Who Told You That God Has A Plan?

and a thousand well Church grab your Bibles and turn to the place that you're going to be turning to that you have before in this series it's Genesis chapter 3 and from there I'm going to ask you to write down either the references or as you turn through the Bible it's it's wise that you link Scripture together by marking the address in other words if we go to Genesis 3 verses 1 through 11 which we are as we go through the Bible and your notetaking go ahead and write down the additional scripture references that will flow from this and as you do that you'll be creating your own little personal outline you'll have your own little Bible study coming together in this series that we've started most recently it is in title as you can see who told you and we've broken away from our expository teaching verse by verse teaching for this discipleship series why to discern the voice of God in the culture in which we live in we need to know the voice we need to know the Word of God as it pertains to things that are floating about answering things that are maybe sometimes common to us or we might not exactly understand as we ought and when we say who told you it comes from Genesis chapter 3 verses 1 through 11 I'll paraphrase the front end we just read it last week but in Genesis 3 you have Adam and Eve living an absolute bliss they're living in perfection they themselves are perfect they live in perfection a world that you and I have no idea much at all what it was like our minds have been tainted by what the Bible says is the fall we don't think right anymore the Bible says we have to have our minds renewed by the Word of God people have often made fun and said Christians have been brainwashed people amen hallelujah we need to have our brains washed even more and that's what the Bible says we need to have our minds renewed because we don't think right thank God the Bible says that he's given us a new heart but we need to renew our minds and Adam and Eve lived in perfection we don't know what that was like but we know this that the Bible tells us that Satan came in the garden and he masqueraded himself in the in the body in the person of this this serpent this we say snake but it wasn't even exactly that whatever it was by way of an animal there's an interesting dynamic there because Eve who was perfect when it spoke to her she didn't think that was weird I mean did they talk to all the animals in the Garden of Eden I don't know but when I don't know about you but if the snakes started talking to you don't you think he'd run or shoot the thing or something I don't like snakes to begin with but if it starts talking to you she didn't bat an eye at that the Bible tells us Satan entered into this serpent and the and it walked it didn't crawl in those days that's freaky weird because in the curse remember it lost its legs God removed from this time on he said you're going to slither so this thing comes walking up and oh and he starts talking to her and she thoughts back and the Bible says that he really convinces her that God is holding out on her because he says has God said that you can eat of all the trees of the garden as she goes oh yeah all of them but this one the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and he says oh don't you know don't you know that God's holding out on you he says that he knows the day that you eat of it you'll be just like God he doesn't want you to be like that and the Bible says when she saw that the fruit of it was appealing to her flesh in every way and to make her wise and to give her pleasure she took of it and she ate it wasn't so much the fruit as it was her disobedience and she sins the Bible says she fell in that moment I told you before that I think the ancient rabbis have it right they believe that the moment they Eve bit into the forbidden fruit all of her light went out she was naked but she was clothed in light which maker made her not naked but the moment she hated the fruit she realized that she was now naked somehow somehow illuminated somehow remarkably weird she was physically naked but she wasn't naked she was clothed in light and the light went out and then we don't know but Adam is somewhere else and Adam shows up Bible tells us in Timothy Paul writes to Timothy and says that Eve sinned but Adam didn't did you know that Adam did something worse what's worse than sinning the Bible says Adam transgressed you know what that means sin is when you cross the line and you're sorry for that and you made a big mistake you knew it was there but you got caught up and stuff or in her case you got deceived and she crossed the line everybody has kids you know exactly how that goes and if you also have kids you know how this goes Adam shows up and says whoa girl are you in trouble what in the world did you do and Adam looks at her he's now still in the state of perfection he chooses knowing and seeing the consequences and knowing God he says God or re if God or Eve and what does the Bible say he did he chose Eve he transgressed and the Bible tells us that they hid themselves because they said they were both naked and verse 11 of chapter 3 Genesis says as they hid themselves and that because they were naked God says where are you and Adam confesses we've hidden ourselves we're hiding over here because we're naked and God says who told you that you were naked and that's the genesis of this series who told you as we go through these topics and today we're looking at this who told you that God has a plan more specifically who told you that God is a plan for your life now listen carefully to this I want to be careful how I tread upon this we've got people who mean well who when sharing the gospel they'll say things like this to their friends or to somebody on the street hey you want to go to heaven yeah sure oh well