Participants: Mike Lemon (Host)
Series Code: HDL
Program Code: HDL000003
|
00:38 Hello, and welcome to "Help in Daily Living."
00:40 Today we're gonna be looking at how God's plans 00:42 for our lives are the best plans. 00:45 You know, when I was younger, I wasn't sure 00:46 what I wanted to do with my life. 00:47 I was kind of ambitious, but I knew there were two things 00:50 that I really didn't want to do. 00:52 One of them was, I never wanted to go to Africa 00:54 and the second one was I never wanted to become a preacher. 00:58 And God in His wisdom directed the path of my life, 01:01 so I ended up spending 15 years of my life in Africa. 01:04 And while I was there, I was working 01:07 as a teacher and a preacher. 01:09 And so when I look back on it, I can say, 01:13 well, was I disappointed? 01:14 No of course I wasn't, because God's plans 01:17 for my life were the best plans. 01:19 Sometimes when we are disappointed, 01:22 we look back on the, the hopes and the dreams 01:25 and the prayers that we had. 01:27 And we think, wow that was disappointing 01:29 but really some of those disappointment 01:31 turn out to be some of our greatest blessings, 01:34 because God's plans for our lives are the best plans. 01:37 Before we begin looking at this topic, I'm gonna ask, 01:39 Rachel to lead us in a word of prayer. 01:43 Dear Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you so much 01:46 that You care about our future 01:47 and that You have a plan for each of our lives. 01:49 Lord, they're not-- Your plans are always exactly 01:52 what we're expecting or what we maybe 01:54 thinking will be the best for us. 01:56 But I know that Your plans will ultimately 01:58 make us the happiest. 02:00 Please come and be with us now as we explore 02:02 what those plans are, love You in your name. Amen. 02:09 Sometimes, life just does not turnout the way we plan. 02:14 I remember once about five or six years ago. 02:17 My school was planning to go skiing and I absolutely loved 02:20 going skiing with my friends. 02:22 I was so excited and eagerly waiting for the day. 02:25 But then just a few days before the trip, I got sick. 02:30 I was almost better by the time we were supposed to go. 02:33 But my parents told me, 02:34 I should stay home and rest instead. 02:37 I was so utterly disappointed. 02:39 All my friends were going to be out there 02:40 in the snow without me. 02:42 And I have been planning on being there with them. 02:45 But there are things in life that are far more importance 02:49 than a mere skiing trip. 02:51 Imagine as soon to be bride who was eagerly looking forward 02:55 to marrying a man she loves with her whole heart. 02:58 All the plans are made 03:00 and the preparation is nearly complete. 03:03 But then suddenly her fiancé gets killed 03:06 in the tragic car accident. 03:08 The mounting excitement plummets as her hopes 03:11 and dreams are dashed to the ground. 03:15 Perhaps you have even made plans about relationships 03:18 where to go to school, what career to pursue, 03:21 what projects to accomplish. 03:24 Perhaps you've even made plans to do great things for God. 03:29 But our plans are not always God's plans. 03:33 When our plans fail we need to remember 03:35 that God's plans are best, 03:37 because He knows what is best for us. 03:40 Whether we're at peace 03:42 or when sorrow seem to wash over us, 03:44 whatever we're like, we can in faith look to God and say, 03:49 it is well with my soul. 04:12 When peace, like a river, attendeth my way 04:26 When sorrows like sea billows roll 04:42 Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say 04:55 It is well, it is well with my soul 05:20 My sin, oh, the joy of this glorious thought 05:34 My sin, not in part but the whole 05:47 Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more 06:00 Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul 06:15 It is well, it is well with my soul, with my soul 06:29 It is well, it is well, with my soul 06:41 And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight 06:56 The clouds be rolled back as a scroll 07:10 The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend 07:22 Even so, it is well with my soul 07:36 It is well, it is well, with my soul, with my soul 07:51 It is well, it is well, with my soul 08:03 It is well, with my soul 08:39 A few months ago as I was talking 08:40 to one of my friend in the dorm. 08:42 He started telling me about his doubt in prayer. 