Daily Hope with Rick Warren - Thursday, 2 January 2014 – “God Has a Plan for 2014. Shouldn't You?”

Daily Hope with Rick Warren - Thursday, 2 January 2014 – “God Has a Plan for 2014. Shouldn't You?”

“[God] planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth.”(Ephesians 1:10 (GWT))

Goal setting isn’t just a good idea for productivity. It’s a spiritual discipline, like prayer, fasting, giving, and reading your Bible.

In fact, goal setting can be an act of stewardship as you attempt to make the most of all God has given you. You can waste your life. Plenty of people do it. To make the most of your life and invest it in a way that outlasts you, you’ll need goals.

You’re either someone who makes things happen or watches things happen — or maybe you have no idea what’s happening! Those who make things happen are the people who change the world.

Even God sets goals. The Bible says, “[God] planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth.” Ephesians 1:10 (GWT). God didn’t sit around and let the history of the world unfold in a way he found appropriate. He planned history. God has goals for the Church. God has goals for every facet of the universe.

History is moving to a climax. There will be a judgment day, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. History is moving toward that goal — because God planned it that way.

If God plans, so should we. God wants us to be like him in all facets of our lives, including goal setting. I’ve heard people say, “I’m not going to plan. I’m just going to trust God and go with the flow.”

That’s not spiritual; it’s stupid! You shouldn’t go one more day without making plans for this year. Otherwise, you’ll drift through 2014 as you’ve likely done in previous years.

If God has a plan for the next year, shouldn’t you?

Talk It Over:

·        How does goal-setting make you a better steward of the life you’ve been given?

·        What are some goals you plan on setting for 2014?

·        How does your eternal perspective affect the kind of goals you set?

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Saddleback Community Church

1 Saddleback Pkwy

Lake Forest, CA 92630 United States

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