Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today we’ll continue our quest for answers by looking for the right one.

Today’s scripture, Proverbs 16:1‭-‬3 (NLT) says…
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

Consider…
Have you ever prepared for an interview? How about rehearsing a difficult conversation? Did you plan what, where, and how to say what needed to be said? Maybe, you can remember when you organized thoughts on how to share good news? I know one that you can recall, preparing for a test?

As you reflect on those memories, recall how you visualized in your mind the way things would go. Then recall when things didn’t go as planned, but you still achieved the goal.

Things not going as planned but still turning out right, reminds me of something a marriage counselor said to Dana and I…
“Sometimes we make right decisions, and sometimes God makes our decisions right” – Billie Hawkins

Our experiences, education, and environment influence the plans we make in our lives. We make decisions based on things we know, far more often than on things we believe. We base most of our life’s decisions on what we know and see rather than what we believe. Yet 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NLT) tells us…
For we live by believing and not by seeing.

If we’re being honest, we only trust God for the things too big for us to handle. Yet Galatians 5:25 (NLT) exhorts believers…
Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Today’s scripture offers important wisdom that should change our decision making process, and will ensure our decisions are successful.

The first wisdom nugget is make sure your plans include the Lord, to ensure you make the right decision. James 4:13-16 (NLT) warns us about self-confidence. It says…
Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing that our plans are always subject to the Master’s plan…
Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone

Therefore, submit your plans to the Master…
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

Then He explains the issue with independent planning…
Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

You see PRIDE centers on what ‘I’ can do, whereas God wants us to focus on what can be done through Christ.

The Apostle Paul demonstrates the attitude God requires of us…
I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

• Philippians 4:12‭-‬13 NLT

God doesn’t have an issue with our plans, His issue is with our self-confidence that it shifts our focus from Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2). And when we aren’t focused on Jesus, we’re following plans that will lead to sin.

So make sure your plans always include God’s right answer, which is total dependence on Jesus Christ our Lord!

The next wisdom nugget is that motives matter. You have probably heard the misquoted scripture, “you have not because you ask not”. Well, here’s the actual scripture…
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

• James 4:2‭-‬3 NLT

This second nugget states that the Lord evaluates our motives. That’s interesting that He didn’t say our plans, but our motives. That means motives matter more to God, because motives will dictate plans.

James 4:4‭-‬5 (NLT)
explains why motives matter so much to God…
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.

God wants us to be faithful to Him! If our motives, and related plans are not about pleasing Him, they are plans that lead to sin.

God knows your motives, do you?

Our third and final wisdom nugget summarizes the first two. It simply says…
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

There’s a song by Commission that says…

Success has deceived the world today
Even in the church, so many’s gone astray
They’re living in a world of fantasy
Blinded by the pressures of this high society

Fame and fortune is their reward
They don’t know that man’s glory
Lasts for a season
They must know what goes up
Must come down
Except when the Lord takes you
On higher ground

Only what you do for Jesus Christ will last
Everything else will fade
Like the future becomes the past
Only what you do for Jesus Christ will last
Everything else will fade
Like the future becomes the past

Today the Holy Spirit is saying, plan to please God! When we do, we’ll be totally committed to, and dependent on Jesus! This is the right formula for success! Now that you know the answer for success, PLAN to pass the test.

Therefore, when you P.L.A.N., remember to…
Place the
Lord
Above your
Now
…and He will put your now in place to succeed.

Today’s song is…
Only What You Do For Christ Will Last

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)