“²²Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” – Proverbs 15:22 (ESV)

This verse is such a simple one, I have to ask why it is that at times I choose to still make plans on my own. I am the data, thinking, planning type of person and look for inanimate details to make decisions on a regular basis. I research, and review, and map out just about everything until I get to the point that I am in full understanding of the details to make the plans that best fit the situation. Yet, I always seem to miss something and plans go awry.

When I take all that time and effort looking into things, it seems as though I may be missing a piece, discussing and understanding other perspectives. My view is not always the best view. I am only seeing that which I am looking for and neglect to look for those things that may be just outside the circle.

This verse in Proverbs advises to use the counsel of others in order to “succeed”. I have to remember to seek others advice prior to taking action on the plans I have devised. Looking for the counsel of others will have an eye opening effect on the plans and the decisions that are there to be made.

I must also seek the counsel of the right group or people. I have to be sure that I am not just seeking out those that will go along with my plans. I have to seek out those that will. I have to seek out those that are headed the same direction as well as though that are not. The counsel is to gain more perspective and make the plans to succeed, not to complete.

I do not always have to do all that someone asks or advises, they are just counsel. But, I do have to listen and consider the counsel of others and weigh their perspective against the plans to be sure that I am taking the action that has has the best chance of success. And, give credit where it is due and own the error when things don’t go as planned.

The best plans are those that honor and glorify God, and for that to happen I must be plugged into others that have that goal in mind. When I am in alignment with God’s plans, my plans will be a success.

When you look at how you plan, are you going it alone? What if you sought the counsel of others? Wouldn’t you plans be best if worked with counsel and in line with God?

As I study the word “plans” I am reminded that it is not my plans that are granted, but God’s.

“¹⁰The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. ¹¹The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. ¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chose as his heritage!” – Psalm 33:10-12 (ESV)

My plans are important, to me. As I go through this world, my plans have value, but that value may not be in line with the plans that God has in store for me or those I come in contact with. Not everyone is here to change the lives of millions. Not everyone is given the task of traveling to far off countries to take the gospel. Some of us are tasked with serving our neighborhood. Some are here to impact the lives of their church community. Some are here to be the positive beacon in the area they live.

I struggle with knowing what it is God has in store for me. I do my bible study in the mornings and post my thoughts here out of obedience to Him. I am not sure who I am reaching and to some degree that disappoints me. But that is what I am referring to here. It does not matter if I am able to see or feel the impact. God knows where my impact is and that to me should be all that matters. As long as I am doing the work of God, I am making the impact He has for me to make.

I must be gracious and giving of myself for the plans of God and when I do, I am blessed beyond belief. And to go along with that blessing, it is up to me to realize that blessing comes from God as reward for carrying out the plans He has for me.

“²²Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” – Psalm 33:22 (ESV)

At every turn, it is my duty to thank God for all that I have and all that He provides as I travel this world doing His work.

As you look out today, are you looking to fulfill your plans or those of God? When you do not get your way, how are you taking it? What if you were simply to focus on God’s plans and not your own?

What a concept of God fulfilling for each of us each thing that we ask for and all the plans we have in place. Here in the 20^th chapter of Psalm one can even see the statement as such.

“⁴May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!” – Psalm 20:4 (ESV)

But is God in the business of granting all for me? He is not. What He is in the business of granting is that which glorifies and furthers His plans for us. And that is where it gets tricky for us to understand.

I have a good number of things that I plan for, a big bank account, comfortable lifestyle, vacation time with the family, and a number of other things that in my view are not selfish or self aggrandizing. The thing is do those fit into the plans that God has for me and my family. Is the bank account there for helping others? Does the comfortable lifestyle mean a million dollar house? Does vacation time with the family have to been at a tropical island?

For God, He is looking for us to glorify Him and spread the gospel. When my focus is on me and not Him, I drift away from my purpose here in this world. I should be sure that I do everything so my plans are in line with God’s plans, and when that is the case, He will grant my plans to be fulfilled.

When you profess your plans, are you in line with God’s plans? What if you were to focus your attention on God’s plans and not your own? What would fulfillment of God’s plans look like in the fulfillment of your own plans?

