God’s Plan – The Presidential Prayer Team

‘Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord, “who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin.” – Isaiah 30:1

How do you know when your plans are in alignment with God’s Spirit? Many Christians have the persistent question “What is God’s will for my life?” This affects the elderly as well as the young. Knowing God’s will is a day-by-day process. It isn’t just something you learn once and you’re good to go.

As you mature in the Lord, through studying His Word, developing a relationship with Him in prayer, and stepping out in faith in the things you know to be His will, He will guide you. At times, the urgency a person feels when they are seeking God’s will is actually a fear of doing something foolish or costly. The truth is the desire to follow God’s will with a pure heart does not eliminate the possibility that you will make a mistake. However, as you pursue Him, you learn and grow in whatever He sets in your heart to do. God’s general will is written very plainly in the Bible: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him“ (Colossians 3:17). “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

You have certain talents, gifts, and resources specific to you. Use them in ways to love God and others (1 Peter 4:10). Ask that His will would be done on the Earth as it says in the Lord’s prayer. Pray for His will to be done in the United States, in your state, city, local church, your family, your friends, and in you.

Today’s Verse: Isaiah 30:1

“Ah, stubborn children,” declares the Lord,
“who carry out a plan, but not mine,
and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit,
    that they may add sin to sin;

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Jeremiah 29:1-14

29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. ³The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: ⁴“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. ⁷But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ⁸For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, ⁹for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

¹⁰“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹²Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. ¹³You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.