08:46 And he said that it was seemingly ignorant 08:48 for people to believe in prayer, because you know, 08:52 the answers always seem to hinge on chance. 08:55 He said that to pray for circumstance or crest 08:57 would either come about naturally 08:59 or never even happen at all. 09:01 And he said that, like for instance 09:04 if someone pray for snow, and there is snow week later, 09:07 he would praise God that you know, 09:09 his prayer was answered. 09:11 But the snow would've come 09:12 whether or not he had pray for it. 09:15 And you know, I was kind of confused about this. 09:19 Well, I really didn't know what to say, 09:21 because I'd wondered about it too. 09:24 And it wasn't till week later 09:26 that I found this quote in Help in Daily Living. 09:29 And it says, "In the future life the mysteries 09:32 that here have annoyed and disappointed us 09:34 will be made plain. 09:35 We shall see that our seemingly unanswered prayers 09:38 and disappointed hopes have been among 09:40 our greatest blessings." Amen. 09:43 And then it was then that I realized how close minded 09:45 we were being, because we didn't have the faith 09:48 to grasp something that didn't have immediate 09:50 or obvious result, you know, I can't see the future. 09:55 But I know that one day I'll be able to see how God 09:58 used my seemingly unanswered prayers 10:00 to bring about His role in my life. 10:02 Yeah, Anna, have you ever had a, experience 10:05 where your immediate answers to prayers 10:09 were not exactly the way you expected to be. 10:12 I have, when I was going to ninth grade, my family started 10:16 looking around for a place for me to, go to academy 10:20 because I've been home school all my life. 10:21 And so we were looking around and we finally found 10:24 one on the East Coast that look like 10:25 it was going to be a good fit. 10:26 And me and my older brother were applied and were excepted 10:30 and so we were planning to go there. 10:32 The only problem was, my family was a living in Montana 10:34 and this is in East Coast and they didn't want to send us 10:37 all the way across the country to go to school. 10:40 And so we prayed and asked God, we put house in the market 10:43 and we said, it sells by a certain date, 10:45 then we know that were suppose to go. 10:47 And I was so excited because I want to go to school 10:49 and make friends and I always just show sure 10:52 that it was God's plan. 10:53 And so when I prayed and asking for the house to sell, 10:56 it wasn't I didn't have--there was no question in my mind 10:59 that I would, but the date came and went and our house 11:02 didn't sell and I was devastating 11:04 because I just had expected that, 11:07 this was God's will for me. 11:08 And I didn't figure out the answer right away 11:12 and that year I ended up staying home and-- 11:15 home schooling, so I'm going to another school a little bit. 11:18 But it just wasn't really I--it just wasn't what I had 11:21 wanted for myself and what I thought 11:22 that God had wanted for me. 11:24 And then it end up that my tenth grade year, 11:25 I was able to come to Fountainview Academy. 11:27 And looking back of all the things I've been 11:30 able to learn here and all the experiences 11:32 that I had and how God 11:33 was really able to reach me when I was here. 11:36 I just know that I had been praying for something 11:39 that wasn't God's will for me even know I thought 11:41 it was and God was able to use those circumstances 11:45 and turn them into something better 11:47 that I didn't even know existed 11:48 and it remind me of the quote that says, 11:50 "Our plan often fail, that God's plans for us may succeed." 11:53 Wow, that's encouraging, praise the Lord. 11:59 I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place. 12:02 The words of this hymn remind me of an experience 12:04 that happened to me a few years ago. 12:06 I was surrounded by paramedics 12:08 and was slowly lifted into a helicopter. 12:11 I've taken a nasty crash on my bike 12:13 and now I would spend the consequences. 12:16 Suffering from a concussion and a slight brain hemorrhage, 12:19 I was in a lot of pain. It was only a miracle 12:22 that I did not break any bones, let alone survive. 12:25 I've made the mistake of jumping my bike unprepared. 12:29 And God still pulled through and saved my life 12:32 despite my mistake. 