Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt
God has a master plan for life and a perfect will for your life. Remember that His plan for you unfolds slowly. As you purpose to walk closely to God and according to His Word, and as you pray and trust God love and that He is leading you, hindsight will reveal His hand and leading upon your life. Over time, His master plan will become better understood to you. But never forget this one important truth! It is a walk of faith and as Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) says, “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”
God’s Word will be the primary tool for leading you in that direction and seeking God through prayer is what will enable you to be able to walk it out and one day look back and see how God got you there. But, as we all know, there is much in-between living going on and we still have to understand how God leads us in the perfect will for our lives. Today I want to help you better understand one of those ways that He leads us by sharing a verse and telling you a true story.
Psalm 37:4 RSV says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.” This verse affirms what I’ve been writing all along. It is saying to take delight in God’s master plan, in the instruction of His word, and in seeking God’s perfect plan and will for your life! When and because you do, He will give you’re your heart’s desires.
There is two ways to look at this verse. One is looking at it as though He was saying, I’ll make your dreams (desires) come true. The other way of looking at it is as though God were saying, My Word will shape good and godly desires in your heart. I put those desires there to help draw you in particular directions that lead you in your path of life. Both ways of looking at this are true. God is saying both. He does put desires in you and they are His God-given desires. Desires lead you because people like to pursue their desires. Now I am not talking about carnal desires and I am not talking about your lust for chocolate, or donuts, or sex. These kinds of desires are carnal desires of the flesh. To those kinds of desires God Hebrews 12:1 NLT says, “…let us strip off every sin and weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.” God wants you to master your carnal desires with the help of the Holy Spirit, and instead focus on His God-plan for your life. The kind of desires God is talking about again are desires that draw you down a good path. I hope this story will help give greater insight and make this more clear.
Some friends of ours from church have a son who is about the same age as our daughter. One Sunday morning he was sitting in the sanctuary listening to our Pastor preach. In his sermon, the Pastor talked about his love for flying. He had been a pilot in the military and served flying missions in the Viet Nam war. After the military he started an air freight business flying freight around the country. As he talked about his love for flying, something went off in that teenage boy’s heart. He also had always loved airplanes and the thought of flying, but on that day, something became was sparked and became clear to him―he was sure he wanted to become a pilot. He told his parents and they just listened and did not discourage him. They let him dream. This young man wanted to talk with our Pastor to ask him questions about flying and so he did. From that day forward, in his love for Jesus, his primary desire and goal was to become a pilot. He would use that path to influence others for Jesus.
He went to a college that had flying as a part of the education. He learned to fly. Today he is a commercial airline pilot, loving God and walking in the desire of His heart. He loves God and uses His gifting to glorify God in any way he can.
Now another story about another young man from our church. In the early days of ministry, Renee and I taught children’s church. We had the help of a young woman and her teenage brother. He really wanted to help in some way and we let him because he was really a nice boy. We would teach a Bible lesson and then we’d do a skit about some practical life situation that we knew the children had experienced and could relate to. The young gal that helped us really loved to dress up and play the part. She was fabulous and funny. The kids loved her! Her brother was the son of one of our church employees. This may sound funny, but he liked to decorate.
So, when we put a skit together, He’d go borrow furniture from around the building to create a little set for us. It was amazing! We’d laugh in awe at what he’d create for us. I don’t know if this young man every totally loved school, but wow could he decorate. This desire and skill only grew within him. He had a love for it from the desire God had put in his heart. He used those talents around the church and it was as though he was becoming a professional before our eyes. Pretty soon other people and other churches were requesting his help. It became a business he thrived in. Today this young man is a truly amazing and gifted designer/decorator running his own business and serving in our church using this talent. He is in charge of our church decor and if you saw our building, you’d be in awe―seriously!
This desire became noticeable from a young age. It was always in him. God placed this desire within him to lead him into the perfect will of God for his life. He uses it to glorify God as well as provide his livelihood.
I have always told people, “Find ways to serve God and be willing to do anything. He will shape good and godly desires within you and through them, direct your steps. As you serve Him, He will reveal gifts and talents beyond what you are aware of. They will help direct you into God’s perfect will for you life.” Pay attention to how God uses you. That is important so I’ll say it again. Pay attention to how God uses you! Pat attention to that and to the desires that really make you tick. Then pray about them and ask God to use them to lead you in His plan for your life. God will lead you. It is His will and promise to you! You have to put God’s plan first place in your life or your tendency will be to let your desires lead you for your own selfish satisfaction. That won’t get you to His will. That will only help you do life your way. Pray, stay in God’s Word. Follow the desires it shapes within you. Your God-given skills and abilities will lead you in the plan He has for you!
Psalm 32:8. (NLT) “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.”
In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
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Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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