The Holy Spirit will lead you into new seasons in 2025. Some of this will be totally uncharted, stretching, and maybe even a bit scary. He will guide you into situations where you might feel inadequate and unequipped (and you will be). Trust Him in His leading, and remember: whatever He calls you into, He equips and empowers you for.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “Half our fears arise from neglect of the Bible.” We plug our smartphones into chargers every night. Why? So they don’t die. Similarly, we must diligently plug our souls into their power source—communion with God—by feeding heartily on His Word.

"The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (Proverbs 29:25, ESV). Don’t live for the approval, admiration, or affirmation of others. Don’t live in fear of what others might think or say. Instead, live out of your identity in Jesus. Live under and according to God’s Word. Live with the snare-less freedom that comes from trusting God.

In Christ, the Father could not love you any more, and He will never love you any less. “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, ESV). Drink deeply and daily from the well of God’s grace this year.

If the older won’t invest in the younger, if the mature won’t build up the immature, and if the Church won’t fulfill its core responsibility to make disciples, the world will be eagerly waiting in the wings to take its place. This year, find someone who is a little ahead of you spiritually and humbly learn from them; find someone who is a little behind you spiritually and invest in them.

I read this line from another pastor recently, and I felt compelled to include it here. Imagine if God’s people were imperturbable in the face of slights and offenses. Imagine if we had soft hearts but thick skin. If we stopped taking things personally and instead focused more intently on all God has entrusted us with, I submit to you that many of our problems, distractions, and hindrances would evaporate.

We best know what a person desires if we know the person well. Likewise, if we want to align ourselves with the Lord, pursue His purposes, and desire His desires, we should spend less time seeking His will for specific situations and more time seeking to know Him more deeply.

During times of difficulty, stop thinking that the Lord is upset, unkind, or unfair. Instead, recognize that difficulty can be an opportunity for our hearts to be revealed and our dependence on Him to be cultivated. Rather saying, “How could You let this happen, God?” or, “I wasn’t faithful enough to receive God’s blessing,” remind yourself, “Jesus loves me so much that, at the cross, He took on Himself the greatest difficulty, suffering, and abandonment so that I don’t have to. He has already overcome the worst possible fears, defeated my greatest enemies, and dealt with my ultimate problem. Because of that, I can endure my current struggles knowing that I am loved by Him and secure in Him.”

We must not seek to merely keep peace but actively seek to make peace. This means pursuing reconciliation if possible, but forgiveness at all costs. Reconciliation takes two, but forgiveness only takes one.

We live in a day obsessed with technique, methodology, and quick fixes. But God cares less about you figuring out the right technique in certain areas of life (your devotions, relationships, marriage, parenting, vocation, etc.) and more about you becoming a person who aims to grow in grace, love others sacrificially, and glorify Him in all areas of life. If you continue to grow into that type of person, effective methods will follow.

June 3rd, 2024

June 1st marked the beginning of what is recognized in America as “LGBTQ Pride Month,” or “Pride Month” for short. In light of this, I felt compelled to share a few thoughts.

This title was first hoisted on the month of June by the Federal Government in 1999, when the then-President, Bill Clinton, announced that June would be recognized as “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.” In 2009, Barack Obama decided to update and expand the title, pronouncing June to be “LGBT Pride Month.” Not to be outdone by his predecessors, our current President, Joe Biden, inflated the title even further in 2021, declaring June “LGBTQ Pride Month.”

My purpose in this brief post is not to castigate individuals for their sexual sin and deviancy, but rather to call attention to the dangerous waters a culture has waded into when it stands in unabashed rebellion against and opposition to God — when it not only affirms, but rejoices at that which God declares to be reprehensible, and encourages (demands?) others follow suite. 

The Scriptures are littered with passages plainly describing and defining sexual immorality, perversion, homosexuality, and the like as deviations from and distortions of God’s plan and intention for sexuality — a.k.a., sin. 

See Lev. 18:22; 20:13; 1 Kg. 14:24; Rom. 1:18-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19; Eph. 5:3-5; Col. 3:5; 1 Tim. 1:10; Heb. 13:5; Jude 1:7; Rev. 21:8 to name a few.

But as I indicated earlier, what we are witnessing in our culture today is not only the widespread practice of sexual sin, but the blatant and ubiquitous celebration of sexual sin, even at the highest levels of Government—hence the federally appointed moniker we are now all too familiar with—“Pride Month.” It’s hard to see how we as a culture could be more recalcitrant and unashamed. 

Here are a few selections from the Scripture that reveal what God thinks about pride:

Psalm 10:3-4 - For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the Lord. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (ESV)

Proverbs 16:18 - Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (ESV)

James 4:6 - God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (ESV)

Isaiah 13:11 - I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. (ESV)

Isaiah 66:2 - All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (ESV)

It doesn’t take a Bible scholar to recognize that our culture is in trouble. We are proud of depravity, we are glorifying iniquity, and we are celebrating unrighteousness. “Pride Month” is an unfortunate epithet indeed.

