God’s Plans For Me



‘”For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11”

One of the hermeneutical rules when interpreting the Bible is to know to whom the author of a book to is writing. Not every scripture passage can or should be applied to a 21st century American Christian. The passage in Jeremiah above is clearly written to the children of Israel but I think that we can apply this to our lives. At least it encourages me when I read it. God has plans for me and I can trust Him to fulfill His plans.

God called me to preach His word when I was just 16 years old. He has carried me through some interesting situations over the years. In my late 20’s I tried to walk away from this calling after being burned by a pastor I was working for. The door was opened to work for a Fortune 500 Company so I was content with being a businessman but after a few years of this, God started working on me and He sent people my way to affirm His true calling in my life. I still work for the same Fortune 500 Company (over 12 years now). God has used this job to pay me as I serve as an Executive Pastor in a small church.

Part of my calling (I feel) is to pastor or shepherd God’s people. My passion is to see people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. I see the job of a pastor as equipping God’s people to grow in their walk with Christ and to be able to spiritually reproduce (sharing the gospel to the lost). I’ve been doing this very thing for the last 6 years as an Executive Pastor. The last year, I’ve started to desire the position of a senior or lead pastor of a church (1 Timothy 3:1 “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer [pastor], it is a fine work he desires to do.”). I do feel that the Holy Spirit has been working on me and my wife Teresa; laying the foundation that will be a partnership in leading a folk of God’s people.

In the last few months, I’ve talked with 4 different churches (via e-mail and telephone interviews). Nothing has come of these contacts, but I trust in God’s plans for me and my family. I know the door to be a pastor will open in God’s time because I know that is God’s plan for my life. I will continue to be faithful to serve in my current position and will continue to be faithful as He opens the doors.

Along with Jeremiah 29:11, Ephesians 2:10 (“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”) encourages me as I follow the path God has put me on.