A hymn for today – voting day

Today the people of my state of Texas (and 12 other states) cast their votes in the primary election. There have been strong words and the divisions between the parties and there appear to be greater divisions and disharmony among the candidates within the same parties as well. Complaints and concerns about the candidates are […]

Christ’s death and God’s will

George Smeaton, The Apostles Doctrine of the Atonement: Peter intimates that God subjected Him to death, and that He was not properly overcome by His enemies, — that it was the will of God, His determinate counsel or plan, that Messiah should be delivered as a malefactor into the hands of men, and be put […]

“Not My will…”

Last night as we read the account of Christ’s betrayal, crucifixion, and death at our Good Friday service, I was particularly struck by Christ’s willing submission to the will of the Father — a will that decreed that the Holy One take on sin and the attendant cup of God’s wrath. “My Father, if it […]

Knowing the will of God

How can one know the will of God? That question is not only frequently asked in our day, but has often been asked by followers of God throughout much of, if not all of, history. Here is an answer from pastor John Newton in one of his many letters. Though written a couple of centuries […]

Friesen on the will of God

I have appreciated Garry Friesen’s book, Decision Making and the Will of God for a long time (the first edition is better than the updated second edition). I recently came across his website where he has much content from his book and many reviews of books that coincide with his position and contradict his position. […]

Love God and do what you will

I have long appreciated Augustine’s statement about the will of God: “Love God and do what you will.” Many years ago I made that statement in a sermon and a young college student responded to me by email and said, “If I do what I want I will end up in sin.” To which I […]

Don’t perplex your mind

For the past three months, we’ve been growing in our comprehension of the will of God and how we are to make decisions in relation to it during our Sunday School hour. A couple of days ago, I came across this statement from Jonathan Edwards (“The Reality of Conversion”) that reaffirms what Lee was teaching […]

Sunday Leftovers (11/14/10)

When the Scriptures speak of the will of God, there are two possibilities in view — either the sovereign, decreed will of God by which He governs all the affairs of creation, or the moral will of God by which He reveals the commands of which are incumbent on all men to follow. And in […]

The secret things belong to God, so…

I came across this statement by Jonathan Edwards in my morning devotional reading today. It fits well with part of my message this coming Sunday morning on Eph. 5:17-18 — understanding what the will of the Lord is: Don’t perplex your mind with the secret decrees of God and particularly about the eternal decrees of […]

Book Review: Just Do Something

Title: Just Do Something Author: Kevin DeYoung Publisher: Moody Publishers, 2009; 128 pp. $10.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): On my shelves and in my files are numerous books, pamphlets and articles on the topic of the will of God. Yet I recently acquired this book, Just Do Something, to augment my collection. Admittedly, the prime reason […]

Book Review: Is That You Lord?

Fleeces, open and closed doors, impressions, “peace” (or a lack of it) — all these are common means for believers attempting to discover the sovereign will of God for their lives. To that idea, pastor Gary Gilley counters in his book Is That You Lord? that there is a better, more God-exalting, Scripture-trusting, and freedom-giving […]