HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 257
page A255
Plan to exercise your spiritual gifts. Using your spiritual gifts is both conducive to and a byproduct of spiritual growth. If you don’t know what your gifts are, meet with godly advisers
or people you trust in order to discover the abilities that God has given to you. Then, make
plans to throw yourself into your tasks.
• H E B R E W S 1 0 :2 5 | And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but
encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Plan for times of worship and fellowship with other Christians. Don’t let the busyness of life
cause you to neglect these important times of friendship and encouragement.
• J E R E MI A H 1 7 :2 2 | Do not do your work on the Sabbath, but make it a holy day.
Plans for hard work are beneficial but so are plans for times of rest. Work ahead during the
week so that you won’t feel pressured to work on the Lord’s day. Make it a truly holy day of rest.
• 1 PE T E R 5 :8 | Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like
a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Plan ahead of time to stand firm against temptation. Then, when you are tempted, you will
be prepared to resist and be ready to do the right thing.
• MAT T H E W 6 :1 9 -2 1 | “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and
rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven,
where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever
your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Sometimes God asks us to plan special times to be with him.
• MA R K 3 :9 | Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not
crush him.
Make practical plans. Jesus anticipated a large crowd, so he asked his disciples to get a
boat. By thinking ahead, Jesus was able to preach more effectively.
• 2 C O R I NT H I A NS 9 :5 | So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure
the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
Plan to give your first fruits, or “tithe,” to God. This allows you to give cheerfully. Don’t
neglect this or you’ll be tempted to hold back if you feel financial pressure later on.
• DE U T E R O NO MY 6 :2 0 -2 1 | “In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of
these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’
Then you must tell them . . .”
Plan to teach your children about God and his commands. Be prepared to talk with them
about all he has done in your life.
• MAT T H E W 2 5 :1 9 -2 1 | “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called
them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had
entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave
me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ The master was full of praise.
‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small
amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ ”
Making plans to save and handle your money responsibly is important. Sticking to a regular plan of tithing, saving, and careful spending with what you have now will enable you to
handle the responsibilities of greater blessings in the future.
PROMISES FROM GOD
• PR O VE R B S 1 9 :2 1 | You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.
• E PH E SI A NS 1 :9 -1 0 | God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—
which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring
everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.
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• E X O DU S 3 4 :2 | Be ready in the morning to climb up Mount Sinai and present yourself to
me on the top of the mountain.
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Although it is wise to make plans for your future on earth, it is infinitely wiser to make plans
for your eternal future in heaven. Invest in what will last forever.