Introduction: Has there ever been a moment in your life when you felt like God was changing all of your well-thought-out, strategic plans? During the coronavirus pandemic, it seems to be one of those times. God is permitting everything to be changed. We are all recalculating and restructuring everything. Today, I’m looking at a moment in the Apostle Paul’s life when God changed everything about the plan but maintained the original purpose. Paul learned that every good thing is not a God thing! 1. A Good Plan Is Not Always God’s Plan: Acts 16:6-8 God’s plan is for us to consider whether a plan makes sense or not. • God doesn’t mean for us to follow Him mindlessly. • God expects us to plan and implement the plans. • God expects us to use our abilities and skill sets to share the Gospel. 2. Humility Is Necessary to Recognize When God Says “No”: Acts 16:6-8 Paul and his team accepted God’s “NO!” the first time, and then the second time. • Most leaders find it hard to admit uncertainty. Samuel, a judge of Israel, nearly anointed the wrong man king. (1 Sam. 16:1-13) • God saved Samuel and Paul from relying too much on their own wisdom. Your determination must always be seasoned with enough humility to accept “NO” as God’s answer. 3. Be Open to a New Direction: Acts 16:9-10 Two Dangers in Not Being Open to New Directions • Never assume you understood God perfectly the first time and stop listening. • Not realizing that God is in the recalculating process. During times of recalculating, don’t become rigid but be open to listening. Not knowing what is next is not an end point, but only a phase on the journey. Now we must seek God and listen to His YES and NO. • When He speaks, be bold and decisive. • God’s way is the best way. • Where He leads is the best place for each one of us to be. Weekly Questions: 1. Has your view of the COVID-19 recalculation changed as you listened to the message today? How do you view this recalculation differently? 2. Has God ever told you “No”? Has God ever answered “Yes”? How did both change you?

[learn_press_profile]