Planning for the future is something most people do. We have education plans, savings plans, retirement plans, vacation plans. We plan for the things that are important to us.  We plan to achieve our dreams.

What do you dream of becoming? Do you dream about being wealthy, famous or powerful? Do you dream of being someone who is admired and respected by others?

How does God fit into all your plans? Is God central to your plan? Do feel as though God is devising the plan for your life? What is God’s dream for you?

God said to Jeremiah, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Let’s stop for a moment and ask ourselves are we surrendering to God’s plan for us?

How does God see us today?

Are we building a character of integrity and honesty where we do not compromise on God’s values? Or are we mostly conscious of what we want irrespective of what God may desire for us?

I’ll be honest with you, it was quite a revelation to me to learn that God had a plan for each of us.   I had never read the Scriptures and when I learned that God had a plan for me, I realized I needed to reconsider my plans and consult with Jesus.

The first thing God had me do was learn to truly TRUST IN HIM.

“Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD God is the eternal Rock.” Isaiah 26:4

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3: 5-6

I had to learn to surrender completely to God and that required humbling myself to the greatness of God’s love and power.

I have now given my whole life to Jesus and on a daily basis I strive to understand His Will and His Way.

I remember years ago having a really difficult conversation with someone who told me he felt he could no longer be successful. He had become ill and he could no longer fulfill his career plan. I remember saying a little prayer to Jesus as I was listening to him speak. My prayer was “Jesus what do I say to console him?”

These are the words I spoke (you can decide if you think God gave them to me).

I said, “Imagine that you are at the end of your life. You are on your deathbed thinking about what meant the most to you in life. What are you thinking about?”

He said, “Well, I will be thinking about my relationships with my family and friends.” So I said “Is there anything preventing you from building up those relationships now?” He said, “No”. I said, “It sounds like success in life for you is all about building relationships with those you love.” And my friend smiled and said, “yes that’s right.”  He was suddenly happy because his reflection of the end of his life challenged his current definition of success.

Preparing for our eternal future requires that we make our relationship with God the most important relationship of all. A successful and productive life means we get to the end feeling like we have honoured the most important relationship of all – our relationship with God.  And if we love God, then we will love one another.

Life is to me a series of important stepping stones where God guides us, teaches us, tests us and develops us into the people He wants us to be.

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

Clay in the potter’s hands must be pliable, ready to be transformed and changed. If the clay refuses to be molded, then God’s creation is stunted in its development. It has no hope of becoming a masterpiece unless it surrenders to God’s intervention.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6

God has prepared so much for His people! The eternal rewards of heaven are so awesome!

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him—“ I Corinthians 2:9  God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” Romans 2:6

We were created for God’s glory. God has a plan to help us to grow and prosper and build a “character for success”, but God never forces His creatures to listen and obey Him.

We can focus our plans on temporal things (things that will not endure) or we give our life to God and begin preparing for our eternal future today.

One of the most important things we need to do is pray for it is only through prayer that we can commune with God, listening to Him and learning from Him as we praise Him and love Him.

Let us pray,

Holy Lord, please fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we can trust in You Jesus and surrender our lives to You. Help us to discover the path You have chosen for us. Teach us and guide us, building us up into true disciples that spread love and peace, fostering reconciliation and hope. Help us Jesus to forgive one another and pray for the salvation of all souls. Send forth Your Spirit again Lord just as You did at Pentecost so that You can renew the face of the earth, ushering in a time of peace and prosperity.

Friends of Christ – so many people are lost and suffering. So many are worshiping false idols like money, power, pleasure, failing to worship the one true God, Jesus Christ. Let us console Our Saviour Jesus by uniting in prayer as one Body of Christ everyday at 3pm in our local time zones as we remember that it was at three o’clock that Our Holy Lord died on the Cross to save us. If but for a few sacred moments, go to Calvary at 3pm and remember the greatest love the world has ever known and will ever know, the love of Our Redeemer Jesus. As true disciples let us be One as we pray for the mercy of Our Lord Jesus upon all souls. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

The Lord will answer our prayers! Let us turn our lives into a continuous prayer that gives God glory in each and every moment of our lives. We live for You Jesus. We live to please You, to honour You, to love You faithfully and passionately today and always. You are my heart’s desire Lord!

Learn more about The Mercy Movement and join the global Christian prayer movement that is changing the world, one soul at a time.