Topic: The mind and the function of planning
Text: Matthew  1:18-21(AMP)
Key verse: And Joseph her [promised] husband, being a just and righteous man and not wanting to expose her publicly to shame, planned to send her away and divorce her quietly. – Matthew 1:19 

The mind is the place where issues are resolved first before they are executed.  every time faces a crisis the mind goes to work to analyze the danger,  and proceed to map out a plan on how to overcome it.  
In our text today,  Joseph was faced with a very embarrassing situation,  his engaged wife was already pregnant and he was not responsible.  He had ideas on how to get even with her,  but his character and nature as a just and righteous man prevented him from acting in a manner that would hurt her,  so he planned how to manage the situation until he was guided by the message from the angel. 
We make plans in our minds on how to achieve our goals, but if we are not led by the Holy Spirit we can come up with options outside the will and plan of God.  
For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 
God has plans and thoughts for you,  and there are favorable plans for your present and future.  You have to search out those plans and not rely on the ideas that come only from your mind. 
 The mind is limited in the access it has to every information about your past,  present, and future,  it can only analyze the information it has received. The source of Mary’s pregnancy was an information Joseph could never have believed if Mary had told him,  it required the visit of an angel to assure him of her innocence.  
Have you made decisions that you regretted later because you realized you did not have access to all the details as at the time you made up your mind?  
The winning mindset of a believer is to always rely on the Holy Spirit to guide your planning. Notwithstanding the evidence before you.  
Saul set out to destroy David because he believed the worst about him,  but David had no plans to take the throne from him.  
Everything  God wants to do for you will follow the predetermined plans.  To succeed in it,  you must seek the plan and work with it.  Building a house without a plan ends in disaster or abandoned projects. 
God called Moses and revealed the plan of how the Israelites will come out of Egypt to him,  this was different from the way Moses had set out several years earlier to rescue his brethren the Jews by killing Egyptians. 
“He performs what is planned (appointed) for me, And He is mindful of many such things. – Job 23:14 

Do you know that God will perform what is planned for you today?  Do you pray for those plans,  or do you seek only the thoughts that the mind can comprehend? 
Follow David’s example and seek to know God’s plan for every circumstance you are faced with. 

David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band [of raiders]? Will I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you will certainly overtake them, and you will certainly rescue [the captives].” – 1 Samuel 30:8 
Invite the Holy Spirit through prayers to reveal God’s plans to you especially things beyond human understanding. 
For God has unveiled them and revealed them to us through the [Holy] Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things [diligently], even [sounding and measuring] the [profound] depths of God [the divine counsels and things far beyond human understanding]. – 1 Corinthians 2:10 
Our victory in life is guaranteed when we make plans with the help of the Holy Spirit and our mind is guided by divine information. Decisions made concerning our children’s future must be influenced  by God and not trends 
In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].- Proverbs 3:6 
Prayer
️ *Father thank you for the gift of a sound mind,  l realize that my mind is deficient without you in guiding my planning,  help me Lord, to depend on the Holy Spirit as l plan in Jesus name, Amen*.
️ *Lord l know you have plans you have made for me,  l believe the plans are favorable for me,  perform them, Lord,  starting today until my life becomes a fruitful field in Jesus name Amen.* 
Blessings 
Roses&Thorns