Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser
God’s plans for us are good and not evil, but most people never even come close to living in God’s plans. So, what are God’s plans? God’s plans are to prosper us and not to harm us. God’s plans are to give us hope and a future. He wants to give us abundant life (John 10:10). God’s plans are for you to walk in the good works He prepared for you (Eph. 2:10).
The Bible says that God has planned a great future for each one of us. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer. 29:11 NIV). Sadly, most people are living self-centred lives. They don’t follow God’s plans for their lives, their business, their careers, or the abundant life that God has for them.
“I know the plans I have for you, plans of a future and a hope“. Those who haven’t accepted Christ as their Lord and personal saviour have already denied God’s plans for their lives. And for those of us who have received Christ as our Lord, if we don’t follow the plans God has for us, it won’t be well with us. If you don’t know what God has planned for you, seek Him and He will reveal it to you. God speaks to us constantly but only those who listen will hear Him. When you are prepared to listen, He will reveal His plans to you. Your future depends on your obedience to the word of God.
“12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:12-13 NIV). So, your future depends on the plan God has for you and how obedient you are to seek Him. The Bible says in Isaiah 1:19 that, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land”. This is a warning that our future depends on our obedience to the word of God.
The Bible says we shouldn’t lean on our own understanding. You cannot direct your path. You cannot live independent of God. You cannot direct your own life, trying to do so will destroy your future. “Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (Jer. 10:23 NIV). It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian, preacher, the pope, a celebrity, whoever you are, you cannot direct your future.
We are all in the hands of God. He has assigned a plan for all of us. So, talk to God, seek Him and you will find Him. Pray to Him and He will answer you. You need to be in constant communication with Him. Give Him the best of your time – seek Him in the morning, plan to pray and study the word, and meet with Him.
" We are all in the hands of God. He has assigned a plan for all of us. "
If someone is in charge of your destiny, is it not wise to talk to that person? Is it not wise to listen to what he has to say? Is it not wise to have a personal intimate relationship with that person? Your future is in God’s hands. So, from today plan your day, schedule a time to spend with God every day. Don’t live independent of God.
The Bible has enough examples of how disobedience causes problems to humanity. We walk into problems without following God’s guidance. When we were unbelievers, we had no idea or perhaps we didn’t bother about the damage we were doing to our future through disobedience – but when I became born again Christian, I started to see from the Bible that if we didn’t stop disobeying God’s word, we would face a very dangerous future indeed.
“O Lord, I know that the path of [life of] a man is not in himself; It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life]” (Jer. 10:23 AMPC).
If you read Jer. 10: 23 in context, it’s talking about destruction of Jerusalem because they had rejected God. And therefore, the nations will conquer them and send them to captivity. It’s talking about terrible judgment and right in the middle of the prophesy Jeremiah asked a question, how could this happen? How could the people once favoured by God, and so blessed by God, ever come to a position where God put them into slavery in Babylon.
And he answered his own question in Jer. 10:23 and said, “O Lord [pleads Jeremiah in the name of the people], I know that [the determination of] the way of a man is not in himself; it is not in man [even in a strong man or in a man at his best] to direct his [own] steps”. This is how tragedy comes. It’s because God did not create us to be self-directed. Lord, I know that none of us are in charge of our own destiny; none of us have control over our own life.
I wish I had more space to share on this. In my next series of messages this month on our Digging Deep radio programme, I will give many biblical and practical examples and explain in detail what it means to live in God’s plans. It’s God’s desire for all of us to experience the good plans He has for us, so I hope you’ll listen to my messages on this topic. To listen or to download these messages, click here.
Thank you, partners. You are helping us share the truth about God’s love, and eternal life. Together, we are bringing the Gospel to hurting people. If you’re not already a partner and would like to join us in sharing the Gospel and changing lives, visit here and become a Partner today through your giving!
