Aligning Life with God's Word and Will

Summary

The sermon delivered by the speaker focused on the importance of understanding and applying God's word in the life of a believer. The speaker began by emphasizing the significance of good character and faithfulness, reminding the congregation that as children of God, they are also His servants, striving to hear the commendation of being a good and faithful servant. The speaker stressed the necessity of studying the Bible in context, understanding the genre, and distinguishing between literal and nonliteral language to correctly interpret the scriptures.

The speaker outlined four aspects of God's will for believers: sanctification, the Great Commission, the commandment to love God and others, and the reward of God's commendation. They highlighted that every believer is responsible for disciple-making and that actions should be guided by love to glorify God. The sermon also touched on the importance of obedience to God's voice over sacrifices, using the story of King Saul as an example to illustrate that true obedience requires sacrifice and dying to oneself.

Personal stories were shared to bring the message closer to the congregation's hearts. The speaker recounted a dream about the "way of Holiness" and how it led to the establishment of the Prayer Mountain in Malaysia, a testament to God's provision and guidance. They also shared the story of their church planting journey, which faced initial resistance from their own family but ultimately led to unexpected support and blessings.

The speaker introduced the concepts of logos and Rama, explaining that logos is the objective word of God that reveals His general will, while Rama is the Holy Spirit illuminated word that provides specific guidance for individual situations. They emphasized the need for young Christians to learn how to use Rama to discern God's specific will and encouraged the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a tool for effective learning.

The sermon concluded with practical advice on how to determine if a decision aligns with God's will, offering four test questions to evaluate outcomes against the logos and the fruit of the spirit. The speaker also stressed the importance of unity in relationships and the role of spiritual leaders in guiding believers to understand God's specific will.

Key Takeaways:

- The ultimate goal of a believer's life should be to develop a character that aligns with God's expectations, aiming to hear "well done, good and faithful servant" upon meeting Him. This requires a life of service, humility, and a commitment to understanding and applying God's word in every aspect of life. The speaker's emphasis on character and faithfulness serves as a reminder that our daily choices and actions contribute to our spiritual formation and our readiness to meet God. [17:13]

- Understanding God's will involves recognizing the distinction between logos, the general word of God, and Rama, the specific word illuminated by the Holy Spirit. While logos provides a broad framework for living a life pleasing to God, Rama offers precise guidance for critical decisions. Believers must be diligent in studying the Bible to discern logos and seek the Holy Spirit's illumination to receive Rama. [00:41]

- Obedience to God is paramount and should take precedence over any form of sacrifice. The story of King Saul serves as a cautionary tale that God values our obedience more than our offerings. This principle challenges believers to examine their hearts and actions, ensuring that they align with God's commands and not merely external religious practices. [20:41]

- The process of sanctification and transformation into the image of Christ is an ongoing journey that requires intentional effort and the willingness to decrease self-centeredness. As believers, we are called to embody the character and virtues of Christ, which is a transformative process facilitated by the Holy Spirit. This transformation is evident in the way we love, serve, and forgive others, reflecting the image of Christ to the world. [10:47]

- Unity in the body of Christ is a non-negotiable aspect of God's will. Decisions that lead to disunity within families, churches, or marriages are not from God. The speaker's personal experiences highlight the importance of seeking God's guidance in decisions that affect relationships and the need to prioritize unity and peace over personal desires or ambitions. [31:01]

Study Guide

### Bible Reading

1. Jeremiah 31:33 - "But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
2. Matthew 22:37-39 - "And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"
3. 1 Samuel 15:22 - "And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'"

### Observation Questions

1. What are the two ways to use the Bible as mentioned in the sermon? ([00:41])
2. According to the sermon, what are the four aspects of God's will for believers? ([05:12])
3. How did the speaker describe the difference between logos and Rama? ([02:08])
4. What personal story did the speaker share to illustrate the importance of obedience to God's voice? ([20:41])

### Interpretation Questions

1. How does the concept of logos and Rama help believers in making decisions according to God's will? ([02:08])
2. Why is it important to understand the genre and context of Bible passages when studying the scriptures? ([17:55])
3. How does the story of King Saul illustrate the principle that obedience is better than sacrifice? ([20:41])
4. What does the speaker mean by saying that true obedience requires sacrifice and dying to oneself? ([21:24])