12:35 It is at the cross we experience healing, 12:37 protection and rescuing from all our falls. 12:41 We have made a lot of mistakes, yet on the cross 12:44 God pulled through and saved us. 12:47 On earth we live in a weary land, 12:49 searching for a place of refuge. 12:51 It is beneath the cross of Jesus 12:54 that we can find refuge from all our trials. 13:21 Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand 13:34 The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land 13:47 A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way 14:01 From the burning of the noontide heat 14:08 and the burden of the day 14:52 I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place 15:06 I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face 15:18 Content to let the world go by to know no gain or loss 15:32 My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross 16:19 Sometimes we will make plans for ourselves, 16:21 God says no, and but He counterbalances it, 16:25 He replaces it with something better. 16:29 Rachel, can you relate to that? 16:31 Yeah, well, when I was at home this past summer for break. 16:35 I started thinking about what I wanted to do after graduation 16:39 and like with the rest of my life. 16:41 And I was thinking about it and talking with my parents 16:43 and my best friend about it. 16:45 And my best friend and I came up with this whole plan 16:48 of we're gonna live in town together in rented apartment 16:50 and we go to community college together. 16:52 And then I can go home on weekends 16:54 and spend time with my folks, 16:55 because I live little ways out of town. 16:57 And talk to my parents about it and they were cool 17:00 with it and everything seem to be falling in its place. 17:03 And so I've thought great and then I came back 17:06 to Fountainview for my senior year, thinking 17:07 I had basically everything all figured it out. 17:11 I did, all except I hadn't take a major yet, 17:13 and I didn't really know where, 17:15 like what I want to take in college. 17:17 So I started praying about that. 17:19 So like God, help me figure that out before grad. 17:22 And within time it took to be praying for that, 17:26 God started hinting out me through 17:28 just different circumstances and things 17:30 that maybe He had little bit of a different plan 17:33 than what I had made with my friend. 17:35 And so I started praying okay, 17:38 then what do you want me to do, 17:39 if you don't want me to go home. 17:41 And little by little just door started opening up 17:43 and things were lining up and God showed me a different way 17:47 He wanted me to go, that was an option 17:49 that I didn't even consider before like where I'd go, 17:53 where I should go for college. 17:55 And it was kind of exciting on one hand 17:59 because I was seeing all these awesome, straight forward 18:01 answer to prayers and things just falling in place. 18:04 But I was also really kind of confused and just annoyed 18:09 with it sort of because I had made so many 18:11 awesome plans with my friends and family. 18:13 And I've been in Fountainview for four years 18:15 and so I don't see my family very often. 18:17 And I was really looking forward to spending time with them. 18:20 And so I was kind of mad at God for taking that way 18:23 because I'd be going away to college now 18:25 and so I was frustrated with that. 18:27 And anyways one night, when I was thinking about it, 18:30 one of the other girls gave worship in the dorm 18:32 and she was reading out Help in Daily Living 18:34 and something here she read caught my attention. 18:37 And so is that, "Our plans are not always God's plans. 18:40 He may see that it is best for us 18:42 and for His cause to refuse our very best intentions. 18:46 But if He sees it best not to grant their desires 18:50 He will counterbalance the refusal by giving them tokens 18:52 of His love and entrusting to them another service." 18:55 And that really caught my attention 'cause I was thinking 18:59 God, you know, you've definitely denied some plans 19:03 and taking some things away from me 19:05 that I really care about, but I don't see anything better 19:08 like I don't see any tokens of love 19:10 that are counterbalancing when He is taking away for me. 19:13 I'm just kind of thinking you know, 19:14 God what's up with that? Yeah. 19:16 And, anyways later on evening I forgot about it, 19:19 until during study hall, I mean, I was--out in the lobby 19:22 doing my homework and one of the deans came up to me 19:25 staring and she asked me, 19:27 "Rachel, do you have any use for a doll." 19:29 And I thought that was really random, I'm like doll, 19:33 what are you taking about? 