all you have to do is pray okay I and listen when you pray to accept jesus you'll find out that God has a wonderful plan for your life Oh oh well who wouldn't accept that message the only problem is it's completely wrong it's not the gospel it's not in the Bible you never find it anywhere in fact if anything it's misleading if you tell a non-believer a non-christian you need to accept Jesus he has a wonderful plan for your life you're misleading them that's not how you get your ticket to heaven and Jesus want to be very careful about that but if you speak to a gathering of believers you can say to believers God has a wonderful plan for your life as a Christian now that you're a Christian God's got a great plan for your life what you don't want to do is say that as it perhaps if I were to say to you as a pastor this would be wrong to say to you that you know it's it's terrible to think that God has a wonderful plan for your life if you tell people that's how they should accept the Lord you should never mix the two together you can understand that event are you with me evangelism is Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins because we're lost like Adam and Eve he died and died in our place because we deserve punishment we've broken the Ten Commandments were all in trouble we have guilt and shame Jesus died on the cross to free us from that burden and he creepy creates within us not religion but a new life and that new life he doesn't we don't do it he does it and that's what he does he recreates us and he makes us different new people and we're saved the Bible says were saved we don't save ourselves he saves us and then would become blubbering idiots to our relatives and friends because all we can do is talk about Jesus because we're so excited because we've had this amazing encounter with God okay that's great and then I could I could turn to you and say and God's got a wonderful plan for your life but you can't say that to an unbeliever because they're lost you need to learn how to do that give the gospel rightly but listen we cannot say today that God does not have a wonderful plan for your life when in fact he does are you listening Church here's the issue we need to define two words wonderful and plan because listen friends I want to I want to let the cat out of the bag I didn't do it at first service I didn't do it at second but third service I want to say it up front when we come to the end of this message I hope to hit you with the punch I'm going to tell you upfront you are obviously a Christian in the United States and a lot of our Western influences taint the way that we view Scripture for example the scriptures that you and I have as promises that we love them great verses God will deliver you from all your de-stresses that God will preserve you that as we'll see in a moment that the great work that God has started in your life he's going to complete it we're going to read soon Jeremiah 29:11 where God says I have a plan for your life and it's for a future and for a hope we all love that don't we those are God's promises in his Bible but can you understand that regarding God's great plan for your life because God has a plan that there are Christians today tonight in Damascus and Raqqa and areas of northern Iraq they are being their hands are being cut off their heads are being cut off from their shoulders they're being skinned alive by Isis and they're Christians did you know that did you know that the Bible that you have on your lap is the same Bible they have the question to you today is regarding God's plan for your life is he failing those right now in Syria is he failing them in Iraq is he failing those that are in prison right now for being Christians in Vietnam what about those the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian is in North Korea has God abandoned them absolutely not why is that true how can we say that when we have it so nice and they have it so rough is there a contradiction in the Bible not at all who told you that God has a plan as we jump into it consider this number one we look at the fact that the plan that God has for us is right in line with how he deals with us number one it's this that we all appreciate a plan and when we talk about a plan we need to define the word from the ancient Hebrew language about a plan when we talk about the plan of God see the truth is you're not interested in my plan and I'm not interested in your plan because as Christians we should be interested in God's plan and God's plan means this an orderly arrangement of thoughts strategies concepts or methods with the intent to create or to achieve in other words God has a purpose will you jut that down it's the consideration under this first point we all appreciate a plan why because plans have a purpose plans have a purpose number one this way in Genesis chapter 1 verses 3 & 4 it says then God said let there be light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good interesting light was manifested watch God spoke it into existence think now and he did it by saying the word God said it it transformed that is his word into a physical manifestation in this case lights this shouldn't be strange to you even if you're an atheist today you can be a brilliant atheist you could be working at the greatest research firm in the world and you should agree with me that only human beings can orchestrate create imagine right purdue's something from nothing that's in the head down on paper or by song or by Orchestra it's done we get that and God says I do the same thing God says I have a plan and all of my plans God says are purposeful he has a purpose to his plan Genesis in fact listen to this in Genesis chapter 1 it's over 6 9 11 14 20 24 verse 26 all of them say then God said teleosts the movement of thought and concept that is invisible into the