Pastor Dan Stevenson is Mission Pastor of New Heights fellowship in East Toledo, Ohio. This blog will be packed with thoughts and experience arising out of his life for Christ, his experiences as a father, his efforts to grow a family and a church.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Living a Plan (or else!)
Living a plan, having a plan, should we plan? Why should we plan? Adjusting the plan...
I somewhat lost yesterday. I was very tired. Sometimes when I get really tired I have a hard time remembering what I did that day. If you are a Doctor and that is not normal please don't tell me what is going on with that. Unless, it's something that sleep, exercise, and vitamins won't deal with.
Anyway, when I get really tired I tend to lose day segments. I think I remember everything that's really important like what my wife says to me. However, I can forget time spent on the couch and so on.
Forgetting can't be taken lightly. Too much fatigue can't be taken lightly. So, I should have taken certain precautionary steps to recover and.....I did not. So, this morning fatigue declined into illness. Now, I'm sick and repentant.
Repentance
So, then I repent but repentance is not simply turning from sin as has been often taught. It is turning to God. It technically means to think again or to think differently. So, I'm thinking differently...
Too tired to plan?
Not adjusting to the new normal of your life as your life changes is tantamount to refusing to go on, so I'm thinking what the new normal is.
Plans for me
So, I'm thinking that my new normal includes routine and schedule and the like.
Should we plan?
I know my purpose with relative certainty. We know our purpose with relative certainty. So, I'm thinking what we need to do (barring specific intervention by God) is align our schedules and routines with our purpose. Since it seems that we should have control of our schedules and routines (under God) we should be able to do that. And if we do not it seems as if it would be sin.
For him who knows to do good and does not do it-It is sin. James 4:17
So, Sherri and I (I always appreciate her bringing me along) are making some plans and scheduling some things so that we can make our scheduling and routines meet our purpose as much as is possible.
Ex. Excercise together before the day begins.
Scheduling things is good. Scheduling them at specific regular intervals seems more possible for persons who are at a more mature stage of their life (I'm really hoping this is us.) Just remember to say, If the Lord wills we shall do this or that.
Planning
I learned this from fasting: When you believe you should set a schedule you should set it before you begin it. Don't start and then debate the length. The enemy prefers you to debate with yourself how long your current assignment is that way at any juncture he can convince you to quit. If you prayerfully set the length before you begin you can stick to it no matter what and then afterwards determine your assignment and length for what's next. If something happens to make the continuation of the original plan impossible then it is impossible. If not, then finish or die trying.
Changin the plan
If in the middle, you would really rather quit or change course then I think you have to be released from your commitment by God. Pray. If He will not release you then stay the course no matter the cost. Think about the garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed for the father to remove the cup but He also prayed not my will but yours be done. That's what we should do as well. IF God says so, stay the course no matter waht. That makes knowing some details about the course up front that much more important.
Seems radical? I don't really think so.
Pastor Dan
Newheightsfellowshipchurch.org
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