The most important factor in our lives is, the Will of God. To this, all Christians would doubtless agree, at least in theory, but surely we have to confess that oftentimes this is not the guiding principle of our lives as it ought to be. When the Lord Jesus descended from heaven to earth as the perfect Servant, everything in His life was done according to the will of God.

From the throne of His glory to the lowly cattle shed in Bethlehem, came the Son of God in incarnation saying, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God" (Heb. 10:7). When in public testimony before men He said, "I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me" (John 6:38). In deepest anguish of spirit in Gethsemane, bowing His head in submission, He said, "Nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:42). Then because of the fullness and completeness of Christ's mighty work at the cross on behalf of a sinful world, the Scripture assures us, "God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth" (I Tim. 2:3-4). Also, we who have believed have been born again because, "Of His own will begat He us by the Word of truth" (James 1:18).

Because of all this, the will of God should enter into every detail of our daily lives. God is interested in the very city or place where we live, and in every removal, from one place to another. Do we ever make a move without first endeavouring to get the mind of God? In James 4:13, the writer reproves those who "go into such a city" to get gain, without reference to the will of God and adds, '"Ye ought to say, if the Lord will." Little wonder if we get out of the way and lose our usefulness for God, like Lot, when we step out of the "centre of the circle of the love of God". The Apostle Paul wrote, "I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will", and to the Romans, he prayed God that He "might have a prosperous journey by the will of God" to come unto them.

THE WILL OF GOD IN OUR SALVATION

We began our spiritual history by the will of God, when we believed on the Son, were born again and received everlasting life. "This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, should (R. V.) have everlasting life" (John 6:40). That was the beginning of our journey with God, then, in the same portion The Lord promises, "I will raise him up at the last day". What an assurance at the end of the journey! And, meanwhile on the way, comes the assurance of preservation (v. 39) "This is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day." Thus we have regeneration, preservation and the prospect of resurrection.

THE WILL OF GOD IN OUR SEPARATION

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father" (Gal. 1:3-4). Here are two great reasons why separation from this present world system should follow salvation, (1) The sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross was for this very purpose. Similarly, in Chapter, 6 of this same epistle, we read, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." The cross of Christ stands between us and the world. (2) This is the will of God our Father. To mix with the world is to turn our back upon the cross and to disregard the will of God our Father. This covers every phase of the present world system; socially, religiously, commercially, politically, or the world of sport and pleasure. In the coming season, when the world under a guise of religion, mixes with the professed remembrance of the birth of Christ, riotous living, drunkenness etc., what an opportunity for the Christian to display the change that the grace of God has made, in the person, the life, the business and the home. Godly separation will bring worldly persecution, which takes us to our next thought.

THE WILL OF GOD AND OUR SUFFERING

The Epistle of Peter is the epistle of the wilderness and the wilderness is the place of trial. In every chapter of the first epistle we have mention and emphasis made on suffering. How little we know of this! Peter, by the Spirit wrote, "Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial...rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings...if ye are reproached for the Name of Christ, happy are ye", again "It is better if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing" and again, "For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men."

THE WILL OF GOD AND OUR SERVICE

Every Christian has been saved to serve, but the only acceptable service to God is that which is according to His will. In Acts 18:36, the Word of God sums up the life of Israel's greatest king in a few brief words, yet what an enviable epitaph! "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep." But one might observe, "I am not a king like David, I am only a servant". In the Epistle to the Ephesians, chapter 6, the servants, yea the bond servants are exhorted to serve, "Not with eyeservice, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men." This exalts the Christians most menial service, when he realizes I am not serving men but the Lord Christ. So, whether it be the daily toil of men at work or the mother in the home, or whether it be the more direct service of the Lord, if it is done according to the will of the Lord and for His glory, it will receive a full reward bye and bye.

THE WILL OF GOD AND OUR SANCTICATION

"As ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication" (I Thes. 4:1-3). Like salvation, no doubt we are all clear that this truth is viewed in a three-fold way. Positionally, every believer in Christ has been sanctified "through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:10). In the future, at Christ's coming again, we shall be perfectly and fully sanctified, body, soul and spirit and made exactly like Him. In between these two points, practically, we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit of God and the Word of God. It is this sense that is before us now. Our God is a holy God and He demands a holy life from His people. What a complete contrast we have here to some of the religious leaders today who talk of the "new morality". The Word of God would term it the filth and immorality of the flesh. What these false leaders would permit, God most strongly condemns as fornication. May the Lord help us to look at sin with abhorrence, as the Scriptures do.

Read Roman 12, "Present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." To be sanctified is just to be set apart for God.

Lack of space necessitates only a brief mention of some further thoughts relative to the will of God.

THE WILL OF GOD IN OUR SUPPLICATIONS

Roman 8:26-27, is a great encouragement in our prayer life. "The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us ...He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." But in all our prayers and supplications, thanksgiving should always accompany them. "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God; in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thess. 5:18). Well might the Psalmist cry, "O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever" (Psalm 107:1).

THE WILL OF GOD IN OUR SONSHIP

Among the "all spiritual belssings" of Ephesians 1, we are predestinated "unto the adoption as sons (R.V.) through Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will...having made known unto us the mystery of His will...according to the purpose of Him Who worketh all things after the counsel of His will." Having been brought into the place of sonship with the Father, we may learn the mystery of His will and be brought into His counsels.

Surely there should be the surrendered will to the will of God, even as we began, like Saul of Tarsus, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" when the Lord was revealed to him on the road to Damascus. Subjection to the will of God can only bring blessings to our lives now and a great reward at His coming again, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry"
(Heb. 10:35-37).