DO YOU HAVE PLANS? WHO’S PLANS ARE THEY?

Jer. 1:5 “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you:

GOD WON’T ALLOW US TO SUCCEED WITHOUT HIM.

I’m sure there’s been a time in your life were you have tried to make things work out right, but no matter what you do it always seems to fail.

Your problem is not that you’re a failure; your problem is simply that you haven’t gone to the right source for help.

Proper prior planning prevents puke poor performance!

Remember, true success is not the ability to accumulate material wealth. It is the ability to TRULY ENJOY LIFE and EVERYTHING GOD PROVIDES IN IT!

“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” – Jeremiah 10:23

I hear a lot about planning. Every January I hear about:
* Believers establishing their planning for the year.
*Corporations establish plans that cover anywhere from one to five years.

*Individuals establish personal life plans.

These are all great-BUT (as I came to realize the hard way) is God in the Plan?

There is only one problem that I see with most planning done by well-meaning believers and business people.
If God is not the “originator” and “director” of the plan, then that plan is doomed for failure at some point in time. (I know this to well from personal experience’s).

Gods word gives us all needed instruction if WE would only follow:
* Psalms 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
*Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Let the Light of life lead us the word of God, Jesus Christ.

Key to truth of Questions and Plans:
*Proverbs!!! The entire book is such a perfect source of Wisdom, Guidance and the outcome of choices we will make or thinking of making. Read Proverbs with any question in mind and you will find many answers to your question.

So often, Christian believers set out to plan something that seems good in their own mind. The merits of what is being planned can look great, and it can even be a worthy endeavor.

However, that is not the point. When Jesus said He came only to do the will of the Father, He could not consider doing anything that was not what the Father wanted, no matter how good or righteous it might appear to be.

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Prov. 16:9).
*God must give us the vision for what He calls us to do.
* After we have the vision, we must ask Him IF He wants us to take action on that vision and WHAT the action steps entail.
Habakkuk. 2: 2 Then the lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.
**The Lord wants to direct each step of the planning process. Take time to listen and write down.
*** It is our responsibility to seek Him to find out His mind on the matter.
*Our planning must be established in Him.
Only when we remain so connected to the source can we be assured of putting God’s plan into place.
* Also, getting that plan confirmed through OTHERS will assure that we are not following the deceit of our own heart.

When you begin to plan next time, ask God for His wisdom for establishing the VISION and ACTION steps.
You will be surprised how well He can plan!

“I’m letting go GOD- I am yours- take me and do YOUR will with my life.”
* It takes a very strong person to say that they are going to give up there life and not be in control but that is what we need to do… that is what I need to do.

Jeremiah 10:23 says “Lord, I know that our lives don’t really belong to us we cannot control our own lives”

Jeremiah sums it up right there our LIVES DO NOT BELONG TO US!!!

A quote:  Instead of throwing a fit when things don’t go YOUR way, try asking God about HIS way” let Jesus “take the wheel” so to speak!
**Knowledge without experience is mere folly. Only when you are placed in situations where there is nothing or no one who can save you but God- will you learn the lessons of warrior faith.
Hosea 6:6 For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice,  And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

It is when our efforts can do nothing to change your circumstance and we are at the mercy of God when we start to include Him in making our PLANS.
* These are the real training grounds of God. Do not shrink back from the battle that God may be leading you to today.
* It may be a training ground that is necessary for the calling and Plan He has on your life.
If you can trust Him in these times, you’ll know that you have gained a faith that will move mountains and will sustain you in the most difficult of circumstances.
Jeremiah 20: 9 But if I say, “Forget it! No more God-Messages from me!” The words are fire in my belly, a burning in my bones. I’m worn out trying to hold it in. I can’t do it any longer!

When We KNOW what we have in God:
*You won’t allow the circumstances of life stress you.
*You realize external factors don’t define you, it’s the internal.
*Your circumstances have nothing to do with his goodness. ” God is good.” Praise because he always has a plan.
*It is good for us to wait quietly.
*Stop adding up your problems and start counting your blessing!!!!!        *The longer you complain, the longer you restrain your gift.
*Stop categorizing God as TIME.
(Lam 3:23 They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! 24 I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over). He’s all I’ve got left. 25 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.)
*Never let you circumstances allow you to believe he’s checked out. (Matt 23:20) He is always right there.
*He who believes knows that God will bring you out on HIS time.

What is good leadership?

• The continual effort of bringing as many people along side you as possible when you cross the finish line of life.
• It’s about taking a vested interest in the dreams of others as much as my own dreams matter to me.
• It’s about spreading joy to others and encouraging them daily.

My plan must be in line with the Lord’s perfect will for my life. If it isn’t, I pray he will stop it in its early stages and that he will give me the grace to know it was Him

Proverbs 21 No matter how good the plan, VICTORY always rests with the Lord. FAITH is the foundation of the Plan’s success.
‘The victory belongs to the Lord’(31). When defeat seems inevitable, God comes to us with His Word of encouragement: ‘The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save, a Warrior who gives victory. He will take great delight in you. He will renew you in His love. He will rejoice over you with singing’(Zephaniah 3:17). God’s Word shows us the way of victory. It is the way of faith in our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?’(1 John 5:4). God ‘gives victory’ to us. We must receive His victory by ‘faith’. Living for Christ is never easy – ‘In this world you will have trouble’. Don’t let this get you down. Jesus says, ‘Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world’(John 16:33).
Remember. We Fight FROM VICTORY not for victory.  1JN 4: 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. (NLT)
Our success is not in our human strength but in the fact we are trusting the Lord through our difficulties. He will deliver us from out of those difficulties.
AMEN

 

PROVERBS ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

 

Read through Proverbs with the questions you have about your business or life issues.
Get a note book and every time you read something that applies to your personal/business situation – write down what you learned from it.

Example:

1. What does proverbs teach about decision making, e.g. Seek good council and you do everything in truth/honesty.
2. What does Proverbs teach about business dealings?

3. What does proverbs teach about allowing the Lord to care for you and your future?

4. What does proverbs teach about Honor and dishonor

5. About one’s reputation, about one’s friends, about gossip, about integrity and trusting God in His Leading and provision.

Simply be open to what the Holy Spirit guides you too.

AND after this week long process try the same approach using the Gospel of Matthew.

All I know is that when the answer comes from the Word it is true and reliable and we can go with it.
The Lord is always faithful in applying His Word to His children.

 

Do you need direction in your life today?

• Set aside TIME to draw close to His presence. There, you will sense His unfailing love for you. His direction for your life will be a natural by-product of this time of communion with Him. Ask God to lead you by His Spirit today.
  *In order to remain in Jesus, we have to build a relationship with Him. It boils down to love. If you love Jesus, then you will want to spend time with Him.
  * The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.  (We have the Bible to know Him)
  * Love is linked with joy! In the body of Christ we lack joy, because we lack love. Love is not a request, its a commandment.
  *Joy is made complete in the safety of unconditional love. Nothing steals joy like feeling unloved & unlovable.
• We all need to learn from Jesus. He who knows everything

James 1:5

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.