I have been studying the word “light” for the past few weeks and as I have reached the last chapter in the book of Revelation, I am reminded emphatically that the Light of God is forever.

“⁵And night will be no more. The will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 22:5 (ESV)

As a follower of Christ, I have inherited the kingdom, and that inheritance has granted me the kingship. Once a king, always a king. I will reign forever in heaven, not over heaven, but in heaven.

In order for that forever to take place, God has removed all of the things that could cause demise, as mentioned in the commentary of my ESV Bible: “Guilt, strife, struggle for survival, sickness, sorrow, and death. He has provided life eternal through the river of the water of life and the tree of life.

“¹Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb ²through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kings of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.” – Revelation 22:1-3 (ESV)

All of our provision have been taken care of by God. He has given us “back” those that were taken away in the beginning as a result of Adam’s sin. God has restored the utopia he created for man, me, that he created in His own image. We, as we reign in heaven, are there forever in the light of God that radiates throughout.

What does your afterlife look like if you were to take a good look today? Would you be covered in the light shone from God? Would you be reigning in heaven forever and ever in the light?

Imagine a place where there is no poverty, no trash, no dishonesty, no crime, no fear, and there is always joy, forgiveness, fun, honor, truth, integrity, and glory. What a place that is and truth be told, it does exist: The New Jerusalem.

“²⁶They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. ²⁷But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” – Revelation 21:26-27 (ESV)

What a glorious place it is. There is nothing but great things there and all evil or “detestable or false” will not be allowed. The New Jerusalem is utopia, and what a place to find as our final destination.

How is it that The New Jerusalem is this utopia? Well first, because it is of God and everything of God is utopia. But there is more to it. God is light and light is truth and integrity. So when the light of God is shone upon something, the truth is revealed. And such a place is a place to be avoided by the evil, “detestable or false” and therefore the light is what brings the utopia to The New Jerusalem.

“²⁴By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, ²⁵and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.” – Revelation 21:24-25 (ESV)

When the God shines His light, there is nothing to blot it out and therefore in The New Jerusalem there is no darkness or night. And without the darkness, that which is found in the darkness will not be. And without the evil, “detestable or false” there is no reason to close or even lock the gates of city. And that is the utopia where I know that I am looking forward to be my final resting place.

When you look out into the world, what do you see as being in the light? Where can you go to find that place where evil and the “detestable or false” will not be found? Wouldn’t it be great to find yourself resting in the utopia that is in the light?

I make it a habit of getting exercise in the early morning and as such the sun has yet to come up making it a little difficult to see where I am going. Yes, I do have the light of the street lamps, but that is only light for a short period and is directed at intersections and not generally on the longer stretches. I have made it a practice of walking or jogging on the edge of the road as opposed to the sidewalk to avoid any cracks that would cause me to stumble.

It is that way for us on the road or path of life as well. When darkness is there, we cannot be sure the path is clear. And without a clear path, we will find the cracks and stumble or fall. Imagine walking into a completely dark room you have never been in that is full of furniture and walking from one side to the other without bumping into something along the way.

“¹⁰Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is not cause for stumbling. ¹¹But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” – 1 John 2:10-11 (ESV)

In order for me to keep from stumbling, although I still will, I have to spend my time walking in the light and doing what I can to avoid the darkness. As I go through this world, I have to remember that I am carrying the light of Christ with me and when I am spending my time in that light, I am less likely to fall over the cracks in the sidewalk because I am able to see them before me.

As you walk in this world, are you walking in the dark? What if you were to use the light of Christ to brighten your path? Wouldn’t your footing be firmer with the light of Christ?

A few months ago I was studying the word “darkness” just as a few weeks ago, I am again at a passage I studied then as I study “light”.

“⁵This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:5 & 7 (ESV)

I find and commune with God in the light. When I am in need, He provides the light for my comfort. He is there with me as I go, not just to nudge me along. I am grateful for His fellowship.

It is in the light that I find that fellowship with Him. And it is in the light that I find fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ. We see each other, warts and all, and love each other in spite of them. There, in the light we do not hide, we are open and transparent for all to see, knowing that the love of Christ is with us, shining on us, and comforting us.

