The Prerequisite for Knowing God's Will

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ~ 1 Timothy 2:3-4

The first prerequisite for discerning the will of God is that you must be a believer in Jesus Christ. I say that because 1 Timothy 2:3–4 says, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Scripture also tells us that God is "not willing that any should perish (separated from Him forever) but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). So to know the will of God, we must first know God.

I think that sometimes people view the Bible as sort of a magical book that is full of successful principles they can unleash. But the Bible is written for God's people. It is not a bunch of potions that a person can enact in his or her life. These are principles that are given to the man or the woman of God who lives the way He wants them to live.

Though the Bible is very inspiring and contains great literature and beautiful poetry, if you are not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you are not going to be able to unlock the truths that are found in it. So it starts with knowing the Author of the book.

I have the privilege of knowing some well-known pastors who have written books, and sometimes I will call them up and say, "Hey, I was just reading this in your book the other day, and I was wondering what you meant by. . . ." Then they will explain to me what they meant. It is great to be able to talk to the author of the book.

In the same way, we can consult with the author of the Bible, who is God. But first we must be believers.
 
(via Greg Laurie)
 
Be Blessed!
 
Dawn