"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."
Many people quote this verse. Especially around the New Year. It is a great truth to remember as we plunge forward into another year. However, I think we quote it without recognizing and appreciating the context this verse was spoken in.
Jeremiah was a prophet during one of the darkest times for Israel. They were facing a take over from a foreign nation and were being forced out of their homeland. They were facing this time because of the consequences of their sin. God was releasing judgment upon them.
This time in Israel's history was a time of grief, intense fear, and death. But in the midst of all this, when they did not know what their future held, God spoke this promise, "For I know the plans I have for you..."
Sometimes we go through very dark times. We tend to look upon these times with disgust because we cannot stand the feelings that come along with it. We also do not like not knowing what our future holds. We look upon these times as something that will change what God has promised us; what He has called us to. However, we can learn from this promise being spoken during such a dark time. We can learn that we do not have to know what our future holds, we simply have to trust God who does! We have to trust the heart of God, trust that He does everything and allows certain things because He knows that it will ultimately prosper us. We have to trust that God does nothing to harm us, even when we feel judgment is being released upon our lives. We have to trust that His heart and His plan and His purpose is for us to have a hopeful future!
So, with that being said, do not let your circumstances dictate your future. Allow God's promises to supersede your circumstances. Let His promise give you hope!
I pray that this year will be the year of fruition! That God will bring to pass those things He has promised you. That you will no longer wade in the darkness of what has come to pass, but that you will see with new eyes your Heavenly Father's ability to make all things work together for your good!
God bless!
-Amanda
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Love
"I give you a new command: Love each other. You must love each other as I have loved you. All people will know you're my followers if you love each other." John 13:34-35
There's a reason Jesus says that our love for one another will be a distinct mark, separating us from the rest of the world. The love Jesus is referring to in this passage is likened to how He loved us.
How did Jesus love us?
Unconditionally. Without merit. Simply because.
We are to love others is this same way. We love beyond faults. We love despite wrongdoings. We love despite persecution.
If you think about it, loving the way Jesus loved is the most supernatural evidence of the work God has done in our lives.
Why?
Because it is not in our nature to love those who hate us, wrong us, and persecute us. Our natural inclination is to get even. We want to see the person suffer. We want justice.
When we live within a community of believers, we are going to face conflict eventually. We are going to cross paths with someone we do not necessarily like. Someone is going to let us down. When that situation happens, we have an opportunity to present to the world who Jesus is, and what His power is capable of accomplishing within us, by responding with love.
I find it very interesting that the "Love Chapter" in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, directly follows the description of the gifts of the Spirit (Chapter 12). One can surmise that surely the gifts of the Spirit would be evidence enough of who God is and what He can accomplish, but that is not the case. I think we need to read both of these chapters together to really get the point Paul is trying to make. He concludes chapter 13 stating that the greatest of all gifts is love.
Our love for one another will ultimately be the greatest witness to a doubting world, because they cannot argue against it. They can doubt our prophecy and say that we have some inside information. They can doubt us speaking in other languages, writing us off as lunatics. They can even doubt healings and miracles. But one thing they cannot deny is love.
When we can love as Jesus loves, we will grab the attention of the world and leave them wondering what the difference is between us and them. This is how they will know that we are His disciples.
There's a reason Jesus says that our love for one another will be a distinct mark, separating us from the rest of the world. The love Jesus is referring to in this passage is likened to how He loved us.
How did Jesus love us?
Unconditionally. Without merit. Simply because.
We are to love others is this same way. We love beyond faults. We love despite wrongdoings. We love despite persecution.
If you think about it, loving the way Jesus loved is the most supernatural evidence of the work God has done in our lives.
Why?
Because it is not in our nature to love those who hate us, wrong us, and persecute us. Our natural inclination is to get even. We want to see the person suffer. We want justice.
When we live within a community of believers, we are going to face conflict eventually. We are going to cross paths with someone we do not necessarily like. Someone is going to let us down. When that situation happens, we have an opportunity to present to the world who Jesus is, and what His power is capable of accomplishing within us, by responding with love.
I find it very interesting that the "Love Chapter" in the Bible, 1 Corinthians 13, directly follows the description of the gifts of the Spirit (Chapter 12). One can surmise that surely the gifts of the Spirit would be evidence enough of who God is and what He can accomplish, but that is not the case. I think we need to read both of these chapters together to really get the point Paul is trying to make. He concludes chapter 13 stating that the greatest of all gifts is love.
