What Shall I Do?

How do I know what God’s will is for my life? It seem as though there are days that I can’t even hear God’s voice much less discern His will. How do I know if God is speaking to me?

Simple, you turn to His words…the Word.

I often think the rich young ruler gets a bad rap but he was probably like 95% of self-described Christians in America today. Let’s revisit that scene:

    “Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, ‘Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother.”’ And he said, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth.’ So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.” (Luke 18:18-23)

So I have to become a pauper and follow Jesus, like as a missionary or a monk! No, let’s take this scene apart.

The accounts of Mark 10 and Luke 18 quote the rich young ruler asking, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” It is important to remember that both accounts are from interviews conducted by John Mark and Luke; they got the information from an eyewitness.

Matthew’s account, which is directly from an eyewitness, records the rich young ruler’s question thusly: “What good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Emphasis added)

Aha! Evidence that the Scriptures are not accurate!! Nonsense. Using hermeneutics we are able to reconcile these apparent differences.

Let’s say there are four people at an intersection, one on each street corner. An accident occurs right before all of them and they are witnesses now. Would all four accounts be the same? Most likely not; they all saw the same accident but not from the same perspective. And if one witness writes his or her own account it might be more detailed than say two others who give their account to the police officer who records it. Even though they are not all exactly the same, all three accounts are vital information on reporting what happened.

Sorry for the detour there, but if you’ve ever struggled with the differences in the gospels there is what is known as the harmony of the gospels.

Back to our Bible passage. The rich young ruler wasn’t saved and that is why he asked Jesus what good deed he needed to accomplish to be saved. Jesus knew the young man’s heart and told him to obey the Ten Commandments and the young man boldly and untruthfully said he had obeyed them all his life. So he never told a lie?

Anyway, Jesus allowed him that and then revealed his heart to him. He told him to get rid of all his idols and surrender his life to Jesus Christ. Jesus wanted this young man to repent of self-righteousness and covetousness and give his life to the Savior.

Beloved, this is the cancer that is American Christendom. Many people in churches today are not saved and those that are continue to cling to the world and its riches forsaking the Master. They do not read their Bibles much less obey the Word of God. I am guilty of this all too often to my shame.

My dear readers it is not difficult to discern God’s will for your life; in fact it is quite simple! Remember the difference between simple and easy. Simple means not complicated; easy means not difficult.

Jesus said that if we love Him we will keep His commandments. Why? Because He is a stern task-master? No because it requires whole hearted devotion first of all:

    “This day the LORD your God commands you to observe these statutes and judgments; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 26:16)

And Jesus wanted us to follow the Word because it is good for us, not some heavy burden:

    “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

Bro Dave I know I am saved and yet I’m still not sure what I need to do! Follow the Ten Commandments not be saved but, but to be sanctified. Do you remember them?

    “And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Deuteronomy 20:1-17)

Can we all look at that and yes, “Yep, I’m obeying all ten of those!”

Get rid of the idols in your life; the things that keep Jesus from being #1 in your life.

Stop using God’s name in vain and that doesn’t just men cursing; it means speaking of Him in an overly familiar way. He deserves our reverence.

Go to church on Sunday and stop using excuses for reasons why you do not go into His house to worship.

Stop despising your mother and father for the way they raised you or what they did to you. At least they let you live which is more than 50 million American babies can say.

Stop committing murder and Jesus included what you think and say about others. Also, if you are supporting abortion for any reason then I don’t think it is a stretch to believe that Jesus will hold you accountable for murder. I believe I’m standing on solid biblical ground here.

Stop committing adultery, and that means lusting. Stop looking at that porn, secretly desiring something you cannot have. Stop it!

Stop stealing your boss’ time at work; give him or her what he or she is paying you for. And if you’re not tithing then stop stealing from God.

Stop lying. Nuff said.

Stop coveting. Be satisfied with your job, your home, your car, your spouse, your children…your life in general.

I hope you didn’t unfasten your seat belt because if you did it’s your fault for bumping your head or stubbing your toe so don’t get mad at me.

I’m just telling you what God is telling me.

This is not difficult, discernment that is.

Stop asking what shall I do and DO!!!

I’ll be nicer tomorrow I promise; tomorrow we’ll talk about our Teacher the Holy Spirit.

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2010 David Jeffers

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