“Lord Willing, I’ll Be There”
You’ve probably heard someone say it:
“I’ll see you at church on Sunday—Lord willing.”
“We’ll finish the harvest next week—Lord willing.”
“I’m planning to retire in five years—Lord willing.”
But what does that phrase actually mean?
Is it just Christian-ese? A spiritual way of saying “hopefully” or “if everything works out”?
Is it about acknowledging that your plans might change?
Or is there something deeper going on?
Ned Brown’s sermon “Lord Willing” tackles this common phrase and reveals something most Christians have completely missed: God’s will isn’t primarily about your daily schedule, your career path, or whether you make it to an appointment on time.
It’s about something far more profound: relationship.
And if you’ve been confused about God’s will for my life, wondering what does God want from me, or trying to figure out how can I know God’s will—this message is going to shift your entire perspective.
The Common Misunderstanding About “God’s Will”
How Most Christians Think About God’s Will
When most believers think about God’s will, they think about:
Decisions:
- Which job should I take?
- Who should I marry?
- Where should I live?
- What car should I buy?
- Which college should I attend?
Daily circumstances:
- Will I make it to my appointment on time?
- Will the weather cooperate for my plans?
- Will this project succeed?
Future planning:
- When should I retire?
- How many kids should we have?
- Should we move to a different city?
And yes, God cares about these things. He’s sovereign over all of it.
But here’s what Ned Brown emphasizes: That’s not the HEART of God’s will.
The Phrase “Lord Willing” in Scripture
James 4:13-15: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.'”
So yes, we should acknowledge God’s sovereignty over our plans.
We don’t know the future. We don’t control circumstances. God does.
But the phrase “Lord willing” is about more than just acknowledging uncertainty.
It’s about recognizing WHO is in control and trusting HIS heart toward you.
What Is God’s Will for Relationship?
Here’s the central thesis of Ned Brown’s sermon that changes everything:
God’s primary will isn’t about WHAT you do. It’s about WHO you’re in relationship with.
What is God’s will for relationship? Intimacy. Deep, transparent, eternal fellowship with you.
Let me show you why this is true from Scripture.
Made in God’s Image: The Foundation of Relationship
The First Clue: Genesis 1:26-27
Genesis 1:26-27: “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’… God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Ned asks a crucial question: Why?
Why would God create beings in His image?
He could have created:
- Beings stronger than any animal
- Beings faster than eagles
- Beings that could breathe underwater and on land
- Beings with incredible physical abilities
But instead, He created beings in HIS IMAGE.
What does made in God’s image mean?
The Image of God: What It Includes
Being made in God’s image means we share certain qualities with God:
1. Emotion
God has emotions. He loves, grieves, rejoices, gets angry at injustice.
And we do too. We feel because God feels.
2. Will
God has a will—He makes choices, decisions, plans.
And we do too. We choose because God chooses.
3. Creativity
God is the ultimate Creator.
And we create too—art, music, literature, solutions, designs. We create because God creates.
4. Relationality
This is the key one.
God as relational being is fundamental to His nature.
Think about it:
- God the Father
- God the Son
- God the Holy Spirit
Trinity three persons one being.
God exists in eternal relationship—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in perfect love, communication, and fellowship.
And He made US relational too.
Why God Took the Risk
Here’s what Ned emphasizes: Making humans with a will was risky.
Because when you give someone a will, they might use it to reject you.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Adam and Eve chose to sin. They used their will to disobey.
Every human since has done the same.
So why did God take that risk?
Because relationship without choice isn’t real relationship. It’s programming.
God doesn’t want robots. He wants beings who choose to love Him.
Even though that choice comes with the risk of rejection.
That’s how much God values relationship.
The Picture of Relationship: Adam and Eve
Genesis 2:18-25: The Second Creation Account
After creating Adam, God makes a profound statement:
Genesis 2:18: “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
Wait… “not good”?
Everything else in creation was “good” or “very good.”
But man alone? Not good.
Why? Because humans are made for relationship.
So God creates Eve. And listen to Adam’s response:
Genesis 2:23: “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”
Notice the intimacy:
- “Bone of my bones”
- “Flesh of my flesh”
This is deep, intimate connection.
Genesis 2:24: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”
One flesh. Complete unity. Intimate relationship.
Genesis 2:25: “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”
This is transparency. Vulnerability. Nothing hidden.
This Is a Picture of What God Wants With You
Ned makes this connection: The relationship between Adam and Eve is a picture of what God desires with us.
Ephesians 5:31-32: “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.”
The Christ and the church relationship is the ultimate reality that marriage points to.
God wants:
- Intimacy with you (as close as a husband and wife)
- Transparency with you (nothing hidden, no shame)
- Unity with you (one in purpose and heart)
- Exclusive devotion (no competing loyalties)
That’s God’s desire for relationship with us.
That’s His will.
