If we’re being honest, most of us would admit that we prefer our own timetables to those of our heavenly Father. But what blessings do we miss by rushing ahead of His plan? In this message, Dr. Stanley assures us that we always have time to wait on God, and that time will always be well-spent. Learn to surrender your schedule to God, trusting that His timing for all things is perfect. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to www.intouch.org/watch
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God has a plan for your life and if you
follow his plan you’re gonna be better
no matter what somebody tells you if you
follow your own plan you’re on your own
remember this that God who created you
who is infinite in intelligence who
knows all about your past your lineage
your present and the future God has a
plan that’s best for you whatever that
plan is but you must learn to listen to
it
four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let’s open God’s
Word and seek Him together next on
InTouch getting ahead of god one of
life’s most important lessons is to
learn to listen to God if you don’t
listen to him you’re not gonna know what
to do if you listen to him you’d then
have to decide whether you’re going to
obey Him or disobey Him but how will you
ever know how God wants you to live your
life if you don’t learn to listen to him
and not only to listen to him but also
recognize that God’s timing is always
perfect we don’t always agree with this
timing we have our own selfish reasons
probably but learning to listen to him
and also to follow his timing is a great
lesson in life in fact many people miss
most of his blessings because they don’t
wait for his timing they have his own
idea they get frantic they get worried
they listen to the news they listen to
somebody and on it goes
and never stop to thank God what’s your
plan what what do you want me to do when
do you want me to do it how do you want
me good what’s your will for my life and
I think our failure at seeking his
guidance and his direction is the timing
is a major issue and that he will recall
in the 12th chapter of Genesis here’s
what God said Abraham he said go forth
from your country from your relatives
from your father’s house to the land
which I’ll show you I’ll make you a
great nation bless
you make your name great so you shall be
a blessing and I’ll bless those who
bless you and curse those who curse you
and in you all the families of the earth
will be blessed now that is as
straightforward as you can put it that
could not be clearer and so God made
made it very very clear what he was to
do what he was going to do and so
instead of following God’s instructions
he just had a little slip handle and
slip there listen watch this carefully
God knows you perfectly he knows what
his will is for your life his purpose
for your life
he doesn’t make suggestions God gives
commands because God’s commands come
from a mind a will and a purpose that is
absolutely perfect
he will never ask you to do anything
that would not fit his will for your
life his will for your life is always
the best choice and if you’ll notice in
this passage of Scripture
he not only promised them that he to
have an heir he said in fact you go
ahead son look up in the sky and the
stars that you see your your heirs are
gonna be like that and then he told him
that be 400 years in Egyptian bondage
and but he’s told him that he was down
to within peace with a good old age and
that he would have a land of heirs so
what God promised it’s exactly what he
did
now he’s I’m gonna make you a name great
and all of us who believe us can trace
we can trace our lineage from today back
through Jesus back to Abraham and so I
want you to turn to the 16th chapter of
Genesis and some years had gone by since
God made that promise to him and Sarah
Abraham’s wife had borne him no children
but she had an Egyptian maid whose name
was Hagar when he left home he was
headed to Canaan God’s choice land when
he got there they were having a famine
so he goes south to Egypt
he had no business bringing her from
Egypt into his family so Abraham was an
awesome choice of God but he made
mistakes and we when God says something
he doesn’t say and do this if you want
to be sure you do this and do that no he
gave him specific instruction because he
knew what the future hell so there’s
this made so sarah said abram that
behold the lord has prevented me from
bearing children please go into my maid
perhaps i’ll obtain children to her and
abram listened to the horse of sarah he
kept making mistakes you think a man
chosen of god would listen to god but
what they want you to see after Abram
had lived 10 years in the land of Canaan
Abraham’s wife Sarah took Hagar the
Egyptian her maid gave her to her
husband as his wife he went into Hagar
she conceived and when she saw that she
conceived her mistress was despised in
her sight Sarah said Abraham may the
