HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 255
page A253
Nehemiah demonstrated wise and shrewd leadership when he carefully planned his
project before beginning to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.
• J A ME S 4 :1 5 | What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this
or that.”
All our planning is futile without God.
Does God have a specific plan for my life? Can I mess it up?
• PSA L M 1 3 8 :8 | The Lord will work out his plans for my life.
• J E R E MI A H 1 :5 | “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were
born I set you apart and appointed you.”
• R O MA NS 8 :2 8 | We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those
who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
God’s plan for your life is not a written script that you must follow; rather, it is a journey
with various important destinations and appointments but with a great deal of freedom as
to the pace and scope of the travel. God’s plan for you will always have a sense of mystery
about it, but you can be certain that, as you look for his leading, God will guide and direct
you on your journey. If you separate yourself from God, you are removing yourself from
his plan, his guidance, and his blessings. Come back to him, and he will redeem your
lost time.
Why is it important to plan ahead?
• PR O VE R B S 1 3 :1 6 | Wise people think before they act.
• PR O VE R B S 1 4 :8 | The prudent understand where they are going.
• PR O VE R B S 2 2 :3 | A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton
goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
Planning prepares you for life. The lazy or unprepared person will always be caught off
guard by difficult circumstances, but the person who plans ahead will be able to face the
difficulties of life with confidence. Planning allows you to be productive, even in difficult
times.
• PR O VE R B S 2 0 :4 | Those too lazy to plow in the right season will have no food at the
harvest.
• L U K E 1 4 :2 8 | “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction
of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?”
Planning and foresight will help you prepare for danger ahead so you can avoid disastrous
consequences.
How do I go about planning ahead?
• A C T S 2 2 :1 0 | “I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go
into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’ ”
• A C T S 1 8 :2 1 | As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.” Then he
set sail from Ephesus.
• PR O VE R B S 2 1 :3 | The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when
we offer him sacrifices.
• R O MA NS 2 :1 8 | You know what he wants; you know what is right.
• E X O DU S 2 6 :3 0 | “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the
mountain.”
Follow God’s revealed will when you make your plans. If his will is not clear in a specific
matter, remember that he has made his will clear in general matters of right and wrong,
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When you are tempted by thoughts of hopelessness, remember that God created you and
has a plan for you. While you may not understand how certain life events fit into God’s
plan, you can be confident that God is watching over your life and guiding you.
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• J E R E MI A H 2 9 :1 1 | “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans
for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.