I have a plan!
Illus. by Christian Cheong
A famous British writer George Bernard Shaw once visited a sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein at his studio. The visitor noticed a huge block of stone standing in one corner and asked what it was for. "I don’t know yet. I’m still making plans."
Shaw was astounded. "You mean you plan your work. Why, I change my mind several times a day!" As a writer, I just start writing whatever comes to mind.
"That’s all very well with a four-ounce manuscript," replied the sculptor, "but not with a four-ton block of stone.” My work takes a plan!
Eccl. 9:11 NKJ
11. I returned and saw under the sun that?
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.
But time and chance happen to them all?
The entitlement thinking of the world nowadays, would have you think there is not equal footing for all. How there are some who are privileged in life!
And if you really want to know the truth of it, there's not equal footing for all! Here’s why! If God is not in your life, you my friend are at an unfair advantage! Because Gods Favor and Protection is not on your life!
Some would say, well I know all about God. Either the choice is made to know about God, or the choice is made to actually have a relationship with, and know God’s Son Jesus personally.
TBS in James 2:19 NKJ
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
If you know JESUS as your Lord and Saviour and God is in your life, you have an tremendous advantage over the rest of the world, who doesn’t know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
Before the world began, God looked ahead, and laid out a plan for every ones life.
And nobody makes plans like God makes plans!
God makes good plans, Praise God!
He says; ?I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out, plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.? Jerm.29:11 MSG.
Knowing God is capable of everything with unlimited resources, who wouldn't want to experience the God of everything's possible...Plans for their life?
In order for Gods plans to be successful in your life though, there are a few choices to be made!
Listen to what God says, do what He says to you and never stop doing either!
You would think, with such an easy 3 step program, there would be a line with standing room only, to sign up?
While you can lead someone who is thirsty to the vast supply of living water God has, free will still causes them to decline the invitation!
You would think with so little hope in the world right now, more people would be willing to embrace;
* the God of Love
* the God of Grace
* to the God of Mercy and Forgiveness
* the God of miracles
* the God of blessings and endless possibilities His Favor!
* the God of healing! Amen?
God is and wants to be all those things and so much more...but you still have to be willing to choose to be a part of His Plan for your life, to receive them!
God has given serious thought to every human being's life, in the history of the world?s life and destiny.
TBS. ?I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out? plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for,
And God’s plans, are expansive in detail, God’s plans are inclusive in nature, God has vast resources to share and provisions for whosoever wants to partake!
If you are willing to step out in faith, into the life that God has planed for you, He will freely give you that Life to Live! Praise God!!
God has marked moments, life changing events, already laid out for all of us to walk into and enjoy!
*Things you can and will experience, that will grow your faith and bless you!
*These moments are not ordinary. They are destiny-altering moments of victory!
*God inspired and engineered successes, designed to thrust you years ahead, of what would take a lifetime to achieve.
The accuser, right now is trying to raise a rebuttal in someone's mind...due to age or physical capabilities. God would have me tell you don't accept the lie, Step out in Faith and receive what has already been prepared for you!
Our text in Ecclesiastes, tells us that time and chance come together for every person. That's right, good and bad happen to everyone!
But if you are willing to believe and receive the benefits of your relationship you have, with JESUS and His Father....means you will have an advantage,
*you will have opportunities to meet the right people,
*opportunities to advance a career, and
*opportunities to fulfill your dreams,
*opportunities to be a part of the creative imagination of Gods ability to show His immense Love He has for you!!
It would not be an exaggeration, but an understatement to say
God has already prearranged 1,000’s of events, waiting to happen in your life to increase you, to promote and to bless you.
But you say, do you know how old I am? Funny you should say that....
that's the same thing Abraham and Sarah said, God do you know how old we are?
No one knew Colonial Harland Sanders name till he was 65 yrs old! And now some 68 yrs later everyone still knows his name!
Age doesn't affect Gods ability, or desire for us! Only our willingness to participate, affects what happens in our lives!
God has the ability to not just see who you are right now, but to see and to help you become, what you will be in the future.
Mark 1:16-20 MSG
16-18 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.
19-20 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.
Thus began the amazing marked moments God had already lined up for each one of those men. To the rest of the world, they were just old fisherman. They were callous, probably a little crude and capable of one thing. Fishing!