wrong done to me be upon you whose idea
was this anyway I gave my maid into your
arms but when she saw that she had
conceived I was despised in her sight
may the Lord judge between you and me
and so what we see is simply an act of
disobedience couldn’t wait for God and
listening to the wrong voices and people
are still listening the wrong voices
can’t wait for God I want to have it now
because I don’t understand how God can
do it I’ll do it myself
many people most people are living in
disharmony with God out of the will of
God doing it their own way because
things didn’t work out like they planned
God has a plan for your life and if you
follow his plan you’re going to be
better no matter what somebody tells you
if you follow your own plan you’re on
your own
remember this that God who created you
who is infinite in intelligence who
knows all about your past your lineage
your present and
future God has a plan that’s best for
you
whatever that plan is but you must learn
to listen to him and so because of
disobedience unwillingness to wait for
God Sarah has her way but she has not
only her way but a lot of the days and
years of headache and trial and strife
and conflict and all the rest and so she
has a child and Abraham is a hundred now
why would God wait that long what did he
do something before then because he
wanted to make a statement of the world
that his choice his lineage would be a
miracle from God he had a plan watch
this and this is why your prayer life
ought to be so important to you
listening to God gotta what do you want
me to do and I think about all the
things that transpire and the person’s
life and and which is a perfect example
of what happened here we don’t want to
wait for God’s tell me want to do it now
for example you’re gonna buy a house is
that the Lord’s will or is it not maybe
you said well you know what we’ve waited
and waited and waited so we waited long
enough we want now but you stepped ahead
of God because that’s the way look you
didn’t ask you out the direction I think
about people for example who are looking
for positions in life and one comes
along and they say well I better get
this is the best I can do you don’t know
that no telling what God has in mind for
you I think about people who get married
a few years ago about twenty one twenty
five twenty seven thirty oh my goodness
I’m I’m embarrassed I’m not met you know
what
don’t jump ahead of God because of what
your friends think and many people many
people miss the best in marriage because
they they gotta have it now and they and
they make choices before God isn’t able
to show them who that person is
and think about this you got to make
sure you the person you’re gonna marry
that doesn’t mean you go to bed with
them that night it means that you wait
until God is ready until you get married
we live in a society that does not want
to wait for anything that wants it now
no matter what the future price is and
if people who live in sin if they had
looked ahead and made God’s choices in
God’s timing life would be totally
different
well that’s making the purchase or
marrying someone or whatever it might be
going to college deciding on a major
well here’s what I’m gonna do did you
ask God about that
did God lead you or did he not listening
to God is a part of living the Christian
life listening to God is a part of life
God who knows it all who has planned the
best for you and you’re gonna make your
own foolish unwise choices because you
can’t wait yes you can wait you don’t
want to wait and you paid the penalty
for not waiting so look at your own life
are you living according to God’s plan
his will for your life are you asking
him for direction and guidance in your
life are you asking him about timing in
your life are you just making up your
own mind well I don’t have time yes you
do God take you off the scene just like
that if he wanted to you do have time to
wait on God that’s the best it’s always
the best so what happens we decide we’re
going to get ahead of God no we don’t
make those decisions
we just make decisions that please us
for the moment and I wish I could tell
every college student before you make a
choice in your in your particular
vocation and what do you want to do what
you’re gonna make your own you need to
ask God you don’t want to waste your
time and you don’t want to waste your
life after you graduate but if you
decide that you’re smart
love to make up your own mind you don’t
need God have I heard that so many times
you don’t need God yes you do if you
don’t think you need God listen no
degree will overcome your Eggman’s if
you think you do not need God you get it
you can get a beedi you can get a THD
you get any kind of these but if you
think you’re smarter than God you’ve
already failed so what happens we listen
to other people well here’s what I think
you ought to do it’s that what God said
is that when y’all said oh is that just
what I said and oftentimes people are
