2. This Year: - Missionaries and Margin - Pavilion Tables - Electronic Sign

4. Foundations Then you will know…

5. I just want to know What God wants for me Do I move? Or stay here? Do I switch jobs? Should I get married?

6. God {often} has a Specific will So why doesn't he show us?

8. What if there's a reason He hasn't yet And…you can walk in The daily knowledge Of his leading?

9. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God

10. …to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God

11. by the mercies of God Because you can trust him …to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God

12. …which is your spiritual worship

13. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind

14. The revealed will of God: Present your body to God as a living sacrifice Be transformed Rather than conformed

15. …that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect - Romans 12:1-2

16. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (NLT)

17. The Foundation for Knowing the will of God is Doing the will of God

18. Obeying the revealed Will of God Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

19. You want to know The next thing God has for you? Get busy doing the last thing God showed you

20. Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much - Matt. 25:23

21. Christmas (Not at the beginning)

22. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth

23. …to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary

24. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

25. But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be

26. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God

27. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High

28. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end”

29. This is God's will: (revealed) That you give birth to The Messiah

30. And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

31. And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…

32. …therefore the child to be born will be called holy- the Son of God

33. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren

34. For nothing will be impossible with God” For nothing will be impossible with God”

35. The angel stops speaking God's will has been revealed Now… A decision has to be made

36. Hopes, dreams, future Reputation, food and shelter Everything is on the line

37. God reveals his will… Obedience flows out of Identity Not sight and rationale

38. Joseph will divorce her She'll be an outcast How will she raise this child?

39. If all possible objections Must first be overcome If all consequences Must first be minimized You'll never obey God

40. And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her - Luke 1:26-38

41. Obedience flows out of Identity If you know whose you are It's easy to know what you'll do

42. Let it be to me according to your word I give up all my hopes & dreams I give up my reputation I'll give up my family/friends

43. The Foundation for Knowing the will of God Is doing the will of God

44. Obeying the revealed Will of God Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

45. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit After 3 months with Elizabeth

46. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly

48. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying…

49. “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit

50. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins”

51. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

52. “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us)

53. When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife

54. …but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus - Matthew 1:18-25

55. Joseph experiences God speaking in a dream And he's given the opportunity To do the revealed will of God

56. A census for tax purposes City of David…Bethlehem

57. Cave-barn Feed trough

58. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night

59. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear

60. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people

61. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord

62. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger”

63. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying…

64. “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

65. “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us”

66. And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger

67. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them - Luke 2 (various)

68. Persian Priests …going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him

69. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh - Matthew 2:11

70. Joseph, Mary, Jesus must flee God provides through Persian Priests Every step of the way God is enough

71. It all starts with a young Scared teenage girl Willing to give up her plans Her dreams, her everything And say, "Yes, Lord. I'm yours"

72. Because Mary takes that step She finds the next step And the one after that

73. Because Mary takes that step: - Joseph encounters God - Shepherds witness Messiah - Persian Priests worship a King

74. Your obedience to the revealed Will of God will always affect More than just you And may even change the lives Of people you don't even know

75. Pride: I gotta figure it out first How am I taken care of in this? Humility: I trust God No matter the cost

76. God opposes the proud But gives grace to the humble - James 4:6

77. Wanna see God work? Do what he's shown you to do God opposes the proud But gives grace to the humble - James 4:6

78. In all your ways Acknowledge him And he will direct your paths

79. I can't see how in the world You'll get me through this, God The consequences of following Scare me, Lord

80. But I am your servant (identity) And I know you can And that's enough (obedience) This is acknowledging God

81. The Foundation for Knowing the will of God Is doing the will of God

82. Obeying the revealed Will of God Leads to discovering The unrevealed will of God

83. You want to know The next thing God has for you? Get busy doing the last thing God showed you

84. What has God shown you What steps of repentance Or steps of faith Has God shown you that you Need to walk in starting now?

85. Pray

86. Questions, Comments Disagreements

87. Black Friday Serve

88. Christmas Offering