Develop Your Life Plan For 2007

Develop Your Life Plan for 2007

-Living the Life God Meant for you to live-

James 4:14-15

Jeremiah 29:11 “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.”

Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

As you think about developing your life plan for 2007 there are two extreme views you might take. First you might believe that setting goals and developing plans are not necessary. You have put your life in God’s hands and whatever will be, will be! Second, you might believe you are the master of your life and you alone have the ability to control your life so you will set goals according to your personal ambitions.

James gives the correct way to plan for this coming year: (James 4:13-15)

God expects our cooperation in carrying out His purpose for our life. When God created Adam and Eve he put then in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2:15, “The Lord God took the man and put hi in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” God expected Adam to work in the Garden and take care of it.

God has a plan for your life in 2007. God expects you to develop in partnership with Him the plan He has for you.

When you go on a trip you have a couple of choices. You can plan where you want to go or you can plan as you go. You start out and drive 100 miles East and then decide to go 100 miles South and then 100 miles North and then 100 miles East again. After going 400 miles you begin looking for a Motel and the first Motel you stop at you find is booked for the night. A convention as come to that city and all Motels are booked. You need to keep driving.

Or you can get a map and calculate where you be will be after 8 hours and call ahead to a Motel and book a room in advance.

As you plan with God’s help your life in 2007 you will do well to develop your own life map. God wants to give you an exciting year, a year filled with His blessings. Jeremiah 29:11, “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.”

God’s plan of prosperity is more than financial prosperity. God’s prosperity plan means protection from the evil one and God’s promises you and your family hope and a bright future. When you embrace God’s plan you have the assurance of His salvation and the promise that God will direct your steps.

From time to time God’s plan turns out to be different than what we were planning. Our daughter Annette is 37 and going to school to become a teacher. Two of her children, Janae and Jake are living with us and going to our Christian School. Annette is several months pregnant and expecting a baby boy the end of May 2007. At that time Janae will be 18. God had a different plan for them than they were thinking.

As you plan your life for the coming year your life map will include at least five areas or domains: 1.Your personal life. 2. Your family life, 3. Your church life, 4. Your work life and 5. Your Community life. God has given you His map for all the areas and domains of your life, His Word and the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth.

Life is Lived on Four Different Levels

The most important area of the five domains of your life is your personal life. The goal of your personal life is to live a life of significance. Tom Patterson n his book, “Living the Life You Were Meant to Live” gives four levels of life people live on.

The lowest level is the level of survival. The majority of people live on the survival level. They live from hand to mouth. Every day is another SOS, Same O Same O, go to work, get paid, spend money, go to work, get paid, and spend money.

The second level is success. From the standards of this world most of you here today are successful. If you have a bed to sleep in, food to eat, water that is safe to drink, a car to drive, freedom to worship, and medical care you are successful and have a great future.

The third level is surrender. To live on the level of surrender you yield and surrender your life to God and are committed to living the life God created you to live. Romans 12:2 is a call to surrender: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. You live on the level of the surrendered live when you allow Jesus to transform your life from self-centeredness to Christ centeredness.