Building According To the Pattern

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Text: Gen.6:14-16

14 Make yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.

Intro
This is the second part of our Sermon Series on Intentional Planning for Productivity. Last week we considered some elements of planning as well as how the bible sees it. Today, we are going a step further to bring practical applications to our lives- by considering the topic Building According to the Pattern- i.e God’s pattern for our lives. God has a pattern or plan for each of us and we will do well for our lives to discover and follow God’s plans concerning and ordering our lives accordingly.

WHAT IS A PATTERN
A pattern is a:
Design or model or specimen or plan from which a thing can be made.
Form or model proposed for imitation.

Examples in Scripture
The Ark of Noah – Gen.6:14-16 – FASHION
The Tabernacle of Moses –Exo.25:8-9- PATTERN -And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. 9 According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.
The Tabernacle of David -1Chro.15:13, 15- Due order.- 13 For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order.” 15 And the children of the Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders, by its poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord.

The Temple of Solomon. IIChro.1-5 –The Pattern
The Temple of Ezekiel. Eze.43:10-14 – The Pattern.
In each of the examples above, there was full obedience to the divine pattern and in all the cases God showed up gloriously as a mark of approval.
Please note, in each of these cases, God could have spoken into being what He wanted, but He chose rather to invite the people into partnership with him which they obliged. In doing this, He did the following:
He showed the people what they were
to build i.e He gave them a vision or a strong desire for something.
He gave them the materials specification.
He imparted to them the required skills and in some cases linked them to where the skills could be found.
God is doing the same thing in our lives today.
He has a plan for our lives and is calling us into partnership to work out this plan.–Jer.29:4-11 because:
God’s purpose for each of us is carried out when His pattern or plans are followed in our lives e.g –Gen.1-3Adam & Eve.
Faith and personal submission to God will be required to receive, carry, birth and work the plans – Lu.1:45- Mary
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

RECEIVING THE PLANS
God’s plans are revealed or unfolded to us in stages or in steps.
Psm.37:23-24 “ The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
Psm.119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.

Isa.28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.”
Some even come to us by chance occurrences or opportunities e.g
Ruth
Ruth.2:3 Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.
King Saul’s staff
1Sam.16:18. Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”
David
1Sam. 17:23 Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them.

But not all opportunities or open doors are of God e.g
-David/king Saul – 1Sam.24 &26
– Jesus/The Multitude – John 6:15

HOW DO I KNOW WHEN AN OPEN DOOR IS NOT FROM GOOD
God will never break His word. Whenever prophecy goes against the principles of God’s word side the word, reject prophecy or the situation.Isa.55:11,Matth.24:35
Learn to hear from God for yourself particularly the inner witness. Start with the simple decision or matter in your life. Remember that very often in life, we discover how to follow God by learning from our mistakes-Acts 16:6-10
If your heart is uneasy, distressed or apprehensive and peace seems to be elusive, please reject or walk away from that “opportunity” Acts27:10-11
If you must defraud, or cheat or lie or scheme out someone in order to claim an opportunity, please know that opportunity is not of God.-Mk.14:1,11
Seek the counsel of matured Christians or mentor.
Pray and ask for divine guidance and mercy.
Pray more in the spirit for a good while and then follow your heart.
Be yourself – contrast Moses/Joshua
John the Baptist/Jesus

WORKING THE PLAN
Now, you have an idea of the plan God has in mind for you. Take the following steps.
Write it down as clearly as you can. Hab.2:2-3
Research the plan or elements or aspects of what you have written down. –Dan.9:2
Count the cost i.e –Lu.14:28-32
– Resource requirement
– Human factor requirement e.t.c
– Location and why
Anticipate obstacles/opposition
Be ready to stay the course
Reassess and adapt periodically
Fast and pray often.

Dr. Udoh
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