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Ultimate Design

06 Aug

Ultimate Design

Jeremiah 29:11-13   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

This passage is some of the most comforting words in the Bible in my humble opinion. God spoke to, and through, the prophet Jeremiah when the leaders and people of Judah were being exiled and held captive. They, in truth, were suffering the punishment from God for their idolatry; they had bowed before idols in good times and bad. Jeremiah had told them of this coming 70 years they must suffer. But in the midst of it, was a promise in it; God was with them and would bless them in their exile if they would seek Him. They were told to keep their eyes on God and to make the best of a bad situation; a situation that was designed by God. God’s Sovereignty is shown all throughout Jeremiah’s prophecies in this book.

Can you see and feel the comfort of this passage to all of us? Can you see how much of the power of God’s design and heart for you that is wrapped up in these words of Jeremiah to those that understand He is in control; to those that seek him and his will for their lives in all of it? When you are in the middle of the trial, your eyes may become blurred from the pain and tears of it; but in it is His Will for your life. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Grasping a small bit of the understanding of his sovereignty, allows you to grasp a portion of that peace of which He describes. I can’t help but think of the disciples in the boat during the great storm at sea, the fear they had for their lives, their lack of faith. Mark 4:37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

When you get to the other side of His design, you are able to look back at it, and see where he was in it all along. He will take you down roads you would not dare to travel. He will take you through pains to mold you in ways you would not take at any cost. He will alter your life’s path that you had desired, all to put you on the path he desired. When you come to understand this, peace comes in the fire. Cool waters fill your heart in the midst of the heat of the storm. When you look back and learn, carry that knowledge in your heart for the next trial that He brings your way. You will be stronger, your faith will be greater, and your relationship with your Father will be closer; which is His ultimate design.

 
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Posted by on August 6, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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It all works out

25 May

It all works out

Jeremiah 29:11-13    For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

The prophet Jeremiah was speaking to Judah, telling them to hang in there and not forsake God in their captivity. God was promising to deliver them from their captivity at the end of seventy years. There was hope that lied in Jeremiah’s prophecy for those that kept the eyes and hearts on God. God’s sovereignty is something we simply cannot grasp in our limited understanding; He is all knowing, past, present, and future. He holds everything in control, and he is not limited by time. We come to question the events in our lives, but this is doubt planted by Satan, and a small grasp of sovereignty will secure that hope in our hearts. Matthew Henry put it well, “We are sometimes ready to fear that God’s designs concerning us are all against us; but he knows the contrary concerning his own people, that they are thoughts of good and not of evil; even that which seems evil is designed for good. His thoughts are all working towards the expected end, which he will give in due time.”

Everything in your life, good or bad, is either allowed, or designed by God. All of it can either draw you closer to Him, or take your eyes off of him. When you know that you under His sovereignty, you will rest in it. You will seek Him to understand, or better yet to just draw closer to Him in it. The understanding may not come on your timetable, but the trial produces intimacy only found during them. James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. When you are getting knocked down, and those 1 2 3 blows seem to come, go to your knees, in prayer. Pour your heart out to God for strength found only in Him.

I am speaking to myself, for I have had a couple weeks full of punches. I have had “Murphy’s Law” two weeks at work, almost to the point of being comical to keep from crying. I have seen my oldest son get sick, when I thought he was ok and passed it off. I have had a rough couple of weeks while my wife has been on a mission trip abroad in many ways. She is out spreading the Good News of the hope that lies within her, and Satan has tried to take our eyes at home off the One she is speaking about. Spiritual warfare is fought on a heavenly plain; one that we cannot see, but we can feel. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. In the great trial of Job, he did not understand that God meant if for good, but Job ultimately came to that understanding in God’s timing when he did not let his faith fail.

 
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Posted by on May 25, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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“Because I said so” (Epic Fail)

22 Dec

“Because I said so” (Epic Fail)

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

I have two great young boys. Great kiddo’s, full of life, full of questions, full of testing me as a parent. Sometimes I feel as though I am too hard on them; but I see so many that have no discipline. I go into a lot of homes and see a lot of families, and I see a lot of children that run wild. It does not take long to get a feel of the level of structure in a home to be honest. I have had the talk with my oldest son of how I am learning to be a parent too; of how so many things I tell him are for his protection; or I have reasons behind them. It is so crucial to take the time to explain to them once we set the bar. We are hopefully looking out for their best interest and not from emotion; we should have Jeremiah 29:11 written on our hearts in the upbringing of our children.

King Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captives from Judah into Babylon. Jeremiah had spoken the words that God gave him during these turbulent years; he told them of the punishment for their idolatry; for they had gone against God. Even in their exile in Babylon, the were false prophets were leading them astray; promising a quick return to Jerusalem. God spoke through Jeremiah and told them His plan for them; 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. 10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. God had reason for their exile and the 70 years they were to spend there. Their hearts will change in these 70 years.

God speaks of how He will renew and restore them who seek Him during this time. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. All of these things that were happening to them, were happening as a father corrects his children. God had seen their sin, and punished them for it. Our children may often wonder and question the why of our response; but if there is reason behind it and not emotion, the true learning comes with that explanation of it. The more time you spend in God’s Word the better a parent you will become. You will be taught by example by the best parent of all.

