Tag: Digging Deeper with God

A Psalm of Life: It is Never All About You, Neither Will It Ever Be All About Me. Hebrews 7:23-25

Hebrews 7:23-25 Amplified Bible

23 The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office]; 24 but, on the other hand, Jesus holds His priesthood permanently  and without change, because He lives on forever. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever (completely, perfectly, for eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede and intervene on their behalf [with God].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

A Psalm of Life

BY HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW [October 1838]

What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

   Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

   And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

   Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

   Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

   And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

   Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

   In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

   Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

   Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,— act in the living Present!

   Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

   We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

   Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

   Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

   Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

   With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

   Learn to labor and to wait.

A Highly Offensive Contemporary Psalm for Life.

It’s not all about you.

But, then again, neither is it about me.

Urgently Needed Reminder: God’s Psalm for Life.

I would say that the question most frequently asked by Christians is this: is it possible for me to lose my salvation?

It bothers so many of us.

We know the stakes.

And the possibility of having got it wrong, haunts so many believers.

This message is the first of at least two in a small series that are stand- alone messages but which, I pray will all bear upon the question of eternal security.

Do we believe that the Blood of Christ cleanses us from sin?

Absolutely – no problem there – just read 1 John 1:9.

Do we accept that no-one can snatch us away from God?

Of course we do – the Bible says so.

No one can snatch us out of the Father’s hand – John 10:28-29 makes that one quite clear

But here’s where agreement ends and doubts begin!

We hear so many things that can make us insecure – particularly if we’re really struggling to the live the lives we know we should.

So many doubts.

So many fears and apprehensions.

So many different slants and theories.

When do we get saved?

Is it at a particular point in time?

Or does it develop over a certain measure of time?

Is it possible to stop believing and lose it all?

Can we blow it by persisting in willful sin?

Or does that willful sin show that we’ve already blown it in the first place?

After all – the tree is known by its fruit! [Psalm 1, Matthew 7:15-19, 12:33-35]

So – to extend that principle a little – can we forfeit Eternal Life – not just by sinning – but by being unfruitful and unproductive in our lives?

Carelessly allowing our salvation to slip straight through our very own fingers – as Hebrews 2:1-4 seems to suggest?

Give Heed

2 [a]For this reason [that is, because of God’s final revelation in His Son Jesus and because of Jesus’ superiority to the angels] we must pay much closer attention than ever to the things that we have heard, so that we do not [in any way] drift away from truth. 2 For if the message given [b]through angels [the Law given to Moses] was authentic and unalterable, and every violation and disobedient act received an appropriate penalty, 3 how will we escape [the penalty] if we ignore such a great salvation [the gospel, the new covenant]? For it was spoken at first by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us and proved authentic by those who personally heard [Him speak], 4 [and besides this evidence] God also testifying with them [confirming the message of salvation], both by signs and wonders and by various miracles [carried out by Jesus and the apostles] and by [granting to believers the] gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

We’re going to examine these fears and see if they have any basis in reality.

What does the Word of God actually teach?

But don’t just take my word for it. Like the Bereans – examine this subject for yourself.

I’m confident that when you understand the principles by which God operates – understand His motivations in relation to your salvation, you’ll put to rest these doubts, fears; you’ll appreciate the yawning gulf that divides human reasoning from Divine wisdom and Infinite Love and Grace.

This first devotion is entitled: ‘It’s not all about you’

We’ll discuss this in a moment – but first let’s address a couple of the concerns we mentioned at the beginning.

Among the various positions adopted on the question of eternal security, what undisputed facts can we all agree on – if we take the Word of God at face value?

What does the Bible clearly teach about eternal life?

Well – the first thing we find is that:

Eternal life is a present possession!

It’s not something we have to wait to receive;

It is not something we grow into;

And not something that develops gradually.

The Bible does talk about aspects of our salvation that still lie in the future – but entering into a relationship with God – and receiving the gift of eternal life – is something that happens at a particular point in our lives!

In John 5:24 Jesus said these words:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.

Then in Ephesians 2:4-5 we read:

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

And finally, Paul says in Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

So that’s quite clear.

Salvation isn’t something we’re looking forward to – it’s something that occurs in one point of time!

So you and I are either saved right now or we’re not saved at all!

So what’s the next thing we can agree on?

It’s this.

It appears that we can be sure that we have eternal life.

God intends for us to have confidence – to be able to rest quietly in the knowledge and complete assurance of salvation – no shadow of a doubt!

John writes in his first epistle, chapter 5:13:

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

In Romans 8:16 Paul says:

The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

And in 2 Timothy 1:12, we hear Paul’s stirring words:

I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

Some people would – of course – say that this confidence is conditional upon us showing the fruits of salvation in our lives.

They say, in other words, that we can be sure of our salvation as long as we have it – but that’s no guarantee that we can’t lose it!

So the questions which remain to be answered are this:

Is it possible for us to lies lose our salvation?

Is it possible to cease being a Christian?

Can we be saved one minute – but lost the next?

Ok. If we want to get down to what the Bible actually says, we’ll need to scrap some of this misleading terminology once and for all.

Losing your salvation is not a term used in Scripture at all!

And for very good reason!

Certainly salvation is spoken of as a gift – but not as an object: a thing that can be dropped, given away or lost.

This gift is nothing less than the gift of new life – eternal life!

So can you lose your Salvation?

