God Has a Plan for You
“Excerpts from Bishop Butler’s Book”

God Has a Plan for Man

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. (Isaiah 30:21)

Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, human history has provided a sad chronicle of man’s choices between “truth or consequences.” Any honest appraisal of history reveals that most of the things suffered by mankind came about because someone somewhere chose to do things their way instead of God’s way.

During my brief stay on this planet, I’ve seen countless numbers of would-be kings stand on their shaky “kingdom of cards” before TV cameras and reporters, describing how they achieved success or fame in some arena of life. In one way or another, these individuals usually announce with a measure of defiance, “I did it my way!”

Very often I see their names show up in obituary columns and news programs announcing their untimely demise and the near instant collapse of their so-called empires.

The philosophy behind the phrase, “I did it my way” didn’t originate with any human writer, philosopher or pop singer. It exploded on the earth with the downfall of Lucifer, the egotistical cherubim and arch rebel who thought he could defy the Most High God and subvert his eternal Word. The sad news is that everyone who follows the devils creed, I’ll do it my way,’ will end up going his way, following the devil’s path to ultimate destruction.

God’s Plan For Man Is Rooted In His Faithfulness
It doesn’t have to be this way. God has a divine plan for man that is rooted in His faithfulness, guaranteed by His eternal Word and under girded by all of the riches of His glory.

I am saddened when I see research polls declare that they can find no discernible difference between ”professing Christians” who regularly attend church and those who know nothing of God. We should see a clear difference between the Church and the world, but it seems we have done our best to “blend in” with the background of secular society.

Christians are just as casual with their use of words as are unsaved people in the world. We know better. We know that God’s Word says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Prov. 18:21). Yet even knowing this, we spew out an unceasing stream of negative words that is often tainted with bitterness and will yield an equally bitter harvest in due season.

A large number of nominal Christians have become so influenced by secular things that they have set aside God’s Word, considering it irrelevant to the modern world. Then they complain that life is difficult because there aren’t any guideposts to show them the way.

Our marriages seem to be crumbling just as fast as those of unbelievers, and we wonder why. Our children are rebellious and disrespectful toward any kind of authority, and many have never learned how to handle conflicts safely. They have seen so many murders and rapes on television over the years that they have been desensitized to these crimes and their consequences.

Desperately Wanted: Trustworthy Workers
Businesses are at their wit’s end. They are desperately searching for employees who are trustworthy. Dishonesty, fraud, and embezzlement have become common in most workplaces, and some top companies have begun to pay people to train their workers in basic moral values.

America’s colleges and universities are turning out an army of highly trained and educated graduates who have virtually no concept of right and wrong, self-discipline or work ethic.

Although these highly educated college graduates come to the workplace with many job skills and qualifications, their employers are asking themselves, “Can they be trusted with the assets of this company?” Although they may not realize it, these employers are echoing the concern of the apostle Paul, who wrote, “For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own…” (Phil 2:20,21)

Greed and corruption permeate every level of society and government as an epidemic of immorality is spreading throughout America. We desperately need God’s help to escape this trap of our own making.

Genesis Reveals Patterns and Principles For Success
The first three chapters of Genesis, the “ book of beginnings” in God’s Word, reveal in microcosm God’s plan for man for all the ages. These passages include the first prophetic revelation of the coming of Christ to the earth, and detailed patterns and principles for success in life, marriage, ministry, vocation, and human relationships.

No matter how fast or loudly you talk, no matter how skillfully you present your case or repeat your self-justifications, you are headed for trouble if you choose your way over His way.

Plan on some rough going if you decide to run your marriage your way. You can count on running into serious problems if you decide you are going to date your way or spend your money your way. Grief is inevitable if you decide to have and maintain relationships your way with the people you choose.

Perhaps the most serious consequences of choosing to go our way instead of God’s way is that we will find ourselves all alone when trouble inevitably comes our way too. God will simply leave it up to us to find our own way out of our self-made mess – if there even is such a way out.

You Have To Know God’s Word To Line Up With It
God has revealed His plan for man in the Bible, but you can’t align yourself with His perfect plan without studying His Word – and I mean all of it. Many Christians have virtually dismissed the entire Old Testament as “no longer relevant.” It is no wonder these same people consider the book of Genesis to be unworthy of serious study. If they only knew…

I have also noticed that many Christians seem reluctant to study any passage of Scripture or topic on which they have already received teaching in the past. My response is simple: “Did you have steak last month? Did you eat some fried or roasted chicken last week? When was the last time you enjoyed your favorite vegetables or fruits? Does the fact that you had them in the past mean that you will never eat them again?”

Just as you need the basic food groups to daily feed your physical body, so it is with the Word of God. You and I must constantly supply our spirit man with fresh helpings of God’s Word in liberal measure.

If you have been blessed by the excerpts from Bishop Butler’s book, “God Plan for You” and would like to order a copy, please click on Faith Food Store.