Aligning Our Plans with God's Purpose
Summary
In today's message, we explored the importance of planning in our lives, especially as we enter a new year. We often find ourselves making resolutions about finances, health, and personal goals, but these resolutions tend to fade quickly. The key to achieving our goals and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives is to have a well-thought-out plan. Planning is not just about setting goals; it's about aligning our intentions with God's will and being open to His guidance.
We looked at the example of the ant from Proverbs, which teaches us the value of hard work, foresight, and persistence. The ant prepares for the future without needing external motivation, reminding us to be proactive in our planning. Similarly, we must consider both our immediate actions and long-term goals, ensuring that our steps are guided by God's wisdom.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of committing our plans to the Lord. Proverbs 16:3 and James 4:13-15 remind us that while we can make plans, it is ultimately God who directs our steps. This means that our planning should always involve seeking God's will and being open to His direction, even if it means our plans change.
We also discussed the significance of small, incremental changes. Just as compound interest grows over time, small, consistent efforts can lead to significant progress. This principle applies to various aspects of life, including finances, relationships, and spiritual growth.
Finally, we reflected on the examples of Jesus and Paul, who both had plans aligned with God's will. Jesus was committed to fulfilling His Father's plan, even when it led to the cross. Paul, despite his plans being altered, accomplished great things for the Kingdom. Their examples teach us that while our plans may not always unfold as expected, God can use them for His greater purpose.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Necessity of Planning: Planning is essential for achieving our goals and fulfilling God's purpose. Without a plan, we risk being driven by the urgent rather than the important. Aligning our plans with God's will ensures that we are on the right path. [44:28]
2. Learning from the Ant: The ant exemplifies hard work, foresight, and persistence. By observing its ways, we learn the importance of preparing for the future and being diligent in our efforts. [50:09]
3. Committing Plans to God: While we can make plans, it is God who ultimately directs our steps. By committing our plans to Him, we align ourselves with His will and open ourselves to His guidance. [53:21]
4. The Power of Small Changes: Small, consistent efforts can lead to significant progress over time. Just as compound interest grows, small changes in our lives can have a profound impact. [01:14:36]
5. God's Eternal Plan: God has a plan for each of us, rooted in His eternal purpose. By seeking His will and aligning our plans with His, we can experience His reality and grow in our relationship with Christ. [01:21:14]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[44:28] - Reflecting on Past Accomplishments
[47:38] - The Importance of Planning
[50:09] - Lessons from the Ant
[50:53] - Immediate vs. Future Focus
[52:10] - Committing Plans to God
[53:21] - God's Control Over Our Plans
[54:24] - God's Eternal Plan
[55:29] - Jesus' Commitment to God's Will
[57:10] - The Garden Struggle
[59:44] - The Joy of Anticipation
[01:02:23] - Paul's Planning and God's Purpose
[01:06:06] - Making Effective Plans
[01:09:54] - Planning for Relationships and Values
[01:14:36] - The Power of Small Changes
[01:21:14] - God's Plan for Your Life
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Proverbs 16:3 - "Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established."
2. 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.'"
3. Proverbs 6:6-8 - "Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest."
Observation Questions:
1. What characteristics of the ant are highlighted in Proverbs 6:6-8, and how do they relate to planning? [50:09]
2. According to Proverbs 16:3, what is the result of committing our works to the Lord?
3. In James 4:13-15, what is the warning given about making plans without considering God's will? [53:21]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of planning with the example of Jesus at the wedding in Cana? [57:10]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the example of the ant challenge our approach to planning and foresight in our daily lives? [50:09]
2. What does it mean to commit our plans to the Lord, and how might this change the way we approach our goals? [53:21]
3. How can the story of Jesus at the wedding in Cana teach us about aligning our plans with God's will? [57:10]
4. What lessons can we learn from Paul's planning and how God used his plans for a greater purpose, even when they didn't unfold as expected? [01:04:27]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your plans did not go as expected. How did you see God's hand in the outcome, and what did you learn from the experience? [01:04:27]
2. What small, incremental changes can you make in your life to align more closely with God's will, similar to the concept of compound interest? [01:14:36]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of committing your plans to the Lord in your daily routine? What steps will you take to seek His guidance regularly? [53:21]
4. Identify an area in your life where you need to be more proactive, like the ant. What specific actions will you take to prepare for the future in this area? [50:09]
5. Consider your current goals and plans. How can you ensure they are aligned with God's eternal purpose for your life? [01:21:14]
6. How can you balance focusing on immediate needs with planning for the future, as suggested in the sermon? [50:53]
7. What is one specific way you can practice delaying gratification this week to experience greater joy, as discussed in the sermon? [01:16:18]
Devotional
Day 1: Aligning Plans with God's Will
Planning is essential for achieving our goals and fulfilling God's purpose. Without a plan, we risk being driven by the urgent rather than the important. Aligning our plans with God's will ensures that we are on the right path. [44:28]
In our lives, planning is not merely about setting goals but about aligning our intentions with God's will. As we enter a new year, we often make resolutions concerning our finances, health, and personal goals. However, these resolutions tend to fade quickly without a well-thought-out plan. The Bible emphasizes the importance of committing our plans to the Lord, as seen in Proverbs 16:3 and James 4:13-15. While we can make plans, it is ultimately God who directs our steps. This means that our planning should always involve seeking God's will and being open to His direction, even if it means our plans change. By aligning our plans with God's will, we ensure that we are on the right path and open ourselves to His guidance.