deceived by appearance I want to marry
her because she’s beautiful and so we
make we made sure some basis of
appearance that’s not the will of God
sometimes it’s it’s just a matter of
impatient I believe in God I’m waiting
upon y’all but I only gonna wait so long
can you imagine telling God you have a
limit on how much time you gonna give
him before you choose somebody to marry
and you married them and you begin a
life of turmoil strife separation final
divorce listening to God is absolutely
essential to walking with God and
walking with God is absolutely essential
to living a life that brings
satisfaction and peace and joy and
everything you’re gonna need God’s going
to provide sometimes people because
they’re afraid of failure they gonna get
ahead of God well if I don’t if I don’t
do this and if I don’t do that and I’m
gonna I’m gonna miss out listen to me
carefully you never miss out
obeying God God knows all about your
future
he knows also what causes you to stumble
he knows your weaknesses he knows the
areas that he’s going to help you
through when you start out in life
without God you’re starting in the wrong
direction when you submit yourself to
him
you’re allowing Almighty God who knows
all about life they guide you to make
the right choices every single time I
think about in my own life I was 14 and
I knew that God said to me you must
preach the gospel it’s the only thing he
ever said to me at that point in my life
and I went through high school and
through college and I knew that’s what
you want me to do and that’s my third
seminar there all the rest God will tell
you what he wants you to do if you will
ask him it doesn’t mean he’s going to
tell you a whole life but he’ll tell you
the next step and the next step for the
next step for the next step God is
interested in your listen your success
if you follow him it doesn’t mean you’re
successful always mean that you’re rich
that you’ll have everything in life that
you want when you want it but it means
that your life will be full and it’ll be
filled with joy peace happiness there’ll
be some suffering in heartache and loss
yes but ultimately you will sense
satisfaction and completeness in life
people fear their gonna fail if they
don’t do it now that’s the devil’s lie
the issue is not your age the issue is
what’s the will of God that’s the key
and sometimes afraid that we’re gonna
miss out on something and then of course
the problem of unbelief well I will I
don’t believe that God has a plan for my
life I don’t believe I have to wait I
don’t believe this that what do you
believe that was if you don’t believe in
God what do you believe in if you don’t
believe God has a will for your life are
you just here by accident about through
your parents and it’s all up to you and
this crazy mixed-up fouled up world is
it all up to you to make a choice on
what you’re gonna do and where you gonna
do this and so forth and I think about
how many students would not be head over
heels in debt having finished college
you know $200,000 or more for their
college is that what God wanted you to
do he always has
I didn’t say easiest but it’ll be our
best in the long run and so we we pay a
penalty when we don’t wait on God
a perfect example Sara said listen I’ve
waited long enough I’m getting get Nolan
I won’t be able to have children so
let’s let’s let’s take this Egyptian
slave girl and let her be a substitute
that wasn’t the will of God God forgave
him in spite of what that was the only
mistake he made but it looked watch this
it looked like the simplest right thing
to do you can’t always tell by the way
it looks you can’t tell by the way it
counts you can’t tell by how many voices
they are that agree
what’s the will of God in your life and
so there’s the penalty we pay we can we
stuff heaven and part of that penalty is
we deny ourselves of God’s best think
about this you you can go ahead and make
a decision and you can get by for a
while you may get by all life but have
missed God’s best for you listen we
don’t we don’t get but one trip down
here you do know that don’t you we don’t
we don’t give a one trip well then why
take a wrong direction when you don’t
have to we deny ourselves of God’s best
we delay God’s purpose in our life when
we take a wrong turn purpose of God
isn’t finished isn’t completed you’re
heading in the wrong direction sometimes
people have to go through disasters
before they surrender themselves to God
and it willing to say Lord I want you
away in your will I’ve messed it up I’m
asking you to forgive me whether they
forgive you yes will he take you from
that point yes will you be able to
fulfill his will for your life maybe so
maybe not depends on what it is does God
give second chances third fourth its
Alleluia 10 11 12 he gives us all kind
of choices but each time we take a leap
in the wrong
choice we lose then of course we
experienced this Hartmann in our life
when we don’t wait upon him it’s gonna
