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JUBILEE
on-line magazine
Truth.Culture.Style
God Has a Plan For You!
by Gloria Copeland
by Gloria Copeland
Initially, most people are excited when they realize God has a Master Plan for their lives.
Their hearts leap at the thought of discovering their divine calling and destiny. Eager to
pursue their God-ordained purpose, they lace up their spiritual running shoes and get ready
to go for it.
Sadly, however, many of those people stumble and fall before they even get started. They
trip over the same obstacle that has stopped countless others from wholeheartedly
following God’s Master Plan.
They are stopped cold by fear.
What are they afraid of?
Any number of things. They’re afraid God’s plan will be too hard, that it will cost them more
than it will pay. They’re afraid His plan won’t be any fun, or that it will leave them unfulfilled,
dissatisfied and deprived of the pleasures of life. They’re afraid God will ask more from
them than they have the strength to give.
But, according to the Bible, nothing could be further from the truth. It tells us again and again
that God is good, and that His plans for us are glorious. It assures us He will give us the
desires of our hearts and, when the going gets tough, He’ll substitute His strength for our
weakness.
I’ve done a lot of studying and preaching about the goodness of God and found that many
people are totally shocked when they realize how good God actually is. For years, they’ve
believed all the pain and heartache they’ve experienced in life has come from Him. Some
have been religiously taught that God sends those hurts and hardships to teach them
something. Some think God could help them if He wanted to, but He just doesn’t care.
Others have been hurt and disappointed so many times, they’ve come to the conclusion
God is simply against them, that He truly is knocking them in the head.
But the fact is, God is not the source of pain and suffering in the world. He’s not our problem.
Satan, the enemy of God, is the problem. He is the one who has bad plans for people. He is
the one who is trying to steal from them and destroy them every time they turn around. God
is endeavoring to bless us and give us abundant life. Jesus Himself told us that in John 10:
10: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that [you] may have
and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (AMP).
Get Ready for Some Surprises
God’s shining path—glorious as it may be—is anything but predictable. There are always
surprises along the way. Some of the things God has planned for you may even shock you
at first. They may be entirely different from what you had in mind for your life. I’m living proof
of that.
The last thing I ever thought I’d be was a Bible teacher. I had other ideas for my life. When I
was in high school, I set my sights on a job that would allow me to travel and make a little
money in the process. Compared to what I do now, that job looks so pitiful and low it seems
almost silly. But I was excited about it back then. I hadn’t been anywhere. I hadn’t done
anything much. So it looked big to me.
I didn’t plan on marrying for a while, either. I wanted to be on my own, and when I did marry, I
certainly didn’t want to marry a preacher. I always said that was one thing I’d never do.
In a way, I kept that promise because Ken appeared to be anything but a preacher when I
married him. He didn’t look like a preacher, he didn’t talk like a preacher, and he didn’t act
like a preacher. Professionally, he was a pilot. Socially, he was a comedian and the life of
every party. So the preacher part of him was well disguised.
Still, it was a miracle that we ever got together. I’m convinced that the only reason it
happened was because it was a part of God’s Master Plan for our lives.
Although neither of us was born again back then, God knew our hearts. He knew we were
going to respond to Him down the road. He knew the end from the beginning (as only He
can), so in His mercy and grace He was maneuvering us into place even before we
committed our lives to Him.
Actually, Ken and I would never have met had my father not insisted on it. He met Ken at a
party one Saturday night, was impressed with him and wanted to introduce me to him. As a
college girl, I couldn’t have cared less about meeting my dad’s friends. But he insisted, so
Sunday morning we went to meet Ken at the insurance company penthouse where he was
staying.
When Ken opened the door, it looked to me like a light was shining behind him. At the time,
I assumed it was natural light coming from a window. But years later, when I went back to
that place, I realized there was no window there. The light I had seen must have been a
supernatural kind of light.
While the others chatted inside, Ken and I went out on the balcony that overlooked he city
and talked for a while. It was amazing how comfortable I felt with him. Later, when we took
him to the airport, we were walking side by side and I just patted him on the back like I’d
known him forever. Then he went home to Texas and I went back to college.
About six weeks later, I was home from college one weekend. Though I had not heard
anything from Ken since we’d met weeks earlier, I knew he was going to call me that
weekend! My parents were going out of town and invited me to go along, but something—
now I realize it was the Spirit of God—told me not to go because that guy I had met weeks
before was going to call.
So I stayed home and, sure enough, he called. We had our first date and when we got
home that night, he walked me to the porch and then did something that totally stunned me.
He asked, “Will you marry me?”
Dear heavens! He hadn’t even kissed me. I was so shaken by his abrupt proposal that
before I even thought about it, I said, “OK.” Then I went into the house and closed the door.
(We still laugh about that abrupt proposal and acceptance.)
After I went to bed that night the reality of what I’d done began to dawn on me. I lay awake for
hours thinking, Why did I say that? I don’t want to get married. I hardly know this guy. I’ve only
been with him a few hours. What was I thinking?
As I finally drifted off to sleep, I shrugged the whole thing off. Oh well, I thought, I can get out
of it later.
More than 45 years have come and gone since then and I’m not out of it yet. I’m in deeper
than ever…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Perhaps today you’re like I was when I first connected with God’s Master Plan. Perhaps you
have some ideas of your own that you hope will be included in God’s plan for you. That’s
OK…but be ready for some surprises because God may just have a better idea.
Their hearts leap at the thought of discovering their divine calling and destiny. Eager to
pursue their God-ordained purpose, they lace up their spiritual running shoes and get ready
to go for it.
