God Has A Plan

“Righteous [are] You, O LORD, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about [Your] judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? [Why] are those happy who deal so treacherously?”    

Jeremiah 12:1 NKJV

As many are attempting to process the results of the mid-term elections which occurred this past week, the question posed in this passage from Jeremiah has certainly never been more appropriate.  Many are rightfully concerned with what will unfold in the coming months when the power in government takes a sharp left turn and a radical agenda is unleashed. While all too often we look at the powers that be and immediately wonder how it will affect our plans for the future, in fact, what we should be thinking is that God is the One with the ultimate power and we have His promises to us concerning our future being in His hands and the assurance of His judgment to come.

The question from Jeremiah, and the emotion that produces it, are most often the result of something called frustration. Now frustration is generally a combination of two other feelings we all can relate to, and those are anger and discouragement. Those two emotions were certainly evident in many commentaries about our political future this past week.  Now speaking for myself, anger and discouragement usually follows when plans don't work out the way I want or expect them to. One thing I have noticed as well is that it really doesn't matter if they are life changing plans or just every day living and working around the house plans, if I want something and it doesn't work out I get frustrated.

The key to all of this though, at least in my opinion, is contained in one little letter and that is the letter “I”. It has taken me quite a while to come to the understanding in my own life that these emotions are really a result of my failure to understand that “I” don't have nearly as much control over life as I wish I had. So often we make plans expecting certain results without acknowledging that we probably don't have the power to control the outcome. Then when circumstances occur which foil our best laid plans we get frustrated, angry and discouraged. 

When this happens in the believers life, quite often the result is the same question we find in Jeremiah.  We look to God and ask why, as if it's God's fault we are frustrated because we certainly deserve whatever it was we wanted. Something I noticed though in all of this, is a point made when we ask this question of God in the first place. To my way of thinking, if we ask this question of God are we not then acknowledging that He is in control and has the power to affect the outcome? If so, then logically doesn't it follow that the result was according to His will?  Rest assured, God has a plan for this world and the events we witness are all a part of it.

There are three points I believe we need to understand in order to deal with the frustration we often experience resulting from the realization that we don't control our own circumstances, and that it is God who does. 

God knows us.

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My [sheep], and am known by My own.”    John 10:14 NKJV

Now it's important to understand that this verse is not saying that God just knows who we are. It is much more than that. The word for know in the Greek is ginōskō; to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel, to become known, to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of, to understand, to know. You see, what we are being told here is that God knows us better than we know ourselves. That being the case, it follows that God knows what is best for us as well. As parents, how often do we say no to something our children really want because we know that it isn't the best thing for them. As they grow older, those circumstances might change, but we make those decisions based on our knowledge. God knows us, and if we acknowledge that He is in control, shouldn't we accept whatever comes without frustration, anger and discouragement?

God has a plan for us.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."   Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV

The word for know used here in the Hebrew has the same meaning as the one in John. So not only are we being told that God knows us, we are being told that He has a plan for our life that predated our birth! In His perfect knowledge, God has laid out the course of this world, and made a special place for you and me. Before He even created this world, He had a plan and knew exactly what part we were going to play in it. When we try to control our own lives, or argue with God when things don't go as we planned, in reality we are telling God He doesn't know what He is doing. In effect, we are telling God we need something to make us happy, and He is telling us that in order to be happy we need to go along with His plan.

God will take care of us.

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”    Phillipians 4:19 NKJV

It took me quite a while to understand that the secret to happiness was not getting what I wanted, but rather enjoying what God has given me. I always seem to find myself falling into the trap of deciding I need something and making plans to get it rather that just sharing with God what I think I would like and waiting to see if He gives it to me. If God has promised to take care of us, why do we constantly try to do it ourselves? I can't help but think of Eve in the Garden of Eden deciding she really needed what God told her she didn't need, and look at the result of that. If you think about it, how much sense does it make to disagree with a Holy God who knows the future?

Does this mean we are not supposed to have desires or make plans for our futures? Not at all, but what it does mean is that you give them to God with the acknowledgment that He is in control and if it is His will for them to work out, they will. On the other hand, if those plans do not work out you understand that in His perfect knowledge, God has other plans for you. Also, let's not forget those who might appear to have what we want because they are willing to do anything to get it. The wicked prosper because Satan wants it to appear that his way is better than God's. God calls them “wicked”, and while at first it appears they are happy because they have what they want, in the end we find they have nothing at all because God promises the wicked get what they deserve.

