Whose Plans?

Isaiah 30:1 has really been causing me to skirm and wrestle.  Here's the Message version:  "You make plans, but not Mine.  You make deals, but not in My Spirit."  That verse almost forces a "time out"!  I bet most of us have gotten mad at God when we made plans without Him, expected Him to bless our plans, and it didn't turn out like we planned!  This verse at least asks us to evaluate what we are doing and where we are heading. 

{In the "church" world, we go to a conference and come back convinced we've got to do what "they" are doing because God is blessing them ... and if we do what "they" are doing God will bless us too.  The reason God is blessing them is they probably got the "plan" or "deal" from God.} 

• When is the last time we checked with God about our plans?


• When is the last time we heard something new, something fresh, something convicting from God?


• When we make plans, how 'real' is God in the process?

As a young church planter, there are two extreme temptations when planting a church:  1) To start a church where everything is what you would want in a church (and the things you didn't like in your last church) or 2) To start a church that you think everyone in your target community would like.  I think in reality we have to ask God first and realize that the His answer will be somewhere between #1 & #2 ... because rarely will God ask you to do something that is inauthentic to who you are (#1) and because God is for redeeming a lost culture ... He'll also lead you to connect to the community where He is placing you (#2).