Let me finish by saying this: Our response to all of this should not be to assume a spirit of vitriolic crusaders, of good vs. bad, or us vs. them. Instead, our response should be to embody Gospel Mission. To encourage you to this end, take a look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (ESV)

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 reminds us in no uncertain terms about the reality and consequences of unrighteousness. Sin is real, rebellion is rampant, and judgment will come. We must not whitewash, downplay, or ignore this truth. It is the job of the Christian to point out these realities at the appropriate opportunities — to warn the lost around us of the dangerous waters we are playing in. Yet, in doing so, it is also the job of the Christian to point to the Savior who bore our sin, who died in the place of the rebels, who took on himself the judgment that we deserve.

Friends, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not for the clean, but the unclean; it is not for the healthy, but for the sick; it is not for those who think they are righteous, but for sinners — sinners like you and me, and sinners that adorn their homes with Pride flags.

1 Corinthians 11:6 describes what Jesus offers sinners who come to the cross in repentance and trust: forgiveness & cleansing. Through Christ, we can stand before God clean, washed and sanctified — no more blots, stains, or wrinkles. We can also stand before him forgiven — righteous, accepted, known, treasured, and eternally loved.

As the world gets darker, the church must get brighter. As the messengers of depravity get bolder, the missionaries of the Gospel must get braver. This month, pick up your Bible, get time with God, gather with your church, commit to community, cultivate humility, and walk out into the world as the missionary you’ve been called to be, pursuing, engaging, and evangelizing all sorts of sinners who identify with all sorts of “sexual orientations,” invite them into your life, and welcome them to repent and come to Jesus. 

This coming Sunday, March 24th, we are installing our first Deacons! We are excited to officially recognize and appoint these men and women and hope you’ll join us to witness their installation.
Since the role, and even the definition of Deacon varies widely in different denominations and traditions, we thought this would be a good opportunity to provide some clarity on what the Bible teaches about Deacons. In the content below, we will outline the following points:
1) What are the biblical qualifications for Deacons? 2) What is a Deacon? 3) Who can be a Deacon? 4) What does a Deacon do?5) How will we determine who will be a Deacon at Union Church?
We hope this blog is helpful and informative in providing an understanding of this important office in the local Church.

[8] Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. [9] They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. [10] And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. [11] Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. [12] Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. [13] For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 
-1 Timothy 3:8–13 (ESV)

As there are a variety of understandings of what the office of deacon entails, we thought it best to begin by clarifying what a deacon is not: 

• A deacon is not a servant who specializes in table service, hospitality, or feeding the poor. As Straugh notes, “No contextual markers suggest anything to do with food, table service, or the needy. At best this is an inference.” (Deacons, p. 56) 
• A deacon is not a servant in general. This term, unqualified and undefined, could refer to any Christian who serves in their church. 
• A deacon is also not a servant gifted in a particular area (model servant, leading servant, etc.) i.e. Audiovisual ministry, music ministry, etc. 

We should note that while deacons may operate in any / all of the above areas, these areas do not define the office of deacon. Instead, deacons operate under the leadership of the Elders, officially representing them and standing ready to carry out tasks delegated by them.  

Clarence Agan explains as follows.

“The term [Diakonoi] captures the intermediary function Paul had in mind. He was thinking of a role that involved being simultaneously in and under authority - under the authority of the elders, but having authority… to carry out tasks as needed. Diakonos provided a clear way to say this while leaving room for flexibility as to the nature of the specific tasks deacons might undertake.” (Strauch, Deacons, p.57-58) 

We will thus define “Deacons” as follows: 

Deacons are qualified, competent men & women who assist the elders in the work of ministry 

While the office of Elder is reserved for men, the office of Deacon is open to men and women. 

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 
-1 Timothy 3:11 (ESV)

In the above verse, the word “their” was added by the translators and does not appear in original manuscripts. The word translated “wives” is the word gynē, which can be translated either “wives,” or “women” based on the context of the passage. 

In the view of the translators, Paul here is referring to the wives of deacons, thus the addition of “their” is intended to bring clarity to the english translation. In our view however, a more accurate rendering of this verse reads as follows: 

Women likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 
-1 Timothy 3:11 (ESV)

Textual evidence for this translation:

1. First, since the office of Elder is of first importance, and the office of deacon exists only in relation to the office of Elder, it would seem strange for Paul to add specific qualifications for the wives of deacons but not for  the wives of elders.
 
2. Second, in verse 11 Paul writes, “Their wives [women] likewise,” the word “likewise” is the same term he employed in verse 8, “Deacons likewise,” the purpose of this word is to shift gears to a new group of people for whom he describes specific qualifications for their office. Again, it seems out of place for him to shift to specific qualifications for a group of people that has no official office. It makes more sense to understand this as a shift to qualifications that are especially pertinent to women who occupy the office of deacon.  

3. Finally, elsewhere in the NT, the descriptions of women serving in the church seem to clearly indicate that women functioned in deacon-like roles. One of the clearest examples is found in Romans 16, where Paul refers to Phoebe as a diakonos, literally, a deacon / deaconess -
[1] I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [diakonos] of the church at Cenchreae, [2] that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. -Romans 16:1–2 (ESV)

Again, it would seem odd for Paul to have in mind the prohibition of women from the office of deacon in 1 Timothy 3:11 while elsewhere referring to a woman as a deacon. 

See also: Rom. 16:3-4, 6, 7

Since deacons exist to assist the elders in the work of ministry, their specific job descriptions will vary based on the context in which they are serving and the position in which they are assisting. 