God’s Desire for Relationship Throughout Scripture
David Understood This
Psalm 139:1-4: “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold, O LORD, You know it all.”
God knows you intimately.
Every thought. Every word. Every action.
And His desire is that you would know HIM intimately too.
Jesus Prayed for This
John 17:20-23: “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us… I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity.”
Jesus prayed for us to experience the same unity He has with the Father.
That’s intimate relationship with God.
Paul Described This
Ephesians 5:28-30: “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.”
We are members of Christ’s body.
Just as a husband cherishes his own body, Christ cherishes the church.
That’s how much He values relationship with you.
How Does God Want Relationship With Me?
Let me answer this question directly: How does God want relationship with me?
Based on Scripture, here’s what intimate relationship with God looks like:
1. Transparent Communication
God wants you to talk to Him honestly.
Not just “bless this food” prayers. Real conversation.
Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Tell Him:
- Your fears
- Your doubts
- Your struggles
- Your joys
- Your questions
- Your needs
He already knows. But He wants you to share with Him.
2. Time in His Presence
God wants you to spend time with Him.
Not just checking off a devotional box. Actually being with Him.
Psalm 27:4: “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.”
David’s desire: To be in God’s presence. To see His beauty. To dwell with Him.
That’s the heart of relationship.
3. Knowing His Heart Through His Word
God has revealed Himself in Scripture.
He wants you to know Him—not just know ABOUT Him.
John 17:3: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
Knowing God IS eternal life.
Not just knowing facts. Knowing HIM.
4. Obedience That Flows From Love
John 14:15: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
God wants your obedience. But not mechanical, grudging obedience.
He wants obedience that flows from love.
Like a wife who serves her husband not out of duty but out of love.
Like a husband who sacrifices for his wife not because he has to but because he wants to.
That’s the relationship God desires.
5. Walking in His Presence Daily
Genesis 5:24: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Enoch WALKED with God.
Not just Sunday morning encounters. Daily, ongoing fellowship.
That’s what God wants with you.
The Ultimate Picture: Revelation 21
God’s Final Plan: Dwelling With His People
Ned spends significant time in Revelation 21 because it reveals God’s ultimate will for relationship.
Revelation 21:1-3: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them.'”
Notice the language:
“He will DWELL among them.”
Not visit occasionally. DWELL.
“They shall be HIS people.”
Belonging. Relationship. Covenant.
“God Himself will be among them.”
This is the fulfillment of everything God has wanted from the beginning.
Every Tear Wiped Away
Revelation 21:4: “And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
This is intimate care.
God doesn’t just eliminate tears. He WIPES them away.
Personal. Tender. Relational.
No More Separation
Revelation 21:7: “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”
The relationship:
- God as Father
- You as son/daughter
- Eternal fellowship
- No more separation
- No more sin barrier
- No more death
This is what God has wanted all along.
From Genesis to Revelation, the theme is the same: God wants relationship with you.
Christian Fellowship Importance: A Foretaste of Eternity
Ned emphasizes something crucial: Christian fellowship importance isn’t just about being nice or having friends.
It’s a foretaste of what’s coming.
Hebrews 10:24-25: “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
Why is fellowship important?
Because it’s practicing what eternity will be:
- Believers together
- In God’s presence
- Encouraging one another
- Loving one another
- Bearing one another’s burdens
When you gather with other believers, you’re getting a glimpse of the New Jerusalem.
When you encourage a brother or sister in Christ, you’re experiencing the relationship God designed.
That’s why it matters so much.
Psalm 73: The Perspective of God’s Sanctuary
Ned references Psalm 73 where the psalmist is struggling with the prosperity of the wicked.
Psalm 73:16-17: “When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my eyes until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end.”
The sanctuary of God changes your perspective.
Being in fellowship with God’s people reminds you:
- What actually matters
- What’s temporary vs. eternal
- What’s valuable vs. worthless
That’s the importance of Christian fellowship.
Understanding God’s Will: It’s About WHO, Not Just WHAT
So let’s bring this full circle: Understanding God’s will.
Most Christians approach it backwards:
Wrong Approach: “God, what do You want me to DO? Where do You want me to GO? What job should I TAKE?”
Right Approach: “God, who do You want me to BE? How can I know You more deeply? How can I walk more closely with You?”
When you get the relationship right, the decisions become clearer.
Not because God sends you a cosmic text message about which job to take.
But because:
- You know His character
- You understand His values
- You’re walking with Him daily
- You’re listening to His Spirit
- You’re aligned with His heart
And from that place of relationship, wise decisions flow.
Praying “In Jesus’ Name”
Ned makes a crucial point about praying “in Jesus’ name.”
It doesn’t mean:
- Tacking Jesus’ name on the end like a magic formula
- Demanding whatever you want and expecting God to deliver
It means:
- Your will is so aligned with Jesus’ will that you’re praying His heart
- You want what He wants
- Your desires match His desires
- You’re asking as His representative, for His purposes
That’s relationship-level praying.