physical realm the communication of information teleost ancient greek word we get the word telemetry we're going to send a rocket out into the Pacific how does that go that physical rocket follows an invisible path that is determined on its telemetry the path that it follows God speaks something happens we get a thought in our minds and we write a poem or we write a book only God has put that in the human mind and then the human soul to be able to do God is God as a planet we appreciate his plans why because they have purpose they speak of intellect the Bible tells us finally in Genesis 1 verse 31 then God saw everything that he had made imagine he spoke all these things into existence and indeed it was very good so the evening in the morning were the sixth day that's very good demand that it came out of a very good plan God had a plan and I want to ask you this morning do you view life in a certain light of hopefulness now listen of hopefulness and of purpose and of meaning I hope you do my heart is heavy with America right now there's an epidemic by the weights of self-inflicted wounds no pun intended I'm not trying to be funny but our culture has a self-inflicted wound upon itself whereby we are seeing right now the highest rate of teen suicide in our nation's history and without being funny it's a self-inflicted wound we have robbed our kids of hope in our culture today they feel they sense themselves meaningless this last week I walked out of a grocery store here in town and I saw something that's unusual we live in an effluent area here in this part of the world and I saw a young man outside of the market sitting down and he said sir would you spare any money now I be honest with you I saw him going into the store I never carry cash and so I made sure that when I was coming out I had $5 cash follow with me I knew I was going to do what were you to do pastor I was going to pay this guy five bucks to hear the gospel did you hear me he was obviously in need he looked horrible so I took out an extra five bucks out of the debit card I'm going to pay him five bucks to tell him the gospel I think that's money well spent personally and I said he asked me that question I said hey dude what's up with you I'm hungry and I said I'll tell you what I'm gonna give you some money but how would you I was shocked he looked younger he said I'm 27 I said why are you begging at 27 years of age in America and he said because my dad abandoned us left this homeless and I have nowhere to go and I said well I'll tell you what right now listen you're 27 are you gonna live the rest of your life like this do you want to no sir and I said so what are gonna do about it I don't know and so I tell you what and I gave him you and I told I said I know you don't need to hear what I said but I said something too along the lines of if I were your dad I'd say this and I told him bottom line was this do you want to be here when you're 57 oh no sir I don't so he went and got himself something a young man with no purpose that kind of stuff leads to a life that is empty and I told him you've been because I knew the message what something I said God is created for a purpose and you're not living it God has a plan for your life and at its worst it's better than what you're doing that young man listens derek is his name I'd appreciate you praying for him God created Derek with a purpose God created you with a purpose there's a great purpose for your life it's not something I'm supposed to say as a pastor it's not something that is just a colloquial statement it's real it's the fact that God wastes nothing and his purposeful designs he created you for a purpose God would be saying to you today I would ask you today are you live in the purpose that God has created you know what that purpose is to live it which leads us to the second consideration is designed a plan God has a plan for your life and you can say this that God because he has a plan for your life he's got a purpose for your life he's got a design God's got a design for your life and I got to tell you we don't have much time the the plethora and multitude of verses that speak to you and me about God's designed for our lives would take this entire remainder of the day to go through all the verses he's got so much to tell you about the purposeful design that he has for your life none of us should be walking around saying oh no what to do God has really is your Creator watch this a design the word design means that God deliberately designed with the intent for a specific reason in other words whatever your worldview is and whatever your issue is God wants you to know today he doesn't make mistakes you and I make mistakes God doesn't make mistakes he created you you're living you're drawing breath right now and God says please listen I've designed you with a plan and a purpose because of a specific design the Bible tells us in Isaiah 55 and I like this the verse I like verses that just make me sit down and kind of zip my mouth over whelming verses God says in isaiah 55:8 for my thoughts are not your thoughts but your life when god talks like that nor your ways my ways says 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 that's how awesome your God is the God of the Bible do you know I'm like this do you know him like this where he says come come on let's do this and you say well tell me tell me and he goes are you kidding if I were to tell you and fry your brain you couldn't handle what I want to do with you just come on this is a great jesus shows up and says to matthew as he's collecting taxes for rome jesus walks up and says to matthew come and follow me isn't that great what was at that moment what you loved to have been there Jesus is came by and everybody hey is having to pay taxes to walk through this gate Jesus just walked right by he probably