be disharmony and so life creates
situations that create disharmony but
when we’re committed to him he enables
us to walk through it they grow in the
midst of it to be better because of it
and still follow his will no matter what
then of course we suffer great
disappointments in life out of the will
of God you’ll be disappointed and I
think some of the people think that
they’ve got it all together
in the head and direction in their life
out of the will of God and thinking well
you know what can happen in our
situation and Julie is blessed as we are
we must be doing the right thing not
necessarily your plants may be able to
finance your schooling and part of your
life may be but that doesn’t mean that
you’re in the will of God and you’re not
gonna have them forever the issue is
what does God want and you have to ask
yourself this question am i wise enough
to stop in my life right now and ask the
question Lord what do you want for my
life what are you willing to do in my
life what what’s the next step for me
according to your plan and your will you
so how do I know God’s gonna speak to me
because they promised to he said listen
to this he said he is God he acts in
behalf of the one who waits sorry
when you say Lord I’m not joining the
for I need to know your will what’s the
next step in my life God will be there
to show you what that is if you’ll trust
him but if you don’t trust them then you
don’t get yards guidance you can’t have
God’s guidance and live in sin you have
a choice to make
then of course I imagine there’s
somewhere long away you can anticipate
defeat after defeat after defeat and
maybe destruction and you
look what happens to people’s lives then
have to be that way and so the issue is
how am I gonna live my life am I gonna
live it I caught him to God’s will and
following him may not have this that in
the other but I want to know God what
are you on for my life would you not
agree that happiness joy peace and
contentment and satisfaction are all
more valuable than Apollo money they are
all more valuable they’re all more
valuable than notoriety and all the rest
but it’s the choice we make we all make
that choice every day
am I gonna be obedient to God today or
am I not am i gonna follow the steps of
a God who loves me unconditionally whose
promise to give me direction promised to
provide for my life
promised me the best am I gonna choose
him am I gonna choose the voice of God
am I gonna listen to the call of the
world and go that way it’s a choice and
I wish I could speak to every one of you
out there who already messed up your
life you made some choices in life that
right now you’re suffering from let me
just tell you this God will forgive you
if you will ask him to forgive you and
surrender your life to Jesus Christ and
I think about all of you who are going
through situations and circumstances and
you’re in the things you know you have
no business it’s Rick in your life and
ruining your future if you’re willing to
stop and ask God to forgive you and
there was and to receive Christ as your
Savior and surrender your life to him
he’ll take you where you are and he’ll
change your life totally it’s a decision
you make if we confess our sin
faithful and just to forgive us of our
sins is God and had us in the right
direction would you do that
do you own God’s best I can tell you
this no one else can choose God’s best
for you God has chosen what’s best if
you’re willing to listen you can
experience God’s best God is willing to
forgive you cleanse you of all your sin
and give you a new beginning it is the
choice you make and my prayer is you
will make the wise choice the change
he’s listening because remember this you
can’t change this listen can’t change it
you reap what you sow what have you been
sowing you reap more than your soul
where are you and you even later than
you so you cannot avoid or escape when
you sow you can be forgiven but it
doesn’t change all that while you have
the opportunity as God to forgive you to
cleanse you ask him to give you a new
beginning whether you are 16 or 66 you
can have a new beginning will it be like
I read the original plan forgot it head
for your life no but he’ll take you away
you are you don’t know whether you gonna
be 67 or not you don’t know how long you
gonna live so I think if you’ll think
clearly it’s time you made a decision
between you and God through His Son
Jesus and surrendered your life to him
and watch him work you’ll be awesomely
surprised and that’s my prayer for you
and father thank you that you can rescue
anybody you’re willing to rescue
everybody
the forgiveness that Jesus provided
through his death at Calvary takes care
of every kind of sin imaginable and I
pray that every person who hears this
message will stop think confess repent
of their sin and surrender their life to
you and then what you work in this
awesome way in their life in Jesus name
Amen
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