Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

According to Plan | Ephesians 1:9


Listen Later

“God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan.” (Ephesians 1:9 NLT)

 

No Christian should ever say, “I was really lucky today” or “Whatever will be will be.” Forget that. If you are a Christian, then you are a child of God. There’s no such thing as dumb luck. God has a plan and a purpose. He has a strategy for your life. You may not see it now, but He sees it and always has seen it. God is paying attention to what you are facing right now. He is paying attention to what you really need—not necessarily to what you want. So the great thing to know is that God is thinking about you and that He cares about you.

The more mature you become in your faith, through prayer and studying God’s Word, the better able you are to see and trust God’s plan. Proverbs 19:21 says, “You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.” So the first thing to do is line up your self-made plans behind God’s plan. You make His plan your priority.

That’s the wise course of action. Isaiah 55:8–9 says, “‘My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts’” (NLT).

You can find God’s thoughts and ways in His Word. If you study and pray about them enough, you start to align your decision-making with them. You make choices that honor the Lord and pave the way for His plans to be accomplished in and through you.

God doesn’t reveal His entire plan for your life at once. Instead, He reveals only what you need to know at a given moment—just enough for you to stay dependent on Him.

You can know how things will end, of course. God reveals the culmination of His plan in Ephesians 1:10: “And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (NLT). For those who receive Christ as Savior, this “bringing together” will be eternal life in Heaven under His authority.

For those who reject Christ as Savior, this “bringing together” will be facing His authority as Judge. The first time Jesus came, it was as a baby. When He returns, it will be as the all-powerful divine Judge.

God’s Word doesn’t give us a calendar for Christ’s return. All we know is that it will happen “at the right time”—that is, when God, in His perfect wisdom, patience, and justice, decides that it’s time.

Until then, your job is to discover and embrace God’s plan for your life—and to align your will and your priorities with His.

 

Reflection Question: Where do you see evidence of God’s plan in your life?

Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast

Become a Harvest Partner

Support the show: https://harvest.org/support

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Greg Laurie: Daily DevotionsBy Greg Laurie

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

178 ratings


More shows like Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

View all
Greg Laurie: A New Beginning by Greg Laurie

Greg Laurie: A New Beginning

3,643 Listeners

Insight for Living Daily Broadcast by Chuck Swindoll - Insight for Living

Insight for Living Daily Broadcast

3,090 Listeners

Focus on Marriage Podcast by Focus on the Family

Focus on Marriage Podcast

1,888 Listeners

Cornerstone Chapel - Audio Podcast by Cornerstone Chapel

Cornerstone Chapel - Audio Podcast

832 Listeners

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

4,754 Listeners

Pathway to Victory by Dr. Robert Jeffress

Pathway to Victory

1,321 Listeners

The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast by The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast

4,791 Listeners

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith by Jesus Calling

Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith

1,418 Listeners

The Bible Recap by Tara-Leigh Cobble

The Bible Recap

35,306 Listeners

Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch by Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch

1,109 Listeners

Allen Jackson Ministries by Pastor Allen Jackson of World Outreach Church

Allen Jackson Ministries

1,439 Listeners

The Max Lucado Encouraging Word Podcast by AccessMore

The Max Lucado Encouraging Word Podcast

1,756 Listeners

Jack Hibbs Podcast by JackHibbs.com

Jack Hibbs Podcast

12,680 Listeners

ReFOCUS with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

ReFOCUS with Jim Daly

356 Listeners

The Mark Driscoll Podcast by Mark Driscoll

The Mark Driscoll Podcast

1,856 Listeners