While the individuals selected for the office of deacon must be biblically qualified, the criteria for what will be designated as “deacon roles” will be predicated on the position and not on individuals that are qualified. To put it simply, we will not appoint individuals to the office of deacon unless there is a functional / positional need.  

The office of deacon will be designated for positions that are directly, substantially, and consistently assisting the Elders in the work of ministry.

The individual will hold the office of Deacon until they are unable / unwilling to continue in their position. 

If you’ve been to Union Church, you’ve probably realized fairly quickly that we have lots of young people, both singles and couples. One area that young folks generally do not have much knowledge or experience in is finance - budgeting, investing, leveraging, or just thinking rightly about money in general. This is of no surprise, since finance is not a required, or even an offered subject in most schools (which is preposterous).

I was fortunate to have a Grandfather who spoke to me about money, and encouraged me to start saving and investing for retirement early. I also have a professional background in finance. Because of this, I find myself having lots of appointments and general conversations with young folks helping them sort out their finances and think biblically about stewardship, which is a total joy. 

The list below is a conglomeration of principles I have put together over time as a result of these conversations I’ve had. While this list is not exhaustive, these principles have proved to be helpful starting points for singles, and couples, who are trying to figure out how to be faithful stewards of what the Lord has given them. I hope they are helpful for you as well.

Miscommunication, or lack of communication around money in marriage is often an occasion for disagreement, confusion, and conflict in marriage. It is important for couples to not just have money, but to talk together about money. This includes budgeting (see point #2), spending, saving, investing, large purchases, and future plans. If you’re not a “money person,” these conversations might feel like drudgery to you, but they are critically important and will save you from even worse drudgery in the future.

When we don’t have a budget for our money, we tend to think we’re doing better at spending than we actually are. A Budget is not meant to function as an unbreakable covenant, but rather as a guide. Budgets provide can help provide awareness and accountability for our spending, as well as an acid test to compare our spending to periodically. If you don’t have a budget, you should probably create one. Attached to this blog is a digital cope of a basic budget template for you to use.

This one is fairly self-explanatory. If you create a budget, but never revisit it or compare your spending to it to assess how things are going, then the budget wont be of much help. Note: If you are new to budgeting, consider revisiting the budget more frequently.

Bills are one of the great headaches for adults. Not only doest the list of bills seem to only grow, but they come in different forms (mail, email, internal company portal), and have a variety of frequencies. For example: our phone bill is auto deducted monthly, while our water bill is mailed quarterly, and property taxes are due bi-annually. In addition, our monthly bills are due at different days of the month. To alleviate confusion and frustration, it is generally best to have one person be in charge of paying the bills.

Since the frequencies and dates of bills are so diverse, it is almost impossible to keep track of all of them in your mind. Consider writing them all down on one calendar.  (ex. Shared smart phone calendar, home master calendar, etc.).

Squeaky car brakes, broken home water heaters, unplanned hospital visits, or worse, an out of the blue furlough or layoff are just a few examples of unforeseen expenses life can bring. Be prepared for unexpected costs and seasons by saving up a cash reserve.

The 10-10-10 principle is a rule of thumb that helps us to make faithful investing and faithful giving a priority. Here’s the idea:

If 10% in each area is not realistic at the moment, consider starting with a smaller percentage, or certain dollar amount and making periodic increases. If you do follow this principle, you will not only be setting your family up for long-term financial security, but also faithfully stewarding the resources you’ve been given as a gift.
When it comes to finances, the reality is that our money generally goes towards what we value. For us to implement a philosophy like this, we must truly value wise investing, faithful stewardship, and generous giving.

Note: For some concrete figures on long-term investment potential results, see attached resources.

When it comes to stewardship, we need to plan not only for our future years, but the also our future generations. The bottom line is this: if you start investing for your kids / future kids right now, contribute a bit of money each month or year, and continue this process until they are fully formed adults, you will be able to bless them with a substantial financial gift.

Here are a few specific pointers on this principle:

• Consider opening a regular brokerage account through your bank with your child as the beneficiary. You can open a 529 education savings account through organizations like Vanguard, but these accounts will have a 10% penalty on any funds not used for education. 
• Instead of saving for college, consider keeping the investment for them until they are older, maybe 30-35 years old. There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) By this age, they will have had several years (hopefully!) establishing themselves as fully formed adults with their own jobs, money, and likely their own families and will be able to steward a large financial gift well. 2) This longer time horizon provides a more time for the investment to grow. We’re talking potentially about hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Strive to save an average of $200 a month. When it comes to your kids’ birthdays and Christmas, instead of asking grandparents and family members for toys or items your child wants, ask them for an investment gift. 
• If you do end up saving up a substantial gift for your child(ren), refrain from revealing to them the details of the investment. This way, they don’t grow up thinking they have a financial safety net. 

Note: Again, for concrete figures on what an investment for your kids may look like, see attached resources.

We’ve all been perusing through Costco or browsing on amazon when we suddenly find an item which you’ve never seen prior, but now you can hardly imagine life without it. It may be tempting to click “buy now,” but waiting at least 24 hours will never hurt, and will only help by bringing rationality back into the decision making process.

