Benjamin Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Having a purpose, pursuing a mission, setting goals, and navigating challenges in achieving them is an important part of maturing and progressing in life. However, not every purpose is virtuous. Not every mission is worthwhile. Nor is every achievement beneficial. The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12). Instead of developing your own plan, I implore you to adopt God’s plan and align your will to his. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear [honor] the Lord, and turn away from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7). If you endeavor by God’s grace and power to walk in his light rather than the darkness of the world, you must be discerning and intentional.
Be Discerning
Along life’s journey you encounter many good things, but not all that glitters is gold. Some good things seem beneficial on the surface or for a short time, but cause damage down the road. Making something appear attractive is a key way Satan tempts people like he did with Adam and Eve and Jesus (Genesis 3:1-24; Luke 4:1-13). Also something good is not worth pursuing if it keeps you from something better. Don’t be distracted by or settle for man’s good or the world’s good when God has the best.
We live in times that will challenge staying on track with God and his best. As I have written before (see Note #124 Understand the Times and Note #187 Be Strong and Courageous), there is a mighty, organized effort by several globalist and socialist groups to establish totalitarian control over what people say, what they think, what they do, what they own, how they worship, where they live, where they go, and even how they define themselves. The groups include the United Nations, the Chinese Communist Party, the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum with their strategically placed Young Global Leaders, and various billionaire globalists.
For instance, the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development states 17 goals to create a better world which sound good at first, but when you analyze the motive and methods of the various groups implementing them, it becomes clear the purpose is not for the benefit of all humanity, but rather a select few. Agenda implementers create unnecessary scarcity through real and perceived crises and draconian regulation which then develops dependence. We are experiencing this with the coronavirus pandemic, vaccine mandates and lockdowns, supply chain issues, climate change threats, farming restrictions, food and energy shortages, small business closures, inflation, and unemployment. This approach enables elite groups to exploit and control the rest of the populace. Another example is the Chinese Communist Party which presents China as a promoter of freedom and human rights, but behind that facade is an oppressive, state-run government which dictates people’s lives through military force and a social credit system. By leveraging cheap labor, infiltrating global and American leadership with socialist influencers and implementing an extensive Belt and Road Initiative in 140 countries, the CCP has made China the world’s largest economy and exporter and is stealthily advancing their 100-year agenda for world dominance by 2049. One last example is The World Economic Forum. They desire to drive The Fourth Industrial Revolution because they feel as stated on their website, “it is an opportunity to help everyone, including leaders, policy-makers and people from all income groups and nations, to harness converging technologies in order to create an inclusive, human-centered future.” It sounds altruistic, but it’s not. They feel transhumanism—merging machines and artificial intelligence with humans as the next evolutionary step necessary to make people more governable and the world more sustainable. They claim there are no human rights or national sovereignty, and free will was a theological mistake. They assert there is no God, Jesus was not the son of God, and Jesus’ resurrection is fake news. Yuval Harari, one of their top advisors, proudly claims, “In the Bible, God is the Creator. His chief power is to create; it creates animals and plants and humans according to his wishes. Now we are gaining this power to create life, just like God. And in a way, we even go beyond the biblical God.”
The apostle John warned Christians of such false teachers, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1 John 4:1-6).
Ultimately these globalist and socialist groups exemplify an age-long rebellion by people individually and corporately which rejects God’s holy character, benevolent rule, and faithful provision in favor of their own self-centered living. This is not a surprise. The Bible records a history of this abominable behavior by people and predicts a forthcoming new world order which will unite a humanistic one world government, economy, and religion (Revelation 13; Daniel 2:41-42, 7:16-24; Isaiah 14:12-14 ). It forms while denying God, oppressing Christians, and restricting freedom. Today as this evil, atheistic movement progresses, followers of Jesus need discernment on how to respond, not necessarily to avoid persecution (although admittedly no one wants to suffer), but more importantly to share the love and truth of God with others so they can come into a saving, everlasting relationship with God through Jesus. That is why believers are still on earth—to glorify God and become like Jesus by helping others come to know God.
Pray for wisdom on how to stand for what’s right, true, good, and loving in a broken, deceptive, evil, and cruel world. Think critically. Use discernment. Compare people’s claims with the truth in God’s word. Evaluate messages from the media instead of just accepting them as accurate. Columnist, Vicki Krueger, suggests six questions to ask: Who created or paid for the message? Who is the target audience? What is the product? What are the direct messages and indirect messages? What is omitted from the message? Fortunately, if you are a believer, God’s Holy Spirit will enlighten you. He will lead you into all truth, declare what is of Jesus, and tell you of things to come (John 16:13-15).
Be Intentional
When evaluating what others say and do to see if it aligns with God’s character and mission, make sure to include yourself. Prayerfully ask what is my purpose? What motivates me? Do I love God and others more than myself? Do I seek God to bless my plan or do I seek to bless God by joining his plan? Do I find my greatest pleasure in pleasing God? If you trust Jesus as your savior he is calling you to go to others, proclaim his truth and salvation, love and serve people, baptize those who respond, and teach them to obey all that he commands (Matthew 28:18-20). In doing so, you are engaging in spiritual battle. “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:10-13). Rest assured that the gates of hell will not prevail against believers acting in faith (Matthew 16:13-19). Although there are some remaining skirmishes until he returns to earth to consummate his kingdom, Jesus has already won the victory (Colossians 2:13-15). Nothing can separate you from his love and life (Romans 8:31-39). By his grace and power you can do all that he intends for you to do (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Desire to be with Jesus, to be like him, and to do what he does. Joyfully invest the time, talents, and treasure he has given you to reach others for his glory.
Conclusion
Evaluate seemingly good agendas for ulterior motives. Plan to live for God and others rather than for yourself or this world. It won’t be easy, but it will be eternally worth it. When Jesus sent his followers to minister in surrounding communities he warned that the world would be hostile, but God would sustain them. He exhorted them to be as wise as serpents, but as harmless as doves. Likewise as you represent Jesus as salt and light in this world, expect opposition. Yet respond with grace and peace. Avoid snares set to entrap you. Be shrewd in analyzing your audience. Find creative ways to proclaim the gospel. Serve blamelessly. Be sanctified by the truth, then share it in love. Live in the world, but not of the world. Fearlessly endure as you rely on God. He will take care of you (Matthew 5:13-16, 10:5-42; John 17:14-26).