A Firm PLAN In an Uncertain World! (Sermon Audio)

This is the audio from the March 13, 2022 sermon, “A Firm PLAN In an Uncertain World”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 2 Corinthians 1:12-24

When life appears to be messed up with nothing going according to your own plans, it is time to turn to God and consider living life with a firm . . .

Preparation. 2 Corinthians 1:12
- When life doesn’t go according to your plan, it is time to draw from a depth of preparation. We prepare for the uncertainties of this world by being students of God’s Word and finding it to be useful in every situation we face. When we live as one prepared by the Word of God, we find that no matter what happens we can truly be “workmen who need not be ashamed”.
Love. 2 Corinthians 1:13-16
- When life doesn’t go according to your plan, it is time to draw from a depth of love. When we grow in loving like Jesus loves, we look for His work in the lives of others and we lift them up because we are one in Christ. While the world, and the prince of this age, tries to divide us in every way imaginable, God calls us to a firm love that cares for others even more than we care for our self.
Attitude. 2 Corinthians 1:17-19
- When life doesn’t go according to your plan, it is time to draw from an attitude that is the same as that of Christ Jesus. This is an attitude that sought to do the will of His Father no matter what. We must continually remind ourselves that God is in charge and we are not. This is an attitude of flexibility when it comes to our schedule and plans so we do not become tied to what we want when God has something different for us to do. It is a firm attitude that chooses to make all of our plans in submission to God so that His will is what matters most.
Nature. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22
- When life doesn’t go according to your plan, it is time to draw on a nature that is fed by the Spirit rather than by the flesh. We all have things that we are naturally good at . . . things that come easy to us and have been improved through practice and training. Sometimes we may struggle to know what that is, but God has not left anyone out in regard to being useful in the body of Christ. How we react in a world of uncertainty is largely dependent on what comes naturally to us. And what comes naturally to us is dependent on what seeds we continually plant in our life. God says that we will not only reap what we sow, but we will reap more than we sow. When we sow to the sinful nature, we reap sinful results in even greater measure. As discouraging as that may sound, the good news is that when we sow to the spiritual nature, we reap a spiritual harvest that far exceeds what we planted.