Our society, in many ways, runs on envy. We ourselves, to varying degrees, operate out of envy more often than we’d like to admit - It’s all too easy to get caught up in the “keeping up with the Jones’” game. Don’t do it. If your friends are buying things you cannot afford, moving into homes you would love to own, or going on vacations you’ve longed for - be happy for them, encourage them, celebrate with them. When the poison of envy begins to surface, acknowledge it, own it, confess it, and kill it. Be content with what you have, trust that the Lord knows and provides for your needs (Heb. 13:5), and steward what he has given you wisely and faithfully, for his glory and your joy.

My wife, Maddie, has always had a knack for memorizing scripture. Even with four kids and a full schedule, she’s up early spending time with the Lord with her nose in the scriptures, often committing passages to heart. I know when she is trying to memorize a particular passage because I find 3x5 cards with the verses written out in her cute handwriting adorning various locations in our home. These cards bring the passage to mind and remind her to meditate on it.

Maddie recently had the opportunity to give a talk to some of our gals on memorizing scripture. Her notes were so good that I wanted to share them here.

Let’s start with the fundamental question - Why is memorizing scripture important?

Psalm 119:10, 12 - With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!… Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! (ESV)

Communication is an absolutely essential ingredient for any serious relationship. In order to get to know another person, we must engage with them, listen to them, and speak to them. We must remember important things about them, and things that are important to them. Communication is really one of the fundamental ways that we know anyone. This is true of our relationship with God as well. God has made himself known to us by way of his word; reading, learning, and memorizing his word is how we know God and grow with him.

Psalm 119:9–11 - How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (ESV)

It would be quite unfortunate to be in a battle with no armor to protect us or weapons to wield. We would have no defense against the enemy’s attack, and no way to advance the line. No one would intentionally walk into a battle with no weapon.

Yet the bible tells us that we are currently in a battle; it is not a battle against flesh and blood (other people), but a battle against the powers of darkness that are ever present in our current, fallen, sin-infected world (Eph. 6:12). The scripture what is required to fight this battle well; it is the armor that protects us against the onslaught of the enemy, and the weapon we utilize to advance the line of the Kingdom (Eph. 6:11, 13-18) - we must be equipped with the armor and weapons of God.

Memorizing scripture helps us to fight sin, temptation, and complacency. It fuels our efforts to repel lies and discouragement. It provides us with a storehouse full of resources to be nourished by as we seek to wage the war well.

Psalm 119:14–16 - In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. (ESV)

Working your body out is difficult. Lifting weights breaks down your muscles, and a hearty run will make your joints sore, and your heart rate increase. Yet, we work out not out of duty, but because being healthy and in shape is much more delightful than being out of shape. Working out regularly results in improved health, increased energy, relieved stress, and more.

Yet when it comes to spiritual disciplines such as scripture memorization, it’s easy to feel like the task is more of a duty than a delight. We tend to have spiritual nearsightedness. The reality is that, like working out physically, it does take effort to work out spiritually - sanctification can be challenging! Yet we are mistaken if we view memorizing scripture as a mere duty - God intends for his word to be a delight to our souls. The work of memorizing scripture results in spiritual health, a deeper and fuller understanding of God, and ready prompts for the worship of God.

Psalm 119:13 - With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. (ESV)

The more scripture that gets into us, the more that will come out. It’s a good aim for God’s people to be “talking Bibles”. When scripture is committed to memory, wherever we are and wherever we go, we will be better prepared to declare the gospel, encourage a friend with the truth of the word, and to give an answer to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is in us (1 Pt. 3:15).

Here are a few items that might be helpful for you as you seek to commit the scriptures to heart.

• Choose a specific verse or passage. Be deliberate. This may be a passage that speaks to a current situation or struggle in your life, or simply a verse that encourages you. If memorization is new to you, start small with a verse or two. 
• Say the verse out loud several times. If you have a spouse or kids, read it to them each day. Read yourself every morning, and  at night before bed.
• Sing the verse. There are some helpful resources available to help with this. Many of them are directed for children, but these can still be quite helpful for adults. You can find links below. 
• Listen to the verse or passage. You can listen to the whole bible in audio on the ESV Bible App.
• Write the verse several times.
• Carry Scripture memorization cards with you or put them in your home or office. 
• Schedule time to memorize and review. This can be a small amount of time, 5-10 minutes, but make it part of your regular routine. 
• Review the scriptures you have previously memorized on a regular basis. 

I hope this post has encouraged you to lean into committing God’s word to memory. I trust your labor will be used for your growth and joy, and Jesus’ glory.

-Pastor Aaron  

ESV Bible App - this app has the whole bible on audio.

The Bible Song - this website has put most of the new testament in song form.

Living Water: Experience Scripture - this site also has much of the new testament in song form.

New City Catechism 
Catechism
Devotional
Catechism for Kids
Mobile App

A Catechism is a Q&A form of learning theology and the scriptures; these are not bible verses, but are nonetheless helpful in grasping key ideas and doctrines from the bible. The Mobile App has songs for kids designed around each question - we have found these to be not only helpful in memorizing the content, but also a blast to sing together in family worship.