Well – what happens if you lose your life?

You die, of course!

So the real question should be this:

If a man is reborn (through the process of the new birth) and consequently has eternal life – can he die again?

And that puts an entirely different complexion on things!

Can a life be described as eternal if it can end – and you can die again?

Christ is our life.

Can He die again?

Well – actually He can’t!

Romans 6:8-11 Amplified Bible

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live [together] with Him, 9 because we know [the self-evident truth] that Christ, having been raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin [ending its power and paying the sinner’s debt] once and for all; and the life that He lives, He lives to [glorify] God [in unbroken fellowship with Him]. 11 Even so, consider yourselves to be dead to sin [and your relationship to it broken], but alive to God [in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus.

When you think it through – it’s actually nonsense to talk about losing salvation – because of the very meaning of the word.

In certain circumstance I can save myself – but if I’m saved by someone else – by very definition I’m not contributing to the action.

Christ saves me!

If I were to perish for any reason – then in actual fact he wouldn’t have saved me.

But let’s start from the beginning

As we said before: it’s not all about you, neither is it about me!

Salvation is not all about us.

What do I mean by that – and what bearing does it have on our eternal security?

In the Garden of Eden, Satan had effectively stolen God’s creation from him.

We belonged to God – we were created differently from the animals.

Mankind was His special creation – formed in His image so that He could enjoy fellowship with us forever – loving Him and being loved by Him for all eternity.

Now you can’t force a person to love you.

The relationship for which God created us, had to be based on our willingness to have, continue fellowship with Him, to freely offer Him our love and devotion.

So in that sense – maintaining a continuous relationship with God was man’s responsibility.

We were born with a self-determining free-will and this privilege and dignity is something God would never over-ride.

So, ultimately, He had to risk losing us.

He had to take the chance of us turning our backs on Him.

And that’s exactly what happened!

Adam and Eve transferred their allegiance to Satan.

They passed from God’s control to Satan’s authority.

But Satan wasn’t going to win.

God already had a plan – a plan of Salvation – in order to regain what Satan had been allowed to steal from him; a plan to repossess that which He had lost.

Luke 19:10: For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Lost by whom?

Once again we make it all about us.

We were lost – we say – in sin.

But surely a natural reading of what Christ said would be we were lost to God – He had lost us – and that He had come to recover us: to save us – to get us back.

And that’s what redemption is all about!

In the OT the word translated “redeem” is pa^da^h and it means: to ransom, redeem, rescue, or deliver. [Isaiah 50:2 ESV]

https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/isa/50/2/t_conc_729002

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6304/esv/wlc/0-1/

In the NT the word is exagorazo. [Galatians 4:5]

https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/gal/4/5/t_conc_1095005

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1805/esv/mgnt/0-1/

In the Roman world, the market place was called the agora.

Exagorazo therefore literally means – to take out of the market place – hence – to purchase.

According to Strongs Concordance, it means: To recover from the power of another, to ransom by paying a price.

Of course, being recovered or ransomed implies that we formerly belonged to someone else – who then paid a price to get us back.

And that’s what our English word redeem conveys.

It comes from two Latin words meaning: to buy again or to buy back.

So – if I redeem something, I recover or ransom something that once belonged to me.

God did that – He once owned us because He created us.

He then lost us when we sinned – so He set out to recover which was lost – to ransom us – to buy us back – to redeem us – the price He paid was staggering:

it was the life of His own beloved Son!

The life blood of Jesus Christ was the currency that was used.

1 Peter 1:18-19 says this:

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

We were redeemed from the slave market of sin and are now twice-owned!

You and I are twice owned.

God created us – lost us and bought us back.

We are now his treasured possession – He purchased us.

A transaction has taken place and the highest possible price was paid:

the full asking price demanded by the law to free us from sin – the life blood of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.

So 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says.

You are not your own; you were bought at a price.

That’s redemption!

Do we get that?

We no longer belong to ourselves.

God paid the highest possible price to get us back.

We are now His property!

Titus 2:14 says that he:

gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

It’s not all about us.

It’s not purely for our benefit!

We are now his inheritance!

Paul says to the Ephesians in chapter 1:18:

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people….

As Israel was continually referred to as God’s inheritance, we are His spiritual people – His glorious inheritance – His new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: Old things have gone, new things are here!

We’ve already seen that in the first creation, man was responsible for maintaining fellowship with God and he failed.

But do you believe that God will allow Satan to once again usurp him successfully?

To once again frustrate His purposes and steal away his possession?

One that He paid for with the death of his Son?

And that would happen if just one believer were to lose his Salvation – because effectively Christ would have died again.

Grace wouldn’t be reigning through righteousness – sin would once again be reigning through death (at least in that one life)!

A death, by the way, which has been destroyed by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Not a chance!

Things are different now.

In the new creation, the responsibility of maintaining our relationship with God is now His responsibility – not ours.

And why? Because He bought us and we are His possession.

Remember 1 Corinthians 6:19b-20

You are not your own; you were bought at a price.

This involves ownership.

We actually don’t have the right to give ourselves away again – in any way shape or form.

We’re God’s property!

In fact, God made certain that we couldn’t blow it again – either as a new race or as individuals.

Let us now look at how he protected us as individuals – how he has further guaranteed that we’ll never die again.

It’s found in Romans 4:16.

Here the Apostle Paul writes these wonderful words:

Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring-not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.