Sadly, however, many of those people stumble and fall before they even get started. They
trip over the same obstacle that has stopped countless others from wholeheartedly
following God’s Master Plan.
They are stopped cold by fear.
What are they afraid of?
Any number of things. They’re afraid God’s plan will be too hard, that it will cost them more
than it will pay. They’re afraid His plan won’t be any fun, or that it will leave them unfulfilled,
dissatisfied and deprived of the pleasures of life. They’re afraid God will ask more from
them than they have the strength to give.
But, according to the Bible, nothing could be further from the truth. It tells us again and again
that God is good, and that His plans for us are glorious. It assures us He will give us the
desires of our hearts and, when the going gets tough, He’ll substitute His strength for our
weakness.
I’ve done a lot of studying and preaching about the goodness of God and found that many
people are totally shocked when they realize how good God actually is. For years, they’ve
believed all the pain and heartache they’ve experienced in life has come from Him. Some
have been religiously taught that God sends those hurts and hardships to teach them
something. Some think God could help them if He wanted to, but He just doesn’t care.
Others have been hurt and disappointed so many times, they’ve come to the conclusion
God is simply against them, that He truly is knocking them in the head.
But the fact is, God is not the source of pain and suffering in the world. He’s not our problem.
Satan, the enemy of God, is the problem. He is the one who has bad plans for people. He is
the one who is trying to steal from them and destroy them every time they turn around. God
is endeavoring to bless us and give us abundant life. Jesus Himself told us that in John 10:
10: “The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that [you] may have
and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (AMP).
Get Ready for Some Surprises
God’s shining path—glorious as it may be—is anything but predictable. There are always
surprises along the way. Some of the things God has planned for you may even shock you
at first. They may be entirely different from what you had in mind for your life. I’m living proof
of that.
The last thing I ever thought I’d be was a Bible teacher. I had other ideas for my life. When I
was in high school, I set my sights on a job that would allow me to travel and make a little
money in the process. Compared to what I do now, that job looks so pitiful and low it seems
almost silly. But I was excited about it back then. I hadn’t been anywhere. I hadn’t done
anything much. So it looked big to me.
I didn’t plan on marrying for a while, either. I wanted to be on my own, and when I did marry, I
certainly didn’t want to marry a preacher. I always said that was one thing I’d never do.
In a way, I kept that promise because Ken appeared to be anything but a preacher when I
married him. He didn’t look like a preacher, he didn’t talk like a preacher, and he didn’t act
like a preacher. Professionally, he was a pilot. Socially, he was a comedian and the life of
every party. So the preacher part of him was well disguised.
Still, it was a miracle that we ever got together. I’m convinced that the only reason it
happened was because it was a part of God’s Master Plan for our lives.
Although neither of us was born again back then, God knew our hearts. He knew we were
going to respond to Him down the road. He knew the end from the beginning (as only He
can), so in His mercy and grace He was maneuvering us into place even before we
committed our lives to Him.
Actually, Ken and I would never have met had my father not insisted on it. He met Ken at a
party one Saturday night, was impressed with him and wanted to introduce me to him. As a
college girl, I couldn’t have cared less about meeting my dad’s friends. But he insisted, so
Sunday morning we went to meet Ken at the insurance company penthouse where he was
staying.
When Ken opened the door, it looked to me like a light was shining behind him. At the time,
I assumed it was natural light coming from a window. But years later, when I went back to
that place, I realized there was no window there. The light I had seen must have been a
supernatural kind of light.
While the others chatted inside, Ken and I went out on the balcony that overlooked he city
and talked for a while. It was amazing how comfortable I felt with him. Later, when we took
him to the airport, we were walking side by side and I just patted him on the back like I’d
known him forever. Then he went home to Texas and I went back to college.
About six weeks later, I was home from college one weekend. Though I had not heard
anything from Ken since we’d met weeks earlier, I knew he was going to call me that
weekend! My parents were going out of town and invited me to go along, but something—
now I realize it was the Spirit of God—told me not to go because that guy I had met weeks
before was going to call.
So I stayed home and, sure enough, he called. We had our first date and when we got
home that night, he walked me to the porch and then did something that totally stunned me.
He asked, “Will you marry me?”
Dear heavens! He hadn’t even kissed me. I was so shaken by his abrupt proposal that
before I even thought about it, I said, “OK.” Then I went into the house and closed the door.
(We still laugh about that abrupt proposal and acceptance.)
After I went to bed that night the reality of what I’d done began to dawn on me. I lay awake for
hours thinking, Why did I say that? I don’t want to get married. I hardly know this guy. I’ve only
been with him a few hours. What was I thinking?
As I finally drifted off to sleep, I shrugged the whole thing off. Oh well, I thought, I can get out
of it later.
More than 45 years have come and gone since then and I’m not out of it yet. I’m in deeper
than ever…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Perhaps today you’re like I was when I first connected with God’s Master Plan. Perhaps you
have some ideas of your own that you hope will be included in God’s plan for you. That’s
OK…but be ready for some surprises because God may just have a better idea.
Gloria Copeland is the co-pastor of Kenneth Copeland
Ministries in Newark, TX. Kenneth and Gloria preach faith,
love, healing, prosperity, redemption, righteousness, the
anointing and the principles of victorious Christian living.
Visit their website at www.kcm.org.
Ministries in Newark, TX. Kenneth and Gloria preach faith,
love, healing, prosperity, redemption, righteousness, the
anointing and the principles of victorious Christian living.
Visit their website at www.kcm.org.