“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring [it] to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret--[it] only [causes] harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked [shall be] no [more]; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it [shall be] no [more]. But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”      Psalms 37:4-11 NKJV

How often do we as believers attempt to tell God what He should do?  I have to constantly ask myself how ridiculous it is to try and argue with the God of the universe who knows the future! I may have a plan, but it is God alone who already knows if it will result in my happiness or sorrow. So we must choose to  let Him lead.  As it relates to the politics of this country, as well as the rest of the world, God is in control no matter how confusing things may seem at the moment.  Everything is playing out exactly as God has foreseen and these things must occur before the final chapter of God’s plan is executed.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”     Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if [there is any] wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”       Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV

I believe the bottom line is simply that, as believers, we have the assurance of, and must put our trust in, the fact that God is in control of everything and we need not fear or be frustrated when the plans we have do not work out as desired.  Watching the world seemingly begin to fall apart is a wonderful sign for believers as it tells us the time of our deliverance is fast approaching.  Make no mistake, no matter how frightening the future may appear, God is on His throne and as believers, our future is in His hands and His alone and our trust should be in Him.

That said, the most important decision anyone can make is to accept the free gift of salvation offered to us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ by His death on the cross for our sins.  If you have never made the decision to accept that free gift I encourage you to do so today. All that you need to do is ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that right now by praying a prayer just like this one;

Dear Father in heaven, I believe in your son Jesus. I believe that He died on the cross for my sins, that He rose up from the grave, and that my sins are forgiven.  Forgive me of my sin, help me to walk with you, and thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Keep watching.

Hold Fast Without Wavering

“Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering, for He who promised [is] faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as [is] the manner of some, but exhorting [one another], and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:23-25 NKJV

I want to start off today with a question for you. Have you seen any signs indicating we may be close to Jesus' return during the last few years and if so, are those signs decreasing or increasing? The reason I ask is that we have arrived at a point where even those who don't watch are asking just what in the world is going on in the world today? The signs of Jesus' return are coming faster and faster, almost to the point where it is hard to keep up with them all. Do you think that might mean we are getting close to “arriving” at our eternal destination?

This passage from the book of Hebrews addresses the Church as a whole,  and believers specifically, about our mindset as we see the end approaching.  As we have been addressing lately what is expected from the Church, and considering where many believe we are on God’s calendar in regards to the end of this age, it occurs to me that these verses from the book of  Hebrews might be especially appropriate for us to consider.  I believe this passage speaks volumes on what the priority of the Church at this particular time should be so I thought we should look a little closer today at what wisdom we find here.

“Hold fast”. Might that translate be patient? It's a long trip but eventually we will get where we are going because our Father has told us so. Many of us have waited a very long time to see the days we are now living in and the closer we get the more impatient we become. Hold fast, without wavering, because the signs are coming so quickly that it can't be much longer before we go.

“Stir up love and good works”. Be on your best behavior? As we approach our final destination, we have the opportunity to share about our faith and give an explanation of what the world is going through. How much more will the world pay attention if we are are seen as a body of believers that are concerned with loving others and doing good works rather than being selfish and self centered.

“Not forsaking the assembling together”. We are family. Over the years we had occasion to hear people tell us how well behaved our girls were, and I must admit that made us feel good about the decisions we made as parents. I believe the most important decision was to attend church regularly so as a family we could meet and form relationships with other believers. Good or bad, what we experienced within the body as we grew as a family helped us form the foundations of our faith which are apparent today. We not only learn from our own experiences, but also the experiences of others.

“Exhorting one another”. We won't learn much if we don't meet together with other believers and also use that time to encourage and lend support to the family we are. The word translated “exhort” in this version is also translated “encourage” and “beseech” in other versions. As I studied this verse I looked to see how this word is used in other passages in the Bible and came to the conclusion that we are being told to “strongly encourage” each other. The word for exhort in the Greek is “parakaleo” and here are a few of those other passages using the same word.

“Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”

Titus 1:9 NKJV

“Preach the word! Be ready in season [and] out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”

2 Timothy 4:2 NKJV

“Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God;”

1 Thessalonians 4:1 NKJV

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called,”

Ephesians 4:1 NKJV

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service.”

Romans 12:1 NKJV

One other thing I noticed is that most often this word is also used in the context of our behavior as believers. I think it important to understand that God is very concerned with how we witness to the world by our actions, and He expects us to strongly encourage others in the body to “love and good works”.

“And so much the more as you see the Day approaching”. Are we there yet? We have all heard that question, and in this case the answer most believers who watch would give is a resounding “yes”! We should expect the rapture of the Church at any time, so now more than ever we need to be encouraging each other. Sharing what we see with other believers is a sure way to wake up those who might be slow to see just where we are in our journey home. How soon? I certainly can't say, but I do know this; we are almost there!

That said, whenever the subject of the signs of the rapture come up, there are sure to be those who protest that we can never know when that time has arrived.  So I thought I would share a portion of an article by Jack Kelley which addresses that position as well as any I have ever read.

No One Knows The Day Or The Hour

Now we’ll look at that other popular phrase, “No one knows the day or the hour”.

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man“ (Matt. 24:36-37).

Let’s back up a few verses to make sure we have the proper context here.  After the Great Tribulation ends (Matt. 24:29) there will be various signs in the heavens. The sun and moon will go dark and the stars will fall from the sky. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear and all the nations will mourn.  After that they’ll see Him coming in the clouds with power and great glory (Matt. 24:30).  From both the context and the passage itself it’s clear that the day and hour the Lord was referring to in Matt. 24:36-37 is the 2nd Coming .

A few verses later, the Lord repeated the same thought, again in the context of the 2nd Coming.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matt. 24:42-44)

The Lord does not come to break into Satan’s domain at the rapture.  He calls us out of it.  And another few verses later.

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 24:50-51)

There’s no way this can refer to the rapture because the things He described will not be done to unbelievers at the rapture. He’s speaking of the judgments that follow the 2nd Coming.

Then, for the fourth time in 28 verses the Lord said that believers on Earth at the time of the 2nd Coming will not know the day or hour of His return.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matt. 25:13)

This one is in the context of the parable of the 10 bridesmaids.

In previous studies I’ve shown that this parable can’t be about the church. The Church is the Bride, not a bridesmaid, there’s only one bride, not 10, and the banquet follows the wedding, it doesn’t precede it. There’s no way a newly married bride could be excluded from her own wedding banquet by a husband who claims he doesn’t know her. The parable is about tribulation survivors, 5 of whom are saved and enter the Kingdom and 5 who are not and don’t.

What’s The Point?

Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing”. (2 Tim. 4:8)

I’ve searched the Scriptures in vain trying to find either of the above phrases used in connection with the Rapture. But I can’t find a single verse that does so.  As I’ve shown they all point to the Second Coming and they are all directed toward Tribulation survivors, not the Church.

What I did find is that the Lord rebuked the religious leaders of His time for not expecting Him.  He criticized the Pharisees for not being able to read the signs of the times (Matt. 16:2-4).  We’re admonished to be aware as well.  For example, the Lord commanded us to understand Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy (Matt. 24:15).  Paul warned us not to let events leading up to the Day of the Lord take us by surprise (1 Thes. 5:4), and as we see above He promised that the Lord would award a crown to those who longed for His appearing.  And why shouldn’t we long for His appearing? After all, the rapture of the Church is one of the most exciting things our Creator has ever done for His followers.  It’s not for nothing that we call it our blessed hope. Therefore, encourage each other with these words.  Selah 09-05-09

https://gracethrufaith.com/end-times-prophecy/no-one-knows-the-day-or-the-hour-2/

The Bible, in my humble opinion, makes it perfectly clear that if we watch for the signs Jesus promised would come, we will know His return is near.  It is my firm belief that these signs are occurring before our very eyes at the present time and our appointment to meet with Jesus in the air is imminent.  Many are disappointed that it hasn't happened already and some grow tired of watching but for those this passage from Hebrews says this, "Let us hold fast the confession of [our] hope without wavering".  

