My Plans God’s Plans

• Its has been said “if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans.” Things don’t always work out according the way we imagined. There are things that happen in life that are out of our control.
• Just think about when you have made plans for a vacation and you get to the airport and your flight is delayed or you miss a connecting flight and a day or 3 gets cut off of your vacation. or your luggage gets lost. or you get to the hotel or Rb&b and things are broken or not in alignment with what you were told. you where told there was a gym and pool on site. but nope its a couple miles down the road. you were told it sleeps 6. but the 3rd bed is a buss up air mattress that you had to hunt down a find. ok. well as you can tell i have had some experiences.
• There is one thing that is for sure in life is that you will make plans and those plans will change. And much of how we will enjoy our lives is based on how we navigate those changes.
• How many of you like to plan, use calendars, spreadsheets, you do research analysis? does it always work out the way you planned? probably not.
• So the tendency for many is to go the other direction and say we always make plans and it never works out so forget it already? im just going to have faith and whatever happens happens.
• So most people are somewhere between these two. but james gives us a third option and that is to include God in our plans.

(13) Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” (14) How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. (15) What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” (16) Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. (17) Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. 
James 4:13-17 – NLT

let me share with you some of what i have learned following God.

1. Life is unpredictable but God will guide you through it- Everyone makes predictions about the future, politicians, economist, pundits. but no one can really tell you what’s going to happen. especially not in your personal life.

• Planning is good and smart and Godly
• The wise make plans but are always open for God to make adjustments
• (life is less like a map with an itinerary its more like an adventure)

2. Life is short and people are important. We only have a limited time on this earth and it goes by quickly.

When your young it seems to take forever to get through school. find the job you like, get married but as you get older things speed up. I saw that all the Christmas decorations are up in the stores. I thought Christmas was just last month. or so it seemed. kind of weird though as they mix it with the halloween stuff. grim reaper and skeletons next to santa clause. I don’t know what kind of messaging that is but oh well.

• In our busyness to get things done remember that people should be the priority. Jesus didn’t come to earth to complete a check list he came to save you because you are his priority,
• We have a short window of opportunity to bless, to forgive, to love, to make an impact in the life of others.

3. Be detailed and expectant with your prayers and thank him all along the way. 

(6) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 
Philippians 4:6 – NLT

I want my prayers to be more than just a collection of  my anxieties and worries that i bring before God. I want to also bring my hopes and desires. God calls each of us to do his will. and what that looks like will depend on you being obedient to his voice.

4. Be about the Fathers business– Jesus only did what the Father wanted him to do.

A lot Christians have asked me over the years. How do I know God’s will for my life? that assumes there is this exact plan all laid out with maps and charts and an outline but when you look at scripture that’s not really the picture we are given. Yes God may speak a word or give a vision. But the details are often filled out once you start the journey. it is an on going relationship with him. We see this in Jesus who modeled for us how to do the will of God. He only did what the father wanted him to. he didn’t heal everybody, he didn’t perform miracles 24/7. and he took breaks.

We don’t have to do everything just what he is asking us to do.

5. Doing God’s will is our spiritual nourishment–

(34) Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
John 4:34 – NLT

• being fed spiritually comes from living in obedience to God. 
• Life is more than just avoiding sin its about doing the good we know we should do.