Why would a god need a plan if he's omnipotent?

Not necessarily so. Omnipotence as defined as early as Augustine in th 3rd Century is the ability to do anything that is NOT contradictory.

It is my firm believe that God is love and wishes us to be one with Him in that love. Love is best when it is returned so He would want us to love as well. But love by its very nature cannot be forced and remain love. By definition it MUST be freely given. So God could not create us already "loving" Him... that would be a contradiction. That is what I see as the entire purpose of our physical lives. Here were are given the complete freedom to select to do any and all evil even though that leads away from God and from love because it is ONLY when we have the freedom to do evil that we also have the freedom to reject that evil and do the good that leads towards God and love.

That scenario also explains why direct knowledge of God's existence is denied to us as such knowledge would interfere with the freedom of your choice. You would never think of swiping something you wanted if there was a cop right there looking at you.

This life is a classroom. One lesson is taught... true self less love.

Personally I do not think anyone could have come up with a more perfect plan.

Exactly, that means God has a certain way to make his desire come true, e.g : The New Testament is the salvation plan God makes and offers to man, so that man can be His children.

Perhaps you can have some more information from the site below, (click the pic):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelangelo_48/1215...

This is a common misconception. God does not plan. Instead he purposes. Check the definitions. and you will see the truth of that.

As an example. God has a purpose for the earth.

"18 For this is what Jehovah says,

The Creator of the heavens,+ the true God,

The One who formed the earth, its Maker who firmly established it,+

Who did not create it simply for nothing,* but formed it to be inhabited:..."___Isaiah 45:18

So the earth, the literal planet will not be burned up or destroyed or ruined. It will be inhabited. And Psalm 37:29 says the inhabitants will be human. It also says they will be on the earth a very long time.

His very name, Jehovah, literally means he will become. That tells us that he will do whatever it takes within the constraints he has placed to accomplish that purpose.

Looking for loop holes with God is a foolish endeavor.

He could, but that wouldn't be right. Sinners have to voluntarily repent to be saved.

@nytebreid- true love is never forced or created, but is proven and learnt

if you love God, then try not to sin. The same was for Adam, if you love God, then respect Him

A faithful person accepts that GOD has HIS ways. We cannot understand GOD other than that HE is our creator and gave us graciously liberties to have a life on earth. Our free will. Free will means we go our own path. Holy scriptures should guide us with our path. Free will means also that one has to have an open mind. Challenging the free will and faith of believing people is a pseudo-philosophical mockery of unintelligent know-it-all's.

You have hit the nail on the head. Believers claim that their god knows past, present and future, therefore, something wrong somewhere if he needs a plan. Such happens when they continue to praise their lord too much.

It is a plan for his children and is the very source of his eternal glory and progression. He doesn't violate law so your suggestion that with a thought he can do whatever is self contradictory.

No one knows the mind of God, except the Spirit of God who searches all things.

People talk about a plan. This gives them comfort when bad things happen. I don't recall anywhere in the Bible God saying it was a plan.

With God, there are no coincidences. He is a God of order. So nothing "just happens." God is really well organized. He is never taken by surprise, never caught off guard.