Rest assured, we who have made the choice to accept His gift of eternal life will go to be with Him for eternity. If you have never made the decision to accept that free gift I encourage you to do so today.  Simply ask God to forgive you of your sin based on your belief that Jesus died to pay the price for your sin, and turn over control of your life to Him.  You can do that right now by praying a prayer just like this one;

Dear Father in heaven, I believe in your son Jesus. I believe that He died on the cross for my sins, that He rose up from the grave, and that my sins are forgiven.  Forgive me of my sin, help me to walk with you, and thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Keep watching.

Jesus Laid the Foundation

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”   1 Corinthians 3:9-15  NKJV

Last week I discussed the current state of the Church as I see it, and the unfortunate ineffectiveness to perform the mission of spreading the gospel as Jesus intended for it to do.  Surprisingly, while I believe this is true of the Church as a whole today, it is not necessarily a new problem.  In the third chapter of 1 Corinthians we can see that Paul was writing to a divided church which, was focused on issues concerning following different teachers rather than being united in teaching the gospel.  In Paul's words, they were trying to build on a shaky, flawed foundation which would never stand up to testing.

“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.”  1 Corinthians3:11-8 NKJV 

In his instruction to the church in verses 9-15, Paul makes it clear that the focus should be on the foundation he laid. As Paul put it, “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”  The problem they were facing was much like the one the church faces today in that pastors are choosing to put their own spin on what the Bible has to say instead of teaching exactly what the Bible has to say.  In other words, they are busy building on a foundation which is deeply flawed and will never support what they are trying to build.

Unfortunately, Satan has done a very good job in creating flawed foundations for the world to choose from. If you have watched the news lately you will find numerous examples of those who seem to want to alter, or modify the very foundation God has laid for us. Yet the Word of God makes it clear that there is only one foundation strong enough to stand for eternity, and the Apostle Paul reminds us of what it is in his letter to the Corinthians.

Having spent many years in the home construction business, I learned a thing or two about building a good foundation.  My father was a part-time carpenter as was my grandfather before him. My first real job was as a carpenter's apprentice, and I have worked as a carpenter off and on my entire life. So it goes without saying that I enjoy the fact that Jesus was a carpenter, especially if you consider that God chose for Him to be born to a carpenter rather than to an earthly father with any other trade.

One of the very first things I learned as a carpenter was how important the foundation is to whatever it is you intend to build. What could be called the carpenter's golden rule is that you must have a strong, square, perfectly level foundation on which to build. Working as a framer on many large housing projects gave me ample opportunity to build on foundations others had laid, and I can tell you from experience that a poor foundation affects the entire construction process. I'm sure that Jesus was well aware of this rule, and I think it comes as no surprise that it is reflected in what Jesus had to say about building His Church.

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.    Matthew 7:24-25  NKJV

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.    Matthew 16:18 NKJV

As we consider the foundation we build on, it must be our faith in the person of Jesus Christ and our acceptance of His sacrifice for our sin. If our foundation is flawed, it will affect everything else we may try to apply.  Jesus tells us two things here. One, the foundation of His church is built upon a rock so strong that not even Satan can move it. Two, He tells us exactly what that foundation is and if we look back just two verses in this passage from Matthew, we see what Jesus is referring to;

Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Matthew 16:16 NKJV

You see, the Church is made up of those who choose to believe that Jesus was, and is the Son of God. When an individual chooses to accept this fact, and acknowledges that Jesus died for their sins, they then become “Christians”, or one of those who believe that Jesus was indeed the Son of God sent to this earth to die for our sins, and then rise from the dead so that we too could have eternal life. From that point on, the true believer seeks to follow all that we are taught by the Word and by the Holy Spirit. Jesus describes His followers this way;

"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: "He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.      Luke 6:47,48 NKJV

How strong is your foundation?  Do you hear Jesus’ words and do them?  Do you constantly question what you are told and measure it against God’s Word? That is the key to building on a strong foundation which will help you not only weather the storms life will bring, but help you to fulfill the purpose we as believers have in spreading the gospel as Jesus intended us to do. Rather than making the same mistake that the Corinthians made, we need to look for teachers who choose to build on the foundation that Jesus laid. "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ".

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do it right now. Simply admit to God that you need His forgiveness because you are a sinner,  be willing to turn away from your sins, believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and invite Him to come in and control  your life through the Holy Spirit by praying a simple prayer like this;

Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Keep watching.