Planning for the Future

Planning for the Future. Are you a planner? Or do you let life happen to you? Do you see your future and see yourself where you want to be? Or you see your future filled with uncertainty and fear because you have no idea where you’ll be or what you’ll become as a person? Some people are better planners than others which could be attributed to personality types. However, we all should make an effort to plan our lives as best we can and then trust God to help us bring it to pass. Today I want to share with you a devotional from my book Devotions for Working Women that reminds us to not be afraid to plan and to trust God along the way.

Don’t Be Afraid to Plan
# 343
Proverbs 3:21-22 (NLT)
My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect.

Many Christians nowadays don’t plan for the future, thinking Jesus is coming soon. They view planning and preparing as lack of faith. But that mind-set is not wise. We are to live our lives as if Jesus is coming today, spiritually speaking. Until He comes, we are to occupy, multiply, have dominium of, and steward God’s creation. The Bible says to not lose sight of good planning and insight, for they will fill us with life. When we don’t plan, we are choosing to let things happen in our lives and lose control. We are to plan good plans with God’s wisdom and guidance. Lack of planning brings uncertainty and fear. Planning brings peace, certainty, security, honor, and respect.

If you are a planner, those who watch you will see you as a wise person. Then you’ll have an opportunity to share your wisdom and where it comes from. Proverbs 2:11 (NLT) says, “Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.” “You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams” (Proverbs 3:24 NLT).

By planning all aspects of your life, you take control of your life and responsibility for your actions. But it also means you choose to give that control to God and let Him guide you. With God as part of your planning, you can’t go wrong because you have God’s will for you as your plan. And even though the enemy may try to change and confuse those plans, the Lord will give you wisdom “and you will know how to find the right course of action every time” (Proverbs 2:9 NLT).

Don’t be afraid to plan. Ask God for the wisdom to help you. Plan your life with the main purpose of bringing glory to Him.

Pursue - Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets

Pursue - Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets. Lately I have been praying for wisdom and insight in my life. It seems there is always so much going on and too many decisions to make that we are bound to make a wrong turn unless we act carefully and have the wisdom of God. As we face the daily decisions of our lives we need God’s wisdom but we need to desire it and ask Him for it. Today, I want to encourage you to seek God’s wisdom with all your heart and He will give it to you by sharing this devotional from my book Devotions for Working Women.

Pursue Wisdom with All Your Heart
#355

Proverbs 1:23 (NLT)
Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you and make you wise.

In Proverbs 1:20, Wisdom cries out in the streets looking for people and can’t find anyone who is willing to listen and become wise. God wants to pour out His Spirit of wisdom upon us but we have to desire it. We have to search for it and appreciate it like the most valuable treasure we could ever find or have. Wisdom is a treasure because it is by wisdom we understand what it means to fear the Lord, and we gain knowledge of God (Proverbs 2:5 NLT).

The Bible exhorts you to “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure” (Proverbs 2:2-4 NLT). Therefore, make an effort like never before to pursue wisdom. Seek it more than your career, job, or business.

Happy New Year - Advice for Happiness

Happy New Year - Advice for Happiness. As we start a brand new year we usually get excited about all the things we want to get accomplished. Most of us start very motivated but as time goes by for some reason we lose the enthusiasm when we do not see instant progress. One of the areas we all pursue is happiness. The world leads us to believe that money can bring us the happiness we want. But we must remember that the only way we can obtain true happiness is through God. Today’s devotional reminds us that God, not wealth, brings true happiness. I wish you the best and Happy New Year!

God, Not Wealth, Brings True Happiness
# 347

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NLT)
Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness!

I Timothy 6:10 (NLT)
For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil.

Almost every person, if not everybody, desires to have money in this world. Many buy lottery tickets, gamble at casinos, hope to have a rich relative leave them a large fortune as inheritance, or dream of being a successful business owner. There is nothing wrong with having money or wanting money to live a good life, provide for our families, and help others. But the moment we start loving money, our hearts’ motives may change and money may eventually replace God’s place in our lives. Money has the ability to attract us to it, attract us to the things of the world, and to take us away from God. I believe the main reason money has that ability is because it can give us all the things of the world to a point where we think we no longer need God.

