Thoughts for Life: Plans that Change

Jean Oathout will share some thoughts about our plans, and God's plans for us.

Have you noticed how many of your plans don't pan out? Have you wondered why that is?

We are supposed to make plans, but many of us are finding that if we want the best to happen, there is something to consider...what God's plan for us might be. (See Prov. 16:9)

We need to ask God: "What do You want to share with me about my plans?" It may very well give you a bigger perspective, if you do. (See Prov. 19:20; Prov. 3:5, 6)

As the Lord has the over-all picture of your life, He can, and does know what would be best to have happen, which will be to your good, and would bring Him glory at the same time. (See Prov. 19:8)

When You're living in relationship with God, your
plans will change, but in time, you'll understand.

Our keeping a good attitude and being flexible when our plans change, can help us adjust to changes. Some good questions for us all to ask is:

Am I living in the way that God wants me to?

When a crisis comes, is how I react pleasing to Him?

Obedience to what the changes may be and trusting God's guidance, shows validation in our faith that He really does know best, as our ways are not His ways. (see Is. 55:8)

(From my notes of Bill Hull's sermon 6/12/15)

Today’s quote:

Dr. Charles F. Stanley - "To overcome doubts, spend time in the Word to learn God's principles and ways. Then you'll begin to grasp what He wants to achieve in your life and how He goes about it. Examine your past from a biblical perspective—faith will grow as you see the unexpected ways He's answered your prayers." (Taken from IN TOUCH Daily readings for devoted living July 2015, p.30)

Father, I pray that you'll help me

be determined to read Your Word every
day, so that I can better understand what you want to accomplish in my life.
When things don't go as I plan, may
I be flexible, so I can accept what turns
out to actually be best for me.

May I learn to realize that Your plan for me will bring You glory and be good for me, too.
I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Are You Settling for a Truce?

By Jill Savage on Jul 20, 2015

"Mark says: Jill and I heard a story the other day that ended with this line, “They could have known love but they settled for a truce.”

Jill says: The moment we heard it, we both looked at each other and said, “Wow, that is a sad statement.” It launched a conversation for us about how too many of us tend to “settle” in our marriage..."

The Heart and Soul of Every Man

by Lee Forbes

The heart and soul of every man
Is destined to be free
If he will but deny himself

And give his thoughts to Me

For every action you preform
Is rooted in your mind
So where you choose to place your thoughts
Is how you act in kind

Just like the fruit that Eve did eat
Before it left the tree
Became a strong temptation
Because she chose to see

The beauty that it did contain
Midst leaves of green and gold
While hearkening to what she thought
And not what she was told

And then when she had placed herself
Upon forbidden ground
Her mind was captivated there
By yet another sound

The voice of one she'd never heard

Speak from that cursed tree

Denying all the truth she had

That first had come from Me

So step by step from thought to word

She held what she could see

And in that moment chose to sin

And there rejected Me

And from that time the course was set

For all humanity

To give their thoughts to Satan's plan

Forgetting about Me

Unless they chose to look upon

The Lamb my sacrifice

And give their heart and soul to Me

A living sacrifice

And as the thoughts are trained on Christ

And all that He has done

Then you will form a character

Just like the living Son

Who ministers before My throne

To save the souls of men

Who choose to focus on the ways

That He might live in them

So courage friend and now depend

Upon My Word in prayer

And you will come to know the truth

Of how much I do care

And when the time arrives that you

Must choose your destiny

You'll choose eternal life because

You gave your thoughts to me

(Inspiration taken from Proverbs 23:7)

Lee Forbes

June 13/15

Today’s Bible verses: Matt. 13:16 "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."

1 Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."

23rd- Sunday evening’s post:  Rocket Fuel
Lisa Buffaloe
25th- Tuesday's post:  #89 Putting it Into Practice
C. Peter Wagner
27th- Thursday's post: #90 Spiritual Mapping
C. Peter Wagner
29th- Saturday's post:  What is that to You?
Julie Ackerman Link