Saturday Story Time – Jimbob’s Plan for the New Year

The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance and advantage, But everyone who acts in haste comes surely to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 Amplified Version.

The plans of a hard-working person lead to prosperity, but everyone who is [always] in a hurry ends up in poverty.  Proverbs 21:5 GOD’s WORD Translation.

Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 New Living Translation.

Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough. Proverbs 21:5 Good News Translation.

Jimbob Story

Today’s Audio Blog

Jimbob has big ideas for the New Year, but he came up short on making good plans that will work for him. What about you? What changes for good are in store for you in the New year?  God has promised that His desires are for our good and not to harm us, but to give us a hope and a future. Let’s break down King Solomon’s advice.

There are three actions and two destinations.

• The first action is the word “plans” which in Hebrews is machashabah. It carries the idea of thought and putting pieces together, like scheming. The root chashab includes imagination, creating, inventing and Strong’s adds the synonym of machine. We would probably include schematics or instructions.
  • There is a difference between planning to go on a trip and planning for a trip. Each area of change that you hope to incorporate into your life will need some “schematics” for a workable plan to be accomplished.
• The second action has several variations in the above verses – the diligent, hard-working, hard work, and in the ISV -persistent. Endurance to complete a task; perhaps staying on the job long enough to produce a little sweat on the brow, or envisioning the farmer working the field all day long are examples of a person who would be identified as diligent.
  • This will include time – you have to schedule your time and keep repeating the effort to complete the task. It’s okay to work smarter and not harder, but both will take time.
  • This will include effort – quitting after one or two tries is not sufficient effort to accomplish being diligent
  • This will include re-engaging. Everyone wants to quit quickly, but the diligent start again after failures and after wanting to quit.
  • This will take repetition. After the fun and new wears off, the diligent return to the task to gain skill and to gain the motto “a job well done”.
• The above actions leads to the destination of prosperity. I like the Amplified’s translation of abundance and advantage. Good planning and hard work will lead you to the land of abundance. This does not mean you will be exempt from trials and struggles. You will, however, possess the two characteristics (good planning and hard work) to help you face the struggles head on and move beyond them.

• The third action is movement without careful thought. It may include creativity, it may include some planning, it may include the “sounds really good” test, but it fails the time necessary for careful and thoughtful planning.
  • This action almost always violates sound principles. I.e. “The deal is too good to pass up…so you borrow money which you do not have to pay back to enter into the arrangement.”
  • This action is wrong when transparency is sacrificed. Light and darkness are in conflict, so is decision making without a spouse’s knowledge or good counsel from a friend.
  • This action feels pushy or hasty. If you don’t have time to sleep on it…it’s too fast.
  • “I personally know theses actions steps because, sadly, I have chosen this path way too many times
• The hasteful action leads to the destination of poverty. The Good News Translation says it will be the land of “never enough”.
  • Buying things on credit can easily lead you to the home of “never enough”.
  • Quick multi-level marketing schemes can lead to the land of “never enough”.
  • If you have not learned the art of cultivating a heart of contentment, you will be constantly eating the seeds and fruit of “never enough”.

Take the month of January to plan your New Year ideas. Some of the holes you have dug for yourself may take a while to dig out of…but you can do it. Let me share some of God’s thoughts about you regarding the now and the future.

• You have everything you need (provided already for you) pertaining to life and godliness.
• You have an advocate with the Father -Jesus- who is consistently and constantly making intercession on your behalf.
• You are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.
• You have been given eyes to see and ears to hear as a child of God to follow His leading into paths of right living.
• You are not a failure, but on overcomer.
• You have what it takes to move ahead in the direction God is leading – you have  inside you the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead.

May this New Year be one of favor and blessing surrounding you on all sides. May you sense the joy of being loved by God, which includes your good and all of your bad moments.  I’m looking forward to seeing all that God has in store for you this coming year.  Let’s give Him the praise and thanks He deserves – beforehand.

Blessings Love y’all