Ecclesiastes 7:11-12 (NLT) say, “Being wise is as good as being rich; in fact it is better. Wisdom or money can get you almost anything, but it’s important to know that only wisdom can save your life.” Wisdom takes us to the tree of life. It takes us to God where we find abundant life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. I believe wealth is a gift from God, but we must be mature in the Lord to handle and manage it for Him. It takes great effort not to get attached to money, but there are ways we can do it. When we put God first in our lives, dedicate our hard work to Him, and use our financial wealth to further His Kingdom, He entrusts us with material wealth. Giving, instead of hoarding, is the key.

Therefore, seek God with all your heart, not money, and give to wherever God leads you knowing He will never ask you to give what you don’t have. Then you will find true happiness.

Success and Balance

Success and Balance. One of my good friends just got a big promotion so I did two things: 1) I congratulated her and 2) I started praying for her to have wisdom in her new job and for balance in her life. Part of being friends with others is not only to be happy for them when they get promotions and successes but also to encourage them to have a balanced life. She will now have to make many decisions both at work and at home so she can have time for her family and also be successful at work. But she can do it with the help of God and with the support from her friends. I encourage you to do the same. When your friends get promoted to new jobs and responsibilities, congratulate them but also pray for them. This devotional talks about walking in wisdom. Enjoy!

Walk in Wisdom
# 364

Proverbs 28:26 (NLT)
Trusting oneself is foolish, but those who walk in wisdom are safe.

As we grow in our careers, gain experience at our jobs, and become more successful because of our hard work and commitment, we will have the temptation to trust ourselves too much. The Bible says it is foolish to do so. First, we cannot forget it is God who gave us all the gifts and talents we have. Secondly, He is also the One who gave us the opportunities to succeed. So let’s not forget to give Him the glory for all of our successes. Thirdly, when we walk in His wisdom we are safe because we know we are doing what He told us to do. God’s wisdom is beyond our comprehension, and He will grant it to us when we ask Him for it. Part of being successful is having God’s wisdom in our lives.

It Is Okay to Plan

It Is Okay to Plan. Every year companies prepare for the following year and make plans for their future. We, as individuals, should do the same. Planning is not lack of faith, it is wisdom! Today I want to encourage you to plan your future. Make plans for what you want to achieve in your life and always include God in your plans. He will help you get there!

Don’t Be Afraid to Plan
343
Proverbs 3:21-22 (NLT)

My child, don’t lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect.

Many Christians nowadays don’t plan for the future, thinking Jesus is coming soon. They view planning and preparing as lack of faith. But that mind-set is not wise. We are to live our lives as if Jesus is coming today, spiritually speaking. Until He comes, we are to occupy, multiply, have dominium of, and steward God’s creation. The Bible says to not lose sight of good planning and insight, for they will fill us with life. When we don’t plan, we are choosing to let things happen in our lives and lose control. We are to plan good plans with God’s wisdom and guidance. Lack of planning brings uncertainty and fear. Planning brings peace, certainty, security, honor, and respect.

If you are a planner, those who watch you will see you as a wise person. Then you’ll have an opportunity to share your wisdom and where it comes from. Proverbs 2:11 (NLT) says, “Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.” “You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams” (Proverbs 3:24 NLT).

By planning all aspects of your life, you take control of your life and responsibility for your actions. But it also means you choose to give that control to God and let Him guide you. With God as part of your planning, you can’t go wrong because you have God’s will for you as your plan. And even though the enemy may try to change and confuse those plans, the Lord will give you wisdom “and you will know how to find the right course of action every time” (Proverbs 2:9 NLT).

Don’t be afraid to plan. Ask God for the wisdom to help you. Plan your life with the main purpose of bringing glory to Him.

Decisions and Choices

Decisions and Choices. Making decisions is part of our daily lives. We cannot avoid the responsibility. Every decision and choice we make has consequences and some of them affect the rest of our lives. Therefore, we need God's wisdom to help us decide and make the right choices. This devotional will help you through the process of decision making. Enjoy!

Be a Decisive Woman
# 336

James 1:5 (NLT)
If you need wisdom—if you want to know what God wants you to do—ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent you asking.