Our love for one another will ultimately be the greatest witness to a doubting world, because they cannot argue against it. They can doubt our prophecy and say that we have some inside information. They can doubt us speaking in other languages, writing us off as lunatics. They can even doubt healings and miracles. But one thing they cannot deny is love.
When we can love as Jesus loves, we will grab the attention of the world and leave them wondering what the difference is between us and them. This is how they will know that we are His disciples.
Friday, March 1, 2013
My Provider
I really feel a need to testify about all the times God has been faithful to me financially. I need to do it as a reminder to myself, and to help build faith in others as they learn to trust God with their finances.
For three years I did not work. I went to school full time and took care of my son. I depended upon my dad, who gave me a monthly income. This income was enough for BASIC necessities! During that time, if ever I had a need for something extra, God ALWAYS provided. I would get calls from people I knew who needed a babysitter, or someone to clean their house, at the exact moment my need arose. It never failed.
I went about a year and half without my own vehicle. I shared my grandmother's car during that time. It began to be more inconvient, so my dad decided he would spring the extra cash to get me something. What my dad didn't know is that my Heavenly Father already had something in mind. Someone had a car they were wanting to sell us, and they were going to give it to us for a good deal. My dad was unsure whether he wanted to make the purchase. I turned it over to God. That man who had the car to sell decided to give the car to me for FREE! It was 16 years old and only had 64,000 miles on it. It ran well and lasted me until I was able to purchase a newer one.
One time I was in desperate need of new clothes. This was during my school days, so like I said, I had no income. I had a refund from school during that time, so I set aside some of that money to buy clothes. Unfortunetly, an unexpected finance arose and I had to use that money to take care of it. I was disappointed because I did not have enough left over to buy new clothes. I went to church that following week, and while I was there, someone approached me with a gift. I opened it up, and there was a gift card for my favorite clothing store, worth $250! God already knew and had a plan to get me what I needed.
Another time in school, I woke up one morning to get ready for class, and as I was sitting on my bed, I noticed up against my wall sat a $10 bill. This $10 was not there the previous night, because it was sitting in plain sight and I had not seen it before. I didn't know what it was for, but I put it in my pocket and went to class. When I got there, I was telling some of my classmates about the money appearing out of nowhere. One student had commented on wishing that would happen to her, because she was low on funds and didn't know if she'd make it home for lack of gas. At that moment, I knew what the $10 was for. I gave it to her so she could put gas in her car.
These are just a few examples of how God has been faithful to me financially. I would say since the moment I began to follow Him, and have been faithful to Him with my tithe and offerings, I have never gone without. I have always had more than enough. To that I am truly grateful to my God. I know He is rich in all good things and I know I can trust Him with my entire being. If you are struggling with trusting God financially, I hope my testimonies have helped build your faith in God's ability to provide. Even after Him proving to me how faithful He is, I still sometimes struggle to believe. But, I won't stay in that doubt, because I point my doubt in the direction of my past and what I know to be true.
For three years I did not work. I went to school full time and took care of my son. I depended upon my dad, who gave me a monthly income. This income was enough for BASIC necessities! During that time, if ever I had a need for something extra, God ALWAYS provided. I would get calls from people I knew who needed a babysitter, or someone to clean their house, at the exact moment my need arose. It never failed.
I went about a year and half without my own vehicle. I shared my grandmother's car during that time. It began to be more inconvient, so my dad decided he would spring the extra cash to get me something. What my dad didn't know is that my Heavenly Father already had something in mind. Someone had a car they were wanting to sell us, and they were going to give it to us for a good deal. My dad was unsure whether he wanted to make the purchase. I turned it over to God. That man who had the car to sell decided to give the car to me for FREE! It was 16 years old and only had 64,000 miles on it. It ran well and lasted me until I was able to purchase a newer one.
One time I was in desperate need of new clothes. This was during my school days, so like I said, I had no income. I had a refund from school during that time, so I set aside some of that money to buy clothes. Unfortunetly, an unexpected finance arose and I had to use that money to take care of it. I was disappointed because I did not have enough left over to buy new clothes. I went to church that following week, and while I was there, someone approached me with a gift. I opened it up, and there was a gift card for my favorite clothing store, worth $250! God already knew and had a plan to get me what I needed.
