A Child Is Born: Planned Pregnancy

Planned Pregnancy

Set direction for 2018

God didn’t just wake up one morning and say lets give somebody a baby… and the angels draw names to come up with Mary and then Jesus was like “Oh, I’ll do it!”

Isaiah 7:14 ESV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

spoken 700-800 years prior to Jesus’ birth

Matthew 1:23 ESV

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Matthew 1:22–23 ESV

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Proverbs 29:18 KJV 1900

Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

prov 2918

Proverbs 29:18 NLT

When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.

Prov

there are few things in life that we can do without a plan and succeed

marriage

parenting

business

trying to get a loan

1. We will not grow in our faith haphazardly

God’s plan for our lives is not one that is to be lived out by the seat of our pants

yes we have faith

we walk into situations where we don’t know the outcome

BUT we never walk into a life situation without a purpose and a vision

because if we do then we have no hope of doing it in the obedience of God

2. Not just any vision will do it must be God’s vision for you

The Apostle Paul was telling of his conversion

met Jesus on the road to Damascus

Jesus gave him a specific instruction for what to do in life and so Paul said...

Acts 26:19 ESV

“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

we don’t pick our own vision but we must find God’s

Minister in rich church

Obviously in His Word

In prayer

In obedience

Proverbs 29:18 KJV 1900

Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

So if we know that God’s will is for us to not be drunk with wine then it changes the way that we view alcohol

not to lust then it alters the way that we look at the opposite sex and the situations that we may or may not put ourselves into

to be wise with what we have been given will affect the way that we spend our money and time

ect.

God’s will may not be your will but God says...

Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

3. Showing up is not the same as obedience

Our hike with Todd

Proverbs 29:18 KJV 1900

Where there is no vision, the people perish: But he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Sometimes we don’t experience God because we have not been obedient to God’s Will

Philippians 4:4–7 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

when we rejoice & when take it to the Lord in prayer

THEN we will experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding

and He will guard our hearts and minds

Just because we know the will of God doesn’t mean that we will receive the blessings of that will

we must live in obedience to Him

Closing

God planned long ago for Jesus to be born of the virgin Mary

that He would live a life in the flesh yet without sin

that He would spread a message of peace, love, hope, & joy

that He would lay His life down for you and for me that we could be reconciled to God

that He would raise from the grave on the 3rd day overcoming death, hell, & the grave

God planned for you to accept Jesus as your personal Savior

God planned for you to repent of sin

God planned for you to help make the Name of Jesus famous

to love others

to forgive

to lend a hand

to show others the way

to live a life of joy & peace

to have a hope beyond this life

What are you planning for? Where is your vision? Direction?

You will not grow in your faith by accident

Your vision won’t get you to heaven but His will

Knowing God’s vision isn’t enough but we must be obedient to it