Proverbs 19:21 (ESV): "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to align your plans with God's will? How can you seek His guidance in this area today?
Day 2: Learning from the Ant
The ant exemplifies hard work, foresight, and persistence. By observing its ways, we learn the importance of preparing for the future and being diligent in our efforts. [50:09]
The ant, as described in Proverbs, is a model of hard work, foresight, and persistence. It prepares for the future without needing external motivation, reminding us to be proactive in our planning. This tiny creature teaches us the value of diligence and preparation. In our own lives, we must consider both our immediate actions and long-term goals, ensuring that our steps are guided by God's wisdom. By learning from the ant, we can develop a mindset of preparation and persistence, which is crucial for achieving our goals and fulfilling God's purpose for our lives.
Proverbs 6:6-8 (ESV): "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest."
Reflection: In what ways can you incorporate the ant's diligence and foresight into your daily routine? What specific steps can you take today to prepare for your future?
Day 3: Committing Plans to God
While we can make plans, it is God who ultimately directs our steps. By committing our plans to Him, we align ourselves with His will and open ourselves to His guidance. [53:21]
The Bible teaches us that while we can make plans, it is God who ultimately directs our steps. This is a reminder that our planning should always involve seeking God's will and being open to His direction. Proverbs 16:3 encourages us to commit our plans to the Lord, and in doing so, we align ourselves with His will. This means being open to the possibility that our plans may change as God guides us in a different direction. By committing our plans to God, we open ourselves to His guidance and ensure that we are on the right path.
Jeremiah 10:23 (ESV): "I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps."
Reflection: What is one plan or goal you have that you need to commit to God? How can you actively seek His guidance and be open to His direction in this area?
Day 4: The Power of Small Changes
Small, consistent efforts can lead to significant progress over time. Just as compound interest grows, small changes in our lives can have a profound impact. [01:14:36]
The principle of small, incremental changes is powerful. Just as compound interest grows over time, small, consistent efforts can lead to significant progress in various aspects of life, including finances, relationships, and spiritual growth. This principle reminds us that we don't need to make drastic changes to see results. Instead, by making small, consistent efforts, we can achieve significant progress over time. This approach encourages us to focus on the small steps we can take each day to move closer to our goals and fulfill God's purpose for our lives.
Zechariah 4:10 (ESV): "For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel."
Reflection: What is one small change you can make today that will have a positive impact on your life over time? How can you commit to making this change consistently?
Day 5: God's Eternal Plan
God has a plan for each of us, rooted in His eternal purpose. By seeking His will and aligning our plans with His, we can experience His reality and grow in our relationship with Christ. [01:21:14]
God's eternal plan is a reminder that He has a purpose for each of us. By seeking His will and aligning our plans with His, we can experience His reality and grow in our relationship with Christ. The examples of Jesus and Paul in the Bible show us that while our plans may not always unfold as expected, God can use them for His greater purpose. Jesus was committed to fulfilling His Father's plan, even when it led to the cross. Paul, despite his plans being altered, accomplished great things for the Kingdom. These examples teach us that by aligning our plans with God's eternal purpose, we can experience His reality and grow in our relationship with Christ.
Ephesians 1:11 (ESV): "In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will."
Reflection: How can you seek God's eternal purpose for your life today? What steps can you take to align your plans with His will and grow in your relationship with Christ?
Quotes
The difference in not planning and planning is whether you look where you're going in the future. It means you either are going to focus most of your attention on the immediate, or you're going to focus your intention on the future. Actually, the reality, we need both. You need to focus your attention on the immediate, but you also need to look ahead. So the word consider means to pay attention to your steps. [00:51:00] (30 seconds)
We're going to go into a city. We're going to start a business. We're going to make a profit, yet you don't know what your life will be like tomorrow. He's saying, you know, realistically, you're just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say what you ought to say. If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that. [00:52:55] (19 seconds)
So God does everything according to plan which we might call His will. It's according to His will. Then it benefits us to know His will. It benefits us to know how do we know His will. We primarily know His will through His word. He reveals His will to us through His word. So you can say, I don't know, is it God's will for me to move in with my boyfriend? That's going to be a no biblically. [00:55:49] (26 seconds)
He meant that the plan meant bearing his sins in his body on the cross. He knew that the plan meant that he was going to taste death for every man. He was going to die our death so that Jesus on the cross, when he died, he changed. death for every believer. He changed how we will experience death because he took our death. So as a believer, when you die, your death is different than if you're not a believer because you die in the Lord. [00:59:11] (32 seconds)
And people who plan and because of their plan, they delay gratification. They experience more joy. People who delay gratification experience more joy. So they did a study on rats. And this, look this up. This is very interesting. It is to me anyway. It may not be to you, but we'll see. They built these little electric cars for rats and they could drive. They taught them how to drive the cars so they could get in this little mouse car and they could grab these wires and steer this little electric rat car, rat rod, as they might call it. [01:16:01] (47 seconds)
God has a plan for you. God hasn't given up on you. God hasn't forgotten you. God's always had a plan for you. And his plan for you is to experience his reality, to know him better than you've ever known him before and to grow in your relationship with Christ. Amen. Let's stand and pray. [01:21:14] (21 seconds)
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