God's Amazing Will

Welcome to this past month visitors: France, Germany, Hungary, The Ukraine, South Africa, The Philippines, Brazil, The United Kingdom, Greece, Poland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Czechia, The Netherlands, India, Russia, Thailand and Canada. 

 Psalm 135.6 The LORD does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 

 Pleases: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire He has a heart of love and mercy. His faithfulness continues through all generations. He is the God of all comfort. He abounds in compassion. Does whatever: to fashion, accomplish, work, make, produce to deal (with) act with effect to prepare put in order celebrate to acquire (property) to appoint, ordain, institute to bring about to use We know that when He created the heavens and the earth... Genesis 1.31 God saw all that He had made and it was very good. We are told in Revelation 13.8 that Jesus is the Lamb slain from the creation of the world. Jesus was destined to die on the cross from creation. More than that. The plan of redemption was put into place before the creation of man and his fall. God had His grace operating before sin entered. His amazing will! His will is amazing and many times along the journey we are in awe of its operation in our lives. As we grow in the LORD we come to embrace His will as the best for us even though we do not understand it. We come to believe indeed He is working all things together for our good. We want more of what He wants and less of what we want. That is a mark of spiritual maturity. You will read this week in Psalm 139.16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. God has such a wonderful plan for our lives. It is not without struggle. In fact He uses the wrestling in prayer, the struggles, the difficulties for our good, for His glory. Just trust Him in it. Pictures from Bellevue 1. It is a Good Thing It doesn't say Whatever pleases us! Spoiled children- no one wants to be around them. We would get everything we want- not a good thing. Lack of knowledge of God's plan, we would mess up what He plans. Limited vision He looks down from His throne in heaven and knows the thoughts of each heart! He knows the beginning from the end. He knows all things. Psalm 138.6 Though the LORDis exalted, He looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, He sees them from afar. Jacob's wrestling with God is a good picture of how many try to "handle" God's will in their lives. How much better to submit to God. Profane history exhibits the instruments by which Jehovah works; the finger of Divine Revelation points to the unseen but Almighty Hand which wields and guides the instrument, and causes even Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Jews and the people of Israel, to do what the Hand and the Counsel of God determined before to be done.—George Payne, in "Lectures on Christian Theology," 1850. Jesus submitted to His Father's will, set an example for our submission To... 2.God's Good Pleasing and Perfect Will - Romans 12.2 Good=good in its nature, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished upright, honourable Carol West this week on Facebook. Pleasing= He does whatever pleases Him. To be well off To prosper Spiritual riches last, they grow more precious in time and in eternity. Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. Rather store up for yourselves treasures in heaven... Perfect= brought to its end, finished, integrity and virtuous. Psalm 135.6 The LORD does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths God's Amazing Will in Our Salvation: John 6:39 “Now this is the will of the One who sent Me, that I lose not one of all He has given Me, but raise each one on the last day." I was made for His pleasure and find true fulfillment when I please Him. My life will never be fulfilled if I am seeking for my pleasure. You will probably get some momentary pleasure but not long lasting fulfillment, no contentment. I was sharing some of the Hand of God in my life and through people, some of who are in heaven and how that connection and thread runs through my life today. As I reflect on this looking back on my journey I am so blessed and fulfilled down deep in my heart. If I lost all my material possessions tomorrow i would still have these rich deep memories and the present experience of seeing God's Hand upon me. 3. Our Faith in Him and His Wisdom and His Ways Here is how we apply this verse. We must have faith in Him and in His Wisdom and His Ways. God is good and loving. He will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84.11 Psalm 115.2-3 Why do the nations say, "Where if their God?"Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases Him. His ways are higher than our ways we are told in Isaiah 55.8-9 As high as the heavens are above the earth! We must have faith if we are to trust His will in our lives. The "no" answer to prayer we must embrace just as we embrace the "yes". Often we do not know if the answer is "wait" or "no". Waiting is so that God can bring about His perfect will, lining things up, bringing in people He wants a part of the answer. David testifies, "I waited patiently for the LORD and He heard my cry." Psalm 40.1 He does whatever He pleases. Nothing can stop God from accomplishing His purposes. The gates of hell will not prevail against the church. When men design evil against us the LORD turns it around and uses it to make us more like Him. What about when we have prayed for someone to be healed and they died? Remember... Precious in the sight of the LORD are the death of His saints Psalm 116.15 Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. Isaiah 57.1 God's will is amazing, His good, pleasing and perfect will. He works all things together for good to those who love Him, who are the called according to His purpose. All we need to do is to have faith in Him and His Wisdom and His ways. Let's commit ourselves to His will. Let's trust Him. Let's say to the LORD, "Here I am. Help Yourself to my life, my heart, everything."