walked through the gate he just probably walked by excuse me yep okay excuse me thinking and Matthew hey what's up Jesus just turns and says coming follow me I bet you could see Matthew because the Bible says he left everything in the instant got it when he took off oh I would love to seen that purpose Matthew discerned that whoever that guy was something's up and Jesus said come and follow me what an awesome declaration God's ways are beyond our ways it has a design listen I'm going to give you some verses get ready to write them down and I do want to get it get these to think about getting these tattooed on your on your left arm just think of that he's right out here and I want to write them down everybody give me the ax I'm going to give you these clusters of verses and these will these will literally these verses that to the Christian I'm talking about to the Christian if you follow these scriptures they'll transform your life as a believer proverbs 3 verse 5 trusts say that we're trust trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths trust next verse proverbs 16 verse 3 commit say commit trust commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established new listen to this God is saying you trust I'll lead you you commit I'll take care of your thoughts I'll take care of whatever you need and you're doing some 37 verse for delight say the word delight trust commit delight you ought to remember these if you've got to form an acronym acronym do it delight yourself in the Lord he shall give you the desires of your heart commit your way to the Lord Trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass that verse right there Psalm 37:4 and 5 announces this if you delight yourself in God that is you come today and you say I'm a Christian I want God to lead me I want to know what God's plan is for my life I'm going to delight myself in the Lord what does that mean that means you are going to find out everything you can about God you're going to dive in and you're going to study about his nature and his person up one side and down the other you're going to know him guess what happens as you know him as you know him and you begin to delight in him when he says I'll give you the desires of your this is not a Santa Clause verse some of you read that verse you're probably thinking awesome I want a Ferrari listen that's not what that means he uses when you delight yourself in the Lord you spend time with him he rubs off on you he begins listen he's very possessive about this but if you spend time with him it's like anything else have you noticed that there's some people as they get older and they have dogs that their dogs look just like them or or they look just like their dogs have you noticed that when you hang out long enough with something apparently you take on the looks of it listen think about hanging out with Jesus and after a while you cut you cut you may get to take on his weddings because you know how he speaks because he speaks from his word and now Bible Bible without even knowing the chapter and verse Bible knowledge starts coming out of your mouth somebody will say oh man I'm freaking out I don't know what they're doing and you know it's okay I'll pray for you just trust in the Lord he knows you're actually paraphrasing scripture you're delighting in him and here's what happens but Jaka Destiny he'll give you the desires of your horse yes it does he changes your heart you don't want a Ferrari you want whatever he wants for you this is key to our study today you want whatever he wants because you know what he wants is the best for you because he has a plan that the word plan is his intent to work very specifically in your life and you know why it's wonderful we don't define the word wonderful the way the world does because the way the world defines God is a wonderful plan for your life goes like this you'll always be rich you'll never be sick everybody will want to be your friends you'll never age and whatever and that's not real that's false and people that are fed that stuff in churches the day that hits them that's rough they think they've got nothing to grab on to because you know what their conclusion is God must not love me I must not know him or Boise a ripoff and people wind up shaking their fist at God because he didn't he was in Santa no listen he has a wonderful plan for your life and the word wonderful defined as God knows exactly what to do for in the end to make it the very best for you according to God's definition next verse the fourth one for the tap to on the left arm John 15 verse 7 if you abide in me say the word abide that's the fourth trust commit delight abide means live with Jesus my words abide in you you will ask what you desire and it shall be done for you and you see that if my word is in you you're going to ask the right thing you're going to understand his nature he's not going to be a Sunday morning only Jesus he's not going to be the Jesus that makes you a champion and everything comes out perfect every day and you have no worries no he's the Jesus that takes you through the worst situations in life he's the Jesus that takes you through the break-up through the depth through the bankruptcy through the brokenness he's the Jesus that never leaves you and in the midst of all the things that are going on in your life he's working it out none of us good to be honest none of us would sign up for that none of us say Jesus I love you I'm a follower of yours just make my life as rough as possible just drag me through the mud get me out on the other side spit me out you know where we look we don't do that because we see through a lens that's cloudy right now but listen Jesus would say to us if you only knew what I'm doing in your life right now and when I get you to the other end of your life and you stand before me and glory you're