The Plan

I read some statistics that I thought were very interesting. The statistics said that 42% of university graduates never read an entire book after graduation; 80% of American families did not buy or read a book last year; and 57% of new books purchased in the United States are not read to completion, and most readers do not go past page 18 in a book they do happen to buy. Wow, that was an eye opener. Then I read that the majority of people living in this generation prefer to listen to someone that they perceive to be trustworthy to give them information. That's scary. If you would take the time to look at Romans Chapter 12 and verse 2 you would find that it reads like this; And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. I see three key words they are the word conformed; the word transformed; the word renewing. The word Conformed has a negative command "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold. "Be as healthy as you can; live as long as you can; get as rich as you can; be as comfortable as you can". Secularism, which is the way of thinking for a secular world, it's the way the world's defines success.

Colossians 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil ( takes you captive)you through philosophy and vain deceit, (empty deception) after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Next, the word Transformed a positive command, let me put it this way. If I wanted to be able to speak Spanish it would not matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to speak Spanish until I was trained in Spanish. I would need to learn a new alphabet and practice the letters over and over again. My eyes would need to become accustomed to new words, sentence structures and accents. I would have to memorize vocabulary and practice pronouncing the words, making my tongue twist in new ways and with new sounds. After training, I would be able to begin speaking Spanish. However, without serious effort and training, I would never get beyond, "¿Cómo está usted? And you would answer Muy bien, gracias." That my friend would not get me very far in the Spanish speaking world. Then the word Renewing and here we see
a plan of action. Which most people don't have; oh we have a plan of action for our health care, education, retirement, if our car breaks down on the side of the road we whip out our motor card and call the one who is to come to our rescue. But what about when sin knocks at our door; what do we do then? What is our Plan then? I want you to see a young man who had a plan; a high school student that understood peer pressure and how it can work both ways. Chad was on a Caribbean cruise with some of his friends. One night his friends tried to entice him into the ship's bar, but Chad, whose mother was an alcoholic, had determined to never drink. He was a believer in the Lord Jesus and had reinforced his mind with scripture that he purposefully memorized from Proverbs about alcohol abuse. He explained to his friends that addiction ran in his family, and then, he rather courageously quoted a verse he had memorized. He said, "I have learned from the Bible that Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. (Intoxicated by it is not wise) (Proverbs 20:1)They replied, "Aw, come on Chad, just one beer won't hurt anybody." He replied again with scripture,

Proverbs 23:31
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Proverbs 23:32
at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. His friends turned rather sour at this and began to accuse him of rejecting their company. He quietly said, as much to himself as to them, another Proverb, ". . .

Proverbs 1:10
My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. This is the story of a young man who is breaking free – maturing; growing; already flexing his wings for freedom. He is a young man who knew about being Conformed, Transformer and Renewing his mind. He had a plan!