God’s Incredible Plans for You.....By Mark Altrogge

 God’s Incredible Plans for You

By Mark Altrogge

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. (Jer. 29:11)

This quote was part of a letter God had Jeremiah write to the Jews whom Nebuchadnezzar had been taken captive to Babylon from Jerusalem. They had been ripped from their homeland, taken to a land where they were aliens and strangers. I can’t imagine how hopeless they felt.

But God told them what to do there. He told them to build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat their produce. To get married and have children, then give their children in marriage to have more children. And incredibly, God told them to seek the welfare of Babylon where ultimately he had sent them into exile. God even told them to pray for Babylon’s welfare.

Then God promised that after 70 years he would bring them back to Jerusalem. He told them he had plans for them, plans for their good, plans for their future, plans to give them hope.

This is a good reminder for us. We need to regularly remember that this world is not our home.

As Peter tells us:

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (1 Pet. 2:11)

Just as Babylon was not the Jews’ final home, neither is this our final home. Our home is heaven. But like the Jews, we are to build our lives here for now. We’re to seek the good of our nation, our churches, our friends and neighbors. We’re to settle in – temporarily. But we mustn’t forget that after “70 years” – sooner or later – God will take us to our ultimate home – heaven.

Those are God’s plans for us. But he has plans for us now too.

Do you feel hopeless at times? Don’t know what to do? Face an uncertain future? Remember, God has plans for you. Both for the next life and for this life.

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! (Ps. 31:19)

God has abundant goodness stored up for us who fear him and take refuge in him. Not just a little bit of goodness, but abundant, overflowing goodness.

God has specific plans for you

He isn’t vague or uncertain. He has every second of every day planned for us. He has an exact day and hour for our trials to end, just like had an exact 70 years planned for Israel. He has the exact time for you to meet your future husband. An exact day for you to land that job you can’t imagine. A day for you to get relief from that sickness. Our times are in his hands.

God knows his plans for you

“For I know the plans I have for you…” We don’t know God’s plans. But since he does, we can trust him. He knows his plans and how to fulfill them. Nothing can stop him from fulfilling them. He causes all things to work together to fulfill his plans.

God’s plans are for your good

He is a good Father. He loves to give good gifts to his children. Everything God does is good and righteous. Even when he takes us through things that feel hard, eventually we will see they were for our good and our joy and gladness in him.

God’s ultimate plan for us is make us like Christ, and bring us to himself, where we will gaze upon the face of Christ and experience never ending joy in his presence.

God has plans for us, but we must patiently wait for him to fulfill them, just as Israel had to wait for God to fulfill his plans for them:

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
 wait for the LORD! (Ps. 27:13-14)

First of all, we must trust God – we must continue to fight the good fight of faith – “I BELIEVE that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord.” We must regularly remind ourselves that God has promised he has plans for us, and that God will keep his word. He does not change his mind, or lie. (Num. 23:19)

And we must wait for God to fulfill his word in his timing. God tells us “be strong, and let your heart take courage” as we wait for him. We do this by calling to mind God’s many promises, and reminding ourselves of who God is.

But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
 great is your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:21-23)

Israel had to wait 70 years for God to fulfill his plan to bring them back to Jerusalem. But he surely did it.

We must trust God and wait for him in faith to fulfill his plans

God has wonderful, unimaginable plans for us. So wait for the Lord. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Trust in him. You will look upon the goodness of the Lord, in this life and especially in the next. Of all the people on earth, we who have believed in Jesus have this incredible hope. Those who don’t believe in him have no hope.

Praise God that he is so good and loving and faithful to us. Ask him for grace to trust him and wait for him. Ask him to fill you with joy and help you serve others as you wait for him to fulfill his plans for you.

Renewal of Purpose.....Denison Ministries

 Renewal of Purpose

Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

One of the best aspects of spending time alone with God is being renewed daily by his word and presence. When we make space for God in our lives, especially at the beginning of the day, he is faithful to renew and prepare us for all we will face out in the world. Scripture says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Where do you need renewal? How greatly do you need God’s mercies in your life? He has a plan this week to both teach and guide you into an encounter with him that will renew you with his overwhelming goodness and love. Make space for God. Make time to encounter him. And experience the refreshing spring rain he longs to bring to heal the dry and weary places of your heart.

