Good Plans

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Catey Stover in Freedom Fighters

“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” – David

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” This is the promise God had sent His children who were exiled to Babylon. The nation as a whole had walked away from the relationship God desires to have with His children. They had disobeyed His Word and chosen their own way; leaving God out of their lives. But while the nation had walked away from God; within it there was a remnant of believers who still trusted God and longed for His blessings again. It was to these people God spoke through Jeremiah to encourage them that even though life was hard right now, He was at work to remove from their lives that which is evil and keeps us from enjoying God’s blessings… including His presence.

 

But for now, God is telling His children to rest in the place He has brought you to renew your strength and understanding of His will. This is so your faith will grow and you will obey His Word, loving Him with all your heart, mind, and with all your soul. Then God promises, “In those days when you pray, I will listen, because you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”” (Jeremiah 29:11-14) The promise gives hope, and hope says this circumstance will not last forever. Hope says that what is happening now, though it is crushing, is being used by God to conform us into the character and nature of His Son, Jesus the Christ. The promise tells us that when “my old self has been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, desiring my own way, it is then that Christ lives in me and I will know rest from struggling to live my own way. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, with hope because of Him who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Thou the storm around you is raging, Christ your anchor holds. What God is doing right now is good and not for disaster, and it is to give you a future and a hope with Him.

 

If I have learned nothing else in this past year, this one thing has remained; no matter the battle, obstacle, or raging storm there is hope and His name is Jesus. He is walking with you; you only need to reach out and grasp His hand, being certain of His goodness, grace, and love.

Choose wisely…

 

Written by David Brown: David Brown is a husband, father, grandfather, Pastor with a Masters of Religious Studies and a Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Religions. Dave is the Associate Pastor of Pemberton’s First Baptist Church.

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Think About This:  “I don’t believe in positive thinking as a replacement for God but as a response to God. My goal isn’t that you would see your metaphorical cup as half full: I want you to see it as constantly overflowing!” ― Levi Lusko

 The Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 23-25 , 1 Chronicles 1-2| You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here. 

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His ^[a]mercy endures forever. ² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy –Psalm 107:1-2

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.