“God’s Plans”

 “God’s Plans”

 

“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.”   Jeremiah 29:11

 

This verse of Scripture is one of my FAVORITE verses.  This was God’s message for the Jewish exiles, who had been exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.  The Prophet Jeremiah sent a letter to the EXILES.  Jeremiah said: “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s ARMIES the GOD of ISRAEL says to all the captives He has EXILED to BABYLON from JERUSALEM.”  Build homes, and PLAN to STAY.  Plant GARDENS and eat the FOOD they produce.  Marry and have CHILDREN. Then find spouses for them so that you may have MANY grandchildren.  MULTIPLY!  Do NOT dwindle AWAY! And WORK for PEACE and PROSPERITY of the city where I sent you into exile.  PRAY to the LORD for it, for its WELFARE will DETERMINE YOUR WELFARE.”  Vv4-7. This was the PLANS that God had for His people. He told them, through JEREMIAH, that they would be there for SEVENTY YEARS.  And He told them that He would do GOOD things for them, and that He would bring them HOME AGAIN.  

 

This was ENCOURAGING to the EXILES, because God told them that they would be in EXILE for SEVENTY YEARS.  The SEVENTY YEAR EXILE was a part of God’s Plan for the exiles in order to give them a FUTURE and a HOPE.  They were His COVENANTAL people, and at the END of the SEVENTY YEAR EXILE and the END of God’s Judgment, God would provide for THEIR WELFARE, and NOT BRING them CALAMITY.  The JUDGMENT was to cause the EXILES to SEEK GOD with ALL their HEART.  And He PROMISED that when they CALL UPON HIM, HE WOULD LISTEN, and when they would SEEK HIM, they would FIND HIM.  

 

We, who are TRUE BELIEVERS and have TRUSTED IN JESUS for our SALVATION, when we are facing PROBLEMS, we NEED to REMEMBER that GOD has a PLAN, a GOOD PLAN for US too, that may even include the PROBLEMS we are facing.  And like those EXILES, we NEED to CALL UPON the LORD, PRAY to HIM, and BELIEVE that HE is LISTENING.  We should do these things instead of getting ANGRY with GOD and SHUTTING HIM out of our lives.  We SHOULD SEEK Him with ALL our HEART and SEEK HIS GUIDANCE and HELP in our times of TROUBLES and TRIALS.  We SHOULD READ the BIBLE DAILY and be FAITHFUL to our CHURCH.  And OFFER UP THANKSGIVING for what GOD WILL DO.  OR for what He is DOING THROUGH OUR TRIAL.  HE is FAITHFUL and TRUE!!

 

However, if YOU are NOT a TRUE BELIEVER, and a MEMBER of GOD’S FAMILY, He has a PLAN for YOU too.  That PLAN is JUDGEMENT, CONDEMNATION and SENTENCING, which means YOU will be SENTENCED to an ETERNITY in HELL, with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there.  This PLAN is for those who KEEP REJECTING God’s MERCY and GRACE.  And they don’t BELIEVE in the WORD of the LIVING GOD.   Nor are they WILLING to ACCEPT JESUS CHRIST, GOD’S SON, who SUFFERED, BLED, DIED, and was RESURRECTED from DEATH and the GRAVE.  He DID this to PROVIDE SALVATION to a LOST and DYING WORLD.  A WORLD without HOPE!  If you want to CHANGE your DESTINY: This is what you MUST DO.  You MUST ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  You MUST BELIEVE that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven making intercession for you, before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to HIM and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And YOU MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINFUL LIFESTYLE and TURN TO GOD with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  YOU MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and His PLAN for YOUR GOOD and NOT for DISASTER, and to GIVE you a FUTURE and a HOPE.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can.  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t be LEFT BEHIND!!!