The Voice That Redraws Our Map
Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 44:02
0 ratings
· 34 viewsFiles
Notes
Transcript
Handout
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
1. The reality of human planning.
1. The reality of human planning.
A. It is essential for us to make plans for our life.
A. It is essential for us to make plans for our life.
We don’t go on a roadtrip without looking at the map first.
We plan our route.
In the same way we need to be making plans for our lives.
We need to be making plans for our church.
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
Look carefully how you walk
Pay attention to your life.
Be intentional with your life.
Know your why.
Know the route and follow the map.
“The heart of man plans his way.”
Our heart is where our desire comes from - planning with a godly heart has godly results.
We figure out where we want to go.
We calculate the risks,
the contingencies,
the liabilities
the likelihood of success
Our weaknesses
We put all of our calculations together and we come up with a plan for our life.
This is the way God has wired us.
This is biblically what He has asked us to do.
We will never accidentally finish well!
B. It is essential to make plans with humility.
B. It is essential to make plans with humility.
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
We hold our plans with humility because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
We do our very best to make the most of our lives.
We calculate the risks
The contingencies
The liabilities
The likelihood of success
Our weaknesses
Putting all of that together to be the most intentional we can be with our lives.
But James reminds us we cannot see tomorrow much less month, years, or decades down the road.
Let’s look at this verse again…
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
The Lord is the one who ultimately establishes our steps.
2. The reality of God’s ultimate direction.
2. The reality of God’s ultimate direction.
We plan God orders…
We carefully calculate the contingencies.
With God there are no contingencies.
There are no problems.
No roadblocks.
No excuses.
God straightens the path (Prov. 3:5-6)
God sees not just tomorrow but eternity is ordering the steps of our lives to fulfill His plan for eternity.
God may interrupt and redirect our plans.
We need to understand it was never an interruption.
When this happens we must know that God is not redrawing our map.
He is simply revealing the path He already had planned out.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We think about this in the day to day but what about the bigger picture of our lives?
God has prepared our steps beforehand.
How does God change our map or better real to us the rout He already planned out?
It usually isn’t what we think.
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
The Holy Spirit often speaks to us and leads us through a low whisper, we call it a still small voice.
You have to be willing to listen.
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, 2 that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” 4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
The Holy Spirit often uses every day interaction.
Nehemiah was having a normal conversation with His brother.
The Holy Spirit was already preparing us for the next thing.
Nehemiah wasn’t originally allowed to return.
He was the kings cupbearer
3. A call to submit, trust, and follow God’s direction.
3. A call to submit, trust, and follow God’s direction.
Nehemiah had it pretty good.
He was a close counselor of the king.
Lived in palace
Ate the king’s food
God seemingly interrupted that.
Nehemiah was willing to leave what was comfortable.
Sometimes its not material comfort but comfort in our situation.
Comfort in our ministry
Comfort in the good thing God currently has us doing.
What right does God have to do this?
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
When Paul wrote, masters purchased slaves from other masters.
He understood that christians are purchased by Christ from Satan.
We are still owned - just by a much better master.
A great price was paid.
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
Paul teaches us this in Romans and in chapter 12 instructs us to be a living sacrifice.
When we hear the voice that changes our map, we understand that God is not changing our map - He is further revealing a plan we did not nor even now fully understand.
Quote: I could not comprehend God’s plan but my understanding was not essential. My obedience was.
I’m preaching this today because it is a significant lesson I’ve been learning in my life.
On Thursday the Continental Baptist Missions board of directors voted unanimously to appoint me as the executive director. Amy and I have accepted that appointment.
Filling the role that many of you have known as the president as Bill Jenkin served in that role.
While you process that, let me give you the background and tie in the these passages to the struggle I’ve had over the past several months.
I had a normal everyday conversation with someone over lunch.
I was holding my plans too tightly and was convicted about that.
I started praying. - NOTHING
The strategic planning team started putting together a profile or job description for ED
I kept praying. - NOTHING
There were things we were looking for.
Someone who could catch and understand our vision.
Someone who knows CBM.
Someone who was not a church planter pulled off the field or a pastor who would leave a pulpit empty.
Now it seemed impossible.
But we were praying.
I kept praying - then a quiet whisper.
You have someone to fill your pulpit.
You’ve known CBM since the 9 years old.
Been an MK
Lived with the builders
Experienced church planting
Worked with several CBM church plants over the years
As well as spend 12 years as the associate pastor at a CBM revitalization work
Served on the advisory board, the board of directors, the chairmans of the board
Know much of the day to day operations
Know most of the missionaries well
I didn’t like what I was hearing.
This wasn’t my plan.
My plan was a good one!
I kept praying.
I kept going back to
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
I started talking to people I trusted
I wasn’t getting the answers I wanted
I started studying Nehemiah and started seeing what God was doing.
When Amy and I said we were willing there was an incredible peace.
We didn’t and still don’t have answers or complete understand of what God is doing.
Quote: I could not comprehend God’s plan but my understanding was not essential. My obedience was.
WHAT’S NEXT??
Last day your pastor: January 2 or 4
We are not leaving.
This is our home.
You are our people!
I am looking forward to being an active member.
Technically, Dec 1 position as executive director will begin.
There is no expectation on the amount of time I will spend that month.
The church is ready for this!
We will follow due process, but we have been preparing for this not knowing what we were preparing for.
I have full and complete confidence that, just as God has prepared the Putnams for this, God has prepared the Belsons for their next step.
Someday maybe you will get to hear how we’ve watch God working, preparing, opening and closing doors in their lives without knowing understand what was coming!
The pulpit committee will guide the next steps in that process.
I will continue to preach and serve as your pastor through this year.
Pastor Mike and I will begin the work of my handing things off to him.
My first day in the office at FBC was January 5, 2015
My first day in the office at CBM will be 11 years later - January 5, 2026
Lord willing that will be Pastor Mike’s first day as Senior Pastor and we don’t miss a beat.
It seems as the Lord as revealed more the the map for my life, it is time for me to embrace the going part of the great commission.
The task has not changed for me- my why has not changed- the way in which I accomplish the task and live my why will look different.
I am looking forward to continuing to disciple those I a discipling and helping where I can.
Ryan - the chairman of the deacons - will come with an announcement.
Pastor Mike will lead us in a song
Lanny will come close us in prayer.
What about you?
How tightly are you holding your plans?
Having you been listening for the quiet whisper of God?
The voice that seems to redraw our map, but really just reveals to us the direction God already set for us.
The task of making disciples is not finished.
What steps of obedience are you willing to take to accomplish the task Jesus gave to us?
