God’s Plan Includes You

No matter the circumstance, globally or individually, God knows what He is doing.

The Big Ideas

1. God already has a plan. Period.
   • Genesis 1:26-27. The trinity planned to create mankind, male and female.
   • Genesis 12:2. God planned to build a family and a mighty people and put Abraham in that plan.
   • Genesis 50:19-20. The coming Savior had to come through the line of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, so God planned for provision during the famine to save His people. Joseph's brothers meant to harm him, but God planned it for good.
   • Exodus 3:7-10. The people of God fall into slavery, and God hears their cry. God had a plan for His people and used Moses in that plan.
   • Galatians 4:4. God planned for our redemption from Genesis on, and in the fullness of time, Jesus came.
2. God has a plan for you.
   • Adam and Eve- they were created in the image and likeness of God, to be in a relationship with God, and to steward and manage the creation of God. That was God's plan for them.
   • Abraham- He and his wife, Sarah, were old. God's plan for them was to leave a land they knew and go to one they didn't. His plan from God was to be used by God.
   • Joseph- God had a plan for provision for His people when the famine came, but for Joseph, that meant getting thrown in a pit by his brothers, sold into Potiphar's house, falsely accused by his wife, thrown in jail, and forgotten about. Once he was finally remembered, he becomes the second in command and is put in a position to save his entire family.
   • Moses- saved from slavery and raised as royalty. He leads God's people out of slavery. There's God's plan and then how God's plan for Moses works within that.
   • Jesus- Lives on earth for 33 years and looks towards Calvary the whole time because He is our salvation and redemption. Jesus got His purpose in God's purpose. Inside God's plan, you find God's plan for you. Knowing that God's plan includes you is different than you having a plan that hopefully includes God.
3. God rarely tells us the whole plan.
   • In Jeremiah 29:11, God says, "I know the plans I have for you," not "You know the plans I have for you". Parents do this all the time. You never tell a child ALL the information on the front end. Kids will want to change the plan, add to the plan, avoid it, argue about it, or miss the present completely because they are so focused on the future. Parents only tell what the kids need to know. God does the same with us.
4. God's plans will not fail.
   • You may not like it but don't count God out. His plan for our salvation alone shows us how great His plans are in general. Ephesians 1:11 says we were saved according to His will and plan. He works out everything in conformity to the purpose of His will.
5. God's plans are for His glory and our good.
   • Ephesians 1:12-14 reiterates that salvation is for our good and God's glory.

Practical Moves

1. Start your day with "God has a plan" and ask, "What is Your plan for me in Your plan?"
2. Thinking this way allows us to walk by faith and not by sight. We are trained to look around us and determine whether or not God is answering our prayers. That's simply not a good or faithful view of reality. He may not answer the way you thought was best, but He always answers our prayers. See 2 Corinthians 5:7.
3. Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. See Psalm 37:3. God's job is to create the plan. Our job is to trust in the Lord, do good with whatever we have, and be faithful. If you cultivate faithfulness, you'll see God is faithful, and even though you can't see it, you know God has a plan, so you'll be faithful with what He's put in your hand for today. He'll take care of tomorrow.
4. Keep entrusting everything to Him who is faithful.
   • 2 Timothy 1:6-12, emphasis on verse 12. "I know who I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day." You can trust the heart of God, who always has a plan.