Scripture:“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” John 15:16

Devotional:    

You and I were born with a deep desire to live with purpose. As children, we dream of doing something significant with our lives. We dream of being a person who makes a difference in the world. Inherent in all of us is a longing to make a deep and lasting impact. Our longing for purpose only becomes a problem as we begin seeking out its source. Most of us live our lives in constant pursuit of finding out why we’re here, seeking the answer to the question: “What am I uniquely made for?” And we look for the answers in all the wrong places. We look for our purpose in each other, in the ever-changing whims of society, or internally, in what seems to make us feel good in the moment. But God has a better purpose for our lives than we could ever find in the world. He has a purpose so great, so powerful, and so lasting that when we get a glimpse of it, we will forever be changed. God has a page in his grand narrative written just for you, to use you to make a unique and eternal impact on the earth.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “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.” Let us not miss the importance of what God would reveal to us today because we’ve heard something before. Instead, let’s dive in deeper and see what God’s word would reveal to us about that purpose. In John 15:16 Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” You are chosen by God. You aren’t secondary to someone else in God’s kingdom. He has formed you and chosen you to “go and bear fruit.” And Jesus desires that our fruit would “abide.” He has chosen you to make a lasting impact on the earth.

So, what lasting fruit does God intend for you here? Answering this question should start with the words of Jesus. Allow God’s commandments to lay the defining foundation of your purpose. In response to the question of what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replies, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). Your purpose here on earth is to love God and love others. God has chosen to use love to bring about salvation. He’s chosen to use love as the catalyst for spiritual awakening. It’s love that is God’s driving force, and it’s love that he longs to instill in us as our highest goal. Understand today that you are formed and called to love above all else.

Scripture also tells us that we have been chosen to be carriers and ministers of the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” God’s kingdom is here on earth. And Revelation 5:10 says, “You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” We are not purposed to merely suffer and wait for heaven. God’s kingdom is here on earth, and we are his workmanship. We are his priests. Acts 26:16 says, “Rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Your life here is of eternal value. A life spent simply waiting for heaven is a life wasted. God has placed an eternal purpose on your life, a purpose meant to be pursued and lived out every minute of every day. You don’t have time to waste. And the compelling truth is, you will never be satisfied until you devote your life to ministering this incredible gospel of restoration and love. Until you pursue seeing God’s kingdom come through your job, relationships, and time, you will never experience the joy and passion only God’s purpose can bring you. God doesn’t have a cookie-cutter mold he tries to fit all believers into. He’s formed you for a specific and unique purpose no other believer will be able to accomplish. His plans for you are your own and no other’s. So choose today to live your life for your heavenly Father. Work with him in all that you do. Love him and others with every fiber of your being. And experience the joy of making a deep, eternal impact with all that you do. May God renew your sense of purpose today as you enter into a time of guided prayer.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to use you for an incredible purpose.

“And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” John 15:16

2. Reflect on your own life for a moment. In what ways have you been living out of a purpose other than God’s? Confess those sins to your loving heavenly Father. Let his forgiveness transform your heart.

3. Now commit your life to God’s plan and purpose. Choose to love with all you have today. Line up your heart with God’s word, and pursue the life he has in store for you. Give him your job, your family, and finances. Ask him how he would have you use them.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Acts 26:16

What will God say about your life when you get finished here? Will your life have been spent in pursuit of him and his kingdom or in building up a small kingdom here that will pass away like the changing of seasons? Will your life be of fleeting or eternal impact? Only you can choose how you will live your life. May you make the choice today and every day to live the only life that truly matters. God has incredible plans and purposes in store for you if you will simply open your heart and your hands to him and say, “Use me.”

Extended Reading: John 10:1-19

Broken Promise.....BLAIR LINNE

 Broken Promise

BLAIR LINNE

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

Honest confession: I’ve broken promises before. Maybe you have, too. Even when I’ve desired to keep my word, for one reason or another, I didn’t or simply couldn’t!

Just two days ago, a friend invited me to have lunch with her. I told her that once I ran an errand I would text her to confirm — and completely forgot. Despite desiring to spend time with her, my own fallibility — my forgetfulness — was the barrier to me fulfilling my promise to my friend.

And not only have I dished out my share of broken promises, but I have been on the receiving end of them, too.

There have been times when I thought God was promising me something when He wasn’t. Sometimes friends with the best intentions can proclaim promises that God never did.

Like promising that, if you are faithful, you will be given a spouse.
Or if you are good with children, it must mean you will have a child biologically.
Or if you put God first, then you will have a fabulous marriage with no challenging times.