We must plan biblically in order to steward faithfully. That is the big idea in this series of blog posts on planning. God has given us all we have - our time, talents, treasures, resources, job, opportunities, families - all of it is a gift from him (Jas. 1:17). It is our job then as his people and as recipients of his gifts, to faithfully steward what he has given us - this begins with planning.

If our gifts come from God, and if our stewardship is aimed at obeying and pleasing God, then our planning, likewise, must start with and be centered around God. As we seek to make plans, we need to first seek God; this means that Godly planning must begin with prayer.

Proverbs 16:3
[3] Commit your work to the LORD,
and your plans will be established. (ESV)

As God’s people, we can’t plan independently of God. Our family, finances, friendships, community, activities - all areas of life must be brought first to God, pursuing his will and wisdom, and planning with the aim of his glory.

This sounds simple enough, but we must be careful here because we Christians can be quite crafty in figuring out ways make our plans look God-centered, when they are in fact self-centered. We are often so good at this, that we even deceive ourselves.

Here are a few traps to watch out for:

• Treating God like the Building Permit department: We craft our plans, architect our life, determine course and make important decisions, then bring the decisions to God and ask him to issue us blessing, permission, and provision.
• Divorcing spiritual from practical: We include God in the “spiritual” parts of life, but leave him out in the “practical” parts (how we invest our money or make our budget, where we work, where we live or move to, how we manage our calendar, etc.)
• Seeking God in Crisis: We come to God in adversity, when we need help, but forget about him in prosperity, when things are going well.
• Treating God like a Genie: We utter a few half-hearted prayers for guidance, then proceed to map our own route.
• Treating God like Santa Clause: Making a pitch to God to get it on his radar, expressing our heart felt desire and longing - “If I get my request on his radar, and he knows how much I want it, then maybe he’ll give it to me.”
• Making deals with God: Once I get what I’m after, I’ll re-prioritize my time, priorities, and dollars. I’ll pray more, read scripture more, give more, attend church more, etc.
• Treating God like cheerleader: We make a plan or decision, then “pray about it”, and God always seems to agree with us. In this trap, God functions like a cheerleader, to affirm us and encourage us forward in the plans we’ve made.

What we need to understand is that there is a difference between ritual and relationship. In all of the above traps, we are treating God like a distant deity, and prayer like a ritual we need to perform to obtain what we want. Asking God to approve our already-made plans is different than making our requests known to heavenly Father who knows us, cares for us, and loves us. The Christian makes his plans under God and brings and entrusts his plans to God in the context of a Father-son relationship with God.

Here are a few questions to ask and pray through as we seek God in our planning:

• Will this plan glorify you? Is it in line with the Scriptures?
• What are my heart motivations in this plan? Search my heart, help me to see what I may not see.
• Will I thrive spiritually if I do this? Will my family thrive spiritually?
• What does my family think about this plan? What does my church family think? Lord, give me humility to consider their feedback and work through it in prayer.
• Will this plan contribute to building your Kingdom?

Godly planning seeks God first, includes humility to adjust if needed, and entrusts the plan completely to. We can do this with total confidence because he is our Father, and His plans are ultimately the best plans.

Let us, as Christ so often did, bring our plans before The Father and commit them to him. May we seek, ask, and trust Him in all of our planning, remembering that he is our Father, and His plans are Ultimatley the best plans.

In our previous post we sought to lay a theological foundation of planning by looking at the original and perfect planner - God himself. His plans span from eternity past to eternity future, and they concern not only his people broadly, but each of his children individually - God’s plans for each of us are comprehensive, inscrutable, and good. 

We will now turn to some practical considerations from Proverbs that will (hopefully!) shape and sharpen us to be planners like God. Today we will examine some examples and warnings on foolish planning. 

In Proverbs, Solomon often contrasts wisdom with folly. This is helpful, because we not only need to know which path to take, but also the path to avoid. Proverbs issues to us solemn warnings against the path of folly, and teases out the consequences of taking her path that we might instead embrace the way of wisdom and blessing. Planning in proverbs is no different. 

The question for us today is: what does the way of foolish planning look like and how can we avoid it?

  In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk tends only to poverty. -Proverbs 14:23 ESV

    The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied. -Proverbs 13:4 ESV

Everyone has goals and desires in life: Find a spouse, have children, cultivate friendships, get a better job, make more money, own a home, go on a Hawaiian vacation, etc. If you’re a Christian, you likely also have goals for spiritual growth: Read the Bible in one year, overcome a besetting sin, grow in various areas of godliness, etc. Everyone has goals (even if vague), and everyone desires results, but here’s what Proverbs says: There is a difference between desiring results, and having a plan. All desire with no plan is what Proverbs calls “cravings,” “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied,” (Proverbs 13:4 ESV).

I’ve had the privilege of spending lots of time with single guys over the years, and single Christian guys often have a very clear relational goal - marriage. Yet, when I ask what their plan for marriage is, I have often been met with responses like, “My plan is to find a wife who meets my criteria.” This, however, is not a plan, but a goal.

If all we have are “cravings” for a result but no plan to achieve the result, we may be infected with a bit of “the soul of the sluggard” (Prov. 13:4a). When we recognize this, we need to put off the “soul of the sluggard” and seek to cultivate “the soul of the diligent” (Prov. 13:4b). 

