You sit down and make a list of all the materials you think you will need. Plan how you are going to spend time with your spouse to deepen and strengthen the relationship. Romans 15:20–28. The ultimate reason for planning is that God is a God who plans and we are created in his image to exercise dominion in the earth under his lordship. Judges 5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day, saying. Talk to experienced and wise people. Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. We take steps to see that we have enough to eat and clothes to keep us warm. Here the wisdom of planning is taken for granted, and the writer simply gives us advice for how to make plans that succeed. Jesus had a mission to accomplish, and he finished it with forethought and planning. And most important, plan how prayer and meditation on the Word are going to be significant parts of your life. All of us know this and practice it in relation to the basic physical necessities of life. Not to plan is considered foolish and dangerous. If producing shelter and food and clothing and transportation is valuable, then planning is valuable. Then he developed a specific plan from this guideline: he would take the gift to Jerusalem; then he would go to Rome to establish a western base, from which he would then go to Spain. The Bible reference “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22 KJV) Pray to Heart of Obedience Do we apply the same earnestness in planning to maximize our ministry as we do in planning to make a living? Then God took care of the enemy without any help from Judah’s soldiers. He had a general guideline: he wanted to preach where no one had preached before. ... O God, are my fortress, my God of loving devotion. It takes thought in summer that there will be need in winter, and this forethought provides its needs in winter. Then your plans will bear fruit that stays. For example, if Paul had not planned to use Rome as a base of operations for a trip to Spain, he probably never would have written the greatest letter the world has ever known—the epistle to the Romans. The greatest missionary who ever lived was a planner. I expect that the pastoral staff at Bethlehem will take a full day each month away from the church office just to pray and plan their ministry. Plan your vacation so that it really gives rest and spiritual renewal. He would stay with the plan. To hallow the name of God is to regard Him with complete devotion and loving admiration. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. She considers how it will fit into the plan of the household. Without some rudimentary planning you probably won't have anything to eat when you get up in the morning. Planning is crucial in Christian living and Christian ministry—even when God overrules our planning. He planned for our joy; we ought to plan for his glory. But do we take our spiritual needs that seriously? and belongs to the Lord, take ten or fifteen minutes each Sunday and think through when you will pray and what you will study that week. If you are not a planner, then you will be at the mercy of others who try to give you counsel about how to act now so as to be happy in the future. He said in John 10:18, "No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. Plan the letters you need to write, the Bible verses you want to teach your children, the visit you want to make, the book you want to read, the neighbor you want to talk to, etc. Psalm 28:8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Proverbs 16:3, "Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.". . ). Paul knew his life could easily be forfeit when he appeared before Nero. This probably means that it is important to be able to support yourself by the productivity of the field before you establish your own household. But he wasn't driven against his will. Everything is piled in the center of the lot, and the next day the bulldozer comes to excavate the basement and everything is in the way. And I mean your personal ministry as well as the more complex organism of church ministries. Plan how you are going to get the amount of exercise you need to stay healthy. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular, Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct | first person common singular, A shield, a protector, the scaly hide of the crocodile, The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular, Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular, Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular, To throw, at, away, to revere, worship, to bemoan, Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Psalm 28:7 Yahweh is my strength and my shield (Psalm Ps Psa. Perhaps we would say to a young person today: get a job before you get married. Psalm 21:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. God uses our planning even if he aborts it. Daily Strength devotional from Mary W Tileston offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Proverbs 15:22, "Without counsel plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed.". Then you order them to be delivered to the lot where you will build. For example, God cannot lie, even though He has the power to do anything. This is true even though the Proverbs teach that we do not know what the future may bring. Answer: Commit it to the Lord. What makes this especially significant is that as far as we know the plan fell through. Paul was the greatest church planter who ever lived. Trust his wisdom and not your own. "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Part of his method was his planning. John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. Thank you for your power and strength of the Holy Spirit to begin opening the eyes of our heart so our devotion can be solely on you. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem with aid for the saints . But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be sped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little. We should never take His name lightly (Exd 20:7; Lev 22:32), but always rejoice in it and think deeply upon its true meaning. . . Conclusion from the Proverbs: Careful planning is part of what makes a person wise and productive. Suppose the thought enters your mind that you want to build a house. The LXX. He says, Don't be so independent that you think yourself above counsel. Plan how you are going to get enough sleep. He is author of. Make Planning a Regular Part of Your Life. But it won't work just to plan something tonight or tomorrow. In Psalm 50 the strength of God is exemplified and Psalm 51 reveals the delivering grace of God to man in his sin. Marriage exists to magnify the worth and greatness of God. He accomplished more in his life for the spread of the reign of Christ than any other person. If you are going through times of pressure and trial, I urge you to read this little letter. Plan how much you should eat and how you are going to limit yourself. We love you, and praise you and your majesty. Psalm 13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. The first question for family worship is not how long or how often or what to read and pray, but is God worthy of it?