going to say to me Jesus thank you I wouldn't to say that's what you tell a mom and a dad is getting ready to bury their baby Jack where's the love of God our baby died you turn to them and you give them Scripture you don't give them a Jiminy Cricket happy thoughts you give them the promises of God it's the only thing with power and you tell them what the Word of God says your son cannot come to you now but you will go to your son and that day that you need them your sons in the hands of glory your son is in the hands of Jesus at this moment God has a design what what do you think about when you see this slide guys put that up what is that I have no idea what that is it's a blueprint I don't bet there's nothing for me some of you out there like well you must be a contractor an architect or an engineer of some type good for you I could care less but some of you're like all right it speaks about design I take it I guess right I mean I know enough that you can't build anything without a design that blueprint what's the next picture this is just as nuts to me as the first one the chicken could have walked in ink across the page on this page I've doesn't matter to me I don't know it looks nuts to me looks like things are floating up toward the ceiling I don't get it but though that makes no sense to me this does uh-huh you see well is that the same thing that's the same thing that I don't like the first thing I like the second thing now that's not my house if you're wondering I went online and I thought what kind of house would Jack like ha and that's what popped off no not awesome very simple it's like 13 or 1400 square feet very very basic I don't need much that ain't a bad backyard or front yard right here's the point you appreciate that I appreciate that go pick your own thing maybe you all want to palace man we'll go get your palace here's the thing the blueprints they don't turn me on but that does you get that God has a plan he's got a plan for the universe he's got a plan for everything a plan for you and it's a design it has a purpose and it's on a blueprints literally God has a blueprint for you to become something like this in in the physical realm of your person for example next slide what is this oh okay I'm gonna ask you one time what is this it's the Bible or it's God's blueprint the Bible of look you have a blueprint to build a house and who cares but I like the house and listen God is a blueprint for humans it's the Bible the Bible is God's plan revealed salvation planned Redemption planned purpose plan meaning plan it's all in the book and when that book the blueprint of that book is studied and applied by the believer by the Christian this is what happens people are affected in all kinds of ways of life every walk of life in this particular case because they went real random as you'll see in a moment somewhere along the line some guy read a book the Bible the blueprint found out that God is an engineered designer that God has a purpose for his life that God has meaning and that God wanted to recreate put a new heart in him and recreate and rejuvenate his mind and that guy was so affected that he happened to bow down before a game and prayed he could care less he does it everywhere that happens to be Tim Tebow there's a whole many other athletes that do the same thing they're not being rude they're just they don't care because they've met the great architect are you with me okay next slide how does this stuff happen Christians okay Salvation Army gets together and see it's a bunch of people that have been devastated by a crisis how does that happen this is the body the building of Christ at work also because of the blueprint the Bible with me next slide who does this who does this Christian physicians form a group wind up going to northern Iraq to minister to those who have been slain and mutilated and abused by Isis they do it out of their own pocket to serve Jesus whom they love and the people that Jesus loves also strangers for business they do it they have to do it because there is a legend there is a blueprint that's now in their life are you with me all design yes God has a plan for your life let God define to you what that plan is don't tell them what it is it's amazing next thing consider this because a plan speaks meaning to our lives meaning a plan speaks of meaning and that's great of great importance a meaning jesus said in Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will be added to you put God first in your life put Jesus first in your life find out what your meaning is that's got it listen are you in the point of despair right now are you on the brink are you one of those people that are about to kill themselves stop and say God are you out there are you real what's the meaning to my life he'll answer you are you a Christian today maybe you have maybe you've become distraught or maybe you are what dr. Martin lloyd-jones wrote about in his great book maybe you're spiritually depressed it could come from all kinds of areas but you feel like just absolutely giving up I want you to know everybody in this room as believers know exactly how you feel we we've all gone through that from seasons and I want to encourage you the plan of God is for you to be reminding yourself and hearing it again that there's a meaning to the very calling that God has placed upon your life who told you that God is a plan number two is that we all desire a plan we do we all do I don't know listen we're different people right we're all different people but we desire a plan mizu else so how does what do you mean well first of all just our very personalities we're all different I don't I'm not big on plans exactly I mean I Drive people nut especially my wife this last what is it we could go to exhume married 38 years she's a miracle because she's put up with me because you