Back to the marriage example - if you are a young man who desires to be married, you cannot just hope a Godly wife who meets all your criteria will appear. Instead, you need a plan, not only for how you are going to find her, but a plan for preparing yourself for marriage. A plan to become the most suitable, capable, Christ-like husband you can be.

Perhaps you are a diligent planner when it comes to practical matters like daily tasks, creating a family budget, saving for retirement, organizing your children’s activities, establishing an exercise routine, and planning vacations. These are undoubtedly wise things to plan for, but have you given equal attention to planning for your spiritual health and growth? 

Proverbs teaches us that planning is not just a practical issue, but a spiritual one. If we want to grow spiritually, we’d better plan faithfully. This means planning time for bible reading, prayer time, giving, serving, and community. Of course, life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and plans often get altered and need to be revised, but if we neglect to plan altogether, we are unlikely to achieve the spiritual growth we desire.

Hasty planning often comes as the child of lack of planning. When plans aren’t made well, we end up scrambling when time is short. 

    The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. -Proverbs 21:5 (ESV)

Having a clear, Godly plan for life, provides us with clear direction in life. It also provides us with guardrails and guidelines for important decisions and right prioritization. 

To start, it’s helpful to assess and list out your main roles and priorities in life. As Christians, our priorities should look something like this: 1. Christian 2. Spouse (if applicable) 3. Parent (if applicable) 4. Vocation 5. Community, etc. 

Once we’ve listed these out, we can overlay them on our current schedule and activities and ask ourselves some tough questions: Do my current calendar commitments and habits align with our priorities? Does the way I spend my time, money, and energy reflect my values and convictions? We may come to realize that there are changes that need to be made, but by taking the time to clearly map out our priorities, we can now make the right changes, establish proper guardrails, and plan accordingly.

Alternatively, if we fail to thoughtfully consider our priorities and plan in line with them, we’re forced to be reactive instead of proactive, responding to the urgent instead of prioritizing the important, and as a result our plans will be made in haste. 

Many of you reading this who are not naturally planners may be quick to point to Proverbs 27:1 where Solomon tells us “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring” (ESV). What is he saying here? Is planning in itself a bad thing? No, but there is a real danger in misplaced confidence - putting our trust in the wrong things. As we make plans, we must ask ourselves: are we relying on our own abilities, strength, and wisdom, or are we grounding our confidence in God?

Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21, ESV)

When we remember who is ultimately in charge of all plans, we are then able to plan rightly:

-With humility before God, recognizing that we have very little control, and unforeseen changes can arise at any moment.

-With dependence on God, who alone possesses supreme power, control, authority, and dominion over all things. We can rely on him completely in every season of life.

-In submission to God, Lord, help me to heed your instruction in the scriptures to plan wisely and diligently. When my plans get altered or diverted, help me to trust you, follow you, and submit to you.

-With hope in God, who is sovereign, and also good. For those in Christ, we get to call him Father, and as his kids we can have great assurance that his love, goodness, faithfulness, attention, care, and provision is unending.

With 2022 coming to a close, 2023 is now visible on the horizon. A new year ushers in gym membership discounts, a new semester at school, and a new quarter at work, all of which point to a fresh start. This is a natural time for us to create new “resolutions,” or press the reset button on old ones. We all (hopefully) have aims, aspirations, and desires for 2023; but the question is, how much time and effort will we invest in planning for and taking thoughtful steps towards accomplishing our aims? Here’s another way to say it: We all want to see things happen in our life, but how much time do we spend working on our life? 

To some, the issue of planning may sound like a temporal, unspiritual, or even secular topic. The reality is that the Bible as a whole, and Proverbs in particular is replete with exhortations and instructions on planning. Far from being temporal and unspiritual, planning is biblical, spiritual, and godly. 

The issue is this: God is a generous giver, and he has given you and I all that we have. Our resources, capacities, capabilities, bodies, families, relationships, opportunities, dollars, and time are all given by God. Our job is to be faithful stewards of what he has given us. 

Biblical planning helps us to not just responsively work in our lives, but proactively work on our lives. Biblical planning provides a framework for what we say ‘yes’ to, and what we say ‘no’ to. Biblical planning helps us formulate a vision for life; it provides a roadmap (written in pencil to be sure) for living out our convictions and accomplishing our aims and goals. Biblical planning enables us to be faithful stewards. 

We will begin the first part of this series by laying a theological foundation of planning and we will do so by looking to the original planner - God himself. 

     Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. -Proverbs 19:21 (ESV)

    “I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. -Job 42:2 (ESV)

We worship and serve a God who makes plans. In Genesis 1 God creates all that is - the heavens, earth, and everything on the earth. God also creates man in his image and likeness, and lays out a plan for them, 

“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” -Genesis 1:28 (ESV)

God’s plan for the man and the woman was for their health, joy, fruit, and flourishing. In Genesis 3 however, the man and the women were deceived by the serpent, disobeyed and rebelled against God, and as a result, sin entered the world. At this point, it might seem as though Satan had won and God’s plan was foiled, but nothing could be farther from the truth. In the midst of fear, shame, and disgrace, God pronounces a promise of hope: 

[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.” -Genesis 3:15 (ESV)

Yes, sin has entered the world resulting in devastation, death, and disconnect between God and man. Yet, none of this was surprising to God but was in fact, part of God’s plan. Genesis 3:15 reveals to us that one day, a deliverer will come to crush the serpent, deal with sin, conquer death, and redeem fallen men and women. This promised savior is Jesus, who would one day come to accomplish God’s plan of redeeming fallen man. The rest of the bible is the unfolding of this plan, culminating in the person and work of Jesus, his life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension,  

[God] making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. -Ephesians 1:9–10 (ESV)

Not only did God plan redemption in general, but He planned each believer’s salvation individually. The Apostle Paul assures us of this reality: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” (Eph. 1:4-5, ESV). 

