"Then the king ... rejected the advice of the elders' (2 Chron. 10:13).
"Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Gal. 6:7).
"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:14).
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2).
Too many Christians erroneously make plans without counsel or wisdom from above. If we rely only on human wisdom and insight we only get human results. To achieve the impossible, to move mountains, we need God in the equation! Equate the God factor--everything else are variables and He's a constant. It is not an option to forget or ignore God and live as if there is no God; whether we believe there is a God or not, this is called "practical atheism." There is safety in the multitude of counselors according to Solomon, and without counsel, plans fail.
Today we have everything from clergy, deacons, elders, life coaches, school counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals to assist us in making wise decisions--we are not exempt from being wise, even as believers. God will reveal His will to us day by day and not necessarily in a rolled out itinerary. For example, in Proverbs 24:27 it says to first make your career and then build your house. Map things out before getting married, don't just hope to get it all together afterward (don't wait to get your act together!)--this is God's way! God's way is to always put Him first (set priorities!) and let Him take care of the details and results. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).
Being wise enough to be a success means seeing the Big Picture and not getting too detail-oriented, and thinking small-time. God does have a plan for us and He will get His way regardless of whether we cooperate. In mapping out our life course it is necessary to have "vision," without which we perish according to Proverbs 29:18. We want God to get all the glory and credit for our success and realize it came from Him and we owe Him and have no place to boast (cf. Deut. 8:17-18) they say, an Englishman is a self-made man who worships his Creator! Ponder this verse: "All that we have done [God] has accomplished through us" (Isaiah 26:12).
God is in control and micromanages our life as well as history itself and no one can say to God: "What hast thou done?" (cf. Dan. 4:35). God's will will be done and He has no Plan B case we mess up and ruin our lives; we cannot blame God for our failure because we are still culpable for our errors and sin. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9). And also in the same vein: "A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?" (Prov. 20:24). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails" (Prov. 19:21).
We may be determined, for example, not to ever marry; however, God may have other plans and we might still end up hitched. "I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD..." (Jeremiah 29:11) implies that as His children He has good intentions toward us and not evil ones to destroy a good thing. After all He is the Potter and we are the clay (cf. Isaiah 64:8). All of our life was laid out before we were born according to Psalm 139:16 and this demonstrates His sovereignty--which is not limited by our so-called free will, which means we cannot frustrate God! (cf. Rom. 9:19 quoted: "...for who can resist His will?"). Therefore, Job 42:2 says: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."
In making plans we must turn over the lordship and ownership of our lives to Christ and surrender to God's will in all matters, holding nothing back--without reservation--this is a lordship issue and all believers struggle here because it's ongoing--Satan never relents. "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3). God gives us the power to get wealth and to be a success (Mother Teresa said that God calls us to faithfulness and not to success!). Be careful what you plan for because you may get it (this goes also for praying). In planning it never hurts to think big and to aim high, because then even if you don't reach your ultimate goal you may still be successful in God's eyes. The revelation of God's plan or will for our life is conditioned upon our piety: "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him" (Psalm 25:12).
Don't be wise in your own eyes or think you have a monopoly on wisdom--it takes the body of Christ to function and we all have something to contribute. Finally, success means that whatever God has called us to do we will bear fruit and glorify God, it doesn't mean achieving the "American dream" or making a lot of money, having power or fame. A word of wisdom from Deuteronomy 32:29 says: "If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!" In summation, the goal is achieving God's will for your life (a life of relinquishment), and walking with the Lord day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment, in faithfulness and leave the results to Him--just trust and obey! Soli Deo Gloria!
"Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Gal. 6:7).
"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:14).
"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2).
Too many Christians erroneously make plans without counsel or wisdom from above. If we rely only on human wisdom and insight we only get human results. To achieve the impossible, to move mountains, we need God in the equation! Equate the God factor--everything else are variables and He's a constant. It is not an option to forget or ignore God and live as if there is no God; whether we believe there is a God or not, this is called "practical atheism." There is safety in the multitude of counselors according to Solomon, and without counsel, plans fail.
Today we have everything from clergy, deacons, elders, life coaches, school counselors, social workers, and mental health professionals to assist us in making wise decisions--we are not exempt from being wise, even as believers. God will reveal His will to us day by day and not necessarily in a rolled out itinerary. For example, in Proverbs 24:27 it says to first make your career and then build your house. Map things out before getting married, don't just hope to get it all together afterward (don't wait to get your act together!)--this is God's way! God's way is to always put Him first (set priorities!) and let Him take care of the details and results. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33).
Being wise enough to be a success means seeing the Big Picture and not getting too detail-oriented, and thinking small-time. God does have a plan for us and He will get His way regardless of whether we cooperate. In mapping out our life course it is necessary to have "vision," without which we perish according to Proverbs 29:18. We want God to get all the glory and credit for our success and realize it came from Him and we owe Him and have no place to boast (cf. Deut. 8:17-18) they say, an Englishman is a self-made man who worships his Creator! Ponder this verse: "All that we have done [God] has accomplished through us" (Isaiah 26:12).
God is in control and micromanages our life as well as history itself and no one can say to God: "What hast thou done?" (cf. Dan. 4:35). God's will will be done and He has no Plan B case we mess up and ruin our lives; we cannot blame God for our failure because we are still culpable for our errors and sin. "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9). And also in the same vein: "A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?" (Prov. 20:24). "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails" (Prov. 19:21).
We may be determined, for example, not to ever marry; however, God may have other plans and we might still end up hitched. "I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD..." (Jeremiah 29:11) implies that as His children He has good intentions toward us and not evil ones to destroy a good thing. After all He is the Potter and we are the clay (cf. Isaiah 64:8). All of our life was laid out before we were born according to Psalm 139:16 and this demonstrates His sovereignty--which is not limited by our so-called free will, which means we cannot frustrate God! (cf. Rom. 9:19 quoted: "...for who can resist His will?"). Therefore, Job 42:2 says: "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted."
In making plans we must turn over the lordship and ownership of our lives to Christ and surrender to God's will in all matters, holding nothing back--without reservation--this is a lordship issue and all believers struggle here because it's ongoing--Satan never relents. "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" (Proverbs 16:3). God gives us the power to get wealth and to be a success (Mother Teresa said that God calls us to faithfulness and not to success!). Be careful what you plan for because you may get it (this goes also for praying). In planning it never hurts to think big and to aim high, because then even if you don't reach your ultimate goal you may still be successful in God's eyes. The revelation of God's plan or will for our life is conditioned upon our piety: "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him" (Psalm 25:12).
Don't be wise in your own eyes or think you have a monopoly on wisdom--it takes the body of Christ to function and we all have something to contribute. Finally, success means that whatever God has called us to do we will bear fruit and glorify God, it doesn't mean achieving the "American dream" or making a lot of money, having power or fame. A word of wisdom from Deuteronomy 32:29 says: "If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!" In summation, the goal is achieving God's will for your life (a life of relinquishment), and walking with the Lord day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment, in faithfulness and leave the results to Him--just trust and obey! Soli Deo Gloria!