know what I like wake up in the morning what's the planet ain't got a plan Lord why do you want to but not totally for example uh in trying to plan a trip and you may be this kind of a person you need it ordered and that's awesome she goes she goes online and she's this and I'm like this how am i wait what's okay this okay and then the flight and the connector flight and the hotel you not booked it I mean I could do that ten minutes and then one but let's just move on to the next thing that we don't know what we're gonna do about this is move on no you know she does she because she's researching it hours and the days no days and then it's like what do you think about this one that's good it's just as good as other than those three weeks like this is just good just bucket it stir I'm telling you true now let's do it and I look thank God have you noticed that when it comes to marriage opposites attract I don't know how that worked but it's weird and so yeah that's good that's good nothing I'm good with that and and then so then you know two days later so did you book that one Oh gnomes to think about that one okay whatever but you know what she thinks it out if she's got it down and when we show up she knows exactly the color of the door at the place and she knows this and that and that's awesome for me it says it whatever but don't you listen don't you dare touch my lawn with a lawn mower if you don't if you don't know in the exact straight line because that's big this serious out of guys show up one time did my line and he did it like that I said go you go home just go oh we're just different people we all desire a plan of some sorts in our lives where does that come from ultimately from God don't fight it give in to him it's true we desire a plan why because we need a plan to stay on target to stay focused on target you've probably heard that saying if you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time that's a great word be focused as a Christian I unrealistic sure for you to be focused in your Christian life why cos God has a plan for your life create time make it write it down print it out if you have to this is when I get up this is when I pray this is when I read my Bible this is when I read other good books this is when I go and do that personally I love that and I think that might be why during the day I'm kind of Footloose it's like God first after that whatever Lord you want and I look I enjoy living like that for some of you would give you a heart attack I get that but we're different people we're not supposed to be like each other but have a target listen what does that target look like you say Jack you're telling me that but what do I do here it is this is a tattoo now for your right arm right arm Philippians 4 a Philippians 4:8 this is it how do we have a target what's the target finally brethren whatever things are true whatever things are noble whatever things are just whatever things are pure whatever things are lovely whatever things are of a good report have a good reputation if there is any virtue if there is any praise worthiness to that meditate on these things focus discipline your mind to the target this is good this is wholesome this is right this is God honoring this will please the Lord because everything you hear everything you see Jesus is hearing and Jesus is looking at you want to remember that have a target secondly plans result in unity people are brought together in unity with the plan God has a plan for your life listen this shouldn't be a shock are you a Christian today it's God's will oh this going to step on some toe actually not your toes because you're here there are people increasingly saying well I'm a Christian but I'm not going to go to church anywhere how come I've heard a thousand sermons I've heard it all that's dangerous you're not supposed to come to church to hear a sermon you're supposed to come to church to do a sermon you can't do a sermon at home will we watch online I understand that if you live in a North Pole we were welcomed we're glad you're with us but if you live in the vicinity of people for crying out loud get together grab a Bible open it up and if you don't have that kind of stuff then get people on line turn on your computer get people together and join us in a service but get together with people you see what people drive me nuts they're supposed to drive us nuts but they're Christians were related everybody related drives each other nuts it's called family choice you crazy yeah but that Christian takes my parking spot every time he's supposed to rip you off like that you gotta go here say hey you shouldn't be taking my parking spot or you shouldn't be doing the deal or whatever you supposed to interface with each other seriously think about it she's too hard used to stay home the Bible says in the last days people are going to give up getting together that's not good yeah but you know one it's a lot of people here a lot of people love yeah I know but that's just a big crowd big crowds have big needs by the way you know what by all means go to a little church that's fine go to a little church guess what you find that little church big needs just like you find out a big church it's just that in a big church there's a whole lot of problem with a whole lot of answers it doesn't matter where you go you cannot going to escape the family of God you can go to Mars and they'll probably be somebody there from Calvary chapel's the Bible says in acts 40 acts 2:42 and they continued steadfastly priority first doctrine unity you can never have unity own listen pastor let's just preach love of course because we need unity yes the Brethren need to dwell together in unity well you know what unity this is our church motto unity above all else then you're in a messed up Church and I'll tell you why unity can only come