As a Christian you need to know that your salvation was carefully and lovingly planned; God knew you and chose you before creation. Jesus didn’t come rolling the dice and hoping for the best. Instead, he asserts with confidence that “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out,” (Jn. 6:37 ESV). Jesus could say this, because he knew his Father had a plan to rescue fallen people, and he was sent to accomplish that plan. His mission was not a gamble, nor was it nebulous or impersonal, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day,” (Jn. 6:40 ESV). He came to save lost individuals; he came to save you and me. 

God’s love is not reckless or random; he chose in eternity past who He would save, and in real time he is pursuing, intervening, and lovingly changing hearts, all according to His perfect plan

While we are saved by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ, we know that we are saved to good works. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10 ESV). God has specific plans for you; plans to build his kingdom, worship his name,  love and serve his church, and pursue lost people with the gospel. 

Some of the biggest ministry opportunities we have had at Union Church have been a total surprise. We didn’t expect them, and couldn’t have planned them, but God did. God knows each work he has planned for us, long before we ever do. He often opens doors and provides opportunities that we would never expect, and yet, sometimes these unplanned opportunities are the greatest opportunities.

This does not mean that we should do nothing until we hear some sort of audible call from God. Instead, we should actively pursue opportunities to serve and build. But like a child going to work with dad, we trust that God is ultimately the one in charge - our job is to be faithful.

“In him we have obtained an inheritance… In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. -Ephesians 1:11a, 13-14 ESV

As God’s adopted kids, our inheritance, heavenly home, eternal joy and life with God and his people is planned and secured by God himself - sealed for the day of redemption, never to be broken or stolen. This means that even in the turmoil, pain, and sorrow of our fallen world, even in despair and doubt, we have unshakeable hope of everlasting peace, prosperity, and joy with and in God, because he who promised is faithful. 


Our redemption, salvation, good works, and future hope is planned by God, and secured in Christ.  May we remember, rejoice in, and be encouraged by God’s good plans. May we rest securely in them, and seek to align ourselves with them. 

With the biblical foundations being laid, we will turn next to some practical considerations on planning from Proverbs. Check in next week for Part 2, “Foolish Planning.” 

Proverbs 1:1-7

The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:

2 To know wisdom and instruction,
    to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
    in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
    knowledge and discretion to the youth—
5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning,
    and the one who understands obtain guidance,
6 to understand a proverb and a saying,
    the words of the wise and their riddles.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge [wisdom];
    fools despise wisdom and instruction.


The Old Testament book of Proverbs is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I have waded in the waters of the book many times over the years (it is possibly my most read book of the Bible), and find myself continuing to visit it’s shores regularly. The book is written by a father seeking to equip his son with practical instruction for every area of life (see Prov. 1:8,10,15; 2:1; 3:1,11,21; 4:1,10, etc.). This father also happens to be the wisest man to ever live apart from the Lord Jesus - a man named Solomon (1 Kgs. 3:1-15; 28; 4:29-34). Proverbs, then, is a book filled with intensely practical wisdom for life, penned by Solomon, but given ultimately by God. In Proverbs, we encounter insightful, colorful, poignant instruction that covers a wide range of issues and topics, such as work, money, emotions, the tongue, the heart, manhood, womanhood, planning, parenting, friendship, and much more. Sometimes tough, often humorous, and always trustworthy, Proverbs provides us with wisdom from God for the journey of life.

As we embark on this journey through Proverbs, we’ll start by looking at wisdom itself - why we need it, what it is, and where we find it.

Rules Are Not Enough
Our lives are governed by certain rules. From common civil laws (stay in your lane on the freeway!), to biblical / moral laws (don’t murder, lie, or steal), right rules provide us with the healthy structure and guidelines we need for life. They mitigate chaos and provide order.

Yet, as good as the right rules are, there is much that rules don’t do - much that God didn’t intend for rules to do, and we all regularly face situations where there are no hard and fast rules to live by.

An example of this can be seen in marriage: There are rules about marriage in the scriptures, but there is no rule that tells us exactly how to find a spouse, where to find a spouse, or who exactly our spouse should be. Further, questions like, “How many kids should we have?”, “how should I spend my money?”, “where should I go to school?” “should I relocate my family for this new job opportunity?” “How do I most winsomely and effectively share the Gospel with my unbelieving co-workers?” Or “How can I comfort my friend who is grieving the loss of a loved one?” And so many others, are life decisions for which rules do not provide specific answers, and wisdom is needed to inform our decisions and direction.