Notice here what God has done.

So that the responsibility for our salvation might be taken out of our hands altogether –

in other words, so that it might be by grace, entirely on the basis of a free gift – with us contributing nothing at all,

he made its acquisition conditional upon upon faith – simply believing – so that we have no active part to play – just to receive what is offered!

Ephesians 2:8-9 therefore says:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no-one can boast.

So God took on the responsibility for the whole thing so that the promise could be guaranteed.

He had to!

Sin had to be paid for – that took the death of Christ.

We had no part in that – except, of course, in the fact He was representing us.

And our new life had to be perfect forever.

To those who say that we can lose our salvation by sin in our lives, I would remind them that it only took one sin to sink the whole human race!

I mean, what estimation do we have of God?

Do we think that He can tolerate a certain level of sinning and then if it gets beyond that, He’ll say: “Ok, that’s enough!”

It took one sin to sink the human race!

You think you can lose your salvation by sinning?

Then fine – but remember this: you lost it with the first sin you committed after you got saved!!

What is good enough for God is absolute and total perfection or nothing at all!!

And He guaranteed that too – by imparting to us the life of Christ by way of the new birth!

As I said, our salvation consisted of God taking back what belonged to him.

And doing so by paying the price for our freedom.

I mean – Consider what happened at the moment of our salvation.

A transaction took place.

A deposit was paid on us.

We were set aside as his property.

That’s pretty much a guarantee of eternal life isn’t it?

14 The Spirit is the [a]guarantee [the first installment, the pledge, a foretaste] of our inheritance until the redemption of God’s own [purchased] possession [His believers], to the praise of His glory. [Ephesians 1:14 Amplified]

In fact, Ephesians 1:14 describes the Holy Spirit as: a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

There’s the guarantee.

It’s because a deposit has been paid. And this deposit is the Holy Spirit.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/eph/1/14/t_conc_1098014

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g728/esv/mgnt/0-1/

The word deposit here is the word arrhabon.

It’s a word of Hebrew origin and means: a pledge – that is, part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest.

It’s the money which, when a purchase takes place, is given as a down-payment – in effect, a pledge that the full amount will subsequently be paid!

When you were saved – did you receive the Holy Spirit??

Of course you did!

And if you did – then God’s already paid a deposit on you.

The Holy Spirit is the down-payment!

The Holy Spirit is also a seal on God’s property!

In ancient times, when property was purchased, it was sealed by the new owner with his own distinctive mark – just like cattle was branded in the old West.

This was to protect the goods and to ensure that nobody else could claim them or interfere with them.

In our case, we were also branded or sealed, just to make sure that we were His – that no-one else could claim us.

The Bible says – in Ephesians 1:13:

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/esv/eph/1/13/t_conc_1098013

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4972/esv/mgnt/0-1/

The word for seal is the noun from the Greek verb sphragizō – and it’s used 13 times in the Bible.

It means: to stamp for security or preservation – usually with a signet ring or private mark.

That happened when you believed!

It’s not a hope; it’s not a promise.

It’s a done deal!

It doesn’t say ‘if you continue to believe’

Having believed – the verb here is in what is called the aorist tense.

It’s a one-time process that’s already been completed in your life if you’ve come to Christ!

You and I have been sealed.

The seal signified that the goods belonged to the owner of seal or the mark.

Remember – it’s not all about you.

You’re his property now.

And the seal – the Holy Spirit in our case – is a guarantee that the goods will reach their destination in the same condition that they left!

Nobody can get at you except by breaking the seal!

Is there something out there that is greater than the love of God?

More effective than the blood of Christ?

More powerful than the indwelling Holy Spirit?

Doesn’t the Bible say: greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.?

The Holy Spirit can’t be overcome.

He can’t be ejected from the believer.

In other words – the seal can’t be broken.

It’s His seal – we are His property!

In fact His seal is an absolute guarantee!!

2 Corinthians 1:21-22:

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

How could our salvation be guaranteed if it was up to us in any way whatsoever?

Adam and Eve were created perfect, in idyllic surroundings and in personal contact and communion with God every day.

Yet they still blew it.

But God has purchased or redeemed us and put his personal seal within us.

Make no mistake about this.

If one sealed soul were to be lost, then the seal will have been broken!

The promise and guarantee of God will have been made void!

And God is very serious about keeping His Word.

It abides forever.

He warns us about making oaths because in doing so, we’re undertaking something that only God Himself is able to do – absolutely guarantee the fulfillment of an oath.

And if one saved soul were to be lost:

Satan would have won again!

The deposit would have been lost!

Good faith in purchase destroyed!

And no power in universe can do that!

God has his own plans for His possession

Nothing and nobody is going to steal us away again.

No power in the universe is going to thwart and frustrate His purposes!

Examine what is known as the Golden chain in Romans 8:30:

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

And so Paul says in Romans 8:38-39:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

But sometimes it sounds counter – intuitive, doesn’t it!

As human beings, seeing everything from a humanistic perspective, we’ve been so ingrained with concepts like:

There’s no such thing as a free lunch!

If it sounds too good to be true – it probably is!

You only get out of something what you put in!

And so forth!

So Christians, without realizing it, often rebel against the principle of Grace – the free unconditional love of God, His gift of Grace – Eternal Life in Christ.

