WILL OF GOD

                                                        WILL OF GOD

    Do you ever wonder why prayers aren't answered? Have you ever searched
scripture to find out why? Is prayer just something you do out of habit without
really expecting an answer? Do you pray about trivial things, or are you seeking
major assistance? What do you do if prayer isn't answered as you hoped or isn't
answered at all? How much store do you place on the trappings of Christianity?
Are you impressed by ceremonial robes, extensive degrees, a large church
building and a multi-service church schedule, or a wide array of social functions
and special entertainment to draw people in? Perhaps the minister is a real 
charmer or the music really rocks.

    You should know God prefers beauty because He created so many beautiful
things and directed the building of the temple and used brilliant colors to decorate
and separate specific items. You should also know God leads and judges us by
what's inside our hearts. He understands the inner beauty of our soul. The
universe and earth were created by Him, and all are in His hands. He has total
control of everything. If bad things are happening, it is because mankind is free
to make decisions and mistakes. 

    Prayer is one of the ways we try to influence the outcome of needs or wants.
We need to look at a couple of other ways God uses to do this as well. They are
"will" and ordination. When people pray, they sometimes seek the "will of God"
in answer to their prayer. Now they are praying for an answer, but it also could be
an acceptable way of resolving the issue. The third ingredient is "ordination". This
word is used when a pastor is installed as a minister. The word means to be
"rightly installed", When a person makes a full commitment to Christ, he/she is
"ordained" as a Christian. This is a manifestation of "divine will".
    
    Ministers are supposed to take ordination very seriously, and that means they
should follow the divine will. There are many references to the divine will in
scripture, but you should pay heed to Matt. 26:42, "Again, a second time He
went away and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from
Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.'" Christ knew it was necessary that He
suffer and die to provide salvation for us. As we see in John 3:16, "For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

    From this we should understand that when God acts, the results are in His
will. If He answers your prayer and request positively, that answer is His will.
If He does not answer, He has His reason to seemingly ignore your request.
That also means a favorable answer to you does not fit in His plans. While it
may be disappointing to you, you must accept His decision--that is, unless you
are better suited to run the universe. You cannot disagree with Him in your
actions. If you do, you were never ordained in your acceptance of salvation
through a commitment to Christ. You are a Christian of convenience and 
headstrong over your personal desires. How would you handle the cup Christ
accepted? Would you whine, say Satan did it, it was a mistake, your idea would
be better? Would you ignore scripture--your spiritual manual?

    I've had prayers answered positively, negatively and not at all. I've learned there
is always a reason when the outcome isn't what I prayed for. Usually I was glad my
request was turned down, although it took a passage of time to see the reason for
the negative response. Friends, GOD KNOWS BEST. If you don't like His decision,
you had better swallow your disapproval and get in line. Yes, get in line. His will
will be done, whether you like it or not. You can be part of His solution, or He will
make certain you will cease to be part of the problem.

    I've heard all kinds of excuses for defying God's will in the recent presidential
election. When some church people said the election assured America of "going
down", I asked if they didn't believe God was in control. The confused answer was
actually, "Duh!" Did Christ teach God wanted failure? Another "Duh". I didn't ask
them if they studied scripture. The answer was obvious. And these were church
people who attended church regularly, and some held office in the congregation.

    A major Christian ministry had speakers on their radio program who had the
same comments as previous church people. America is doomed because their
conservative candidate lost. There was no mention of pulling together with the
winner to raise up the nation. God must have made a mistake. Imagine that! I've
been unable to find that information in scripture.

    Worse yet, we've had that return to the 1860s, where backers of the losers have
signed petitions requesting their states be permitted to leave the Union. Most of these
people are too young to know much about our Civil War, and obviously lack the
intelligence to look the subject up to understand how "duh!" they are. Many Americans
on both sides were killed or wounded in that conflict, and for what? Because they 
wanted the right to do their own thing--continuing slavery, for example. One such
petition signer said it was her constitutional "right" to protest. You can almost guarantee
this person will not support anything the winner proposes.

    Then there are the signs proclaiming "America Against Obama". In World War II these
people would be in jail. When you take it upon yourself to represent the nation against
a sitting president, you are speaking for a minority. The election proved that. You must
not understand this is a democracy or republic. Yet, you seem to think you understand
the Constitution. Why do so many church leaders and pastors simply accept the idea
that only conservatives are moral, honest, faithful and workers? They need to look at
their denomination and see their failure to follow scripture, especially the Gospel. Pastors
will be first in line to answer to God in judgment.

    If America fails, it will be because of strong willed people who refuse to accept God's
direction or ordained leaders, and I don't include the throng of willful pastors who
continue to preach division. The Christian church has become a place of convenience
rather than a place to study and understand scripture. The so-called family values have
dwindled, and been replaced by love of money and meanness. Many of our political and
church leaders are not following God. Their personal agendas will cause the very end
result they are attempting to blame on God's choice to rule. 

    This is America's opportunity not to fail--America's time to delay tribulation and the
horror of the end time prophecy. Our future is in the hands of the people who claim to
serve God. Will they accept His WILL, or will they continue to serve their own purpose?
This is the test.

Rev. Walbear