Sometimes we blame God for not fulfilling a promise He never said He would. Familiarizing ourselves with His Word helps us know what He intends to accomplish. The point of God’s promises is not to indulge our desire for all of our Christian wishes to come true, but it is to make us holy.

We can take comfort in the character of God. This is what we know to be true: Yahweh is holy. He is not like us: He never forgets a promise He made. He is changeless, and it is impossible for Him to lie. (Hebrews 6:18) When He makes a declaration or oath, He always completes it. He never says “oops!” and He never has to take back what He spoke because His “yes” is “yes,” and His “no” is “no.” As our key verse says, God is not a human being that He should change His mind:

“God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19).

When we understand God’s conditional and unconditional declarations, we better understand the verses that may seem to suggest God has changed. God doesn’t change, but He does respond favorably to people who approach Him humbly.

If a person or people marked for judgment respond with repentance, God responds with mercy because that is who He is. Returning mercy in the sight of humility is what He does. (Micah 7:18)

Therefore, “Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” (Numbers 23:19b-c). We know these are rhetorical questions because the answer is: Of course not! God will never make a promise and not fulfill it! He will accomplish everything He said. He cannot lie because He is the Truth.

And the best news of all, friend, is that all of God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:20) He is the Promise who was literally broken for us, to show that God simply doesn’t break any of His promises.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus, the Promise. Through faith in His crucifixion and resurrection, You have united me to You. Help me believe that everything You have spoken over me is for my good. Help me to know that You will fulfill everything You said in Your Scriptures. Please give me a heart to turn to You in repentance and to find encouragement in Christ. Deliver me from being swayed by any false promises. Instead, help me cling to Your Truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Enslaved by Debt.....Dr. Charles Stanley

 Enslaved by Debt

Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 22:7

Personal debt has skyrocketed in our Western culture. Easy credit, a desire for material goods, and an unwillingness to save and wait have led many people down the path of financial bondage. The Bible doesn’t forbid borrowing, but it clearly warns us of its negative consequences. Our verse today describes the borrower as the lender’s slave.

Every dollar you borrow costs you a measure of freedom. Your paycheck is no longer entirely yours; a part of it must be set aside to repay your creditor. As the interest adds up, the financial burden may necessitate longer working hours. For Christians, the obligation to repay debt oftentimes hinders the ability to give to
the Lord’s work or help people in need. Instead of getting the first part, God gets leftovers or nothing at all. 

The consequences of accumulating debtreach beyond monetary issues. The burden of mounting bills creates emotional and relational stress. In fact, financial problems are one of the leading causes of divorce. Even our relationship with the Lord is affected when we let our appetite for the world’s goods override our obedience to biblical principles. Although God promises to supply our needs, how often do we jump ahead of Him and provide for ourselves with “easy payment plans.”

The next time you are tempted to charge a purchase that you really can’t afford, stop! Go home and ask the Lord if He wants you to have it. If He does, ask Him to provide it. Then wait. True freedom comes to those who rely on the Lord’s promises instead of their credit cards.

I’m a Hypocrite.....by John UpChurch

 I’m a Hypocrite

by John UpChurch

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.” Matthew 6:5

The college-me would call the current-me a hypocrite. That’s what I did back then. Anyone claiming to be a Christian automatically earned that prestigious title. I could judge, after all, because I sat in my lofty seat in the college library and weighed such grave matters in my head and in my poetry. My pencil could strike down any Christ-follower with a witty rhyme. I knew they were all fake.

So, I had a lot to learn about love. But I was right about the hypocrisy thing. The current me is, in fact, a hypocrite.

Jesus warned us not to be like the hypocrites, those who put on a show but don’t let the show touch their hearts. And when I’m honest, that’s exactly what I do sometimes. My worship becomes a series of movements, a tentative toe-tap into the spiritual waters. All the while, my mind has drifted off to my bank account, my schedule, and my Instagram feed.

That type of worship isn’t worship. It’s a show put on for my own gratification, one that makes me feel better about doing the “Christian thing.” In those moments, I’m exactly what my college self accused me of.

Hypocrite.

Thankfully, Jesus warned me about all this ahead of time. When my body and mind get out of sync, when my devotion becomes a demonstration, His warnings inevitably hit me in the chin. Matthew 6 cues up on my audio Bible, His admonitions pop up on someone’s blog, or I just catch myself in the act. That’s when I see just how much I’m simply going through the motions.

