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Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News

 INSHA’ALLAH

 GOD WILLING

(excerpted from Arabic Devotion)

by Ky M. Bishop

James 4:13-15

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." (NASU)

 Several years ago I ministered at the funeral of one of our churches members. He was a very organized, structured and disciplined man that had made a very successful life for himself. He was by all accounts at the top of his game, and someone that many desired to be like.

 As the family was cleaning out his office they noticed his plan book and began to read the goals that he had set for himself. He had written a very detailed list of things that needed to be accomplished in the next 5, 10, and 15 years.  The list was so detailed that the dates, times and precise information was written in his calendar. He had been very thorough.

 His family told me that he would become very agitated, depressed and sometimes even angry when one of his goals or plans had not been accomplished. He would blame friends, family, weather, and even God for the failure. He took each missed goal as a personal affront.

 In my opinion it is not wrong to make detailed goals, plans and in setting your course to accomplish them.  The old parable says, “those who fail to plan, plan to fail”, and in it there is truth. However, I was struck by the fact that at aged 72 there was still a great deal of unfinished business on this mans list. I wondered if he was having it out with God because God had not penciled in his demise.

 Today’s Arabic phrase and the scripture both remind us that all of our lives are about God’s will. He knows what, when, where and how things are supposed to take place in our lives. He is the author, creator, and perfector of all of life, and our plans need to be submitted to Him for His approval.

 I believe that today’s devotion is less about plans and goals and more about submission. The encouragement is to submit your plans to God and then listen for His direction.

 Since our lives are just a vapor, and God knows when that mist will dissipate, then we need to know what His plans are. We need to look and see where God is working and then go and work there with Him. We need to stop insisting that He bless our work and instead desire to bless Him by doing His work.

 If we would begin each and every day by submitting our plans, goals, dreams, and pursuits to God, sitting quietly while He organizes them and submits them back to us, we would stay in His perfect will. It is truly all about submission to Him and His will.  Are you willing to make that commitment today?

All Glory and Honor to God