They might say – and you’ve all heard these objections:

Sure – nothing can snatch us out of the Father’s hand – but surely we can:

by our own choice.

or our own actions.

lose our salvation.

I mean – there has to be consequences for how we live our lives!

So there’s the question.

Salvation is free, but can we, by free choice, stop being covered by blood of Christ?

Can we ourselves break the seal?

Void the contract?

Undo God’s work in us.

Make ineffective the blood of Christ.

Reverse the effects of the death of Christ in our lives?

See how silly that starts to sound!

Well – Some say that we can and they will give a variety of reasons:

Living a sinful life.

No longer believing.

Not persevering with works of righteousness.

Well, you’ll find each of these objections will resolve itself from the Word of God.

For the moment, just remember one important thing:

Man had a relationship with God.

The maintenance of that relationship was man’s responsibility.

Man failed to live up to the terms of that relationship.

Because of this, he passed from communion with God into the power of Satan.

God, by the death of Christ, went to amazing lengths to buy back or redeem His lost possession.

We now belong to Him – signed, sealed and delivered.

Our safety and maintenance in that relationship is now up to Him – and Him alone!!

May God bless His Word to each one of us! Amen

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Almighty God, you are the source of all light. You divinely separated light from darkness so that we may have the beauty of the light of day. Dear Lord, illuminate this day and enlighten us as we seek to know you through your word. May we be led by your light so our hearts may be opened to your word. We pray that we receive every word you speak to us today. Holy and gracious God, you are the greatest of all. You are full of wonders that no mere human can comprehend. Lord, I seek to understand you and your ways so that I can live according to your commandments. I pray for your divine illumination in my heart and mind. Help me see what you intend for me to see. Help me understand what you intend for me to understand. Open my eyes and my ears, my mouth, to see you and hear, speak your whispers.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

https://translate.google.com/

“Jesus Loved Even Me.” 1 John 4:7-10

1 John 4:7-10Authorized (King James) Version

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

As believers in Jesus, we should be loving other people.

Yes, even those that are unlovely.

Why?

Because God loves us and forgives us even when we don’t deserve it.

And out of that love that we have been given, we should be loving others and leading them closer to Jesus.

1 John 4:8 Amplified Bible

8 The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]

Part of knowing God, and being His follower is developing love in your life.

And it might take a little effort on your part.

And it might take a substantial effort on your part.

And it might even take a miraculous effort on your part.

Somewhere there might a hurt so unconscionable, it is beyond redemption.

You might be holding onto a grudge whose origin is utterly lost to the ages.

You might be used to gossiping, maybe even spreading rumors about others.

If you are reading this and can find no of God, love for God and for others, love bears all things at all times and perseveres for as long as forever lasts for You.

The encouragement is to keep praying even when praying is too difficult and keep hoping even when hope is the furthest thing from your mind, your soul –

God will always wait.

God will always and forever come to you when you choose to come to Him.

Luke 15:17-24 English Standard Version

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[a] 22 But the father said to his servants,[b] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

And God will forever feel compassion for, to embrace, to celebrate, your life.

Psalm 42:1-3 English Standard Version

Book Two

Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul?

To the choirmaster. A Maskil[a] of the Sons of Korah.

42 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
    so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?[b]
3 My tears have been my food
    day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
    “Where is your God?”

“Christ Loved Me – Yes, Even Me.”

The distinguishing mark of a Christian is their measure of confidence in their Savior Christ’s love for him and in the offering of his love to their Savior Christ.

First, faith sets her seal upon the person by enabling their heart and soul to say with the apostle John, “Christ loved me and gave himself for me.” 

Then love gives the countersign and stamps upon the heart and soul gratitude and love to Jesus in return. “We love because he first loved us.”

In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly seen in all believers in Jesus.

They were men and women who knew the love of Christ and rested upon it as a man leans upon a staff whose trustworthiness Christ, the Shepherd has proved.

The love they felt toward the Lord was not a quiet emotion that they hid within themselves in the secret place of their souls and that they only spoke about in private or when they met on the first day of the week and sang hymns in honor of Christ Jesus the crucified.

It was a limitless passion with them of such a vehement and an all-consuming energy that it was visible in all their actions, evident in their conversation, and unmistakably seen in their eyes, even in their casual glances – Boy, what a Love.

Love for Jesus was a flame that fed upon the core and heart of their being and therefore by its own force burned its way into their demeanor and shone there.

Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians.

Because of their dependence upon Christ’s love they dared much, and because of their love for Christ they did much, and it is the same now.

The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love.

The love of Christ constrains them; they rejoice divine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Spirit, who is given to them, and then by force of gratitude they love the Savior with a pure and fervent heart.

My reader, do you love Him with that self same passion He first had for You?

Before you sleep, give your Savior an honest answer to that weighty question!

When you wake up again, then give unto your Savior an honest answer to this next weighty question –

For waking me up, how will I give all my Love to my Savior today?

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Prayer to Love Others as God Loves Me

Heavenly Father, I am so utterly blessed to be Your child, and that I can call You “My Abba Father,” for You are my loving Daddy! My heart overflows with gratitude. You have made me a partaker of Your divine nature, and Your love for me is so wide, so deep – it is beyond my comprehension. May the truth of my identity in You sink deep into my psyche, and impact my relationship with others. Dear Loving Father, may I come to love others as You have first loved me, with compassion and care. Amen.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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“It is For God Alone My Soul Waits in Silence.” Psalmists Invitation to Pray a Prayer of Rest for Our Sabbath Days. Psalm 62. 

