Today, we meet some people who were just minding thier own business.

Read Mark 1:16-28

In verse 16 who do we meet?

What were they doing?

In verse 17 Jesus calls them away from their own plans.

What was their response?

Write Mark 1:17 in your journal.

What is Jesus telling the disciples to do?

And when they do what He says, what does He say He will do?

Our job is to Follow.

His job is to make.

It is as we follow Jesus, that He makes us into what He’s called us to be.

In this study, we will be diving deeper into what it means to follow Jesus in our everyday lives.

But for now, know that you don’t have to have it all together. You don’t have to be all cleaned up and perfect. It is when you follow Jesus, that He will take you from glory to glory, and He will make you fit like a puzzle piece right into the plans He has for you.

Write Isaiah 64:8 in your journal.

What does this say He is?

What does this say we are?

Squish Me Back Up!

I had a teacher in Bible College who prayed every day that God would squish up anything she was trying to make of herself and make her into what He wanted her to be.

You can pray a similar prayer, inviting God to be the Potter in your life.

Father God, I invite you to come into my life and be the Potter of my heart. Help me to be the clay in your hands and allow myself to be molded by You.  I choose to trust you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Two More Just Minding Their Own Business

In verse 19 we meet two more disciples.

Who are they?

Jesus also called them away from their own plans.

What was their response?

What are Your Plans?

Do you have your own plans?

What are they?

Look back at yesterday’s notes from your prayer asking God about His plans for you. How do your plans line up with what God has spoken to your heart about His purpose for you? Continue to pray about God’s next steps for you.

Living Everyday Life

It’s important to remember that while walking into God’s plan, it first starts with living your everyday life for Him. Be in the Word and prayer daily, seeking His direction.

Sometimes there are periods of waiting, where you just go about your business and wait for God to show up.

 It is in this time of waiting that it’s important not to try and open doors ourselves. That would be following our own plan.

It is when we wait patiently, following God in our everyday life, that He begins to open the doors for us.

What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open

Revelation 3:7 NLT

He’ll Open the Doors

Any door you try to open yourself will be much smaller than what God has. Wait for Him, and He will open the doors that no one else can open.

Let’s look again at Jesus calling the disciples.

Were the disciples trying to get Jesus to call them?

Or were they going about their business, and responded to His call?

And again, what was their response when He did call?

Respond

Dear sister in Christ, it is when we respond to the call of Jesus that we walk into His plans, not when we try and do things ourselves.

Live out your days, making time to sit at the feet of Jesus in reflection of the Word and in prayer, listen for His leading through those times, and respond.

Let’s end this section with prayer:

Father God, I receive the plans and purposes that you created me for. I surrender my own plans into your hands and ask that you’d help me to take the pressure off myself and simply respond to Your leading. And when I sense you leading me, help me to trust You enough to respond. Give me the courage to walk out of my own plans and into yours. In Jesus name, amen.

Until next time,

Carolyn