Introduction: I want to make it very clear this morning this message is not about a health and Prosperity message. It not about believing God owes me this or that as a Christian or that we can demand as Christian things from God. It is a message that God has a plan for each and every one of us here at Grace Church of the Nazarene. He does, sometimes we might not like Gods plan, and sometimes we might be apprehensive of what God has planned or is planning for us. He does have a plan for each and every one.
I. What is Your Plan for the Coming Year?
A. How many of you have made plains for 2016? Or what we like to call New Year’s resolutions.
Some plans or resolution are the same year after year.
Some say I am going on a diet; I am going to lose up to 10 to 100 Lbs. in this New Year. That is hard let me tell you, it hard, it means you got to be committed to a diet plan in order to accomplice it. It has to become a mindset that is unchangeable.
Some plans say I am going to get off this addiction. The definition of being addicted is physically and mentally dependent on a particular substance, and unable to stop taking it without incurring adverse effects and it can also mean enthusiastically devoted to a particular thing or activity. An Addiction can be to a substance like dugs, tobacco, alcohol, or food
thing or activity watching a certain show, or a certain sports team or sporting event, or having to do it, playing PS4 all the time.
If you say that your plan/resolution for 2016 is to stop one of those things that I am hooked on. It is going to be a hard road. It may be the hardest thing you have done on your own.
Have you made plans for your family? Like Spend more time with each other? Get involved more with the kids and things they are doing like sports, School activities.
B. Do your Plans Include God and the Church?
Ok I will try and not go to meddling too much,
Do your plans in 2016 and beyond include God or the Church?
When you plan your Calendar out do you mark things down like what you know is happening in the church so you can be there to support it? Do we include activities that will bring or draw us closer to the Lord?
Like in February 28 - March 2, the revival. Or VBS, Trunk or Treat, the Thanksgiving dinner, retreats for adults.
Or maybe it might take a trip to Lancaster Pa. to see the Sight and Sound Theater to see a Christian play?
As Christians we should make plans that will help us grow in our walk with the Lord.
Do your plans include learning the scriptures? Digging more into the Word?
II. God’s Plan
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, v11a,b
A. God’s Plans includes you and Me.
Isn’t great news to know that God has a personal plan for you? Oh I know that it is a passage for those that where in exile that Nebuchadnezzar had carried off to Babylon. It is a message of hope that God has for them but also for us here today.
He has a plan to make you great in this coming year, it is not one to make you fail, it is one to make you Succeed in his sight. That does not mean to make you free from pain, because we know that something is going to come a long and make us hurt in some way. It is encouraging to know that God has something planned for us, It is a very promising year for you, for the Grace Church of the Nazarene.
For your family disappointments will come, sad times will still come but you can be a sure that God the Holy Spirit will be with you during those times and He will bring you though.
If you want to live your life to its fullest in 2016 the way to do that is to live God’s Way. To live out his will in your life.
**2. Every person is meant to be a part of God’s eternal plan
1. God wants to bring Prosperity to your life
2. God wants to bring Protection to your life
3. God wants to bring Hope to your life
4. God wants to secure a Future for you
B. God’s Plan is four Fold
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
B. God’s plan is a fantastic plan
1. “plans to Prosper you”
How will God make you prosper in this new year?
Will he make you rich in monetary ways? Will He make you’re saving accounts increase by extra money, He could if you follow an expert advice that knows what they are doing.
He will give you an increase of blessings when you follow His will and commands.
2. Plans no to harm you
If we are faithful to the Lord the Devil, Satan, the demons of hell cannot harm us. Why because in Luke 10:19 the scripture says “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”
Does that mean we should handle rattle snakes, drink poison, or walk in front a moving train, car or jump out of a perfectly good airplane? No, God expects us to us our head.
It means God will protect us from the devils powers to destroy us, and the devil has nothing to harm us with. But we must be cloth with His righteousness.
3 & 4. Plans to Give you Hope and a future
III. The Response of the Plans for the Coming Year.
There is a condition
1. God cannot make you follow His plan for your life
a.) There is no mistake God has a plan for you
b.) He will not make you do the right thing – he will influence you.
He will make His presence real to you
2. You have a choice to make
a.) You can follow God and receive the blessings of His plan
Ezekiel 36:24-27
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
1. What a promise for this New year
b.) You can go off on your own and do your own plan for life
And wonder why 2016 isn’t better than 2015, 2014.