Psalm 62 The Message

62 1-2 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

3-4 How long will you gang up on me?
    How long will you run with the bullies?
There’s nothing to you, any of you—
    rotten floorboards, worm-eaten rafters,
Anthills plotting to bring down mountains,
    far gone in make-believe.
You talk a good line,
    but every “blessing” breathes a curse.

5-6 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

7-8 My help and glory are in God
    —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
    lay your lives on the line for him.
    God is a safe place to be.

9 Man as such is smoke,
    woman as such, a mirage.
Put them together, they’re nothing;
    two times nothing is nothing.

10 And a windfall, if it comes—
    don’t make too much of it.

11 God said this once and for all;
    how many times
Have I heard it repeated?
    “Strength comes
Straight from God.”

12 Love to you, Lord God!
    You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum.

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

Psalm 62 … God and God Alone is Our Only Rest and Salvation

When you wait on God, you find He is your salvation and provider of all you need. Only God can fill the need of your soul.

Your Salvation

If you are like me, my first response when faced with a significant problem is to gather up all my resources and do everything I can to fix it.

The bigger the problem, the more frantic and anxious I become.

King David wrote this psalm during a particularly difficult time in his life.

He was facing constant attacks from his son, who was trying to overthrow his rule as king.

Instead of gathering his army and advisors, the first thing he did was go to the Lord.

David understood that trusting in men was foolish.

It was not about his strength or wisdom but God’s deliverance.

David saw God as his only true source of salvation.

He stopped everything to get with the Lord.

David didn’t come to God with loud cries or pleas for help.

He came to God in silence.

He waited before the Lord without speaking.

When I face a problem, I want to tell God all about it.

Too often, I come before Him filled with fear and anxiety.

David came before God in complete rest. 

David had a quiet confidence that God would see him through. 

So often, we think prayer is about what we say and how we say it.

If we can just use the right words, God will surely see our needs and answer our prayers.

David understood it was not about his words but his faith.

When you set your mind and soul to wait silently before the Lord, it’s not only an expression of your openness to God but a complete dependence on Him.

Salvation and deliverance are always gifts of grace from God and God alone.

David didn’t trust in his strength or the wisdom of others.

He didn’t panic and try to fix everything.

He went to the source of his salvation and waited silently for Him to provide.

One of the great truths of life—if not perhaps the greatest truth—is that when all else fails, when everything else falls apart, there is one and only one person on whom you and I and everyone else can absolutely rely.

And that person is not yourself: it is God. God and God alone.

That is the theme of this psalm. “For God alone my soul waits in silence” (62:1).

“He alone is my rock and salvation” (62:2).

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence” (62:5).

“He alone is my rock and my salvation” (62:6).

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my H.O.P.E. comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

As Christians, we are called to hope.

Not wishful thinking, imagining things, or pining for better days.

Hope.

Hope is not a pipe dream or a fairy tale.

It is a strong action instead of a reaction.

Hope is always alive in Christ Jesus, Our Lord and Savior.

When we choose to live in Christ Jesus …

When we choose to live and choose live in our Savior’s complete hope we:

H – Heed His Word.
Hang onto encouraging verses in Scripture in times of trouble, stress or doubt. Recall His promises, read, mark and memorize helpful verses, and repeat them often.

O – Obey.
Sometimes we have to do things simply because someone in authority says so. If we can trust God and obey, then in hindsight we may look back and see more clearly why He told us.

P – Pray.
Instead of fretting, if we can drop to our knees and lay it at the cross we will find an inner peace which, as Paul states, surpasses our understanding. Much better than jogging in a hamster wheel of worry and churning it over and over in our minds. Pray, lay it down, walk away.

E – Expect.
The more we rely on God’s promises and His timing, then experience will show us things work out for the best when we “let go and let God” handle it.

So pry your fingers off the situation and relax.

A Prayer for the Sabbath – Your Daily Prayer

Exodus 20:8-11 Amplified Bible

8 “Remember the Sabbath (seventh) day to keep it holy (set apart, dedicated to God). 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath [a day of rest dedicated] to the Lord your God; on that day you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock or the temporary resident (foreigner) who stays within your [city] gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and everything that is in them, and He rested (ceased) on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [that is, set it apart for His purposes].

Rest is so important to God that he put it in the Ten Commandments.

He wants you to take a day off every week.

That’s called the Sabbath, which literally means a day of rest, and God wants us to do it every seventh day.

The day isn’t important.

It doesn’t have to be a certain day, just every seventh day.

It’s so important that even God rested on the seventh day when he created everything — not because He was tired but to give us the ultimate example of how we should be more like God and take that gift of the seventh day to rest.

What do you do on this Sabbath day to actually have it be a day of rest?

1. Rest your body.

God has made us so that we need rest.

If your car engine heat light were showing red, you would stop because you would know it’s going to damage the engine.

God says if you don’t take one day out of seven to rest, if you keep pumping the adrenaline all day, every day, seven days a week, your engine is going to break.

So for your heart to be at its best, your body, mind and soul all requires rest.

You have to take the time to rest.

2. Recharge your emotions.

Just Be Still and Know only God can be, and is God … Psalm 46:10-11

Just be quiet before the Lord!

