A Successful Plan

Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”

This last Sunday, Pastor Obie returned to the pulpit to give us a new message in the “2020 Vision” sermon series. He reminded us of the iconic line from the old TV series “The ‘A’ Team”, when team leader John “Hannibal” Smith said: “I love it when a plan comes together”. Actually, statistics show that only about 8% of people succeed in reaching their goals; 92% fail. Those who managed to reach their goals did so by having a plan. What we fail to realize though, is that God is actually directing our steps. So, have a plan, but hold it loosely to go where the Lord leads. Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

The Hebrew word here for “plan” is “machashabah” translated as “contrivance, plans” and conveys the idea of design, purpose, intention and thought. Psalm 139:13-17 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” We were designed and created with plan, purpose and a well-thought out end goal.

Pastor Obie gave us the three “D”s of a successful plan. (1) Define an accurate starting line, a clear finish line, and a hard deadline. We should always have a goal of improving our relationship with the Lord. Understand where you are now to begin with for reality, in order to find a course of action towards reaching the goal. Write down that goal and the plan to achieve it. Are you going to get there? How and when? The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline. (2) Discover the main discipline that will lead to the most progress. Proverbs 13:6 says, “Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but sin overthrows the wicked.” Seek out the best route to complete the task at hand. Repeat the main discipline or habit over and over. What is the main discipline (the one lead measure) to get to the goal? Discover it and solicit help and advise. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

1 Kings 2:3 “Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

(3) Diligently implement systems over strategies. Have an idea on how to get from point “A” to point “B”, and a steady process to get there. Consistency plus time equals results. Every reasonable goals is reachable with a plan. Eliminate distractions and delegate responsibilities. You have to “clean house” by eliminating distractions in order to stream line your path to success in life. Delegate tasks will keep the responsibility on you, Delegating responsibility gives them away. Old, bad habits are hard to die, but they must. God has something new that He wants to do in your life. The Christians overarching plan should be : “Seek first the kingdom of God”. Are your plans in line with God’s plans?

God, reign and my life, reveal and change any of my plans not aligned with your perfect Word, Will and Way.

In Christ, Brian