Purpose and a Plan Part 2

Teachable Woman Podcast

God’s Purposes and Plans

Reverends Michele Owes and Diana P. Cherry

Rev. Michele Owes: [00:00:00] Welcome back. Welcome back to the Teachable Woman Podcast. We are so excited to be with you this evening. I am Reverend Michele Owes. I am with the one and only Reverend, Mrs. Diana P. Cherry, and together we are Teachers of Good Things. Mrs. Cherry, say hello to our family.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Hello, Podcast Family. I want you to know that Reverend Owes and I had a delightful time before we started this podcast. I want you to know to rejoice in the Lord always. And I love you. Always rejoice in Him. Be thankful to Him and bless His holy name because truly, you don't know what we went through, but we know what we went through, and we are grateful.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: We are thankful and I'm so happy that we made it to be able to say hello [00:01:00] podcast family once more.

Rev. Michele Owes: Amen. He is faithful, isn't he?

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: He is.

Rev. Michele Owes: Before I do a review, Mrs. Cherry, in her wonderful way, is letting you all know we had some technical difficulties before we could get our voices on the air tonight. But, God prevailed, and we are here, and we are so happy to be with you on our last podcast. We talked about purpose and a plan. We wanted you to know that God always has a plan and God's plan for mankind is that we would be fruitful, multiply, and subdue.

Rev. Michele Owes: And that we would replenish the earth. So we all have the same purpose. We don't want you to feel like we all will do the same things in life. Like we're all going to be lawyers are all going to be teachers or doctors, so on and so forth. That's not the case, but we do all have to do the [00:02:00] same thing according to the will of God, while we're in.

Rev. Michele Owes: The professions that God allows us to have with the talents that he is so blessed us with. But we also mentioned that we have one task while we're here. In addition to the purpose that we're here, we have an assignment. And that assignment for each of us is the same. And that assignment is that we would be a witness unto our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Rev. Michele Owes: We talked about the fact that a witness is able to bring forth evidence. We briefly talked about a court scene and that we may be holding God hostage, if you will, regarding whether we are sharing with the world that he is Lord. God wants people to believe him. We are his witnesses that He is God.

Rev. Michele Owes: With that said, we will get started and [00:03:00] on what we will share tonight. But before that, Mr. Cherry is going to give us just a little more detail on being fruitful and multiplying, replenishing, and subduing because it's not what I thought in my carnal mind. Years ago, I thought it meant I had to have a lot of children.

Rev. Michele Owes: God and I were going to hit our fork in the road if that's what it really meant. And thank God for a Bible-Believing, Bible-Teaching Church that could straighten my mind and my thoughts on how to rightly divide that scripture. All right, Mrs. Cherry.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: When I was listening to the podcast, and I was listening to us teaching about having the same purpose and explaining that it doesn't mean that we all are going to do the same work, the same job. I thought about the fact that everything that God made has a purpose. And if [00:04:00] God had a commonality of purpose for everything that he made, doesn't it seem logical that he would have a commonality of purpose for the apex of his creation? I mean, think about it.

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: The difference between us and animals is that we have a will. We can choose to conform to the plan and purpose of God, or we can choose not to. Animals have no choice. A dog is going to bark, a cat's going to meow. The cow is going to moo. Every horse is going to

Rev. Michele Owes: hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: He made everything that he made with a common commonality of purpose. Doesn't it seem logical that he would give a common purpose to the apex [00:05:00] of his creation?

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: I mean, just think about it. The difference is animals have no ability to disobey God. They just do what his word said that they would do. We, on the other hand have what I call a divine center of choice. are the only ones that I'm aware of, of God's creation that can choose not to obey him. And then when we choose not to obey him, we say things like, know, I just, I can't believe it.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: I feel like this is, I feel like that's not right. I just feel like do it this way. It doesn't make any difference what we feel like. The thing is, God made us male with one purpose to glorify [00:06:00] him. To be fruitful, to multiply, all those things we discussed, and we can choose to disobey him. But just because we choose not to conform to his plan and purpose for us, it does not mean that God is pleased with our choices. Something happened in the book of Genesis. God said you know, it was so, and it, you know, he did this and it was so, and it w it was, and you know, everything was almost like a little song. It, it was this, and it was this, let there be light. And it was so let there be creatures in the sea. And it was so, but when he got to man, he did something a little. He commanded the man, and that set up. Our divine center of choice set up our [00:07:00] will, and man is the only creation that God made that can choose to disobey him. Choose not to conform to the commonality of his purpose and plan for our lives. Choose to do his own thing. Choose that, you know, that's right. God made a difference in us because he wants us to choose him. wants us

Rev. Michele Owes: Yes.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: He wants us to do what he wants.

Rev. Michele Owes: That's right.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: The word witness also means that we bear witness by our death.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: It means martyr. We're to die to self. So there are

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm hmm.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: that I would like to do. There are lots of things that I have done were totally against the will of God. God didn't kill me, and God forgave me.

Rev. Michele Owes: Well, we thank God for that.[00:08:00]

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: But it was my choice. You know, it was never God.

