Quickbites
- To know God's will for the future, we must first obey what we already know in the present.
- 10 steps of the Framework of Obedience
1. Believing in Christ
-> We must never forget that trust in the Lord is the cornerstone of our Christian faith.
2. Surrendering Yourself
-> Most people want to know God's will for them first, before they actually decide if they would obey. God, however, expects unconditional surrender from us.
3. Loving the Lost
-> Sharing the gospel is not the responsibility of a handful of "professionals," it is the responsibility of all Christians.
-> God created us with unique personalities, and we must find ways to share the gospel that are consistent with whom He made us to be. We may not have the guts to stand on a stage and preach, but we could pray for the person who does.
4. Doing Good Works
-> Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we were created to do good works.
-> James tells us that faith without works is dead.
-> Faith is like the roots of a tree. Works are the fruit. We do not judge how healthy a tree is by examining it's roots. Instead, we examine it's fruit. If there is no fruit, the tree is assumed to be diseased or dying.
-> Seek out opportunities to serve others.
5. Growing in Faith
-> 2 Peter 1:5-7 states that we are to grow in faith.
-> God wants us to reach a place of maturity where we can spiritually feed ourselves and be able to stand firm in the face of any adversity.
6. Submitting to Authority
-> 1 Peter 2:13-15 states that we should submit to all authority above us.
-> Obedience to laws of God may cause us to be in conflict with the human laws the people of authority has established over us. We have to put God's laws above civil laws, as absolute obedience is only given to God.
7. Enduring Hardship
-> James 1:2-4 states that God wants us to be ready and willing to suffer for the gospel.
-> We must learn to embrace trials and difficulties as opportunies to develop spiritual muscle. Pray for the strength to overcome these obstacles.
8. Denying Yourself
-> 1 Peter 4:2 states that we must live for the will of God, and not the lusts of Man.
-> Jesus tells us that unless we deny ourselves, take up the cross and live for Him, we are not fit for His kingdom.
9. Doing Justice
-> Micah 6:8 states that God requires us to be humble, act justly and to love mercy.
-> God commands us not to exploit the needy and the poor.
-> We are to serve, love and help all people from a basis of a solid relationship, and not to listen to their problems and impose our solutions on them. Doing justice and loving mercy does not mean we have all the answers.
10. Forgiving Others
-> We are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
-> As we love and forgive one another, God's love is released into our lives, and it becomes a powerful witness to the reality of His presence.
Review Questions
1. Why are you interested in knowing God's will?
It is so that I may further obey, and to accept that God's way is higher than mine.
2. God has already revealed a great deal of His will for us in the Bible. The author says that obedience to His already-revealed will is a prerequisite for knowing more of His will. Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
Agree. Before God can entrust us with greater and heavier responsiblities, we first have to prove that we are able to cope with what He has already placed on us.
3. What do good works tell us about someone's faith?
It shows someone who is carrying out the will of God, to be obedient. This is only so if his motive for doing good works is to glorify God's name.
4. What does it mean to you to grow spiritually?
It means that I am better equipped with the knowledge of the word of God, and to rely on God's strength in adversity.
5. The author says that at times it may be God's will for us to disobey government authorities in order to obey God. Do you agree or disagree? Explain. If you agree, in what particular circumstances might it be appropriate to break the law?
Agree. Though we are commanded by God to submit to authority, God's laws and decrees have absolute authority. It might be appropriate to break the law when it compromises the values of my Christian faith.
6. When, according to McClung, can it be God's will for us to suffer? Do you think this means Christians are supposed to have long faces and never enjoy themselves? Explain.
Yes. It is through hardship that we develope perserverance and grow stronger. A strong Christian is one who endures the hardship and emerges victorious in God's strength. Christians are not supposed to have long faces as alongside the strength God provides, there is also the joy in abiding in God.
7. Helping the poor is another major concern God has. What have been your experiences with helping the homeless or defenseless?
Through various visits to the elderly homes organised by my school, the poor are often those that require love from others. And they are those whom will appreciate it the most as well.
8. Finally, the author mentions forgiveness. Why is healing broken relationships so often difficult? What can you do to be reconciled to someone you might have hard feelings toward?
Healing broken relationships is often difficult due to pride. In order for a relationship to be restored, someone has to lower his or her pride in order to apologize or patch things up with the other party. And if the other party is unwilling to reciprocate that gesture, it often would thus portray the initator as a lesser-willed individual, which would then hurt his/her pride to an even greater extent.
~4Christ who lives in me~
†darrenshakers
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