David’s Prayer

18 Then King David went in and sat [in prayer] before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord [a]God, and what is my house (family), that You have brought me this far? 19  Yet this was very insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of Your servant’s house (royal dynasty) in the distant future. And this is the law and custom of man, O Lord God. 20 What more can David say to You? For You know (acknowledge, choose) Your servant, O Lord God. [2 Samuel 7:18-20 AMP]

Like King David, take time for God, just sit still, be quiet before the Lord God.

Maybe you need to reconnect in your relationships.

Maybe there’s some kind of recreation that rejuvenates you.

I’m not talking about competitive recreation.

Some of you are not recharging your emotions out on the golf course.

You are just getting angry at your golf clubs or at the other guys golf clubs!

3. Refocus your spirit.

During your Sabbath, you do not take a day off from God.

You worship!

Worship puts life into perspective.

If you’re too busy for God, you’re just too busy.

To make this happen, you have to schedule it. 

Psalm 127:2 “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” (MSG)

God enjoys giving rest to those he loves.

Be intentional about taking your Sabbath, and make it count!

62 1-2 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I need comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

5-6 God, the one and only—
    I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
    so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
    breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
    I’m set for life.

11 God said this once and for all;
    how many times
Have I heard it repeated?
    “Strength comes
Straight from God.”

12 Love to you, Lord God!
    You pay a fair wage for a good day’s work!

be quiet, sit still, Make these confessions.

  • My salvation comes only from the Lord.
  • When I face troubles, I look to the Lord.
  • It’s not about my words but about God’s grace.
  • I will sit still in the Presence of God my Savior.
  • I will wait quietly before the God of my salvation.
  • I will shut my mouth, close both my eyes and open my ears.

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Favor.

A Psalm of David.

138 I will give You thanks with all my heart;
I sing praises to You before the [pagan] gods.
2 
I will bow down [in worship] toward Your holy temple
And give thanks to Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word together with Your name.
3 
On the day I called, You answered me;
And You made me bold and confident with [renewed] strength in my life.

4 
All the kings of the land will give thanks and praise You, O Lord,
When they have heard of the promises of Your mouth [which were fulfilled].
5 
Yes, they will sing of the ways of the Lord [joyfully celebrating His wonderful acts],
For great is the glory and majesty of the Lord.
6 
Though the Lord is exalted,
He regards the lowly [and invites them into His fellowship];
But the proud and haughty He knows from a distance.

7 
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me;
You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
And Your right hand will save me.
8 
The Lord will accomplish that which concerns me;
Your [unwavering] lovingkindness, O Lord, endures forever—
Do not abandon the works of Your own hands.

Have faith God will see you through it, and claim His promise as your own.

In the name of God the Father and God, the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Father God, let us always choose to hope in You instead of fretting, or getting stressed over things we have no control over. Replace our qualms with quiet, our fears with faith, and our worries with wisdom. Dear Lord, help us make every Sabbath about you alone. Quiet my heart, give rest to my soul, refocus my spirit—for true renewal, true revival, comes only from you. Holy Spirit please help me to be intentional with my time and worship, and encourage me to find rest in you alone. In Jesus’ name. 

Adeste Fidelis. Venite Adoremus. Dominum

Gloria. In Excelsis Deo. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.

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Jeremiah 29:11 Digging Deeper with God. Understand the Real Meaning of ‘For I Know the Plans I Have for You’!

We spend a lot of time thinking about God’s plans for us. What does God have in mind for me? What is God’s plan for my future? This is definitely something I can and will hang onto while I am trying to sort out just exactly what the plan is for the exact moment I am in right now as I sit and contemplate this devotion.

While this is definitely a wonderful thing to sit alone in one’s quiet places and ponder and perhaps even pray over, the plan for the next moments when I will take my next breath of life, and then the one after that, should God grace me in that moment with another breath, in a moment of Holy Spirit clarity, it came to me and I realized something, it’s easy to have the attitude: “It’s all about me.”

Am I thinking about God in the exact moments when I am trying to plan for my future? When I’m making my own plans to take my very own next breath of life? Have I even thought to plan on including God in my own plans for myself? God cares about every intricate detail in our lives (Psalm 139:1-18). Jesus said that he even numbers the hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). And after all, when compared to God, everything is small. Am I planning on or for any Holy Spirit revelation?

What about God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? But should we expect that the main purpose of God’s plans is to solely make us happy right here, right now? Is it the least bit realistic to believe God’s plan “for me” is really only “my plan?” Where have I even minimally planned to try to make any living space for God? Where have I made any plans to invite Jesus into my home, my heart and soul? Where are my plans to have a Holy Spirit “party of all parties” to celebrate life?

Jeremiah 29:10-11 The Message

10-11 This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

God’s Word is full of wisdom and encouragement that guide Christians through life. Memorizing Scripture can serve as a powerful weapon against temptation, despair, hopelessness and worldliness. However, learning verses in isolation, without context can lead to misunderstanding and misapplying the virtues and lessons that God has already planned for all of His people to possess and learn.

One familiar verse that Christians often quote is Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” It is a critically important text to become acquainted with.

This is a message of hope and a promise of a good future that is easy to cling to and repeat. But knowing the full context of the verse is quite interesting and it reveals the enormous scope of God’s design and will for mankind. Let’s dig into what it really means when its God alone who tells all of us, he has plans for us.

