9.18.10 "The Plans We Make"

"The Plans We Make"

Isaiah 28:14-30:11
Galatians 3:23-4:31
Psalms 62:1-12
Proverbs 23:19-21

"Number 5 Alive!" If you're a product of the 80's you remember the line from Short Circuit. It's where a robot short circuits & develops a mind and personality of it's own. Many a movie have been made about man's creation coming to life. Frankenstein and many others. Most of the time, it's with disastrous results.

Isaiah 29:15 says, "Woe to those who try to hide their plans from God, who try to keep him in the dark concerning what they do! 'God can't see us,' they say to themselves. 'He doesn't know what is going on!'"

Doesn't that sound like the way many people live? Unfortunately, that's how some Christians live. We make moves to get close to God, but then we still make OUR plans. Want to know how God feels about this? Look how Isaiah describes it in verse 16: "How stupid can they be! Isn't he, the Potter, greater than you, the jars he makes? Will you say to him, 'He didn't make us'? Does a machine call its inventor dumb?"

How simple we are sometimes to think that we can make our own way without God being a part of the process. Why do we do that? Sometimes we feel God directing us to do something, and we agree on our terms. Ok, I'll obey, but first I'm going to do this, and get this, and buy this, or wait until this.... We have all these plans that we've made on our own, and we've not let the Lord be a part of the process.

Lisa and I have always had busy lives, but there was a time years ago when Lisa and I were working 4 jobs between us. We were having a good time, and things were going well, but everyone was saying, "You guys are crazy! How can you do this?" etc. Well one night we sat down and decided we were going to determine what direction we were going to take. We had lists of pros & cons, and were going to work it all out. Good plan, right? Actually, we became very frustrated in the process. What God spoke to us during that moment was, "Are you saying I can't give you the strength to do what I've called you to do?" Needless to say, we knew the answer: Do His plan, not ours. We had one more year of that unbelievable schedule, but we knew we were in God's hands, and in his plan, and a year later he gave us clear direction.

When it comes to finding direction from the Lord, often we like to talk to a bunch of people before waiting on God. Isaiah 30:1-2 addresses that. "Woe to my rebellious children, says the Lord; you ask advice from everyone but me, and decide to do what I don't want you to do. You yoke yourselves with unbelievers, thus piling up your sins. For without consulting me you have gone down to Egypt to find aid and have put your trust in Pharaoh for his protection."

WE know & love Jeremiah 29:11 - "for I know the plans I have for you..." We know that there is a plan and direction for our lives. Why then do we try to figure it out on our own? We need to rest in him, trust in him, rely on him, wait for him, and obey him. There's no other way to live in peace.

If you're sensing frustration in your life regarding direction, make sure you are not trying to make plans on your own. Make sure you are moving in a direction God has pointed you toward. "Hey, this looks like a good idea..." leads to trouble most of the time. Instead of saying, "I'm going to head out in this direction unless God tells me different...", maybe we should say like Jehosaphat, "We don't know what to do but our eyes are on you." (2 Chr. 20:12)

We need to live God-directed lives. Obedience is the focus of a Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. To be obedient, we need to hear his voice. To hear his voice, we need to stop talking and planning, and wait on him.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


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