That comes from intimacy with God.
Is My Name Written in the Lamb’s Book of Life?
At the end of the sermon, Ned addresses the ultimate question:
Is my name written in the Lamb’s book of life?
Revelation 20:11-15 describes the great white throne judgment:
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life… And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
This is the final judgment.
And the determining factor: Is your name in the book?
Revelation 21:27: “And nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
How Do You Get Your Name Written There?
By entering into relationship with Jesus Christ.
It’s not:
- Being a good person
- Going to church
- Doing religious activities
- Having Christian parents
It’s trusting in Jesus as your Savior and Lord.
Romans 10:9: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
John 1:12: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”
Relationship with God is available.
But you have to receive it. Enter into it. Say yes to Jesus.
The Song: “Is My Name Written There?”
Ned references hymn #116, which asks:
“Tell me, Jesus, my Savior, is my name written there?”
It’s a personal question. An urgent question.
Because eternity is long. And your name either is or isn’t in the book.
If you’re not sure, make sure today.
Practical Steps for Deepening Your Relationship With God
Based on Ned’s sermon, here’s how to live out God’s will for my life as relationship:
This Week:
- Have an honest conversation with God – Tell Him what you’re really thinking and feeling, not just “Christian answers”
- Spend time in His presence – Not just reading devotions, but actually being with Him. Sit quietly. Listen.
- Identify one person to fellowship with – Call a Christian friend. Encourage them. Practice eternity.
- Ask yourself: Is my name in the book? – If you’re not sure, settle it today.
This Month:
- Study the relationship passages – Genesis 2, John 17, Ephesians 5, Revelation 21
- Listen to the full sermon – Hear Ned Brown’s complete message here
- Evaluate your priorities – How much time do you spend on temporary things vs. eternal relationships?
- Practice transparency with God – Confess sin. Share struggles. Stop hiding.
This Year:
- Make fellowship a priority – Don’t forsake assembling with believers. It’s practice for eternity.
- Deepen your knowledge of God – Not just facts, but relationship. Know His heart.
- Align your will with His – Learn to pray “in Jesus’ name” from a place of intimacy
- Live with eternity in view – Remember Revelation 21. This isn’t all there is.
What Does God Want From Me? The Simple Answer
Let me give you the simple, direct answer to this question: What does God want from me?
He wants YOU.
Not your performance. Not your perfection. Not your religious activity.
He wants relationship with you.
He wants:
- To be with you
- To walk with you
- To talk with you
- To dwell with you
- To wipe away your tears
- To be your God while you are His child
That’s it. That’s His will.
Everything else—obedience, service, ministry, decisions—flows from that relationship.
Get the relationship right, and the rest follows.
That’s why He made you in His image.
That’s why He sent Jesus.
That’s why He’s preparing the New Jerusalem.
Because from eternity past to eternity future, God’s desire has been the same:
To be with you.
To know you and be known by you.
To have you as His own.
That’s not religious obligation. That’s love.
And it’s the best news you could ever hear.
The Bottom Line: “Lord Willing” Is About Trust in a Relational God
So when you say “Lord willing,” what are you really saying?
You’re saying:
- I trust God’s sovereignty over my plans
- I acknowledge He knows better than I do
- I submit my will to His
- I believe His heart toward me is good
- I’m walking in relationship with Him, not just making religious statements
The phrase “Lord willing” isn’t superstition.
It’s not a Christian good luck charm.
It’s recognition that you’re in relationship with a God who:
- Loves you deeply
- Knows you completely
- Wants intimacy with you
- Has your best interest at heart
- Is preparing an eternal home where you’ll dwell with Him forever
And in that relationship, you can trust:
- His timing
- His plans
- His purposes
- His will
Even when you don’t understand.
Even when life doesn’t make sense.
Even when circumstances are hard.
Because God’s will isn’t primarily about circumstances.
It’s about relationship.
And that relationship—unlike circumstances—never changes.
God wants to be with you.
Now. And forever.
That’s His will.
The question is: Will you say yes to the relationship He’s offering?
Experience the Complete Message
This blog post only captures a portion of the personal stories, biblical depth, and pastoral warmth in Ned Brown’s teaching. To hear the full sermon with all the illustrations, Scripture references, and heartfelt application, listen to the complete message here.
Whether you’re confused about God’s will for my life, wondering what does made in God’s image mean, or simply need a reminder of God’s desire for relationship with us, this sermon will transform how you understand what God truly wants from you.
About Atlantic Gospel Chapel: We’re a Bible-teaching church in Atlantic, Iowa, committed to helping people understand and experience intimate relationship with God. We believe that understanding God’s will starts with understanding His heart for relationship, and that Christian fellowship importance can’t be overstated as we practice for eternity together. If you’re looking for a church that values both biblical truth and genuine relationship with God and His people, we’d love to have you join us.