after doctrine because what are you going to unify mine are you hearing me what are you going to rally around doctrine look at the Apostles preached the word the church was growing the brand-new Church in Jerusalem gathered together around this a doctrine first Fellowship is ministry one to another third breaking of bread that's intimate isn't it's breaking bread you know eating together it's like man that's getting close well man that's dipped and bread in the same bucket in that culture I mean you take pita and you pita from the same loaf everybody in the same hummus that's close passing the cup that's close you get to know one another like this is that that's your personal first med dude space right we get an elevator just like listen early Christians they hugged each other look what else it says that they prayed any people in here thinking about marrying somebody I got it I got it yep don't marry them until you spend some time praying with them because you can talk to them for hours but you can know them in five minutes of Prayer thirdly and finally and this is where we and and this is vitally important to leave this is serious business we all need a plan if I had to change this point at all I would say this we all need God's plan I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand if I ask if you're Christian I'm just going to say this to you is the plan of God the plan that's active in your life today or am I the kind of Christian that is saying Jesus I've laid all these things out before you this is what I see this is what I want now I'm asking to bless this not thy will be done my will be done we would never admit that but our wheat yielding to God's plan in proverbs 14 verse 20 the Bible says there's a way a plan that seems right to a man but the end is the plan of death you see pastor I already have a plan if your plan is apart from God it doesn't end well you need to know that God's plan listen three things communicates vision God's plan communicates vision when I say vision I'm not talking about something appearing I'm talking about all the way listen church are almost done all the way to the end to the end God communicates to us does he not in his Bible I'll get you through to the end how so listen Jeremiah 29:11 don't you love the verse but do you know it Jeremiah 29:11 listen everybody for I know the thoughts this is God speaking the word means I know the texture I know the thoughts Gus as I think of you I know the texture not only the thought but I can feel them God is saying I can feel the thoughts that I think toward you don't you love it I do this is my life verse by the way says the Lord thoughts textured feelings of peace not of evil to give you a future and a hope do you love that church listen participate right now is that verse true or false let's say it like you mean it true or false that's in your Bible yeah but is it in the Bible of the of the Syrians that are being persecuted for being christened Ram is it in their Bible oh well okay is it in there is it in the Bible in Iraq what about the Bible's in Vietnam right now for their cutting tongues off of Christians so they don't preach the gospel is how does that verse work in inland China where they're persecuting the underground church ah you see where I'm going is what kind of God is this is this an American verse for the u.s. no it's a universal verse given to all of God's people God says I know the thoughts I think about you I can feel it thoughts of peace not of evil to give you a future and a home so you look Church you and I think along this line right here like an ant walking on a table we want we want it we want it nice and simple just keep it sweet and then people come to town that want to behead you in some way shape or another and you've got to square with something and our culture beheading maybe is a lawsuit and our culture may be beheading is your boss fires you fill it fill in the blank what is it going on has God abandoned you if God doesn't heal you is he abandon you if you got a note from the doctor you've got three months to live and you're a Christian you love Jesus and all of a sudden you're you're thinking is this how you treat your people dear friends God has a wonderful plan for your life it's just that he's defined the word wonderful and he's defined the word plan not some TV evangelist God says I got it I'm not forsaking you I have for you Christian a Taylor prescribed step by step moment by moment designed for your life from birth to end and it's perfect and listen this message of the Cross and of Christ and of the Bible must fit in every culture all around the world of every era are you with me do you understand that if I'm preaching a word to you that I cannot preach to the Christians in Syria something's wrong are you with me Oh God wants you well be healthy and wise preach that in Sudan are you with me watch out this false prophets and false teachers the foot God's wonderful plan for your life is that even in death look hello newsflash all of you are going to pay more taxes in California and all of us are going to die how are you going to die you don't know I don't know heart attack cancer truck airplane murder skateboard banana well how's it going to go we don't know will God listen will God have abandon you in that moment Oh Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing that he has begun a good work in you will complete it boy that's a big if until the day of Christ's meeting God's going to work on your life until you open your eyes and see Jesus true or false it's true it's true even for the believers that are in prison in North Korea still true their imprisonment God will work out for the ultimate good and you say Jack I don't understand that he didn't ask us to understand it he told us to trust him oh here's a big one we're almost done here's a big