Saturday, October 10, 2015

WHAT DOES YOUR PLAN LOOK LIFE? 10/11/15

I DON’T BELIEVE I started out with a plan.   Growing up in a large family I don’t think I thought much about tomorrow, next week or even next year.   I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was nine and at that time I didn’t have a clue what my life should even look like!    Now I do know that Jim had a plan to play 3rd base for the Yankees.   Some how his plan didn’t work out.   Perhaps life got in the way of his plan, and I suppose that my life developed a plan, when he came along.  
AFTER SCHOOL I thought I would like to be a missionary.   But my pastor felt I should remain where I was, and become a Christian woman in the workplace.   He felt we needed men and women here in America that were walking in the footsteps of Jesus.   I have to admit it wasn’t easy, but looking back, I remained faithful in my walk at home, at work, at play and now I don’t know any different way.   The fact that I wasn’t perfect in my walk, and that many times I was tempted to try a different way, I was directed back by the Spirit within me, because I knew it was wrong.  
GOD BRINGS blessings into a life when that life is committed to follow His Son!  Sometimes we think of these blessings, as God’s will for our lives, but instead God showers us with His approval through these times.   “But the man of faith, not works (as in the law), who believes in the God who declares the guilty to be innocent, it is his faith that God takes into account in order to put him right with himself.”  Romans 4:5   This speaks of man, who’s actions can never be anything but imperfect.  However, faith cannot be perfect except through the obedience of faith!
“BLESSED is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he mediates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers.”  Psalms 1:1-6
GOD’s will for all of us, is to walk in the path of His Son, Jesus Christ.  “He was humble and walked the path of obedience to death - His death on the cross.  Philippians 2:8    Jesus was perfect and we already saw in Romans 4:5 that through our faith and obedience we can be made perfect in Jesus Christ.   Paul illustrates a Christian ethic here.   We are to be obedient to death.   It is God’s will for us, but we must choose to be obedient.  
“BUT EVEN though He was God’s Son He learned to be obedient by means of His sufferings.  When He was made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him.”  Hebrews 5:8-9   Just because Jesus was God’s Son, He was not exempt from suffering, nor temptations.   He learned first hand how difficult it was to be obedient.   He went to the cross for you and me!    Through His sojourn here on earth He became our High Priest!
WHEN WE are obedient to Him and remain faithful in our walk, Jesus is our salvation!    Good advice is to be careful in what you are about.   Impostors will fail; you cannot defeat God.  If your plans are within God’s will of giving you eternal life, then the goodness therein comes from God.   All good things come from God!  
 IN A NUT SHELL:   “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed!”  Proverbs 16:3     I know from experience, that including God in your plans makes for success.   God’s word also says; “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”  Proverbs 16:9    Remember this song: “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way!  While we do His good will, He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey!  Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!”  My life has led me straight to the Father!      By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/11/15

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