Making decisions is an everyday occurrence in the business world. We, as Christian women and as leaders, must be decisive. God gives us some clues to help us confirm we are making the right decision. The most obvious one is that we have peace. Many times during the process of decision making, some things just don’t feel good. We don’t have inner peace. That is a signal that we might be making the wrong decision.

Colossians 3:15 (NLT) says, “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.” God can confirm your decision through people or in other ways, however, peace is the main way He chooses to use. Follow the peace in your heart and trust God that He will give you the right answer when you need it.

Wisdom - A gift from God

Wisdom - A gift from God. From all the gifts that God can give us, I think wisdom is one of the best ones because when we have wisdom, we can discern God’s will in our lives. Wisdom helps us choose what is right and what is wrong. Wisdom gives us an awareness that the more knowledge we acquire the more we realize how little we really know and how vast God’s knowledge is. There are some things that happen in our lives that we do not know the reason or the answer when we ask why. Wisdom allows us to be okay with not knowing those answers because we acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Today I want to share with you the devotional from my book Devotions for Working Women that talks about letting wisdom enter in our hearts. Enjoy!

Let Wisdom Enter in Your Heart
# 350

Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NLT)
The hearts of the wise lead them to do right, and the hearts of the foolish lead them to do evil.

God wants us to be wise. He wants to give us His wisdom because earthly wisdom is the same as foolishness. It takes us down the wrong path, leads us to do evil, and ends in destruction. The Word of God tells us to ask Him for wisdom. It is a gift He is willing and ready to pour out on us when we ask. But just as with other gifts, He can only give it to us if we are trustworthy. How do we become trustworthy in the eyes of God? By being faithful with all the other gifts He entrusts us with, by putting them to use for His Kingdom, and by developing them.

When we have godly wisdom we know what is the right thing to do every time. Godly wisdom gives us self-confidence, inner peace, and a knowing beyond doubt that we are doing the right thing. We are wise when we recognize we get wisdom from Him and when we ask Him what to do in every circumstance. Being wise is recognizing that our job, company, friends, relatives, or even our church are not our source—only He is. All those things and people are gifts from Him we must treasure and appreciate.

Ask God to pour out His wisdom into your heart. Ecclesiastes 8:1 (NLT) says, “How wonderful to be wise, to be able to analyze and interpret things. Wisdom lights up a person’s face, softening its hardness.” Proverbs 2:10 (NLT) says, “For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.”

How to Make Difficult Decisions

How to Make Difficult Decisions. What do you do when you are faced with important decisions to make and you have different choices? Do you think things through, analyze the situation carefully, and then make the best decision you can with the information you have at hand? I believe that we need to make those steps but there is one more step we need to take which is to ask God for wisdom to help us make those difficult decisions. Today I want to share with you one of the devotionals that talks about seeking God’s wisdom. Enjoy!

Seek God’s Wisdom
# 358

Proverbs 2:6-7 (NLT)
For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity.

Each day at work we encounter numerous situations that require us to make decisions. Many of these decisions can be challenging. In fact, sometimes we struggle with knowing when to act and when to make the correct decision—at the right time. However, when we seek God’s wisdom, He grants it to us as a gift. Once we ask, we must remember to stop and listen for His response. As we gain His knowledge and understanding, things become clearer and we know what to do. When we walk in His wisdom, we become women of integrity, with no hidden agendas.

Therefore, when people ask you why you are so wise, don’t forget to give the glory to God.

Do You Need Wisdom Today?

Do You Need Wisdom Today? Daily we encounter situations at work where we need to make important decisions. Sometimes it is hard to determine what’s the best course of action and when is the best time to act. It is in those times when we need to seek God and His wisdom. Today I want to share with you a devotional that encourages us to do so. Enjoy!

Seek God’s Wisdom
# 358

Proverbs 2:6-7 (NLT)
For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity.

Each day at work we encounter numerous situations that require us to make decisions. Many of these decisions can be challenging. In fact, sometimes we struggle with knowing when to act and when to make the correct decision—at the right time. However, when we seek God’s wisdom, He grants it to us as a gift. Once we ask, we must remember to stop and listen for His response. As we gain His knowledge and understanding, things become clearer and we know what to do. When we walk in His wisdom, we become women of integrity, with no hidden agendas.

Therefore, when people ask you why you are so wise, don’t forget to give the glory to God.