"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S WILL"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT GOD'S WILL"

Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

Psalm 143:11 For the glory of your name, O LORD, save me. In your righteousness, bring me out of this distress.

Psalm 143:12 In your unfailing love, cut off all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

The above Scriptures are from the NLT Version.

A few explanatory thoughts/application/questions and a prayer:

This is another wonderful Psalm, most likely written by King David. In it, he is asking God to teach him to do the will of God.
Let's look at what he has to say to God about this.

1. We can be taught the will of God.
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

Here we see David asking the Lord to teach him to do the will of God. This is somewhat different than asking to know the will of God, rather, David is asking to be taught "to do the will of God" It's similar to asking God "to teach us to pray" Or teach us to do it Lord, teach us to be people who pray. But, here, it's teach me "to do your will" And, the basis of David's confidence, is that God is his God.

God can teach us to do His will. How encouraging.

2. God Himself is the one who teaches us about His will, and to do His will.
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

I'm certain this is a very important subject to God, and something He is extremely interested in, that any one of His children, would ask Him, "teach me to do Your will" It must delight His heart to no end, don't you think. Just as David knew that God was His God, so, you as a born again Christian can have that same confidence, God is your God also. You have a relationship with Him, You are His child. And, He is more than eager to teach You to do His will.

3. The Holy Spirit is the one who leads us forward in the will of God.
Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.

Here, we are given a little insight into how God actually does teach us to do His will. It's through the work and the person of the Holy Spirit. He is our resident teacher, living right inside of us. And, the Holy Spirit is indeed gracious, and He will lead us forward in knowing God's will and in teaching us to do God's will. Please notice the last part of the verse. "on a firm footing"
That firm footing is none other than the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.

4. God's glory is really the most important thing when it comes to anything, including the "will of God"
Psalm 143:11 For the glory of your name, O LORD, save me. In your righteousness, bring me out of this distress.

David's prayer was very clearly connected with more than what we would call simply the do's and or the do not's of God's will.
But rather, David was primarily concerned with it's relationship to the glory of God. It was for God's Glory. That God would be honored. This is what Jesus meant when He was teaching on prayer. "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Your name"

May it be so in our lives also, that God and His glory are target one for all of us, for all time.

5. God has "unfailing love" for us.
Psalm 143:12 In your unfailing love, cut off all my enemies and destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

We often talk about the "unconditional" love of God, but here David speaks of the "unfailing love" of God. So, His love is both unconditional towards us, and it's also unfailing. God is faithful. His love does not fail. And, David relates God's unfailing love to the way that God would act and intervene towards David's enemies. That they would be cut off, and destroyed. Because David, was God's servant. We must remember that David as God's servant was also the king of a nation, and a nation that was constantly being threatened by the enemies of God.

We can pray in a somewhat different manner. We can pray for God's grace towards our enemies. And, we do seek to pray that way. That God would deliver them from their sad state of mind and heart, and come to real genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

Some questions:

1. Are you interested in being taught to "do the will of God?"

2. Are you confident that God wants to teach you, and that He can teach you?"

3. Can you think of anything more important than to be taught along this line?

4. The phrase "the will of God" means, that which is pleasing to God.

5. So, in praying to be taught to do the will of God, it's actually a prayer, that means, teach me to do what is pleasing to You.

A prayer:

Father, it's such a blessing to get up day by day, and know that You are right here with us. And, that we can get freshly connected with You by simply reaching out in faith to You. We are interested in You, but our interest pales in comparison to Your interest in us. We are indeed the apple of Your eye. You have "unfailing love" Thank You for that . Your love never fails.
How we need to know that, and rest in that. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.