19:34 You're teenager, would you like a doll. 19:36 Well, when I was very little, I always wanted 19:41 to have a personal doll. 19:42 And I'd never really told anybody about it. 19:45 I mean, just I just always wanted one, 19:46 I never asked for one yes, 19:48 I was too embarrassed or something. 19:50 But anyway so when she told about it I was really excited 19:52 and I guess one of the staff ladies were getting rid of it. 19:55 And so she asked me if I wanted it, I said yeah, 19:58 I want it and I was so excited. 20:01 I took it out of this box and took it downstairs 20:03 to my room and just put it up on the window cell. 20:05 And I was just so excited and I just sat down 20:07 on the bed looking at it and then my mind went back 20:10 to what I was thinking during worship. 20:12 And I don't know, I realize like getting a doll for me 20:16 was kind of like getting a promise from God 20:18 sort of that it is shown me that God knows 20:21 myself better than I do. 20:23 And like I'd never told anybody that I wanted the doll. 20:26 But if He can see like something that small 20:28 that would make me happy 20:29 and go out of his way to make it happen. 20:31 Like, he cares about such little things like 20:34 how much more is He gonna have like fill a bigger things 20:38 like how much more as He is gonna, have a plan 20:41 that will ultimately make me happiest. Amen, amen. 20:44 That's really a cool story how God really cares 20:47 about the little details in our lives. 20:49 And gave you that promise and every time 20:51 you look at that doll you can say, I can trust Him, 20:54 because He wants me to be happy. 20:58 When I walk through life, 21:00 it's not always sunshine and blue skies. 21:02 Often times my future looks dark with trails 21:06 and I feel trapped in circumstances 21:07 that I can't control. 21:09 Once when I was feeling really down 21:11 I came across this prayer. 21:13 Lord, help me to do my best, teach me to do better work, 21:17 give me energy and cheerfulness. 21:19 Call me to bring into my service 21:21 the loving ministry of the savior. 21:23 The words spokes my heart and in faith 21:26 I pray this prayer for myself. 21:29 God heard my prayer and He turned 21:31 my dark trials into lessons. 21:33 He took bad situations and He turned them into good ones. 21:37 All the energy and cheerfulness 21:38 that I needed was given to me. 21:42 I know it doesn't always workout that way, 21:45 you may struggle with the same trail for years 21:47 in spite of earnest prayer, I've done that too. 21:51 But don't get discouraged, 21:53 God will provide you with everything you need 21:55 to keep on the sunny side of life. 21:59 There's a dark and a troubled side of life 22:03 There's a bright and a sunny side, too 22:07 Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife 22:11 The sunny side we also may view 22:15 Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side 22:19 Keep on the sunny side of life 22:22 It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way 22:26 If we keep on the sunny side of life 22:29 Tho' the storm in its fury break today 22:35 Crushing hopes that we cherished so dear 22:40 Storm and cloud will in time pass away 22:45 The sun again will shine bright and clear 22:52 Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side 22:55 Keep on the sunny side of life 22:58 It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way 23:02 If we keep on the sunny side of life 23:06 Let us greet with a song of hope each day 23:10 Tho' the moments be cloudy or fair 23:14 Let us trust in our Savior always 23:18 Who keepeth everyone in His care 23:22 Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side 23:26 Keep on the sunny side of life 23:30 It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way 23:33 If we keep on the sunny side of life 23:37 Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side 23:41 Keep on the sunny side of life 23:45 It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way 23:48 If we keep on the sunny side of life 23:57 You know, we all know, that God does not 23:59 bring evil into our lives. 