But Jesus saw something different in them. Jesus saw game changers in them! And when they said yes to the plans Jesus had for them, they began a relationship and a journey that changed the world!
Peter walked on water, John became the great Revelator, all of them everyone Jesus called to follow Him had amazing moments and became part of God’s master plan for the entire world!
God does the same with us still today, He will allow opportunities in our lives to happen, a flood of opportunities, if you are willing trust Him for them!
Each event, a stepping stone to greater opportunities in our walk and faith to live the abundant life God has for us!
And like those men who were on the shore the day Jesus called them, we have to be willing to say yes to those opportunities like they all did! Because if we don?t, they'?ll become wasted opportunities.
We need to learn to let go and trust God’s plans, not with just our words, but also our actions! TBS faith without works is dead!
There has never been a greater time in our lives than right now. Than to trust God to do the impossible in our lives as we face what lies ahead in 2021!
We need to have tunnel vision and keep our focus on God, through our relationship we have with Jesus, knowing the best possible outcome always lays ahead for us, no matter what we think we may be seeing!
Because our future has already been charted, by none other than The Great God Almighty Himself!
To believe anything less would be to give more credence to what the accusers propaganda pushes, then to the promises of the God of everything possible!
The next paragraph, or story I share could easily be written about the rest of your life and how your relationship and walk with the Lord, affected those around you, your circle of influence and even future generations.
Human nature wants to always say are you kidding me! I’m sure those men there on the shoreline that day thought the same thing! But the facts remain, God did use them mightily and together they changed the world!
TBS. He who started a work in you, will be faithful to see that work completed!
If God is willing to give, why not be willing to accept what God is willing to give us?
We all have the same opportunity with God. God is fair and just with all, He is not a respecter of persons. He is a rewarder of all, who diligently seek Him!!
Whatever your need today, diligently seek Jesus for the answer and you will see the answer come to fruition!
Pilot's Directions
Henry Gardner was flying me to Asheville, North Carolina, in his Cessna 180. We'd taken off from Victoria, Texas, and stopped in Jackson, Mississippi, to fix a malfunctioning radio.
Now we were nearing Asheville only to find that the fog was so thick that the controller wouldn't let us land. "Sorry," he said over the radio, "you'd better head to Greenville."
But we couldn't. We didn't have enough fuel to make it there. "We're going to have to land," Henry insisted. We were granted permission to make an emergency landing. The radio sputtered a few times and he lowered the plane.
"Pull it up!" came the shout. To our horror we saw we were about to land on the interstate! Henry pulled hard on the stick and we barely missed a highway overpass.
"If you listen to me," the voice on the radio said, "I'll show you how to get back in." and then came a series of careful, detailed instructions: "Raise it up." "To your left a little." "Easy, easy." "You're nearing the runway. Let it down--now!" Suddenly the lights of the runway appeared out of the fog.
Never had I seen such a welcome sight. We landed safely. First we thanked God. Then as soon as we could, we went to thank the air traffic controller, who looked at us in bewilderment.
"I don't understand," he said. "I lost contact with you after I told you to make an emergency landing. Your radio sputtered and you were gone."
(Source: Guideposts, His Mysterious Ways, Vol. III, published by Guieposts Associates, Carmel, New York 10512; "Pilot's Directions", by David Moore, pg. 51.)
Are you seeking God today and His direction for your life? God sent His Son Jesus to be your Saviour! To give you step by step instructions for everything you will ever come up against!
Are you on the lookout for those marked moments, God puts in your path all along the way?
There are still chapters today, waiting to be written about your lives. Don't worry about choosing the content!
God already has the most excellent adventures waiting on you, with His protection and guidance there every step of the way, to reward you with...
the moment you choose to follow Him into the unknown awaiting you!
Let's pray?
Fellow Contributors,
If you have found this teaching helpful, I invite you to check other resources and books I have authored available at all online bookstores! Or you can follow me on Facebook at my Charlie Roberts Author page.
Available now:
I AM, I CAN, I WILL “all about exploring God’s Grace”
MY SCANDALOUS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD “all about exposing God’s Grace”
PARKING LOT FAITH “the realization you already have enough faith to move your Mountains”
