INTRO: What does God think about? I do not know. His thoughts are not my thoughts, unless HE tells me what He desires and leads me to do HIS Will, not mine …and He tells from ABOVE!

The world is living in an illusion. Humanity is blind to this illusion, and only GOD will open our eyes. We humans believe that we are to be in charge and control OUT lives and all we touch. This may even include our relationship with God and HIS Purpose.

BENEFIT STATEMENT: We desire to sacrifice for God and work for Him. All this is within God’s Plan of bringing us to His perfect Will and mature Design of His Purpose for His Creation. This is designed to be open to OUR choices. OUR choices are NOT enough to please God.

GOD is God. Human self-will control is NOT of God …Self-Willed Control of life is of this world.

If our works for God are incomplete …HOW?

SPS: A “small” point from God’s Living Word that is the difference between His LIFE and our ultimate corruption in death. Are we living FOR God …or is “GOD WITH US”.

BODY: The New Testament Covenant with God is superior to the Old Covenant GOD made with humanity. HOW?

1. Work and serve FOR God. We will work for God and His Purposes as He reveals them to us. We will, to the best of OUR abilities, serve Him and work for Him. The operative word here is “FOR” Him. God expects something more profound than serving FOR Him from us.

King David had place his life in God’s Hands, and God had blessed David with training and protection and personal Guidance, but David needed MORE than his human “self” knew.

2 Samuel 7:1-17 (NKJV) 1  Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2  that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains." 3  Then Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you." 4  But it happened that night that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5  "Go and tell My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: "Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6  For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7  Wherever I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " '

 8  Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9  And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10  Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11  since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12  "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13  He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14  I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity [becomes sin], I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

Isaiah 66:1-2 (NKJV) 1  Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? 2  For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.  

 15  But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16  And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." ' " 17  According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

Working to give to God and for God is good – right? Why did God gently correct David’s course then?

David’s perspective has changed …What increase in Godly Relationship was to be had?

2 Sam 7:15-27 18  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19  And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? 20  Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant. 21  For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22  Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23  And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name--and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land--before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24  For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God. 25  Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26  So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27  For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

The Covenant is acknowledged by David as well. Now we see that David understands.

(((((Psalm 127:1-5 (NKJV) 1  Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. 2  It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep. 3  Behold, children [ultimate heritage is seen by David here] are a heritage from the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. 4  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. 5  Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

(((((Zechariah 4:5-7 (NKJV) 5  Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" And I said, "No, my lord." 6  So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. 7  'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "

David had the very subtle error we humans do not see in OUR approach to God and His Way.

(((((Hebrews 8:1,2; 6-12 (NKJV) 1  Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 2  a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.      6  But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8  Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 9  not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. 10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11  None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more."

WHAT is this flaw in well-intentioned, dedicated servants of God? What does all their sacrifice not complete? How do these Children of God, His Offspring fall short?

Matthew 16:18-19 (NKJV) 18  And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Matthew 1:23 (NKJV) 23  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Does the Name “God WITH us” mean that WE decide God’s Will and then He backs us up? OR does this mean God will Work out His Plan WITH us? Which fits scripture?

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) 19  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

It would not be doing violence to the scripture to say that we are to cease doing things FOR God and begin forever more doing the Work of GOD WITH Him. [Seems subtle difference, but it is LIFE.
 

2. We should not evaluate ourselves in light of doing for God. Our self-will control should not be allowed to rule our actions WITH God

Let’s consider the types of humans who are certainly NOT pleasing to God. We are NOT like them.

       2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV) 1  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Romans 1:18-32 (NKJV) 18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19  because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22  Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23  and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24  Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25  who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26  For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30  backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31  undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

We are certainly not like any of them, thank God! We serve God! We do for Him!

Luke 18:10-14 (NKJV) 10  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

God be thanked we are not like this man who did life FOR God …not WITH God.

Matthew 7:16-23 (NKJV) 16  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20  Therefore by their fruits you will know them. 21  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23  And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

Clearly, God considers it lawlessness for us to build His House FOR Him, rather than WITH Him. Living FOR God in a self-willed illusion of control of LIFE is not pleasing to God. He showed David that HE would build a True Eternal House for David’s descendants. God WOULD allow humans to participate in the building of His House …WITH Him.

This illusion of the human mind may cause us to consider that God must do as we plan …

 

3. We are NEVER in control of this life. God has provided LIFE-learning WITH us - His Way

Romans 6:16 (NKJV) 16  Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Romans 7:21-25 (NKJV) 21  I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22  For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24  O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25  I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

((((Matthew 4:3-4 (NKJV) 3  Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." 4  But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' "

OUR way may be to go forward serving God with OUR standards, expecting His approval and blessing for doing life FOR Him.

God allows life ..to correct our path, so we may be partakers of HIS holiness …WITH Him.

Hebrews 12:10 (NKJV) 10  For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

We are not LIKE God, do not think or act like God …so how can we expect OUR human endeavor ideas and motivations FOR God to be approved by our Creator, Who does NOT need OUR input?

Colossians 1:16-18 (NKJV) 16  For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

OUR old human self-willed life is really not OUR life anymore.

(((((Colossians 3:1-3 (NKJV) 1  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

(((((Acts 17:28 (NKJV) 28  for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.'

1 Corinthians 8:5-6 (NKJV) 5  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6  yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.

So …we are expected, as David quickly learned, to live WITH God, as He intends. We are NOT to live FOR Him – even while being thankful for His interventions in life. God actually honors our carnally limited relationship with Him. But …He expects us to grow BY His Grace and Knowledge.

Philippians 4:10-13 (NKJV) 10  But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11  Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  

(Tempting God to change His Will for me is the subject here).

Matthew 4:5-7 (NKJV) 5  Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6  and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " 7  Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.' "

All this living WITH God, directed from outside this realm, requires trusting that God is good and knows MORE about us and our purpose than we do.

Through human illusion and human endeavor, the path of Faith is “impossible”: [Red Sea, Walk on Water, Noah’s ark, Jericho, Isaac, Christ’s crucifixion]. Does God know more than WE do?

Faith is trust in God living WITH you and causing HIS Will to be done. Faith is interactive.

            Hebrews 11:30 (NKJV) 30  By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.     

Trusting God to be correct, wise and good, even to our hurt for a time is Faith.

1 Peter 2:4-5 (NKJV) 4  Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5  you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION: We are not to STAY in the world’s attitude of self-will control. WE have a new life hidden in Christ and God and our citizenship is now in Heaven. We are to live WITH God and KNOW that HE builds the House.

• God expects something more profound than serving FOR Him from us
• Our self-will control should not be allowed to rule our actions WITH God
• We are NEVER in control of this life. God has provided LIFE-learning WITH us - His Way

CLOSE: God may seem to be demanding that we do the impossible. Yes. It IS impossible without God’s Guidance from outside this physical realm, by His Spirit.    We are to go to HIM each day for His Guidance and forgiveness, so we may live with HIM.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (NKJV) 20  Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21  make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.