Why do I plan in the first place? That is what is answered in this post.
I do the work that I do to Glorify God and to Love Him with All of who I am by seeking to live a life consistent with His word for the Purpose of one day Hearing Jesus Christ say to me and those whom I Love, “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant. Enter into the Joy of the LORD.”
I realize that I cannot enjoy God by doing stuff in and of my own self and my own strength, and that the above is impossible without confidence that He has saved me and not only can but will make the above happen one day for me. If this will happen, it can only happen if He is doing it in and through me. It also cannot happen without my applying conscious and willful effort toward doing all that I know to do in order to achieve the things that He has commanded me to do.
I don’t want to live a life and at the end of my life have ‘nothing’ to show for it… not that my works save me, but that since He saved me, I want to do everything I can conceivably and possibly do to work for Him because I LOVE HIM.
I see my work related to provision as the following- Three Levels of Attainment possibilities:
1. Level 1: Obey the Gospel unto Salvation (Completed when He saved me through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone apart from my efforts, will, conscious efforts, etc.)
2. Level 2: Meet your responsibilities in a sinful, fallen, cursed, post flood, premillennial world (this level is ongoing as I live in this world)
3. Level 3: Ruling over and subduing the Earth (as I am successful in Level 2, I am able to participate in Level 3)
It is obvious that I cannot do any of these without His blessing, help, and His provision of resources and opportunities to use those resources.
With the acknowledgement that I can do nothing of myself and of my own ‘strength’, but with the understanding and faith that I have obeyed the call of the Gospel (Level 1), my goal is to do the Will of God through furthering the Kingdom of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ by:
- Level 2: Provision for my family and extended relatives as needed:
- Nourishment as in adequate and healthy food and activities
- Clothing appropriate for timing, season and growth of the individual
- Shelter staying protected from the elements
- Level 2: Keeping my word concerning obligations
- Level 2: Savings for expected happenings
- Level 2: Savings for unexpected life circumstances
- Level 2: Comfortable lifestyle established
- Level 2: Extension of Christ’s Kingdom through effectively providing resources to preach the gospel to the entire planet cf. Matthew 28:18-20. This one is here because if I haven’t managed my family well, which is numbers 1-5, then I am not qualified to reach toward this priority.
Level 3 will happen as a side note and as an adjunct to the above, if at all. I don’t see that it is possible to start level 3 without all of Level 2 being completed first, but it is true that level 3 goals are and must be achieved in the process of reaching level 2 goals.
This is my ‘Why?’ or Mission, and how I seek to accomplish it