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"I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31:1)
Homemaking
Edibles for the Soul
This material appears courtesy of Faithwebbin
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
Mirror, Mirror: Back to Plan A
Have you ever been in situation that did not work out the way you planned it, so you decided to try plan B. Sometimes we can get so carried away with planning and trying to fix situations ourselves, we almost run out of alphabets. If you are somewhere near Plan Z, it's time to back up and start over.
Proverbs 16:9 -- In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
I hope last week's edible served as a reminder that we have a purpose here on earth. In Jeremiah 29:11, God lets us know about the plans He has for each of us. This particular passage was being spoken to the Israelites in captivity, but we as Christians know that the Old Testament relates to us as well because God does not change ... also some of us may spiritually be in captivity!
His plans for us shows four things:
GOD WANTS US TO PROSPER. The word "prosper" does not necessarily mean to become wealthy. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke about the perils of being rich. We can see in our lives today, how material possessions can control a person. God wants us to prosper by having fruitful and healthy lives. Many of us have gotten far away from the original plan which accounts for the mess in our lives.
GOD DOES NOT WANT TO HARM US. Sometimes when you are going through the storms of life, we quickly ask God, "Why?" There is nothing that we go through that does not have a light at the end of the tunnel. Job is the perfect example! Remember God put Job through a serious test, but there was a limit. The devil could not lay his hands on his soul. We may feel pain, shed tears, or lose sleep some nights, but when our soul is anchored in Jesus "no weapon forged against us shall prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)"
GOD GIVES US HOPE. If we stick with the plans God has for us, we can avoid some of the disappointments we go through in life. It has taken me a long time to settle on a career. At one time, I was feeling pretty hopeless. When I opened my heart to God, He gradually led me back to plan A. I did not notice it at first, but at my former job I constantly kept getting requests that really challenged my creativity and sparked some hope in a new direction. One of the points I expressed to the graduates I gave this speech to ... take the time to really think about what you love to do! We can truly "do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13)."
GOD MAPS OUR FUTURE. Remember God knew all about us before we were conceived in our mother's womb. He knew whether we would be extroverted or introverted, an artist or writer, a leader or a follower, etc. What we have to do is take the time to discover his plans for us. Sometimes they might take awhile to develop, but don't despair. Learn how to pray and ask the Lord to lead you in the direction that he wants you to go. We have to ask Him to reveal the opportunities he has for us.
I like the way Psalm 37:3-4 is worded in the Living Bible. "Trust in the Lord and delight in His plans and goals for you so He can give you the desires of your heart".
Other Edibles for the Soul
Mirror, Mirror on the wall ...
Mirror, Mirror: Why Am I Here?
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