one Romans 8:28 Romans 8:28 231 and we know that all things work together for good the word means in the end all things conclude to those who love God to those who are called according to his purpose there you go for whom he foreknew that is before time ever began he knew you he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren moreover whom he predestined these he also called whom he called these he also justified whom he justified these he also glorified isn't it amazing and all of these difficulties and challenges why does he do this to make us more like Jesus it's the only way never by heaven easy streets he's with us in on tough street verse 31 this is awesome what then shall we say to these things is the great apostle since God is for us who can be against us it's a great explanation if the world be gathered against there's nothing that they forum can do anything to us the whole context of the verse is in a hostile environment the world's good jesus said listen the world hated me they're going to hate you listen Jesus said they persecuted me they're going to persecute you Jesus said in the last days listen before I come back among Christians he says family will betray family child parent parent child all for my name's sake God hasn't abandoned you profess to my husband left me because I'm a Christian God he may have an you God's not going to Bandhan you we need to get this under our belt listen what if next month what if next month the Korean North Koreans nuke us what if a dirty bomb blows up in LA what if the dollar collapses what if you get the note that your child is terminally ill what are you going to say what you to do you're going to run to these verses and you're going to say Jesus didn't you say you'd never leave me nor forsake me yes I did didn't you say that all things are working together for good to them and even in the midst of a hostile environment though verse is just as true now as it was 2000 years ago yes it is then I must conclude that you are working in this situation with my kid he may not cause it but he'll use it and then listen to prove my points and to set you up for this you guys and your margins you striped us down you can look at it later go look at Hebrews chapter 11 Hebrews chapter 11 lists names of great people of God that changed the world and then it says and there were others as well who were sawed in half who hid in the rocks and dens of caves who were beaten and tortured and killed some it says who were wrapped in sheepskin and turned that that's a term back in those days to release them to the Lions they wrapped him in dead sheep skins because they thought that was cool they do this to Christians did God abandon them did those verses fail not at once all right so listen John the Baptist nearly is he was beheaded in Judea and 30 ad did God fail him you know Stephen in your Bible book of Acts he was stoned to death in Jerusalem and 33 did God leave him Philip was crucified in Phrygia and 54 ad Matthew was beheaded in Ethiopia Barnabas burned to death in Cyprus mark Mark's Gospel dragged the death find a chariot now Alexandria Egypt James the less clubbed to death in Jerusalem in 66 Paul the Apostle be headed in Rome in 66 Peter crucified in Rome 69 Andrew crucified a nokia 70 AD Thomas speared to death in India 72 Luke hanged in Athens and 93 AD these are your brothers and sisters of ours God never failed one of them Christian God loves you he's getting you through he has a wonderful plan for your life it may not be the way that you and I define it but in the end when we stand before him we will say in that day no matter how you and I suffer in this life when he's done doing his thing and you see the fruit the impact and the building that it did how God raised you up as a believer to be a witness to others you will say in that day I wouldn't change the thing can you trust him with that can you rest in him with that there's no surviving the days ahead if we don't that's how much he loves you if you're not a Christian today Jesus died on the cross for your sins in mine he rose again from the dead there's an empty tomb in Jerusalem I've seen it 18 times he's gone you're not gonna find his bones anywhere there's no DNA there's no dust hanging around he's in heaven just like he said he was going to do go back to heaven he's going to come back to he could come back at any day I hope this today it's hot outside but for us as believers this is as hot as it gets for non-believers this is a cold day don't go to hell why would you go there he doesn't want you to go there that's insane make your way to the one who loves you Father we thank you God for your truth for your words we will all I have no doubt we will all by the Holy Spirit be remembered or remember this day when the challenge hits us we might be driving home today to a great challenge we could be on the road today when the challenge visits us Heavenly Father I ask him Jesus precious name that you would cause us to see Lord truly that you do have a wonderful plan for our lives it is a plan that you have tailor-made for each of us as individuals and long as we walk with you we can embrace what comes and rest under the everlasting arms of such an awesome God who tells us the truth upfront for us as Christians today as we leave this building now may we be galvanized against taking wrongly the things of this life may we filter everything through our great father's eyes and it's in Jesus name we pray in all God's people [Music]

Channel: Real Life with Jack Hibbs

Views: 11,509

Rating: 4.8702703 out of 5

Keywords: Jack Hibbs, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Real Life with Jack Hibbs, Real Life, Development, Preparation, Maturity, Discipleship, Basic Christianity, Christianity, Doctrine

Id: IzoZsN_x1dE

Length: 55min 45sec (3345 seconds)

Published: Tue Jul 11 2017