Psalm 40:8 says, "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." The law of God reveals the will of God. With the development of information technology, our minds are constantly bombarded with information. Many of these thoughts are not helpful to our Christian walk. In order to have a Spirit-filled life, resisting the temptations of the world, we need to have the word of God constantly in our hearts and minds. "To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." [Romans 8:6-8] The description of this "carnal mind" is a worldly, fleshly mindset where the law of God cannot be found; the Bible says that it leads to death. If, like the Psalmist, we desire the law of God to be found in our hearts, then we too need to know His will. There is only one place where we can find that: in the Bible.

Generally, there are two reasons why we study the Bible. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." [Romans 12:1-2]

First, we have to know what it means to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. As Hannah offered her son Samuel to be used for God's will, we need to have that same kind of mindset in our lives, concerning our futures, possessions, and everything else. Friends, I mean everything. And God means EVERYTHING. However, it does not simply mean to go and sacrifice your body in the burning fires of martyrdom. It means to live a continually sanctified life, a life that is experiencing what Paul calls being "dead to sin". Sacrificing your desires, wants, thoughts, and ways in order to follow God is the truest sacrifice of a Christian.

Second, we have to learn not to conform to this world. We have to be different from the unbelievers; we do not chase after worldly desires like fame and wealth, but instead we must desire to have a Christ-like mindset as the prophets and apostles in the Bible had. What does it mean to have a mind and a character like Christ? The answer is in the Word.

So, in order to know God's will, we have to be experts in studying the Bible. But isn't that the job of our pastors, priests, and preachers? No! It's everybody's job! In order to do His will, we have to study for ourselves and grow by the word of God. [1 Peter 2:2] That's how our faith grows! [Romans 10:17] We cannot be stuck in the same faith we had yesterday or even today. Friends, as Christians, we need to be willing to obey the Word that guides us in our Christian walk. Our growth in faith does not come from happy feelings and emotions; it comes from obedience to new principles learned while studying of the Word of God. 

The "living sacrifice" in Romans 12:1, is not talking about a literal human sacrifice. It means that we have to live a new life day by day, sacrificing our old life's sinful desires. It is very easy for a person to die. In fact, everyone eventually does! It is also very easy to fall into sin. But Jesus promises us a victory over these things if we submit to Him. This is why it is such an honor to be living sacrifices for Him! Although there are tribulations and hardships in the Christian walk, we still fight that good fight, submitting ourselves continually to the Lord. The Christian walk is not easy, my friends. But this "light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." (2 Corinthians 4:17) Remember to read Bible day by day, even when you aren't going through trials and afflictions. God has "given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world."

Friends, READ your BIBLE. For Jesus Himself said, "Man shall not live by  bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4)