In review of 1 Corinthians 1:9 it says, God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (NLT)
Today’s verse comes from 1 Corinthians 1:4-10. In this Paul gives thanks to God. He tells us of how he always thanks God for us and for our gracious gifts God has given us, now that we belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched the church in every way. This confirms that what I told us about Christ is true. Now we have every spiritual gift we need as we eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep us strong to the end so that we will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited us into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore He appeals to us, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, unite in thought and purpose.
In this passage Paul thanked God for the Corinthian believers. Like Paul, thanksgiving on my part should be expressed every day. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of my life, I will find that my attitude toward life will change. I will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble.
The Corinthian church members had all the gifts they needed to live the Christian life, to witness for Christ, and to stand against the paganism and immorality of Corinth. But instead of using what God had given them, they were arguing over which gifts were more important.
Before tackling the problems, Paul described his hope and vision for the Corinthians. He guaranteed these believers that God would consider them "free from all blame" when Christ returns. This guarantee was not because of their great gifts or their shining performance, but because of what Jesus Christ accomplished for them through his death and resurrection. All who believe in the Lord will be considered blameless when he returns. Today's struggles, difficulties, and failures don't tell the whole story. Keep the big picture in mind. If I have faith in Christ, I will be saved.
Paul wrote this letter to address the problems and to clear up confusion about right and wrong so that they would remove the immorality from among them. The Corinthian people had a reputation from jumping from fad to fad; Paul Wanted to keep Christianity from degenerating into just another fad.
My goal should be to focus on Jesus Christ and the purpose he has for me. Strive for harmony. Keep arguments off the team.
What I’m learning is that God isn’t playing games with me. God wants me to understand his will, his purpose, and his plan for my life.
I may say, “I want God to guide me, but I still get confused. I don’t know what to do.” It seems that the problem is I may be looking for the wrong thing. I need to know what I’m looking for before I can find it.
So, what is God’s will?
God’s will is not a feeling. It is not feeling or a supernatural sign or a pulling of my heartstrings so that I’ll know exactly what to do. The problem is that feelings are unreliable; they will often guide me the wrong way. Feelings can come from fatigue, hormones, or an event I’ve just experienced. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful” (NIV). Even my heart plays tricks on me. Even the Devil can create a feeling. If I had listened to my feelings,
Don’t wait for a feeling when I’m trying to figure out God’s plan for life. God’s will is not a formula. In our culture, we want everything to be easy. We want things to follow a simple formula that will instantly change our lives. We want a step-by-step guide. But there’s a problem with this approach: There’s no room for mistakes. If God’s will is a recipe, what happens if I leave out one ingredient? Leaving baking soda out of a recipe is the difference between a birthday cake and a pancake. What if I have “52 Steps to Knowing God’s Will,” and I skip step 37?
God’s will is not a closed system. It is dynamic! It is not always an issue of choosing A or B. In fact, many times you can choose from A to Z, and any of them will be okay. It’s my choice. Why would God give you a brain and not expect me to use it? He lets me make choices, and luckily he gives me second chances.
If God’s will is not a feeling or a formula, what is it? God’s will is a relationship.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:9, “God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”. (NLT).
There is not much in the Bible about the technique of knowing God’s will. But there are thousands of verses that talk about developing a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. Why? Because God’s will is a relationship. The better I get to know God, the less confusion I’ll have about what his will is. Get to know God, and everything else becomes secondary.
Bottom Line:
God is faithful, he does what he says and invites you into partnership with his Son, Jesus.
What this means to me:
God is faithful to do what he tells me. I am fortunate that He has called me into a partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ.
In summary, God is faithful to do what he says. He has invited me into a partnership with Christ, His Son. I need to practice thanksgiving everyday, for it will change my outlook and perspective. The struggles, difficulties, and failures I face don't always tell the whole story of my life. My goal should be to focus on Jesus and the purpose he has for me. God's will is not a feeling and does not come in a step-by-step guide. He will let me make choices and provide second chances. God's will is a relationship. So I need to prioritize getting to know God. When I do everything else will fall into place.
Father I pray this morning that “You will help my clarity and focus be on continuing to cultivate a relationship with you by studying your Word and speaking to you. Help me lean on you for guidance on what to do and especially how to relate to others. As I work with others today, please help me listen clearly and help establish plans. I also ask that you help me communicate clearly and in a spirit of love and caring. In Jesus name I pray!”
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