When commune and fellowship, is it done in the light? What difficulties and deceptions have you found in the darkness? How much more comforting is it to fellowship in the light?

“⁹But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

I grew up in the church. I was in Sunday School each week, went to youth camp, was in Praise and Worship team, and even a Deacon in the church. So, when I think about how I came to Christ and accepted Him as my Savior, it was as if that was part of the plan for me all along.

For others the journey to Christ was much different. There may have been a hard childhood, difficulties as teenagers, and adulthood that seemed tough to manage. But, at some point, God was found and the relationship with Him forged to salvation.

Both of the scenarios above ended the same way, brought into the light. God has a plan for each of us and we are chosen for that plan. And all of those plans are happening in the right timing. Not our timing, but God’s. You see, His timing is perfect. We are simply here to follow the plan and allow Him to do His work on when things happen. And that something that is difficult to handle and come to terms with.

I may have grown up in the church, but all is not perfect and frankly, God is sincerely still working on me as I continue to strive to take action in the plan He has for me. I struggle daily with making sense of it all. But, I was chosen to come into the light and for that I will remain faithful. I will continue to follow the plan He has for me and with that will continue to grow closer to Him and the reward He has for me in heaven.

Whatever the timing, know that you are chosen to come into the light. God has the plan already laid out for each of us and our duty is to follow the plan and allow Him to work.

When you think of the light provided by God, where do you find yourself in relation to that light? Are you aware that the timing of things are controlled by God and that His plan is there for you to follow and grow with? Have you accepted that you were chosen to come into the light and will be rewarded for your obedience?

Just how big is God?

“¹³I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” – 1 Timothy 6:13-16 (ESV)

And there you go. Paul, speaking to Timothy, declares the glory of God to be so big that He “dwells in unapproachable light”.

When studying this morning, I had to simply sit back and wonder just how big that really is. I was drawn to thinking of the biggest light I could, the sun. The sun is able to light up this whole world, and that in and of itself is really big. But the sun is small compared to God. All of the stars in the sky are the “sun” of their area and yet appear so small in the night. When I think that God is in the unapproachable light, and compare to the sun, I have to think of a light that dwarfs all the stars in the sky to even have a chance to understand just how big God is.

My ESV commentary says: “Paul focuses on the glory of God in order that the corresponding smallness of Timothy’s opponents might be seen.” When I read that I realize that God is the biggest and no matter who opposes me, with God on my side, they will have no chance to overcome me ultimately. Yes, they may be able to defeat me here on this world, but I win ultimately through the salvation I have accepted through Jesus Christ.

In your mind, just how big is God? Are you able to lean on Him and declare His glory to all to show just how big He is? Will you allow God to be big and declare Him knowing that your reward is in heaven, not here?

This morning as I studied the passage for the day, I was a bit confused. As I have mentioned and we all should be aware, I then dug in to work through that confusion and not just accept that I was not understanding.

“¹³But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴for anything that becomes visible is light. There is says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’” – Ephesians 5:13-14 (ESV)

I am not sure if you can see what confused me, but it was that as a Christian and one that is to carry and bring the light of Christ to expose the actions that are occurring in the darkness, and when exposed it becomes visible and anything visible is light as written in the above scripture. I was confounded with the idea that the dark actions would now be light just because it was exposed.

But that is not it as I studied deeper. I am to bring the light to the darkness and expose them to the light. Once exposed, I must make sure that they remain and not just back away and give up on making sure that everyone is aware. The commentary in my ESV states, “Expose means either to reprove or to convince through argument and discussion, at the same time taking great care not to gossip or slander others.”

So I am to bring the light to the darkness and continue shining the light in the darkness so as to bring light so all can see what is really going on around them. I am to remain visible and exposed the darkness. Also, stated in the same commentary, “Christians should show by their lives and there wise interactions that the works of darkness are not to be ignored among God’s holy people.”

When you are out there, are you shining the light into the darkness? How are you proceeding once you have shone the light? What are you doing to continue exposing the darkness and being the visible light?