part to play in getting my life turned around.
In order to know God’s will, I had to do what Romans 12:1, 2 said to do. Give my body to God, which is the only logical thing to do as He paid a very high price to live in it. The next part, of not being conformed to this world but being transformed by the renewing of the mind that I may be able to prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is, seemed like a very difficult task to accomplish. I asked myself, “Will this take years?”
The task seemed daunting to me, but much to my amazement, it didn’t take years. Before I knew it, what was coming out of my mouth was the Word. My life began to turn around. I was once shy, afraid to open my own mouth, and speak to people. After this revelation, I found myself speaking to people, praying for people, and loving people.
I am in agreement with the Word of God. Knowing God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect. It’s life!
