God’s Plans for Us – Lesson 1: God’s Plans for Us

Key Scriptures:  Exodus 1:1-2:10, Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28, Ecclesiastes 3:1-22, Proverbs 16:3-9, Romans 12:2, Psalms 32:8, Psalms 139:16, Isaiah 14:24, Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 7:7-11, John 14:15, Isaiah 55:8, Revelations 3:8, Psalms 37:23-24, Ephesians 1:9-10.

Guiding Question:  How can following God’s plans for our lives give us the best possible life in this fallen world?

Optional Introductory Activity:  Give the students a difficult puzzle or something to assemble without giving them the instructions or photo of the finished product. If your students don’t cook you might consider setting out random ingredients and tell them to make a batch of brownies without a recipe. After a few minutes ask the students how they felt trying to do something they knew nothing about without any outside help. Have them share why they think having that extra bit of help would have changed everything from their attitudes to the result.

Lesson: (Questions for the students are in bold italics.)  Read Exodus 1:1-2. What was Pharoah’s original plan for the life of Moses? What do we know was God’s eventual plan for Moses? Who were some of the people and what were some circumstances God used to make sure His plans would succeed and Pharoah’s did not? (Note: Don’t forget the midwives.) We will see over the next few lessons that these are not the only people and circumstances God used to show Moses the plans He had for him.

That sounds great for Moses. After all, he became one of the most famous leaders of the Israelites. What about us? What does God tell us about the plans He has for us? Will He help us find His plans for us like He did for Moses? We will explore these questions more over the next few lessons, but here are some basics you need to understand.

God’s plans for us include:

  • John 14:15, Luke 11:28, Psalms 19:11 God’s plans for us include us obeying His commands (Which are a lot more than just the Ten Commandments) Why is our obedience to God’s commands so important to God that it is part of His plans for us?
  • John 14:6, Acts 2:38, I John 5:13, I John 1:7, I Peter 1:3, Galatians 3:27, Romans 6:3-4, 23, Revelations 3:8 God’s plans for us include our becoming Christians by repenting of our sins and being baptized. Why is it so important to God that we become Christians? What add3d help from God to Christians receive at baptism? (Holy Spirit)
  • Ephesians 2:10, Matthew 5:16, James 2:17-26, James 1:27, Titus 3:14, Hebrews 13:16, Hebrews 10:24, I John 3:18. God’s plans for us include our doing good works and serving others, both to help with their physical needs and to point them to God. Why is it so important to God that we spend a lot of time, money and effort on doing good deeds and serving others? What is or should be the difference between a Christian doing good works and a non-Christian doing the same good works? What do many Christians forget to do as they serve others? Does it matter to God when we forget to point others to Him as we serve?
  • I Peter 3:15, 2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 28:19, I Timothy 2:3-4, Colossians 4:5-6 God’s plans for us include us teaching others about His plans for them, Jesus and His perfect sacrifice and how to become a Christian. Why are those things an important part of God’s plans for us? Can we say we have followed God’s plans for our lives if we never tell anyone about Jesus or what God wants for them and from them? Why or why not?
  • Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28, Ecclesiastes 3: 1-22, Proverbs 16:3-9, Psalms 32:8, Psalms 139:16, Isaiah 14:24 Finally, God’s plan for us has a unique aspect to them. Just like Moses, God has specific things He knows will happen to you, opportunities you will given and even specific things He wants you to do for Him. They may seem small or large to us, but are very specific to your life, how God gifted you and other factors we will discuss in future weeks. How does believing God’s unique plan for us individually change our thinking versus believing it is only a generic plan? Do you have difficulty believing these verses? Why or why not? What might you do differently now that you understand this?

We will also learn how God reveals His plans for us over the next few lessons. Thinking back to the early life of Moses, What are some ways that God began revealing His plans for Moses?

  • Exodus 1:15-17, John 14:15 Shiphrah and Puah obeyed God’s command about not taking a human life. By obeying God and not Pharaoh, Moses was not killed at birth. How can obeying God’s commands help us find His specific plans for us?
  • Exodus 2:1-10, Matthew 7:7-11, Romans 12:2 The Bible doesn’t tell us but it’s probably safe to say that Moses’ parents prayed a lot about what to do. They tested God’s will for Moses by doing what they could to put him in a place where his life could be spared by Pharaoh’s daughter. God used a combination of people circumstances as well to begin revealing His plan for Moses.

Over the next few weeks, we will examine theses ideas and more to help you find and follow God’s plan for your life. After this lesson, what are some things in your life which may be part of God’s plans and/or preparing you for something He has planned for you in your future?

One last very important point about God’s plans for your life.  Read Psalms 37:23-24 and Jeremiah 29:11. Even though God has plans for us it doesn’t remove our free choice. You can choose to reject God and/or any or all of His plans for your life. It’s a very unwise choice, but God still gives you that option. It’s also important to remember that we live in a lost and fallen world, people have rejected God, some do evil things on purpose, bad things happen you will sin and make honest mistakes. Just remember that God is bigger than all of that. Keep following God’s plans and He can help you overcome anything.

Life Skills Activity:  Review the main concepts in this lesson. Explain to the students that just because God has plans for their lives it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have plans for their lives too. In fact, having a godly strategic plan for their lives will make it easier to see how God is revealing His plans to them. A godly strategic plan is different from a business plan in several key ways. A godly strategic plan is

  • Covered in prayer – Proverbs 16:3-9, Nehemiah 1. As you develop and execute your godly strategic plan for your life you be constant prayer, watching carefully for God’s direction.
  • Makes you aware- through the Holy Spirit of how God is using people, circumstances, and scripture to reinforce or change your plan.
  • Made with a willingness – to follow God’s plan even if it means making changes to your godly strategic plan.

For the remainder of your time help the students understand and begin writing the various parts of their personal strategic plan. (Strategic Plan Worksheet)

It should include:

  • Dream – What would my “perfect” life look like?
  • Core Values – What things are most important to me? Hopefully this list would be like the list God would write for you.
  • My Strengths – What blessings has God given me – including resources, relationships, gifts and talent?
  • My Weaknesses – What things about your life, your choices, your temptations make it more difficult to follow God’s plans for your life?
  • My Threats – What could threaten this plan and keep it from happening? Hopefully, they will never happen but sometimes having a plan can help if they do.
  • My Opportunities – What opportunities is God giving you? You may or may not have taken advantage of them yet, but it’s important to list them.
  • My Goals – This is not a to do list, but a list of the things you hope to accomplish. They should be as specific and measurable as possible.
  • My Action Plans – This is a to do list for each goal. Breaking each goal down into tiny things to do will not only make it easier to see your progress but also make those goals seem less scary.

Have the students bring their Godly Strategic Plan Worksheets back each week. As you go through the remaining lessons in this unit students may want to make changes to their plans.

Author:  Thereasa Winnett

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