On-line Devotional by Kurt Koerth
Senior Pastor // August 2008

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
- Isaiah 55:8-9

Christian Friends,
Have you ever been so audacious as to tell God what you are and aren’t going to do? In humiliation, I must admit that I have…several times. Let me share one instance. When I gave my life to the Lord and trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins I made a statement. I said, “Jesus, I give You my life and You can do whatever You want with it, but I won’t do public speaking.” I made that comment because I was terrified of speaking in front of others. Whenever I had to give an oral report in school I wouldn’t be able to sleep the night before, and I couldn’t even eat until after I had made my speech. In the moments leading up to my speaking my resting heart rate probably topped at about 170!

Now, this is all quite humorous and a testimony to God’s power in a persons life considering the Lord’s calling for me. At the age of 22 I sensed that God was leading me into public preaching, but not without my resistance. I remember my first invitation to preach at a church service (There were probably about 15-20 people attending that little storefront church at the time). The pastor called my house and left a message. He asked if I would be available to teach that Sunday because his wife had gone into labor and he wouldn’t be at church. I didn’t return his call and I deliberately missed church that Sunday. Over a decade has passed since that incident and I have preached well over 1,000 public sermons all to the glory of God. Indeed, God’s ways are not our ways.

Although I admit that I have been presumptuous with God, I am not alone. Even the apostle Paul jumped to conclusions from time to time. Consider his writing to the Christians in Rome.

Rom 15:23-25
But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

A few verses later

Rom 15:28-29
So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

Paul’s intentions were to stop in Rome and take part in mutual edification with the church before continuing on into Spain. He mentions to the Roman Christians that he will visit them “in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.” Paul did make it to Rome, but consider his journey. While in Jerusalem he was beaten and arrested for preaching Christ. Ultimately, Paul appeals to Caesar and, as a Roman citizen, he is granted his request. Paul set sail for Rome as a prisoner (Acts 27:1). His trip to Rome was in the winter which made for a dangerous voyage. As a result, the vessel was shipwrecked near a tiny island named Malta (Acts 27:41-28:1).
While on the island Paul was bitten by a viper (Acts 28:3). Three months later Paul finally makes it to Rome in chains . The book of Acts ends with these words…..

Acts 28:30-31
For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is commonly accepted that Paul died as a martyr in Rome without ever traveling to Spain, as was his intention.

What’s my point you ask. My point is that it’s ok to make plans and have dreams. There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious and setting goals. However, we must always be aware that God may have other plans, or He may want to alter our intentions. Let us never forget that, as good as our plans may be, God’s ways are not always our ways, but His ways are always the best ways.

Trusting God‘s ways,
Pastor Kurt // pastorkurt@prodigy.net