Deep character, Straight-Thinking, & Fruitful Living
We desperately need wisdom. We need the deep character of God & straight thinking from God, that leads to fruitful living that glorifies God. Our churches need to be filled with wise Christians who make disciples. Our city needs wise Christians who are salt and light. Your spouse needs a wise partner, your kids need wise parents, your workplaces need wise employees and employers, and your friends need wise counselors. So, we turn to God’s word where we find God’s wisdom for life.

In seeking to understand what wisdom is, we should first be clear on what wisdom is not -

Knowledge is not wisdom
Knowledge is a good thing - we need it and ought to love it, but on its own it can be damaging. Paul warns us that knowledge “puff’s up” (1 Cor. 8:1). Without love, knowledge can cause us to be arrogant, dismissing, and disconnected. We can accumulate loads of knowledge, read myriads of books, have the highest scholastic degree, and know everything about a topic, and still lack wisdom. Consuming information without maturing in wisdom has the potential to result in an attitude that is good at criticizing but terrible at caring; informed in theory, but lacking experiential skill. Knowledge is learning and listening - wisdom is acting in light of that knowledge. In the New Testament, James exhorts us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (Jas. 1:22). We must not only hear and learn, but we must also do. Knowledge can be learned quickly, but wisdom is learned slowly.

One practical take-away: spend time learning, and also applying what you learn. If you are preparing for marriage, spend time learning a right theology of marriage, and get around Godly married couples; if you are preparing to have children, learn what God reveals about parenting, and babysit and serve in kids ministry; if you are seeking to know and follow Jesus, study your bible like crazy, and find someone to disciple.

Morality & Rule-Keeping is Not Wisdom
Like knowledge, rule-keeping in itself is good. The bible records lots of rules given by God to his people for us to obey (613 in the Old Testament, and 1050 in the New Testament to be exact). So, wise people seeking to follow God will keep his commandments, but, rule-keeping in itself is not wisdom.

The Bible describes a group of men who had tons of accumulated knowledge, and were among the best rule-keepers in history, and because of this, everyone viewed them as the wisest & holiest; yet they were neither wise or holy, but were filled with envy, hostility, and hatred toward God. They were called Pharisees. Jesus thundered this rebuke to these men,

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! -Matthew 23:23–24 (ESV)

 In other words, they scrupulously kept rules that were outward and measurable, like tithing 1/10th of their spices and seasonings, but they neglected the inward character - justice, mercy, and faithfulness - things that there are no rules for and cannot be easily measured.

Wisdom is outward to be sure, but it is also inward. Wisdom is conduct, but it is also character. While wisdom informs our actions, it also shapes our hearts. Wisdom teaches us that more people will be won to Christ by our brightness than our rightness.

Worldly Wisdom is Not Wisdom 
What is wisdom according to the world? Solomon tells us that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov. 16:25). There is almost endless bad advice coming from the world that may seem right to the undiscerning hearer, but does indeed lead to destruction: We are bombarded from every angle with a worldview of tolerance and acceptance. We are told that total, unhindered freedom to express oneself sexually, whatever that may look like, is the ultimate path to happiness. We are inundated with the satanic lie that a child in the womb is nothing more than mere tissue, and therefore it is a basic human right of a mother to terminate the child at will. If we do have children, we are told to not discipline them because discipline doesn’t affirm, while simultaneously told that if we do affirm the God-given gender of our child, we are oppressing them with an artificial social-construction.

In our broken and corrupted world, we are in desperate need of wisdom to help us discern the truth from falsehood. Wisdom is the right application of the right knowledge, with the right heart.

    The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge [wisdom];
fools despise wisdom and instruction. -Proverbs 1:7

Solomon says that Wisdom begins with fearing God. But Fear doesn’t mean that God is waiting to spank us when we blow it. Instead, to fear the Lord is to be in humble submission to him, his person, power & instruction. Fearing God is to rightly grasp a glimpse of his magnitude, majesty, his big-ness. Fearing God is confessing our complete dependence on him, and responding to him with love and trust. Fearing God is seeing God in his right place, and us in ours. Fearing God is the foundation of wisdom, but “fools despise wisdom.”

[29] Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
[30] would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
[31] therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
[32] For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
[33] but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.” -Proverbs 1:29–33 (ESV)

Fools reject Godly wisdom for expedient, worldly wisdom. Fools despise God’s reproof for momentary pleasure. Fools operate as if they are on the throne instead of God, with disastrous results, “the complacency of fools destroys them.”

Here’s the hard news: If we’re honest, we know that we’ve all been the fools Solomon wrote about. We’ve all failed at wisdom. We’ve all had times of shallow character, crooked thinking, and complacent living. The question then is, where will we go for wisdom?

Wisdom Became A Person
We look to the one who is himself wisdom. Wisdom became a person, his name is Jesus, and he came into the world and pursued fools. The Lord Jesus is the only one who perfectly embodied deep character, straight thinking, and fruitful living. Jesus is the one who manifested to us the glorious wisdom of God

    “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
    And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD." -Isaiah 11:2-3 (ESV)

How do we get to wisdom? We get to Jesus.

"In [Christ} are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” -Colossians 2:3 (ESV)

In Proverbs, Jesus himself counsels us with wisdom. May we respond to him by asking him to shape us into a family that know, love, trust, and fear God, a people that become wise as he is wise.