Unlike my college self, who judged to feel superior, God unmasks hypocrisy because He wants me to get real. His gentle (and not-so-gentle) nudges snap me out of my one-man show.

Intersecting Faith and Life: When Jesus warned His followers about hypocrisy, He knew they’d need the reminder. He knew we would need the reminder two thousand years later. Why? Because humans like to put on a good show and we don’t always live what we believe. Our hearts skip off like sheep while our bodies do those “Christian duties.”

Thankfully, God’s in the shepherding business. He knows how to shear that acting junk right off.

For Further Reading

Matthew 6:1
Isaiah 29:1

A Prayer for a Repentant Heart.....By: Kristine Brown

 A Prayer for a Repentant Heart

By: Kristine Brown

“The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:17 NLT)

Jesus told his disciples the story of a young man who left home with his portion of the inheritance. After spending every penny on frivolous living, the son returned home. He confessed his sin and asked his father for forgiveness. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” (Luke 15:21)

I can relate to this son’s regret. To the feeling of shame that comes over us when we realize we’ve allowed sin to have a place in our lives. In the pain of regret, there is a brokenness and a longing to be forgiven. Even though we may face consequences for our sin, without God’s forgiveness we will never experience the freedom He offers.

The word repentance can be defined as feeling regret and wanting to do what is right. But when we look at the idea of repentance through the eyes of our faith, we will discover new meaning. A repentant heart begins with a desire to give up the “sin that so easily entangles.” (Hebrews 12:1a) But true repentance means so much more— more than feeling bad or trying to be a better person than we were before. It reveals our brokenness and desperate need for a Savior.

Repentance isn’t just turning away from sin; it’s also bringing our brokenness to the Father.

In Psalm 51:17, King David cried out to God with a repentant heart, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

Like in the prodigal son’s story that Jesus told, David gave in to the temptation of sin. He too regretted his decision and understood the shame we feel when we do things we know we shouldn’t. With soul-bearing honesty, David turned toward the Lord, asking Him to cleanse and renew his spirit. (Psalm 51:10) David acknowledged his sin and sought the Father’s forgiveness with his whole heart.

King David’s example and Jesus’ story of the prodigal son give us hope for our brokenness. We all need a Savior, and thankfully Jesus will never reject us. We may feel crushed under the weight of sin at times, but freedom is possible when we cry out to the Lord with a repentant heart. Jesus will wash away our shame and regret. Let’s pray together.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Let the words of Psalm 51 be my heart’s cry today, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” When I feel weighed down by sin in my life, I will find freedom by seeking your forgiveness.

Forgive me for allowing sin to take hold. Thank you for the promise that you will “not reject a broken and repentant heart.” You sent your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins, so that I may be forgiven. Praise you for that incredible gift! Lord, please accept this prayer of repentance as I turn away from sin and bring my brokenness to you. Thank you for making me whole again. 

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Your Dead Will Live.....by Debbie Holloway

 Your Dead Will Live

by Debbie Holloway

“Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy” (Isaiah 26:19).

In Luke’s account of Christ’s resurrection, angels proclaimed to the women: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (24:5-6). This joyous news must have taken them off guard. After all, they came to Jesus’ tomb bearing burial spices with which to anoint the lifeless body of their Lord. Instead, they find dazzling angels standing watch next to an empty tomb, and hear news that they will never find Christ in a place of death and darkness.

As Easter draws closer, have you considered which aspects of your life God wants to breathe life into?

Family

Many of us have strained familial relationships that seem only to worsen when we get together for meals and services around the holidays. Do you pray for the members of your family regularly? Are you willing to open up your heart to start loving them the way God loves each and every one of them? Remember,

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).

Friendships

If Christ’s work on the cross teaches us anything about friendships, it’s that forgiveness and grace trumps all. After all, mere hours before his gruesome death, Jesus was ignored, abandoned, denied, and betrayed by his closest friends. He could have equally been speaking of Peter, a man in his inner circle, when he begged on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Yet, even after being left alone and misunderstood, Christ still made the ultimate act of love for his friends (and the world).

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:10).

Work

Often our “good” side is saved for our friends and loved ones, while our places of work get the short (or grumpy) end of the stick. As you ponder the work Christ did on the cross, and the glory of his resurrection, remember that our work can be a beautiful echo of his perfect work, holy and pleasing to God.

“For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:10-12).

Intersecting Faith and Life: What area of your life needs to come alive in honor of Easter? How can you seek Christ daily in your relationships and duties?