Another time in school, I woke up one morning to get ready for class, and as I was sitting on my bed, I noticed up against my wall sat a $10 bill. This $10 was not there the previous night, because it was sitting in plain sight and I had not seen it before. I didn't know what it was for, but I put it in my pocket and went to class. When I got there, I was telling some of my classmates about the money appearing out of nowhere. One student had commented on wishing that would happen to her, because she was low on funds and didn't know if she'd make it home for lack of gas. At that moment, I knew what the $10 was for. I gave it to her so she could put gas in her car.
These are just a few examples of how God has been faithful to me financially. I would say since the moment I began to follow Him, and have been faithful to Him with my tithe and offerings, I have never gone without. I have always had more than enough. To that I am truly grateful to my God. I know He is rich in all good things and I know I can trust Him with my entire being. If you are struggling with trusting God financially, I hope my testimonies have helped build your faith in God's ability to provide. Even after Him proving to me how faithful He is, I still sometimes struggle to believe. But, I won't stay in that doubt, because I point my doubt in the direction of my past and what I know to be true.
Monday, February 4, 2013
A Pattern for Interceding in Prayer
Have you ever wondered how to pray for someone? Have you ever had a desire to pray for your fellow Christians, locally and globally, but were unsure of what to pray?
In the book of Colossians, Paul begins the letter with a prayer for these Christians he had never met. He had reports from others about them, but he had never met them personally. But knowing Paul, his heart was that every Christian enjoy a dynamic relationship with Christ, as he had. His joy was in the maturing of all saints in all places.
After exhorting the Colossians for the good reports he had received about them (1:4-8), Paul prays a prayer we can all follow as we seek to intercede for one another
Colossians 1:9-14: For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven't stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We have redemption, the forgivenss of sins, in Him.
If we examine the topics of prayer discussed in the previous passage, we can find certain areas to cover in prayer:
1. Pray that others will fully understand God's will for their lives (1:9).
2. Pray that others will honor and please the Lord in every way (1:10).
3. Pray that others will continually bear good fruit (1:10).
4. Pray that they come to know God better every day (1:10).
5. Pray that the Lord empowers them to stand firm under pressure (1:11).
6. Pray that others' lives will overflow with thanksgiving and joy (1:12-14).*
Wouldn't you be excited to discover someone was praying this prayer over your life?
Shouldn't these aspects be something we all desire as we seek to grow in the Lord?
Take time today to pray for your local church, for the national church, and for the global church. Intercede for those who have made it their life goal to see the gospel penetrate every nation and every society. May God richly bless you as you are obedient to His call.
*Points taken from Prison Epistles by Dr. LeRoy Bartel
In the book of Colossians, Paul begins the letter with a prayer for these Christians he had never met. He had reports from others about them, but he had never met them personally. But knowing Paul, his heart was that every Christian enjoy a dynamic relationship with Christ, as he had. His joy was in the maturing of all saints in all places.
After exhorting the Colossians for the good reports he had received about them (1:4-8), Paul prays a prayer we can all follow as we seek to intercede for one another
Colossians 1:9-14: For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven't stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work, and growing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints' inheritance in the light. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. We have redemption, the forgivenss of sins, in Him.
If we examine the topics of prayer discussed in the previous passage, we can find certain areas to cover in prayer:
1. Pray that others will fully understand God's will for their lives (1:9).
2. Pray that others will honor and please the Lord in every way (1:10).
3. Pray that others will continually bear good fruit (1:10).
4. Pray that they come to know God better every day (1:10).
5. Pray that the Lord empowers them to stand firm under pressure (1:11).
6. Pray that others' lives will overflow with thanksgiving and joy (1:12-14).*
Wouldn't you be excited to discover someone was praying this prayer over your life?
Shouldn't these aspects be something we all desire as we seek to grow in the Lord?
Take time today to pray for your local church, for the national church, and for the global church. Intercede for those who have made it their life goal to see the gospel penetrate every nation and every society. May God richly bless you as you are obedient to His call.
*Points taken from Prison Epistles by Dr. LeRoy Bartel
Monday, October 15, 2012
Encouragement
I want to encourage someone today, specifically regarding their testimony and what God has done in their life.
