Good Evening to All!I have gotten to where I can't remember to do anything unless I plan for it and write it down. Even then, it never fails, something always unexpectedly happens, but at least I can tell myself, "I tried to keep to the plan". You know, maybe staying strictly to the plan with no flexibility is not always such a good thing. Have you ever stopped to think how much stress is involved with "staying on schedule or rigid plans? Here comes heart burn, nervous break downs, ulcers, heart attacks. What good are plans if you aren't around to keep them?
Today's Seed: "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
Life, it's been said, is what happens when we're making other plans. Many of us are list makers, complete with date book, organizer, or digitized appointment calendars. We know how to plan ahead.
Let's see---five minutes to brush teeth, ten minutes to take out the dog, ten minutes to drop the kids off at school, thirty minutes of exercise. But then we can't find the toothpaste, the dog doesn't cooperate, and the children "remember" that today's the day they're supposed to bring in five dozen cookies for a class party! We are not in control! We plan, but life intervenes. If we're smart, we'll allow God to guide us through our days and weeks.
Trusting in God should be our plan. God doesn't do things without a reason. He has a purpose, a plan for each of us. Allow Him to put that plan in action. When we see the big picture, Ezekiel 14:23 says, "You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in ti without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord."
There are days when we plan and schedule but Gold says, "Nope! This is what will occur today." We need to be flexible, adaptable---not like a vase, which shatters into a thousand pieces when dropped. We should be like Play-Doh, which can be molded into any shape.
Dig Deeper:
The Hebrew word for people's "plans" means thoughts, imaginations, or intentions. In contrast, the word used for God's "purpose" means design, counsel, project, or wisdom. We imagine what we will do, but God designs the circumstances of our lives.
Background Bulb:
Proverbs emphasizes that we are not in control, repeatedly. Proverbs 16:1 says, "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." And Proverbs 20:24 says, " A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way? " Enough, we get the picture, God is in control!
Sprout & Scatter
Buy some Play-Doh. Gather you children or borrow some from the neighborhood and play together, molding and shaping the dough. Take a few minutes to think about how God is molding and shaping you. Then tell the children a story to illustrate this.
Think about it:
Remember a time when your plans opposed God's plans? How did you feel?
when God's purposes prevail in your life, describe the result.
Prayer Pot:
Lord, when things don't work out the way I plan, help me to...(insert your request).
Take Away Idea..
Live one minute, one hour, one day at a time according to God's purpose.
Life, it's been said, is what happens when we're making other plans. Many of us are list makers, complete with date book, organizer, or digitized appointment calendars. We know how to plan ahead.
Let's see---five minutes to brush teeth, ten minutes to take out the dog, ten minutes to drop the kids off at school, thirty minutes of exercise. But then we can't find the toothpaste, the dog doesn't cooperate, and the children "remember" that today's the day they're supposed to bring in five dozen cookies for a class party! We are not in control! We plan, but life intervenes. If we're smart, we'll allow God to guide us through our days and weeks.
Trusting in God should be our plan. God doesn't do things without a reason. He has a purpose, a plan for each of us. Allow Him to put that plan in action. When we see the big picture, Ezekiel 14:23 says, "You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in ti without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord."
There are days when we plan and schedule but Gold says, "Nope! This is what will occur today." We need to be flexible, adaptable---not like a vase, which shatters into a thousand pieces when dropped. We should be like Play-Doh, which can be molded into any shape.
Dig Deeper:The Hebrew word for people's "plans" means thoughts, imaginations, or intentions. In contrast, the word used for God's "purpose" means design, counsel, project, or wisdom. We imagine what we will do, but God designs the circumstances of our lives.
Background Bulb:Proverbs emphasizes that we are not in control, repeatedly. Proverbs 16:1 says, "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. Proverbs 16:9 says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." And Proverbs 20:24 says, " A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way? " Enough, we get the picture, God is in control!
Buy some Play-Doh. Gather you children or borrow some from the neighborhood and play together, molding and shaping the dough. Take a few minutes to think about how God is molding and shaping you. Then tell the children a story to illustrate this.
Think about it:
Remember a time when your plans opposed God's plans? How did you feel?
when God's purposes prevail in your life, describe the result.
Prayer Pot:
Lord, when things don't work out the way I plan, help me to...(insert your request).
Take Away Idea..
Live one minute, one hour, one day at a time according to God's purpose.
How do y'all like my new template? Nessa fixed it for me. She is trying to figure out how to fix me up with a nav bar and then it will be finished. I love the colors. Let me know what you think. As we said up top, if you have prayer requests, please leave them on my comments and I will gladly transfer them to my Prayer Line. Hopefully soon, we will have a nav bar to where you just click on it to see all of the precious people and their needs who are being lifted up to God. He is so Great there is nothing to big or too small for Him to take care of. How many times I have made specific plans and had them "fall through" only to later be relieved they did because something bad happened. Some people would call it coincidence, but I personally think there are no such things as coincidences. I believe that God's hand was on my life and He was intervening to keep me from trrouble or harm.
Y'all, I sincerely hope that this blog is truly making a difference for people, I know this may not be everyone's "cup of tea" and I respect that, but if my blog just touches even a few hearts every now and then, if it "speaks words of encouragement to someone that's feeling down, if it finally hits home to someone that God truly does care what happens to you in your every need, in your everyday life, then I feel like this blog has met its purpose. Thank you for all your support.
Good Night to All and May God Bless!
PJ
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1 comment:
I really love the new look! :) Hope your Christmas is Merry and surrounded by the ones you love!
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