Fundamentals Of Finding God’s Plan Part 29

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. 

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

There will be some people whose works will have value into eternity. Other people’s works will be consumed like wood, hay, and stubble to be consumed by fire. This second group will one day stand before Jesus with nothing to show for their time on earth beyond a pile of ashes!

1 If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such [a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 And if I have prophetic powers ([b]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or [c]in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (AMPC)

Motivation is very important in the Kingdom of God. It indicates the condition of our hearts. 

There are many Christians living upright lives with motivations not birthed in God’s love. Friends and family consider them to be good. The majority of these have never committed any awful sin but will have no reward in heaven because their motives were in the wrong place.

It is not enough to simply live good lives. If we do not crucify our flesh, we will not be motivated by love. I have noticed actually that there are many “good” people with flesh that has not been crucified who have become self-righteous!

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3

I recently heard a pastor’s wife encourage people to walk in love so that they could unblock the flow of money in their lives. Is this really the reason we walk in love?

There are far too many Christians who are doing the right things for all of the wrong reasons. This is a reflection of the condition of our hearts. If our heart is in the wrong place, our motives will be wrong!

It seems as if the larger portion of the Church is missing the power of God. In one sense we could say that the pews are full of well-meaning hypocrites who do not even realize they have become hypocrites!

We are living in the last of the last days. Time is short. There is a work God desires to be completed prior to Jesus’ return but it will not if we do not humble ourselves. 

It is easy to come up with “reasons” why it is not convenient to pursue the plan of God. These are nothing more than excuses serving to cover up our lack of consecration. It is time for us to cast these off and present our bodies as living sacrifices to be consumed on the altar of His presence.

Our goal is to discover the keys that will unlock the plan of God. One of the greatest barriers to our being able to discover these is our lack of commitment. It is time for us to spend time reflecting on our lives. Anything that is drawing us away from our relationship with God has been allowed to become more important to us than that!

Some questions for reflection:

• Are we spending more time watching television than spending time with God?
• Are we more familiar with our favorite sports team’s stats than we are with Scripture?
• Do we have anyone in our life that we’re spending more time with than we are in prayer?

These questions all seem to boil down to our priorities. We desire to unlock the plan of God. Are we willing to commit to paying whatever price is necessary to crucify our flesh and present our bodies as living sacrifices?

There is little doubt in my mind that we are in the last of the last days. Time is short and there is not much time to complete the work needing to be done. I believe that the Lord will be separating His flock and lukewarm Christians will find themselves left out of the last great awakening. 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1

It is time for us to cast off the weights that we’ve allowed to hold us back from fully surrendering to God. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to stand with us but we must be willing to look to Him.

Kathryn Kuhlman often spoke of the cost required for ministry. She often spoke of how her ministry had cost her everything. This used to confuse me. How could there be a price for us to pay if Jesus paid the price for our salvation?

Over the years I’ve come to understand what Ms. Kuhlman meant. Jesus has already purchased our salvation. The price we pay is not to earn anything from God because He has provided for our every need spirit, soul, and body in Christ Jesus.

When we talk of the price that must be paid, we are speaking of the price required to surrender our priorities and plans completely to God. This is the process discussed earlier where we become living sacrifices.

We must accept that there are no exceptions to the price required to fully surrender and become living sacrifices if we are going to unlock and fulfill the plan of God. A sacrifice will have no control over their destiny. It is completely surrendered to the will of the one offering it as a sacrifice. The presentation of our bodies as living sacrifices to God is an acknowledgment of our full surrender to Him and His plan.

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