This Year:

- Missionaries and Margin- Pavilion Tables- Electronic Sign

Foundations

Then you will know…

I just want to knowWhat God wants for me

Do I move? Or stay here?Do I switch jobs?

Should I get married?

God {often} has a Specific will

So why doesn't he show us?

What if there's a reasonHe hasn't yet

And…you can walk in

The daily knowledgeOf his leading?

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God

…to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and

acceptable to God

by the mercies of GodBecause you can trust him

…to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and

acceptable to God

…which is your spiritual worship

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind

The revealed will of God:Present your body to God

as a living sacrifice

Be transformed Rather than conformed

…that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect- Romans 12:1-2

Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (NLT)

The Foundation forKnowing the will of God is

Doing the will of God

Obeying the revealed Will of God

Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

You want to knowThe next thing God has for you?

Get busy doing the last thingGod showed you

Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much- Matt. 25:23

Christmas(Not at the beginning)

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth

…to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the

virgin's name was Mary

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the

Lord is with you!”

But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and

you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be

called the Son of the Most High

And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end”

This is God's will: (revealed)

That you give birth toThe Messiah

And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since

I am a virgin?”

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…

…therefore the child to be born will be called holy-

the Son of God

And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren

For nothing will be impossible with God”

The angel stops speakingGod's will has been revealed

Now…A decision has to be made

Hopes, dreams, futureReputation, food and shelter

Everything is on the line

God reveals his will…

Obedience flows out ofIdentity

Not sight and rationale

Joseph will divorce herShe'll be an outcast

How will she raise this child?

If all possible objectionsMust first be overcome

If all consequencesMust first be minimized

You'll never obey God

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”

And the angel departed from her - Luke 1:26-38

Obedience flows out ofIdentity

If you know whose you areIt's easy to know what you'll do

Let it be to me according to your word

I give up all my hopes & dreams I give up my reputationI'll give up my family/friends

The Foundation forKnowing the will of God

Is doing the will of God

Obeying the revealed Will of God

Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy SpiritAfter 3 months with Elizabeth

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put

her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the

Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying…

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken

by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means,

God with us)

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife

…but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he

called his name Jesus- Matthew 1:18-25

Joseph experiencesGod speaking in a dream

And he's given the opportunity To do the revealed will of God

A census for tax purposesCity of David…Bethlehem

Cave-barnFeed trough

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night

And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were filled with great fear

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God

and saying…

“Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among

those with whom he is pleased!”

“Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us”

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the

baby lying in a manger

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as

it had been told them- Luke 2 (various)

Persian Priests

…going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and

frankincense and myrrh- Matthew 2:11

Joseph, Mary, Jesus must fleeGod provides throughPersian Priests

Every step of the wayGod is enough

It all starts with a youngScared teenage girl

Willing to give up her plansHer dreams, her everything

And say, "Yes, Lord. I'm yours"

Because Mary takes that step

She finds the next stepAnd the one after that

Because Mary takes that step:- Joseph encounters God

- Shepherds witness Messiah

- Persian Priests worship a King

Your obedience to the revealedWill of God will always affect

More than just you

And may even change the livesOf people you don't even know

Pride: I gotta figure it out firstHow am I taken care of in this?

Humility: I trust God No matter the cost

God opposes the proudBut gives grace to the humble

- James 4:6

Wanna see God work?Do what he's shown you to do

God opposes the proudBut gives grace to the humble

- James 4:6

In all your ways Acknowledge him

And he will direct your paths

I can't see how in the worldYou'll get me through this, God

The consequences of followingScare me, Lord

But I am your servant (identity)And I know you can And that's enough (obedience)

This is acknowledging God

The Foundation forKnowing the will of God

Is doing the will of God

Obeying the revealed Will of God

Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

You want to knowThe next thing God has for you?

Get busy doing the last thingGod showed you

What has God shown youWhat steps of repentance

Or steps of faithHas God shown you that youNeed to walk in starting now?

Pray

Questions, CommentsDisagreements

Black Friday Serve

Christmas Offering