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm-hmm. Mm

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: I wanted to point out that those of us who might not think that we have that commonality of purpose might not think that all of us have the same role in the earth as man and woman, as God's top-notch creation.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: And maybe we don't believe that. Well, I don't think God would make every creature. That's way below us, and they can do exactly what God said. They all have the same purpose and the same plan. I don't think he would make the apex of his creation and not give us the same purpose and plan.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: So it's something to think about. as it relates to being a witness, think about the fact that God wants us to die to self [00:09:00] so that his will can be done in our lives. We're not, none of us are able to do his will. we try to do our own thing now. We can do our own thing.

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm-hmm.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: It's not his perfect plan for our lives. So I just wanted to share that little additional tidbit about plan and purpose and witnessing.

Rev. Michele Owes: Yes. You know, what I find so interesting about what you said is that you know, God tells us that he has given us Life and death, blessings and cursings, but he gives us the opportunity to choose life. And in choosing life, we are choosing his plan. We are choosing his purpose. For our lives. Most of us have, as you said, made our own decisions, made our own choices.

Rev. Michele Owes: We followed our own will. [00:10:00] And for most of us, if we're honest with ourselves, it was to not, you know, whatever that, oh, our own will is what I'm going to do, what I'm going to do. It didn't work out. And we've had a lifetime, many of us of our own will. This is what caused us to choose Jesus because we realized that our own choices were not working out.

Rev. Michele Owes: Right. We all had a reason that drew us to the altar. We all had a reason that caused us to accept Jesus Christ or a multitude of reasons if you will, that drew us to the altar. And God wants us to choose life. And in essence, he wants us to choose his will because Jesus is the way the truth and the life.

Rev. Michele Owes: So we have life in him. But way back in Jeremiah as it relates to the purpose and that God always has a plan in Jeremiah chapter 29, verse number 11, he says, for I know [00:11:00] the thoughts that I think toward you

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Yes.

Rev. Michele Owes: the Lord. There are thoughts of peace.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Yes.

Rev. Michele Owes: and not of evil to give you an expected end, which means to give you hope for your future.

Rev. Michele Owes: God already has a plan for our lives and thoughts toward us. But we tend not to think that God knows us or that God has a plan or that God is too busy. But in the creation of us, even in Jeremiah chapter one, he said, before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee. And before we came forth out of our mother's womb, he ordained us with purpose.

Rev. Michele Owes: And so we're not an afterthought to God.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: huh.

Rev. Michele Owes: Our lives are not You know, we do things haphazardly. We can throw some things together, but that's [00:12:00] not how God works. God has supremely planned all things, including our lives. And if we follow his purpose and plan, we will find the peace we seek.

Rev. Michele Owes: The love that we need is there. We'll find the joy that he so planned for us. We will find that we're able to exercise our faith and our belief in the testimony of God. We're able to be good and gentle, and we're able to Have temperance, which is not self-control but allowing the word of God to control us and set the boundaries for our lives.

Rev. Michele Owes: And so we'll find that the fruit of God's spirit will be demonstrated in our lives when we choose his plan. And you know, the interesting thing about it, Mrs. [00:13:00] Chair, is we cannot see the benefit of choosing God's plan until we choose it. We see, we see the benefit on the other side. You cannot know what God is doing in advance.

Rev. Michele Owes: That's not how God works with us. We've got to trust him first. We have to trust and obey. There was an old song out there that it's the only way to be happy in Jesus is if you trust and obey. But when we do what God instructs us to do. Then we're able to see in the by and by as they say, Oh, now I see why God wanted this done this way.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: He said,

Rev. Michele Owes: Look at what God

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: my

Rev. Michele Owes: has done.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: not your ways, you know, and

Rev. Michele Owes: No,

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: true. I love what you said, because of us are at those crossroads. like, I just can't believe what mama said, what grandma said, or what, Reverend Mrs. Olds said Reverend Mrs. Deanna P. Cherry's. I can't believe that. I just don't think all that's [00:14:00] necessary, but you know, the bottom line is doesn't make any difference what you think. And, and like Reverend Olds said, you're not going to know until you do it. God's not going to give you a sample.

Rev. Michele Owes: right.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: not going to let you taste it.

Rev. Michele Owes: That's right. That's right. That's right.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: You got to die. to flesh choose him. And that's just the way it is. He died for us. We're supposed to live for him. But first we got to die to self before we can live for him. And the only

Rev. Michele Owes: That is true.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: is to just do it. that commercial said, just do it, just do it. Just give Jesus a try. You know, just, you tried everything else.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: You've tried boyfriends, girls,

Rev. Michele Owes: Yes,

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: my friends, you tried fads. And you know, my definition of fads is fast and disappearing styles. You've tried everything and everything has let you down. [00:15:00] And I say,

Rev. Michele Owes: that is true. You

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: crucify yourself, become a mother, put him on, and honestly, you're going to be so much better off.

Rev. Michele Owes: I think knowing that someone loves you unconditionally, that someone created you with a purpose and a plan, and that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. In other words, unique. There's nobody else like you. God took time and crafted you. And in your crafting was the purpose and the plan for your life.

