A Plan For The Future

Typically the New Year is a time when people make numerous resolutions to improve and do things better than they had in the previous year. But when you think about it, the New Year brings with it a gift of time (365 days) which we can use as we choose. But as disciples of Christ, having made the choice to put our trust and faith in Him as Saviour and Lord, our lives are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23) and we are invited and called to serve the Lord and follow his direction for our life, employing the gift of time to serve His purposes rather than our own. The Bible is clear that he does have plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and in all the busyness of life and the events it brings, it is easy to lose sight of this become absorbed and diverted toward our own plans.

I was reading this morning in Revelations 17:17 where it says (NLT)

“For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes.”

The amazing thing in the context of this verse is that God is putting plans into the minds of people who are enemies of his kingdom – in other words he is sovereignly guiding history’s events to fulfil His plans which always prevail despite outright resistance from many quarters. Perhaps there is some comfort for us in in this as we recall the events which happened internationally in 2016 with wars, terrorism et cetera that God is still in charge of what will happen in 2017 and His sovereign purpose will prevail – He can sovereignly direct the plans and thoughts of world rulers.

A question for you and I is whether his sovereign purpose and plan will prevail in our lives?

He has a plan for your life in 2017.

May I encourage you to press into God in prayer, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit for all that is to happen in 2017.

I sense we are on the edge of something new, fresh and wonderful as a church family, as we complete an assignment with Christian schooling and awaiting his direction for the future – I am intentionally praying “Lord what is your plan for my life& our church family in 2015?”.

My prayer priority right now is that God will put his plan for the future into our hearts and minds as we look to him to serve him in 2017.

How can we glorify and bring honour to his name in 2017?

Life (= the gift of time) is precious and we need to value it, aspiring to be productive with such time as the Lord may grant us before “graduation”, when he calls us into his presence and the opportunities  to individually make a difference for His kingdom upon planet Earth cease.

The challenge of the great commission awaits us, God’s loving heart to save people. How can we be instruments of his love reaching others for Christ in 2017?

Will you make yourself available? Will you ask him to show you his plan for your life for 2017?

God bless,

Lew McMaster, Pastor