Banquet With The King: Searching for God’s Will?

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. John 5:25-45 ESV

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

Jewish tradition, based on scripture (Deut. 19:15), requires that two witnesses testify before the conviction of an accused person. Here in the passage for today, Jesus was saying that He alone couldn’t testify about Himself—two others had to testify about Him. He goes on to tell about two who are His witnesses, John the Baptist and His Heavenly Father. In addition, His own works were His testimony.

Jesus was a man of integrity. He didn’t boast about what He could do or about what He had already done (healing sick and lame people), but insisted that He couldn’t do anything on His own. He was seeking God’s will.

So what is God’s will? In John 4:34, Jesus explained:

My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. John 4:34

Additionally, in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus prayed…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. I know several people who have really struggled with “knowing God’s will for their lives.” I remember spending a considerable amount of time searching the scriptures myself wanting to understand what it was that God wanted me to do. What was God’s will for my life? I think God’s direction in Paul’s letter to the Romans provides us with a good answer.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NASB) Underlined for emphasis.

That is stated pretty plainly—that which is good, acceptable and perfect. That takes me back to one of my favorite verses:

Search for the Truth in your life.
Seek God and you will find Him.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 (NASB)

Think about good things—and you’ll do what is right and is God’s will. This scripture may not give specifics…like what to do for a specific career or spouse, but general guidance on the way to live to please God. Feast on those words today.

What do we learn about Jesus from today’s passage? Jesus lived to please the Father, to do just what the Father wanted Him to do. He was pointing people to God the Father as the source of our hope, not to Moses on whom the Jews wanted to focus their loyalty. That is good advice for us today, too. Seek God and you will find Him.

Prayer – Dear Jesus—I believe you are who you said you are…the Son of God—and you are God. Your testimony is true. Help me to continue to seek God’s will and to focus on the good, acceptable, and perfect—the God things.

Verse of Salvation ~ And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28

Portions reused from October 10, 2012, Banquet With The King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®,

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

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Monday, April 6, 2026

Searching for God’s Will?

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