Rev. Michele Owes: He set the bounds of your habitations when you would be born and where you would be. He did all of that. In the foreknowledge of who you were created to be. And so what God has [00:16:00] planned for us is really better than anything we could plan for ourselves. And most of us know that we've been trying to run the show for a long time.

Rev. Michele Owes: And we about run that thing into the ground and we just need to just give up and say it's yours. Jesus. Just look, tell me what to do. Lord. I'll do it. Tell me where to go. I'll go. Tell me what to say. I'll say and just cave in. Right? We can tell this based on the political climate of our country at this moment.

Rev. Michele Owes: There's so much that appears not in our control, but we do have a God who sits high, looks low, who knows everything, and there is nothing hidden from him. That if we, as his people, called by his name, would humble [00:17:00] ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways as the Bible refers to them, then he will hear from heaven and heal our land.

Rev. Michele Owes: And we certainly need healing in our land. Our responsibility as a witness is also to be in fellowship and communication with God.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Mm

Rev. Michele Owes: Our responsibility as we multiply and are fruitful and subdue and replenish the earth is also to communicate with the source of God. of all life. And so, as we pray and seek the will of God, we should be able to watch God do and perform his will in the earth.

Rev. Michele Owes: So part of our responsibility to upkeep this relationship that we [00:18:00] have with God is to communicate with him in prayer. And he said, For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord. They are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you hope for your future or the expected end. So what we want to know is, you know, we want to ask God, What is your plan for my life?

Rev. Michele Owes: What is it that you would have me to do? Where is it that you would have me to be?

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: and

Rev. Michele Owes: Where do you want me to be? You go.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: and rather than becoming overly bogged down in situations, circumstances, stuff that's going on around us in the world turn to God, seek him. Make your requests known unto him. Ask him to lead you, to guide you and to direct you. Tell him what you feel. A prayer is just simply talking to God. I talk to [00:19:00] God just like he's my husband here with me. Sometimes, you know, whatever it is, the Lord, should I really put this on? Or should I do, I mean, simple things. I talk to

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: is all. That I have, especially in the place where I am right now with my family out here, and I talk to God. He will hear. He will. He listens. First of all, he's not like a husband. Sometimes they listen. Sometimes God always listens. He always hears us. And

Rev. Michele Owes: Yes,

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: does not want us to be overly worried about what's going on. The scripture that Sister O's just quoted say, He'll give you peace. Our peace is in Him. If we're in a righteous state with Him, gives us peace. We do His will, be with us. We can't [00:20:00] change things. We can't change the world. We can't change the political situations that are going on in the country, but we serve a God who's able to change hearts. And

Rev. Michele Owes: yes he is. Mm hmm. Mm

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: to be discouraged downtrodden and full of worry. God gives us the sufficiency of his grace to endure whatever it is. And he gives us his mercy, mercy kept

Rev. Michele Owes: hmm.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: his grace found us his mercy

Rev. Michele Owes: That's right.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: to keep us. I really want to encourage everybody. know that God loves you. Know that he has a plan for you. Know that he has purpose for you. And while we might have a situation where we're not [00:21:00] busy, Because we can't go back to those offices that we used to have. spend more time seeking God, speak, spend more

Rev. Michele Owes: Mm-hmm.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Spend more time being standing with God. And I guarantee will hear you. He will answer your prayers, and he will give you peace, and peace is what you need, not a position, is what you need. and he is

Rev. Michele Owes: Amen. Amen.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: He is the prince of peace. I really want to encourage the podcast viewers. be by the circumstances that might be going on in our lives. They have changed, but remember, serve a never changing God in an ever-changing world. This is [00:22:00] just another change that's going through, but it has nothing to do with us.

Rev. Michele Owes: Want to confirm what you just said scripturally. Because verse number 12 says, Then ye shall call upon me. And you shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you, and ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And so we hear that great requirement in terms of our communication and fellowship.

Rev. Michele Owes: It's a heartfelt one. It's not a mind. It's a heart. God wants us to be in communion with him. So when we seek him, we will find him when we search for him with all our hearts. And we have just shared and poured out for this podcast. We want to thank you for joining us. We look forward to you being with us for our next one.

Rev. Michele Owes: [00:23:00] And Mrs. Cherry, we are announcing again our up-and-coming women's retreat July 17 through 20 back in Houston, Texas, back at the same hotel. We would love for you to join us. Go to our website, teachablewoman. com. And click up at the top right on retreat information for 2025, and it's all there. People are already registering.

Rev. Michele Owes: So please make sure that you reserve your slot. We want you with

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Yes. And make sure that whatever situations you're in make your life a difference. Be that credible witness. Let all bitterness and wrath and lying and cheating, let all that stuff pass by you. And if someone asks you, what is that hope? Why are you so happy? How can you go through this? let them know that I have the Lord Jesus Christ in my heart [00:24:00] let him shine forth.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: Make your life make a difference.

Rev. Michele Owes: Amen.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: don't have to be like the

Rev. Michele Owes: Amen. We

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: us. He will take care of us. Do our part and we can rest assured that God's gonna do his part. God bless you. Walk in peace. Walk in love.

Rev. Michele Owes: love you.

Rev. Diana P. Cherry: you. Good night.