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Posts Tagged ‘God’s plan for my life’

“We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old. How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out. For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.” (Psalm 44:1-3)

It matters not if we act to serve God or act to work against God, if we believe in God or do not believe in God, if we believe in God and transgress or if we believe in God and do not transgress. Create any scenario you like, at the end of the day, or more precisely, in God’s perfect timing, HIS WILL, will be done! God has a plan and He is going to stick to it, regardless if it’s for the short term or the ‘big’ picture prophetically – God’s orchestrating the entire thing and He always has been.

Consider the ‘blessing debacle’ with Isaac, Jacob, and Rebekah. All three, despite being Godly folks, were operating sinfully, while not realizing that God’s plan (for Jacob in the short term and for mankind in the long term), was going to happen regardless if this trio worked with God righteously or against Him sinfully – the result was always going to be the same. The fact that God allowed the event to occur as it did and then use it to convey the Divine principle to us now, just demonstrates His sovereignty and the unfathomable intricacy of His plan.

I’m not suggesting that as followers of Jesus Christ we might as well sin. That would be so very foolish (as brother Paul confirms in an epistle), as we always want to be working on the side of righteousness. But aren’t you comforted in knowing that if we sin, or if we make mistakes, or if for a moment or a season we ignore the pleadings of the Holy Spirit, that God’s plan is moving forward anyway?

I don’t know about you, but that gives me much peace.

I believe (at least in part), this is what Jesus was talking about when He said His yoke was EASY and His burden is LIGHT. Consider the ‘burden’ that all Christians are called to share (the Gospel) and how so many of us are weighed down by the thought of doing it, so much so that many don’t.

Why?

Because we’ve made what was supposed to light, heavy.

Remember, God’s plan is going forward regardless of what we do, and He is responsible for drawing believers unto Himself. Our ‘very light’ burden is to just start the conversation, a conversation by the way He will equip us for. The bulk of the burden falls on God, not us. More importantly, if God wants a particular person to hear the Gospel and we fail in our obedience, God will make another way for it to happen, but how very foolish we are if we choose to not participate in God’s plan. Our salvation is not threatened, but know we have forfeited the opportunity to bless and please God, and there will be loss of some sort.



As I write this blog, the nation is suffering greatly from a decimating virus, an unrepairable financial deficit, riots, looting, and destruction. The solution is Jesus, and everything He brings to the table. The world’s solution, such as dismantling our police departments, is insanity, especially in light of the knowledge that God’s plan is going to prevail in the long run.

This is the message the Church needs to be bringing, while simultaneously not being burdened with the notion that we carry the weight of saving America (or the world) on our shoulders. We preach it, we teach it, we share the information, and God will take it from there. For us, we just want to be on the right side of it all.

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“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

Making Godly Decisions

Arguably the number one question Christians ask has to do with God’s will. Personally, I believe discerning God’s will is an easy thing; especially as it pertains to understanding our role in His plan for the present moment. Let us consider a few passages on the topic of God’s will, keeping in mind that these are just a sampling.

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:11-18

That verse concludes that all the recorded activities, although not an exhaustive list, are the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. So if you woke up this morning saying,Gee, I don’t know what God wants me to do,” start with these:

  1. Comfort and/or encourage someone (this is God’s will)
  2. Recognize & esteem your pastor and elders (this is God’s will)
  3. Keep the peace (this is God’s will)
  4. Patiently educate and/or care for the needy (this is God’s will)
  5. Fight evil by pursing goodness (this is God’s will)
  6. Rejoice (this is God’s will)
  7. Pray (this is God’s will)
  8. Give thanks (this is God’s will)

Have you done any of these things today? If you haven’t, you should know that you are not submitted to God’s will. Have you even prayed? Pastor Chuck Smith has said repeatedly, “We can do more after we pray, but we can’t do more until we pray.” That my friend is pure, God-inspired wisdom.

Here’s another one:

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men 1 Peter 2:13-15

The Father has placed each of us under various authorities; from the President of the United States to the cops in our local police departments, from our parents to our teachers, from our bosses to the mall security guards. It’s a huge list and it’s God’s will that we’re obedient to their lawful rule, providing it doesn’t contract His authority.

I believe that when we are disobedient, we effectively move ourselves from beneath the spout where God’s blessings pour out — God doesn’t stop the flow, but we move away when we sidestep His will. And I can argue that sidestepping is the equivalent to back-sliding.

One more:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

What’s God’s will for you today?

Be a nonconformist!

Walk away from what the world and satan wants you to become and allow the Lord to give you a Holy make-over. If you have been waiting for God to reveal His specific plan (will) for you, but sense you’re not receiving any divine direction, there is a chance you haven’t been walking in His will with any consistency. Today is the day that can change.

Future Decisions

What about God’s will in regard to the choices we  make: should we go there, should we buy this, should we marry that guy; how are we to know? Well, assuming we have been faithful with these other things, there are essentially four (4) criteria that we should consider before making every decision.

Number one:

What Does God Say?

The probability exists that your issue has been addressed within the scriptures. In other words, there is a Biblical foundation that you can base a decision on. You may not find an exact match, but if you were wrestling with the idea of getting a tattoo or piercing (for example), you would likely happen upon a complementary directive in God’s word regarding stewardship and/or honoring the temple that is your body. That’s step one.

Next…

WWPD

What would your pastor (or an elder, deacon, etc.) do?

I confess the hardest thing for me to do is ask my pastor his opinion on matters. Why? Because I know he will give me his opinion. Be that as it may, God has placed these people in our lives and they are valuable resources who have the capacity to look at things from an unbiased and Biblical position.

If we look long and hard enough, we can find someone who will agree with us. This is not God’s will — He would rather we ask our pastor or elder who is not afraid of telling us the truth or losing us as a friend.

A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:5-7

History

What has your experience shown you; how does your track record look? If you are in the habit of following the previous steps, you probably have a history of making good choices. A person who prays and patiently waits, searches God’s word, and seeks Godly counsel, typically makes good choices. Is that your testimony? Is it your routine to allow your Creator to search the depths of your heart?

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

Who Has Led You to This Point?

How did you get here? When you boil it all down, there is really only two ways you have come to the fork in the road we call choice: you either traveled there on the flesh-express, or the Holy Spirit has brought you to this place. How can you be sure which it is? The answer lies in going back to what you know to be true regarding God’s will and complying with it. Remember, God’s will brings you closer, while satan’s will widens the gap.

‎”However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come…Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” John 16:13, Galatians 5:16

  1. What do these passages say about God?
  2. What do they say about you?
  3. What’s our recourse?

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