### Application Questions

1. Reflect on your daily life. How can you ensure that your actions align with the goal of hearing "well done, good and faithful servant" from God? ([17:13])
2. Think of a recent decision you made. How did you discern whether it was in line with God's will? Did you use the concepts of logos and Rama? ([22:54])
3. In what ways can you practice obedience to God in your current circumstances, even if it requires personal sacrifice? ([21:24])
4. How can you actively work on transforming into the image of Christ in your interactions with others this week? ([10:47])
5. Identify a relationship in your life that may be experiencing disunity. What steps can you take to seek God's guidance and promote unity in that relationship? ([31:01])
6. How can you incorporate the Great Commission into your daily life? Think of one person you can disciple or share your faith with this week. ([14:29])
7. Reflect on a time when you felt guided by the Holy Spirit in a specific situation. How did you test and confirm that it was truly God's will? ([26:41])

Devotional

Day 1: Character Reflects Spiritual Formation
True spiritual formation is evidenced by a life of service, humility, and a commitment to God's word. As believers, the daily choices and actions we make contribute to our spiritual maturity and readiness to meet God. This journey of character development is not just about avoiding wrongdoing but actively pursuing a life that echoes the heart of God. [17:13]

James 3:13 - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."
Reflection: How can you demonstrate humility and service in your interactions today?

Day 2: Discerning God's Voice in Scripture
Understanding God's will requires discerning the logos and Rama. The logos is the general word of God, providing a framework for living, while Rama is the specific word illuminated by the Holy Spirit for individual guidance. Believers must study the Bible diligently and seek the Holy Spirit's illumination to navigate life's decisions. [00:41]

1 Kings 19:11-12 - "The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."
Reflection: What steps can you take to better discern the Rama, or specific guidance, from the Holy Spirit in your daily life?

Day 3: Obedience Over Sacrifice
God's preference for obedience over sacrifice is a call to align our hearts and actions with His commands. It is a reminder that our external religious practices must stem from a heart fully surrendered to God's will, rather than merely going through the motions. [20:41]

1 Samuel 15:22 - "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.'"
Reflection: Are there areas in your life where you prioritize religious rituals over heartfelt obedience to God?

Day 4: The Transformative Power of Sanctification
Sanctification is an ongoing process that shapes us into the image of Christ. This transformative journey involves decreasing self-centeredness and increasing in love, service, and forgiveness towards others, thereby reflecting Christ's character to the world. [10:47]

2 Corinthians 3:18 - "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can practice selflessness today to reflect Christ's love to those around you?

Day 5: Prioritizing Unity in the Body of Christ
Decisions that foster unity within the Christian community align with God's will. As believers, we must seek guidance in decisions that affect our relationships and prioritize unity and peace over personal desires or ambitions. [31:01]

Ephesians 4:2-3 - "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Reflection: How can you contribute to unity in your family, church, or community today?

Quotes

"Our character must be good, faithful, which implies what we do and how we live for Him until the end. Faithful until the end, and then we are servants." [17:13] (Download)

"Logos requires diligent study and proper interpretation, and we can't just simply take a verse out of context and try and use it on ourselves." [19:13] (Download)

"To obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." [20:41] (Download)

"Unity is very key, especially between husband and wife, between parents and children, even within a church leadership we need to have Unity." [31:43] (Download)

"Does the outcome contradict or compromise the general will of God as taught in the logos? Will the outcome promote the fruit of the spirit or otherwise? Will the outcome bring God glory or disgrace to his name?" [33:09] (Download)

"The logos must be the absolute plumbline; if a man who is married falls in love with his secretary and gets a Rama word that it's okay to divorce and marry her, but it contradicts the logos, it's clearly not from God." [27:24] (Download)

"If whatever you think is the Rama leads to confusion, division, anger, hatred, all the opposite of the fruit of the spirit, it cannot be from God. God is not a god of confusion; he's a god of love and a god of order." [28:08] (Download)

"We will never ever be like [Jesus] totally, but we need to be progressively transformed into His Image." [10:47] (Download)

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." [05:57] (Download)

"The fourth will is what I call his Great Commission... go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." [14:29] (Download)

Aligning Life with God's Word and Will

Summary

Study Guide

Devotional

Quotes

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Aligning Life with God's Word and Will