What Does, Ought, It to Mean to ME That God Knows the Plans He Has for Me?

In the context of Jeremiah 29, the phrase, “I know the plans I have for you,” refers to the plans the Lord has had for the people of Israel from the beginning. This verse is a reiteration of the promises of God from the beginning of creation as well as the beyond absolute guarantee that He always keeps His covenants.

They were the descendants of Abraham, with whom God made a covenant to bless His descendants. They were the people of David, a man after God’s own heart. Even though they broke their promise to worship only the one true God, He was not going to forget His word, and would restore them to blessings. In fact, this verse is a foreshadowing of the coming Messiah, the Lord Jesus.

God promised David, a descendant who would reign forever, “You have said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build your throne for all generations’” (Psalm 89:3-4). There is only one throne that lasts forever, the throne of God where Jesus Christ will live and reign forever. If God allowed the descendants of David to stop being carried out to Babylon to go extinct in exile, that promise of an eternal throne for David’s descendants could not ever have been fulfilled. 

In context, this verse came to serve as an inspiration and encouragement for the Jews in exile and therefore should be a great inspiration and encouragement for Christians today. God’s timing is God’s timing. God is not fickle. He keeps all of His promises! Because the Father kept His promises to use the Jewish people in His plans, the whole world now has access to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Man would forsake man without hesitation. God did not forsake His people, redeeming them for His glory and their good. When the Lord promises that we are saved, He means it. When Jesus promises to return for His church, we can have confidence in His word. As Jesus says in the New Testament, centuries later, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). We change! God does not change, no matter how individuals or the world does, and believers can rest assured that He will keep His promises.

Who Wrote Jeremiah?

The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah is one of three books of prophecy called the Major Prophets. Its name comes from its author, who wrote during the last days before the exile to Babylon. Jeremiah, also known to us as the weeping prophet, wrote most of the text during the exile of the Israelites.

At this time in the history of the Jewish people, Israel was divided into two kingdoms: Israel to the north and Judah to the south. Both kingdoms were conquered by foreign powers during this period. Jeremiah was the main prophet to Judah and unto the exiles in Babylon working at the same time as the minor prophet Zephaniah, who is likewise briefly mentioned in Jeremiah’s book.

Babylon and the Kingdom of Judah had been in conflict for a few years, resulting in the Babylonian empire conquering Jerusalem, destroying the Temple, and carrying the Israelites into slavery. The book includes more than just prophetic text; it also has biographical information, sermons, and poetic messages which Jeremiah uses to communicate God’s will unto the people.

The prophet provides some biographic information about himself early in the book. He says, “The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign” (Jeremiah 1:1-2). He gives his father and his tribe, as well as the time he began receiving prophecy and prophetic messages from the Lord.

God’s Prophet Jeremiah preached all throughout Israel and received much persecution; “But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, ‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more’” (Jeremiah 11:19). Though God often guarded, protected him from these persecutions, Jeremiah’s prophecies were generally laughed at and ignored.

What Is Happening in Jeremiah 29?

Chapter 29 in the Book of Jeremiah is a letter with a specific message to a specific audience. The prophet wrote this passage to those Israelites in exile in Babylon. Many despaired, separated from their homes, their history, and their God. Solomon’s Temple was destroyed as well, adding to the calamity.

The Israelites received warnings from the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah that this would happen. Because they had been worshipping Baal and Moloch, false gods imported from foreign lands, breaking their covenant, the Lord allowed Babylon to invade. The Jews would be taken from their homeland for a period of seventy years. In chapter 29, the prophet wrote to encourage the people in exile, and warn them against false prophets during this time. 

The letter can be broken up into sections. Verses 1-3 serve as introductions, stating who wrote the letter and when. The following verses, 4-10, contain an edict from the Lord for the Jews to continue living, to not give up, and to ignore prophets whom He had not ordained. 

“Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters…multiply there and do not decrease…Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you.”

Jeremiah 24:4, and verse 8a

Next is a word of promise, an assurance that God has not forsaken His people. In this passage, verses 10-14 contains the famous verse. The Lord said through his prophet, “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you” (Jeremiah 29:10-13).

God gave the Israelites in captivity a deadline for their time under Babylonian rule. Verse eleven contains God’s assurances that He was not finished using Israel for His divine plan, and there were blessings to come in the future. After 70 years, the people would return to the Lord in prayer, and the relationship between God and His people would be restored. God alone would restore all!

What Covenant Did Israel Break?

To understand how incredible God’s statement in verse 11 is, it is important to understand the meaning and significance of the many covenants in that culture. It is often compared to a promise, which is not an incorrect assessment, but there is significantly more to it.

Covenants were seen as binding and lifelong. Because God lives forever, His promises live forever. One of the best examples of this kind of commitment from God is the rainbow, a sign of His promise to Noah that He would never again destroy the earth with water and flood.

Most covenants required both parties to do something. In Genesis 17, God makes a covenant with Abram, from that point forward called Abraham, to make him the father of many nations, with generations of blessings and kings. Abraham and his male descendants through all generations were to be circumcised to uphold their part of the covenant. 

The specific promise between Israel and the Lord that the Israelites broke, leading them into exile, was also reinforced several times through the Old Testament. If they kept God’s commandments, He would be with them. A specific message given to Solomon that illustrates this relationship is a clear articulation of this guarantee, and underscores how they violated it. 

