A Thought From the Intentional Living Center
Plan of Action
Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Luke 24:12 NIV
Even if you’ve never worked at a corporation, you’ve probably heard of it.
Strategic planning is the sometimes laborious process companies go through on a regular basis to set the goals, objectives and timelines by which things are going to be accomplished. The problem is, many organizations will come up with a plan that either far too detailed, or simply too ambitious to be achieved. As a result, little if anything gets accomplished because the employees become frustrated or lackadaisical.
Today’s verse shows the value of action. When Peter heard that Christ had risen, it wasn’t enough for him to know. Peter had to see it for himself. Perhaps he had planned what he would do on this occasion. When the time came, he responded proactively and without delay.
Follow Peter’s simple example by Holding yourself accountable to actually do whatever has been planned for your role, even if you don’t like it and Moving forward without hesitation and with a positive attitude.
Today’s Guest
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Available at Amazon[/caption]
Dr. Tony Evans
Dr. Tony Evans Teaches Christians How to Discover God’s Will for Their Lives
Destiny: Let God Use You Like He Made You
About Dr. Tony Evans
Dr. Tony Evans has devoted his Christian life to a single-minded pursuit of God’s will for his life – his destiny.
Growing up in the inner city, he saw first-hand the problems that many urban kids face – poverty, violence, promiscuity and addiction. He was the oldest of four children, and his parents argued constantly.
“I could have ended up a casualty of a broken family, like so many of the kids around me in Baltimore,” he says. “But my life was forever changed the year I turned 10. That was the year my dad turned to Jesus.”
Eventually, the whole family followed Arthur Evans, because he was on fire for the Lord. “Whenever my dad wasn’t working, he’d take me along to pass out biblical tracts on street corners or in visits to the local prison,” Dr. Evans says.
For 35 years, his father had to lift heavy boxes as a longshoreman. But on Sunday mornings, even if he had to work all the night before, he’d wake his children up. And Dr. Evans would say, “But dad, I’m tired.”
His father would respond: “No, son. I’m the one who’s tired. But we are going to church. Because for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Arthur Evans taught his children a faith that left no room for compromise.
While Dr. Evans attended seminary, he worked at a bus station loading buses. When he began work on the overnight shift, he quickly realized that his co-workers were cheating their employer by sleeping on the job. Then one of the other men asked him to join the scam.
“When I told him that I couldn’t do it because of what God says about stealing, what I thought would be a great witnessing opportunity didn’t go over too well.”
The other men ostracized him for the next six months, making him load and unload buses by himself. Then his supervisor called him into his office, told him he knew all about the scam, promoted him to supervisor of the night shift and doubled his pay — all because he refused to compromise on biblical truth.
Dr. Evans is just as uncompromising today, and God has continued to honor his faithfulness. A few years ago, Christianity Today International named him one of the 10 most influential pastors of the past 50 years, along with the likes of Billy Graham and Rick Warren. Former President George W. Bush, a friend, credited Dr. Evans with inspiring his interest in faith-based initiatives.
He has written more than 50 books. His church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, began in his living room but now has 9,000 members. He has befriended and mentored many famous people but retained a heart for people who are hurting.
His wife, Lois, is a distinguished Christian leader in her own right, and all four of his children are in ministry.
There is no better example of the blessings that come from passionately pursuing God’s destiny for your life.
Today’s Resource
By Dr. Randy Carlson
The Power of One Thing invites you to begin moving toward change one daily, intentional step at a time. You’ll learn how to figure out which positive change can make the biggest payoff in your life; you’ll get practical tips from those who have already benefited from this plan; and you’ll see how your
one thing, lived intentionally over time, will help you to achieve the dreams you’d almost given up on.]]>
