* A Daily Conversation With God

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,
to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Colossians 3:15

In the natural world, an umpire is a person responsible for reviewing a sports event to determine if the game is being played according to the rules.  In the spiritual world, the peace of God is the umpire of the will of God. Your actions and decisions are reviewed. When they are in harmony with God's will, you will have peace in your spirit. When you are confused or frustrated; meaning you don't have peace in your spirit, you should not act in that moment. Wait until you receive peace concerning the decision you are making. Lack of peace is a signal from the umpire that something is wrong:

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.   1 Corinthians 14:33

Another important principle in the matter of God's will is to recognize God reveals His plan a step at a time. This means He does not reveal the entire plan for our life, with all the details, at one time. God does not just speak once in a lifetime to us. We cannot develop a relationship with someone on the basis of one conversation. A relationship is a continuing process of communication. God continues to speak, and we increase in our ability to recognize His voice.

God has reasons for revealing His will a step at a time. Often, we are not ready to know the whole plan because it might overwhelm us or cause feelings of inadequacy for the task ahead. Jesus once said to His disciples:

I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.  John 16:12

God told Israel that He would defeat their enemies in Canaan "little by little" as they were ready and able to assume responsibility for the new land He was giving them.

God also does not reveal His entire plan because we tend to worry over the future, some try to move forward outside of the timing of God, some do not yet have the integrity required to handle what God has in store for them. The Bible admonishes:

Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.   Matthew 6:34

There is no need to worry about the future. Make only the decisions necessary for today. The future is controlled by God. This does not mean we should not do wise planning for the future. But we are not to worry about it. What is important is to live in the revealed will of God for this day. Learn to hear His voice in our daily walk with God. A daily walk in His will results in a life-long walk in His will.

God does not reveal His total plan because He wants us to learn to live by faith. It is easier to take the first step if one knows where the path is headed. It is not as easy to take a step of faith into the unknown.  The Bible states regarding Abraham:

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  Genesis 12:1

Apostle Paul had this to say regarding Abraham stepping out in faith:

By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.   Hebrews 11:8

Nothing can build faith in God better than walking a step at a time. Taking a step at a time as God reveals it means we cannot move too hastily. Moses moved too quickly and killed an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11-22). Abraham moved ahead of God's plan and tried to substitute Ishmael for the chosen heir  (Genesis 16).

The book of Esther stresses the importance of waiting on God. The people of God were in danger of being destroyed by a man named Haaman. He had asked the King to destroy all Jews.  Queen Esther was aware of the plot. She knew it was not God's will for the Jewish people to be destroyed, but she did not act in haste. She waited until God gave her a plan and then she waited an extra day before talking to the King. During that waiting period an important thing happened. The King discovered that Mordeacai, a Jew, had saved his life from a plot to murder him.

When this was made known, then Esther revealed Haaman’s plot against the Jews. The king acted against Haaman's plan, the Jews were saved, and Haaman was punished for his evil--all because Esther waited one more day before acting.

In a spiritual sense, the burning bush that Moses witnessed still burns. God still guides us and desires to speak to us:

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.   Jeremiah 33:3

God wants to reveal His will and communicate His plans to us. He continues to guide and direct. God is a still God who speaks if we will only listen.  God speaks to us in many ways and not always the way we expect.  He spoke to Elijah in a still small voice:

The LORD said, "Go out. Stand on the mountain in front of me. I am going to pass by." As the LORD approached, a very powerful wind tore the mountains apart. It broke up the rocks. But the LORD wasn't in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake. But the LORD wasn't in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire came. But the LORD wasn't in the fire. And after the fire there was only a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his coat over his face. He went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice said to him, "Elijah, what are you doing here?"    1 Kings 19:11-13
There are times when God does not speak directly to us but through others. King Jehoshaphat prayed and God responded to his prayer through a man:
Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; And he said , Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.    2 Chronicles 20:14-20 If you haven't begun already, start a daily conversation with God; talk to Him and then take the time to listen when He speaks.  

(Biblical Studies)

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03/28/16
04/05/19

10/05/20

08/03/22