God said to Solomon:

“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.”

1 Kings 9:4-7

Not only did Solomon allow his various wives from many other lands to worship and set up altars to their own gods, but his descendants would engage in idol worship for years before God cut them off from the land through conquest and exile. Yet, as He states in Jeremiah 29:11, He already had plans to restore them to a right relationship with Him.

What Does Jeremiah 29:11 NOT Mean?

This verse promises restoration and redemption for a people in exile that would lead to the salvation of mankind. It is full of hope and assurance. However, it is not always used to convey that message. It can sometimes be used, when taken out of context, to mean that Christians today have guarantees of blessings and prosperity. It can also be used to give a false sense of purpose, chasing after material blessings in a worldly fashion, rather than seeking after God. This verse only guarantees the exiled Israelites that they had not been forgotten by their Lord, not that He guarantees material gain for people who believe in Him.

Does this mean that, we the Christians of this 21st century cannot look to this magnificently hope-filled inspirational verse for hope and encouragement?

Not at all!

While the verse does not guarantee comfort and success, it does promise redemption, something the modern Christian experiences daily after being forgiven of their sins, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God does have a plan for all His people, and Jesus even says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31).

The truth Jesus states here is the same one from Jeremiah 29:11.

God loves all humanity, wants to redeem them to Himself, and plans for a glorious eternity together.   

From Psalm 107, There will be trials and troubles in this world, and the Bible never promises believers a problem-free life. There are many verses in the Old and New Testament that give assurance of His love and that He will keep His promises; Jeremiah 29:11 is such a “I want to hug God” transformational verse.

I am very big on not pulling Bible verses out of context. I want to know what does this verse mean for someone going through the worst of pain or abuse?

How could we ever share or pray this verse for a person living out life in prison? Wandering aimlessly in wildernesses? If those examples seem too extreme, try this: Does God really intend for us to apply this verse to our everyday lives?

I believe God does, and I have, by my own experiences, have discovered three ways we can live like we have a future and a hope, which is what God intends!

1. Live Fully No Matter Your Circumstances

No sooner had the Israelites been carried off into exile in Babylon than God prompted Jeremiah to send them a letter to encourage and instruct them! This is what we read in the 29th chapter of Jeremiah: a letter sent to people held captive, not living where or how they wanted. “Seek out the place of Shalom.”

Can you relate to any part of that?

Surprisingly, God didn’t first chastise them, and he also didn’t immediately rescue them. Instead, he encouraged them to put down roots and live fully despite their circumstances!

4 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. (Jeremiah 29:4-6 ESV)

We can apply this strong encouragement from God to our lives: When we are going through tough times, it is tempting to hang our heads and throw in our towel. But God says, “Don’t give up! Live, thrive! Build, plant, multiply!”

What part of that do you want to apply to your 21st century life today?

2. Pray for Peace, Pray for Shalom, and for Welfare for Those Who Are Troubling You

This next step is perhaps more difficult than we want to admit. Raise your hand if you have trouble praying for the good of all people around you, including those who are causing you problems. Hand raised here! Goodness, this hits between the eyes! Look at the reasons God’s covenant calls us to do just that:

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)

The NIV translates “welfare” here as “peace and prosperity.” Does it sound unspiritual to say this? When the people around us live in peace and prosperity, so will we, and wouldn’t we want that?

You know, in this passage–in this letter from Jeremiah to the exiles–God was reminding the Israelites they were his people, and he was still taking care of them. Part of that care was for them to be safe and to prosper in this new land.

How are we to live in peace if people in our lives are in turmoil?

Will you commit with me today to pray for the hardest people in your life to pray for? Will you commit to being a part of God’s greatest best plan for them?

3. Trust God’s Long-Term Plan! NOT Yours

Finally, God’s covenant calls us to surrender our best plans for our greatest future. Surrender, trust God’s plan for the long-term despite what things look like today. For the people of Israel, the wait for freedom would last 70 years. They would see kings rise and fall; they would live through persecution and trial. They would have more than their fair share of highest energy concerns.

Remember Daniel’s faith being severely tested in the Lion’s Den and too the account of Daniel’s friends thrown into The Fiery Furnace? Those events and countless other trials challenged the Israelites during their time in Babylon.

Yet God encouraged them to remain faithful, faith-filled, hope-filled and hopeful followers, to zealously hold onto to him, to implicitly trust in him, and trust that when God declared the exact time was right, their trial would end.

10 “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:10-11 ESV)

God had a future and a hope planned for the Israelites, and he does for us, too!

Remember Joseph’s warm words to his brothers?

20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

So, too, we might experience what seems like straight-out evil for a time. But God is working for good. Matthew Henry in his commentary says,

We are sometimes ready to fear that God’s designs are all against us; but as to his own people, even that which seems evil, is for good. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, or the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith; the end he has promised, which will be the best for them.

You might be thinking of another favorite verse at this very exacting time!

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 ESV)

So, as you face today, with its plans, trials and stressors, trust God for the long term. He has a plan. It is utterly good! And in it you have a future and a hope! 

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, thank you that every good and perfect gift comes from you, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. You have promised that, if I commit whatever I do to you, then you will timely cause my plans to succeed. My success will come from aligning my plans with your will. Guide my path and show me favor. Now may you, the Lord of all, give me success at all times and in every way. In your mighty name, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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