Open the Book Test

In life we have tests. 

Our life is a test. 

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God has a will for you.

Your life is a series of choices that you make.

  

Do you fill unfulfilled? 

If you feel unfulfilled, then ask God what is your will for me?

God has a will for you life.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

You get to choose to follow God's plan or not.  

You make the decisions then you live with the decisions that you make.  

God, just tell me what to do!

If your decisions don't work out, you'll end up just living and going through the motions.  

The biggest challenge to God's will is your will. 

If you seek your will, you'll end up unfulfilled. 

Believers, you won't be judged by what you did, but what you were called to do and did not do.

James 4:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.    

Great decisions for your finances may be  terrible decisions for you family. You might have to work terrible hours. 

I used to feel that if I made the wrong decision, I could never get back to the perfect will of God.  

God always works on you to get you back to His perfect will. The pain of the moment lasts longer than the pain of the moment.  

I can be what God has called me to be.  I refuse to write myself off.  

I am just one good decision away from God's perfect will, which is a surrendered will. 

The decisions that I make today become my stories of tomorrow.  

Our decisions create destiny.

God doesn't show you everything at one time. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 

The context of this verse is that the children of Israel were in exile and God meant it for their good.  God had put them into exile for His good purpose. 

Jeremiah 29:4 (ESV)

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

God wants you to know Him more than He wants you to know His will.  In fact, that is His perfect will.  

Do you want to know God's will more than you want to know God?

God has the ability to call you out of where you are to get you to where you are going if you'll just develop your relationship with Him.  

It's more about the who than the do.  God will honor you if you allow Him to transform His image into you. 

God's purpose for your life is for you to know Him and to become like Christ.

Romans 8:29 English Standard Version (ESV)

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,

1 Thessalonians 4:3A English Standard Version (ESV)

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: 

Follow Him and do your best, and allow God to forgive the rest.  

  

Motives matter.  

The why behind the what we do matters. 

Proverbs 16:2 (ESV)

2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

    but the Lord weighs the spirit.

God wants you to be holy and not to act holy when you're not. 

Who you think Jesus is will define every area of your life.  

When you understand who Jesus is, Jesus tells you who you are.  

Matthew 16:15, 16.18 (ESV)

15 He (Jesus) said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

18 And I (Jesus) tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

We are to pray for daily bread;therefore, we are to pray daily.  

Matthew 6:11 (ESV)

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

The first thing the enemy does is to attack our identity. 

The first thing that the enemy did was change Daniel's name and his friend's names in their  captivity (Daniel 1:6-7).  

Satan can touch what you're going through, but he must not touch what's going on in you.  

He tried to defile Daniel and his friends with pagan food (Daniel 1:8-16). 

When I dedicate myself to who God is, He tells me who I am.  

When you know who you are, you know what you do. 

Daniel's friends knew God's will before the test of kneeling before the Golden Image because they knew God.  It didn't require prayer (Daniel 3:12).   

Some of us will change because of what's in front of us because we don't know who's in us.

The enemy always knows when God shows up even when your not aware of it.  

God will not only set you free.  He'll get your enemies to tell all about it. (Daniel 3:24-25)

It's not what's happening to you, but your response to what's happening to you.  

Lord, who do you want me to become today?

Who am I becoming?

God loves you.  

Forgives you.  

He calls you. 

If you'll acknowledge Him, He'll acknowledge you.  (Matthew 10:33)

Have you meant this?

Jesus, you are the Messiah.

Be my Lord and Savior.  

Forgive me for my past.

Thank you for dying on the cross for me.  

Notes from Jeremy Foster, Hope City Church.  

https://hopecity.com/sermons/fill-blank-part-1/