24:01 He doesn't cause tragedies, 24:02 we know the enemy is doing that and sometimes 24:05 he uses other people to get into our lives. 24:07 And we see in the case of Job, where it wasn't God 24:11 that was brining the evil, but God allowed Satan to do that. 24:15 And all this tragedies happened in Job's life 24:18 but it ended up to be a best ending, you know, 24:23 when you come to the end of the story. 24:24 And you see that the Job 24:26 was even doubly blessed afterwards. 24:28 So in your life Megan, what if someone 24:31 told to you that you had cancer 24:33 wouldn't that be a, I mean terrible tragedy, 24:36 would you to be able to trust God? 24:38 Well, that actually happened to me when I was 12. 24:41 I had a really bad pain in my right leg 24:44 and we went into the doctor to find out what it was. 24:48 And if the pain was so bad, that I couldn't even walk, 24:52 so he knew it had to be something 24:54 different than growing pain. 24:56 And the doctor did several x-rays and he said well, 25:00 there is a large blacked hole in the middle of your bone. 25:04 And we don't know what it is, but we're going to do 25:06 an MRI next week and well, do some test 25:09 and figure out what it is. 25:10 And so we decided to leave it in God's hands 25:14 and see if maybe He would heal me 25:16 from this and the doctors would 25:18 see that its God's hand that healed me. 25:21 And we had an anointing service with the elders 25:25 and after that the pain was completely gone, 25:27 I was able to walk just fine without any pain. 25:30 Praise God. And, and so after that I thought well, 25:35 you know, definitely God has healed me 25:37 and the pain has gone, 25:39 so that means a spot must be gone too. 25:42 And so when I had the MRI we found 25:44 that the spot was still there. Wow. 25:45 I didn't understand why, I thought you know, 25:49 here I had faith in God that He would heal me 25:51 and I didn't understand why, He wouldn't do that, 25:54 because He want to exercise His power 25:56 and yet it was still there. 26:00 And after that I was sent to a cancer ward, 26:04 because the doctors thought that I must have cancer, 26:07 send to a large hospital with all cancer patients. 26:10 And they did surgery on me and took out the spot 26:16 and filled it with sea coral to strengthen the bone, 26:18 so it wouldn't break. 26:20 And the doctor said well, congratulations 26:24 there is no cancer and it's benign 26:26 and you can go home and you will be fine after this, 26:28 we'll just keep checking to make sure 26:30 that there is no more cancer that comes back. 26:32 And I know that, God allowed me to go through that, 26:36 because I was able to sit in the waiting room 26:39 and pass out books through the, through the people 26:42 there and the doctors and nurses. 26:44 And I was able to witness my faith in God. 26:48 And God strengthen me through this, 26:50 through this experience. 26:52 And I know that, it was the--it's a greatest blessing 26:55 that's ever happened to me in my life. 26:57 And God healed me over a process not right away, 27:01 but through the process of time 27:03 and I wouldn't have had it any other way. 27:05 And through that process of time, 27:07 He's strengthened your faith and through you. 27:09 He strengthened the faith of others. Yeah. 27:11 They can see that you've really trusted God 27:14 and He came through. That's right. 27:17 Amen. Wesley, I'm gonna ask you 27:19 to close with the word of prayer. Sure. 27:22 Dear God, I just want to thank you so much for you know, 27:26 being there and leading in our lives. 27:28 And I pray that if we can't see Your hand 27:31 or if we are going to some trail or distress 27:33 and faith that You are there for us. 27:35 And I just want to thank you so much 27:37 for all that You do in our lives, 27:39 in Jesus name, amen. Amen, amen. 27:46 Help in Daily Living is a 13 part series 27:49 from Fountainview Productions designed to share 27:52 the solid principles of practical everyday Christianity. 27:55 It's a simple way to share the good news about the power 27:58 of the gospel with your friends, family, and co-workers. 28:02 Order your copies now by calling 1-877-490-4141 28:09 or visit us online at www.fountainviewproductions.com. 28:15 Help in Daily Living is also available 28:18 at your local ABC Christian bookstores. |
Revised 2014-12-17