1. Gospel Baptist Tabernacle
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741
Where the Love of God
www.rossvillechurch.com
abounds, everyone is
welcome.
Children’s Church taught
by Paul and Marsha Davis
during preaching.
2-23-2014
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2. Blaine and Christine Bowman
In Concert
Gospel Baptist
Tabernacle
Friday, April 4, 2014 at 7:00 PM
Everyone is invited for a free,
wonderful evening of worship.
www.rossvillechurch.com
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3. We learned that lack of planning is one of the little
foxes that steal God's provision.
Like any other principle by which we live,
planning requires balance.
Too little and you drift through life,
constantly fighting fires (financial
crises) that could have been prevented.
Too much and you begin to trust more in
your plans than you trust in God.
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4. The proper balance for planning comes from a
thorough understanding of Scripture and a
conscience that is sensitive to the Holy Ghost.
We must be very aware every time the Holy Ghost
speaks to our hearts;
Especially with conviction.
God will tell us when we are getting out of balance.
He does it with the pricking of our conscience
by the Holy Ghost.
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6. In Genesis we will study the account of how
Joseph saved Egypt and other countries from
starvation by planning and preparing for famine.
Pharaoh had a dream and no one could explain it.
He dreamed that seven fat and sleek cows
came up out of the Nile River.
But then seven skinny ones came out and ate the fat
ones, but looked no better after eating them.
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7. He also dreamed that he saw seven heads of grain,
full and good, growing on a single stalk.
Then seven other heads sprouted, withered
and thin and scorched.
They swallowed up the seven good heads.
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8. They called Joseph out of prison to
tell the meaning.
Joseph told Pharaoh that God
was showing him what He was
about to do.
There would be seven years of plenty in Egypt;
the land would grow more than was needed.
But that would be followed by seven years of
famine, that would ravage the land.
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9. Pharaoh should appoint a wise and discerning man
to be in charge of preparing for the famine.
During the seven years of plenty, they should take
1/5 of the harvest each year and store it under the
authority of Pharaoh.
It should be held in reserve for the years of famine.
We are really seeing two principles here:
Planning and Saving for future needs.
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10. The plan was to save during the time of plenty, so
that they would have what they needed, during the
time of famine.
Prov 16:1 NIV To man belongs the plans of the
heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the
tongue.
TLB We can make our plans, but the final
outcome is in God's hands.
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11. First Principle of Planning:
Make sure our plans are in agreement with
God's Plan for our life.
The outcome of our plans is in God's hands, and
He will not bless any effort that is not in His Will.
He will not even answer a prayer, if we
are praying outside His Will.
James 4:3 (KJV) 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because
ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your
lusts.
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12. So, before you plan, study
and pray to know the Will of
God in the matter.
If your plan fits into the
Plan of God,
He will bless it.
If you can’t, with a good
conscience, ask God to bless
something you want to do,
You already know in your heart that
you shouldn’t do it.
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13. Prov 16:9 NIV In his heart man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.
Prov 19:21 NIV Many are the plans in a man's
heart, but it is the Lord's Purpose that prevails.
Prov 20:5 NIV The purposes of a man's heart are
deep waters, but a man of understanding draws
them out.
Motives
If our motives are right, God will bless our effort; if
our motives are self-centered, God will let us fail.
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14. Prov 21:5 NIV The plans of the diligent lead to
profit, as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Get rich quick schemes almost always fail.
Risky investments, gambling, the lottery
Prov 22:3 NIV A prudent man sees danger and
takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer
for it.
Saving for the
future
Insurance
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15. Foresight is essential to good planning.
Look ahead and see coming needs.
Plan and Prepare
Follow through
Follow through
Work the Plan
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16. Priorities
Prov 24:27 NIV Finish your outdoor work and get
your fields ready; after that build your house.
What is the first thing you should do?
Build a house so your wife can get out of that
wagon! Right? Wrong.
Let her live a little longer in the wagon and
plant a crop.
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17. You can live in a wagon in the field, but you can't
eat frost when winter comes.
If you don’t plant when it’s time to plant,
you won’t eat in time of harvest.
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18. After you have made provision for the
real necessities;
There is time enough to provide for comfort and
enjoyment.
Set aside money for necessities
first in order of necessity:
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19. Necessities
Let’s summarize what we have studied.
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20. Find the right balance between drifting through life
without a plan, and putting too much trust in your
plan, so that God is left out.
Make certain your plans fit within God’s plan
for your life.
Be sure your motives are good. Be on guard
against selfishness, self-centeredness, and pride.
Use Foresight; it’s essential to good planning.
Work the Plan; do what you know to do.
Necessities first
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