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The Light for your path

22 May

The Light for your path

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

I had shared my devo yesterday with Russell waiting on his bus. Last night at time for bed he came to me and showed me where he had already started reading in Jeremiah. We spent some time there and I found myself there again this morning. In the verses above, God is reassuring the Jews in captivity of His sovereign plans, and even that the captivity is part of it. Just as today there were false prophets misleading them, but Jeremiah was being lead by the Lord himself in speaking to His people. God had taken them down a path they would not have chosen themselves just as we may find ourselves today. When we find ourselves in those difficulties, where do we turn? To the false prophets of today whom say the reasons we find ourselves in these situations is that we simply do not have enough faith? Turn your ears from them and turn your heart to God.

Wherever you find yourself today God has designed it or allowed it. He can work every situation for good for those that believe in Him (Romans 8:28). The means by which He accomplishes that good is many times out of our line of sight, but when we are on the other side of the turmoil, we see the path He guided us along. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.  You cannot be mis-lead if you are following The Man (Christ), and not a man (prophet). The more time you invest in alone time with God, will allow you to discern the false prophets of this age. Where you find yourself and the situations you are in, is all part of His plan. Do not be lead astray by those preaching the “lack of faith” ministry, but see God alone every day. Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Alone time with God may lead you to glimpses of that path He has set before you, and the assurances of knowing He will never forsake you there. The time with God is the light you carry on the pathway of life.

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Perspective Change

13 Mar

Today is a marker in God changing my life. I won’t go into the long story, but becoming obedient and putting Him before all, the top of my list of priorities. My plans have changed as a result of Him changing my perspective of life, temporal and eternal, and which matters most.

 

 

Perspective Change

Jeremiah 29:11-13   For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

James 4:13-15  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” We all have our plans, we all have our ideas of what we hope our futures will bring. We work hard, we strive to attain the goal, then change comes. It may come in the way of termination, or it may come in the way of perspective, but when it comes how do you respond? Do you embrace it with the understanding you are not in control, or do you begin the fight?

In Jeremiah above, God is ensuring all of us the hope that He places within us of eternal security. When we seek Him and understand that He is guiding our paths, we begin to gain a peace and hope of the future, not a dread of it. I do believe many in our midst with the world economy have seen their well laid plans changed drastically. As a result of those changes God is giving you the prompting to draw nearer to Him, or your pride can step in and run from Him. If you will humble yourself and seek Him as in Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.‘  Let go and let God lead. This is the voice of experience, for I too was that prideful one who planned on doing things my way, until my perspective was changed. Thank you Jesus.

 
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Posted by on March 13, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Stresses and Strains

07 Mar

I am under a huge stress and strain myself right now. Being stretched to my mental limits in many ways, being pulled down many roads, many of them difficult in ways I cannot describe here. All of these culminate in how I feel every day. By the end of the day, I am mentally spent, and many time retreat to bed. But the glue, the Enabler, is right here every morning very early with God. If it were not for my glue, I would be back to my old ways, back to how I dealt with the stresses of life. This time every day enables me to recharge to face the battles and enemies of the day with the strength He has given me to start the day. You can have it too!

 

Stresses and Strains

 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

 

We all feel and deal with the pressures of life every day. These pressures effect how we handle every situation that we encounter every moment of every day. The stress of the first pressure wells into the next encounter, and may well into the remainder of the day depending on the stress of the first situation. It falls into the “more to see, than what you see” understanding. Much of what arises is the forks in the road, which deflect our well thought out plans so it seems. Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. God’s direction for our lives most likely will take a different path than we would intend, but that will enable us to reach where He intends, that which we alone could not attain.

 

Satan will try to thwart God’s plans for us by many means, both by evil and many ways that which seem to make us feel good about ourselves, but do they take our eyes off Christ? Satan is the pinnacle of deception, but always motivated to “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). The key to discerning the deception is spending time with God and taking all things to God. The more time you spend, the greater the discernment you are given. Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know. When we take all our trials of life to Him in prayer and His Word, He will open our eyes, and we will hear Him in our hearts. All things happen for a reason, and they all pass through His hands. Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 
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Posted by on March 7, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Rest in today

05 Feb

I have been out here this morning trying to have my quality time with God, with no distractions. This morning our puppy has decided to make the distraction highlight reel. Every time it would get quiet, he did the best he could to change that. Somewhere through this devo I was like “why?”. The rest of it seemed to come easy once I realized I was going against what I was trying to convey here. Even in the simple circumstances like a puppy, I was taking my eyes off Christ, and focusing on the problem. I earnestly prayed, and “mysteriously” he has been quiet and probably asleep. God can even speak to you in the little things, it you use the power of prayer and truly seek Him with all your heart.

 

 

Rest in today

Jeremiah 29:11-13    For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

We do not understand the ways of our Lord. Jeremiah was a prophet at this time sent by God. His people had were being held in captivity, and many false prophets had arisen leading them astray. Jeremiah was telling them to accept and not question their circumstances, and to make the best of a bad situation, but understanding it was God’s will for them to be there for 70yrs. He even told them specifically of these plans as a direct word from God.

Today we are led not by prophets, but by faith. Our faith is “ is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). We are saved “ by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).  Where you are at, at this present time, has all passed through God’s hands. He either designed, or allowed it, but He knew you would be where you are today before He created you. We cannot fathom it, but we can accept it, and rest in it if we have the faith to believe it. There comes a peace in understanding verse 11 above. Rest in that assurance, praising and seeking Him every day in every circumstance. Who are we to ask God why? Keep Christ as the center of your focus, not your circumstances.

 
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Posted by on February 5, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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