Will

This a.m. I’ve been thinking about mankind‘s “will”. No, not a document but mankind’s will-”ful” choices. As I sit here and think about it, nothing seems to be more wicked than the “will” of man (mankind). Lot’s of people talk about the devil but my conclusion is that the devil is far more limited than most are admitting. After all it’s in the nature of things to have a ‘fall’ guy, right?

Jesus said ‘it is finished’ did He not (John 19:30)? Remember the covenant we have with almighty God? Well, Jesus ‘sealed’ the deal with His blood. We no longer have the excuse, ‘the devil made me do it jargon’. And even prior to Calvary, God seemed to think that mankind had a choice, otherwise, He wouldn't have given them one, right?

Deuteronomy 30:15 "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

After Calvary James again reminds them not to be ‘drawn away’. James 1:14-15, “Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.“

If you continue to read James, you will note that he really doesn’t let up on it. James 4:1-8, “1. Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires….7. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8. Draw nigh to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

I conclude that the devil can “entice” but it is the mankind’s will that is the key problem. The devil has to find a place within a person to ‘entice‘. Isn’t it a decision of the will to war, to kill born and unborn children, to cheat, lie, steal, choose acts that lead to divorce, vote ungodly people into places of authority to undermine God’s will in the earth, etc. ?

So, heart turns away from the Lord….disobedience sets in …..devil entices drawing on the willfulness ….. Person bows down or succumbs to sin ….. Sin blooms and ….. boom …. Death.

My prayer and faith rests today in Psalm 119:52-64. Lord, may I and all men, women and children of faith arise to live and say ….. “52 Lord, I remember Your judgments from long ago and find comfort. 53 Rage seizes me because of the wicked who reject Your instruction. 54 Your statutes are [the theme of] my song during my earthly life. 55 I remember Your name in the night, Lord, and I keep Your law. 56 This is my [practice]: I obey Your precepts. 57 The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. 58 I have sought Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise. 59 I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to Your decrees. 60 I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments. 61 Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget Your law. 62 I rise at midnight to thank You for Your righteous judgments. 63 I am a friend to all who fear You, to those who keep Your precepts. 64 Lord, the earth is filled with Your faithful love; teach me Your statutes.

So how can we know if we are being willful against the will of God? Try your own heart. Proverbs will enlighten us to our heart’s motive and again Psalm 119 tells us how to keep our way pure….by keeping God’s Word.

Psalm 119: “9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping Your word. 10 I have sought You with all my heart; don't let me wander from Your commands. 11 I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You. 12 Lord, may You be praised; teach me Your statutes.”

Proverbs 1: “1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: 2 For gaining wisdom and being instructed; for understanding insightful sayings; 3 for receiving wise instruction[in] righteousness, justice, and integrity; 4 for teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man- 5 a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance- 6 for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

There’s a Proverb chapter for each day of the month to gain wisdom, understanding and knowledge. You will easily see the log in your own eye and in others but with wisdom, understanding and knowledge not hypocritical judgments.

Wake up children. Be wise. God does not change. Submitting our will to God’s will is NOT an easy task. In fact, it can be downright painful but the reward is life and life abundance now in this life not death. Bring death to the will and receive resurrection life now or walk a path of destruction through willfulness.

“17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed” Deut 30:17-18

“God is not a man who lies, or a son of man who changes His mind. Does He speak and not act, or promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 (Also, 1 Sam. 15:29)

“3 Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but don't notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and look, there's a log in your eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Matthew 7:3-5