Discerning the Will of God
Scripture:  2CO1:15-2:2
2CO1_15f
Date:  March 2, 1994
Time:  Wed 8:21am b 
Location:  TBC  WE

INTRO: 

A key way that we are buffeted--circumstances happen in such a way that our motives appear different than what they really are.  At times in doing the will of God we are misunderstood by even our friends.  It becomes difficult to explain because they are seeing things from one direction and you are simply doing what you know is God's will.

Paul's failure to come as he said he was going to, opened the door for accusations about him.
Paul is fickle, he is not a man of his word, he cannot be trusted.



There are several keys to discerning the will of God
I. Paul Had A Pure Motive  vs 15
A. Paul's Confidence Because of His Pure Motive  This confidence--I have nothing to hide.  The reason I did not come was not because I had something to cover up or that I could not stand up against the accusations that are being leveled against me.
B. Paul's Confidence in His Ability to Help
Chp 3:4-6  Paul's confidence was not self-esteem but sprang from a different source.
a. God's spiritual gifts that enable
b. Experience of seeing lives changed
II. Paul Had a Prudent Plan  vs 16-17
A. His plan  vs 16 
1. He tells them what he had planned
2. Even how he had hope to obtain help from them both ways on his journey
B. His carefulness  vs 17
1. His plans were not developed at a whim in the flesh.
lightness--levity, thoughtlessness, frivolity--simply talking, making promises that are not kept, making plans that we are not willing to follow through on.
a. If we are leaders--it is important not to make idle statements of things we intend to do without pulling through.
b. People remember these promises and hold us to them or are hurt if we do not pull through.
c. The busier I am, the more I find myself making promises that I find I cannot keep.
d. Our children can be hurt in this way.
(1) Pr 13:12  Hope deferred maketh the heart sick
(2) Don't make promises you cannot keep.  To children--just your thinking out loud and the possibility is a promise.
2. Plans in the flesh--yea, yea, and nay, nay
a. What does this mean?
(1) Saying yes and no out of the side of his mouth like a politician.
(2) plans in the flesh are those that are based upon feelings, upon circumstances, upon the feelings of others, upon what I am stirred about right now.
(3) ILL President Clinton watching the evening news and making a snap foreign policy decision that can cost millions, lives, many ramifications
(4) They promise what they know that people are hoping for--never intending to pull through with these promises.
(5) ILL Gov Weicker and income taxes--my purpose is not to wax eloquent on the evils of income taxes--but to say that it is wrong to say that you are against them and then make it a matter of first priority to enact them as soon as elected.
b. What does yea, yea, nay, nay mean?
(1) Another creative idea  cp James 5:12  Interesting that the definite article is before the first but not the second.  "Yes is yes.  No is no.
(2) To make plans according to the flesh would be for me to make absolute plans and stick to my schedule book regardless of what God may lead later.
(3) Seems to be what happened to Paul.
Well Paul that sounds nice but why did you change your mind and not do what you said you would do?  You can say all you want that you are not fickle but that does not explain your fickleness.
III. Paul Had A Persuasive Reason  18-2:2
I have done what I have done because I have done the will of God.
A. God does not change--Our word to you was not just to make you feel good at the time not really intending to do what we said we were planning to do.  vs 18
1. Proof: vs 19 The rest of our message was not a fickle, changing message.  If the rest of the message is unchanging, that should tell you that our change was not motivated by a politician's motive.
a. James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
b. Paul argues from character.  If the rest of our words were of pure motive then trust me in this also.
c. I do not change my message to please man, neither do I change my plans to please man, or make personal promises to please man.
d. APP:  Don't jump to quick conclusions about a person you know well.  Maybe they have been misquoted in the newspaper.  Maybe the hearsay you are getting is not true.  Beware of what you believe about people.
2. vs 20   Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God.  In this verse  "Christ is the fulfillment of the promises of God.  To this we say Amen to the glory of God."
a.
b. But God does not show us everything ten miles ahead, but the next step.
c. Paul had planned, but as the time approached, other factors entered into His decision that
Paul Had a Persuasive Reason 
B. vs 21  The One who stabilized us, established us, confirmed us with you is God.
1. We have a relationship to you because God ordained it this way.  It was not me in the first place.  Jn 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you...
2. "Anointed us"--often the idea of anointing is that God gives authority and enablement.
a. The priests were anointed--given authority and enablement to accomplish God's purpose.
b. When David was anointed--1Sa 16:12,13  He was being ordained by God to have authority--with that came the enablement or ability necessary.  That enablement is the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.
3. vs 22  Paul knew absolutely that He was God's and that God's Spirit dwelt in Him.  Ro 8:9  We are not in the flesh...
a. Sealed--to attest, to stamp, to place a seal upon--evidence of ownership. ILL Jer. sealed the land deed.  Shows that we are Gods.  Ep 4:30  And grieve not... When we are God's we are not our own--a consciousness of sin.  A sensitivity.  Proof of eternal security.
b. Earnest--arabon--a downpayment relinquished in case of default.  Another proof of eternal security.  The only way we could lose our salvation is for the Spirit of God to end up in hell.
C. The Divine Reason I did not come
The reason I did not come, is because I do not belong to myself but to God.  My yes and no are the best I can give, but it is God that has the final say.  Pro 16:9  The mind of man plans his way...
APP:  James 4:13-15  We should beware of being absolute in our statements.  ILL Football players before the playoffs--"Our destiny is in our own hands."  KC lost.  Bobby Knight--arrogant, proud--lost by 55 points
D. The Human Reason I did not Come.  23-2:2
1. Lesson--it is God that leads us by His Spirit and redirects our thinking and helps us to know what is right to do.
2. But He uses the plain principles of the WoG and our human wisdom and reason.
3. Isn't this hard to explain--I don't may plans in human fleshly wisdom--but when I finalize my plans I definitely have reasons that come from my human wisdom--but based on the principles of God's word.
E. Lesson of authority over local churches.  vs 24
1. If the inspired apostle had not dominion over the church which he himself had founded--we as a church dare not let a Pope or a denomination or even another church or outside pastor control us. 
2. We should listen but we are responsible
3. APP:  Same with you.  Don't make decisions based on what others will think  1Co 4:3 But with me...
4. APP.:  Be careful to judge others...