Most of the time, when we think about sharing our testimony, we think that it has to include the following elements: being addicted to drugs, being a prostitute, a murderer,or being sick with a deadly illness (of course this is not an exhaustive list, but I hope you get the point I'm trying to make). Sometimes we believe, that unless we've come from such a shady past or impossible circumstance, then our testimony isn't powerful enough to reach people.
That is such a lie!!!
Yes, hearing stories about how God has delivered someone from addiction or has healed someone who was on a deathbed makes an impact, but it won't impact everyone.
What are you really saying when you believe that your testimony, YOURS, isn't good enough? You are saying that God didn't really make that big of an impact in your life. You are negating all that He has done.
The truth is, there are a lot of "average" people out there who are moving along in their day to day lives without the hope of eternity. They can't relate to being addicted or being in such dire circumstances that the only hope left for them was God. However, they need Jesus just as much as the drug addict or murderer. If we have a bunch of people from one walk of life going around sharing their testimony to these "average" people, then they will believe that they need to fit within that framework as well in order to need Jesus. But the beautiful thing is, Jesus can come and make an impact in their lives just as much as if they were in those hopeless circumstances.
There is something that we all have in common: We are lost in sin and we all need forgiveness of sin. We are (or were) walking around without any hope for eternity. We all face difficult circumstances, all of different degrees. We are unique!! Your testimony may be the missing piece of someone else's puzzle to help them see the whole picture.
Most of the time, when we think about sharing our testimony, we think that it has to include the following elements: being addicted to drugs, being a prostitute, a murderer,or being sick with a deadly illness (of course this is not an exhaustive list, but I hope you get the point I'm trying to make). Sometimes we believe, that unless we've come from such a shady past or impossible circumstance, then our testimony isn't powerful enough to reach people.
That is such a lie!!!
Yes, hearing stories about how God has delivered someone from addiction or has healed someone who was on a deathbed makes an impact, but it won't impact everyone.
What are you really saying when you believe that your testimony, YOURS, isn't good enough? You are saying that God didn't really make that big of an impact in your life. You are negating all that He has done.
The truth is, there are a lot of "average" people out there who are moving along in their day to day lives without the hope of eternity. They can't relate to being addicted or being in such dire circumstances that the only hope left for them was God. However, they need Jesus just as much as the drug addict or murderer. If we have a bunch of people from one walk of life going around sharing their testimony to these "average" people, then they will believe that they need to fit within that framework as well in order to need Jesus. But the beautiful thing is, Jesus can come and make an impact in their lives just as much as if they were in those hopeless circumstances.
There is something that we all have in common: We are lost in sin and we all need forgiveness of sin. We are (or were) walking around without any hope for eternity. We all face difficult circumstances, all of different degrees. We are unique!! Your testimony may be the missing piece of someone else's puzzle to help them see the whole picture.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The Old Manipulation Tactics...
How many times have you tried to manipulate circumstances around you to achieve a desired outcome?
What a fruitless effort!
I have never been successful at this feat, and when, by chance, I did receive something I thought I so desperetely wanted, it never lived up to the expecation of my heart.
Why is that?
I really have no idea. But one thing that has been brought to my attention lately is that if you are a child of God, you have no need to manipulate the circumstances of your life, because God will work everything out according to His plan for you. The problem is, we usually don't want to wait for it to happen.
I noticed something very interesting as I was reading in 2 Samuel last night. In chapter 1, it begins with the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan, and the end of his reign over Israel.
What was the interesting part? It was the fact that when someone reported to David regarding the deaths, they brought Saul's crown with them and laid it at the feet of David. They brought it to him. He did not go a get it.
If you know any history regarding the story of David and Saul, then you know that David was anointed as the next king over Israel when the LORD discovered that Saul was not fit for the job. However, David did not immediately take his rightful place as king. In fact, David waited a very long time to become king.
David had many opportunites to take the throne from Saul. David had several opportunites to take Saul's very life, but he never did.
Why?
I believe it's because David understood this principle of being a child of God. The principle of the sovereignty of God to make the plans He had spoken over David's life to come to pass, in His own timing.
David felt no need whatsoever to control the circumstances of him becoming the king of Israel. He trusted God to do what He said He was going to do.
How difficult that would have been for me!! When God speaks something over my life, I want to see it immediately! I don't want to wait for it, and, I find myself trying to control every aspect, in order to ensure it comes to pass. What unnecessary stress I add to my life! What an anxiety provoking activity!
But, I've learned something very valuable from David's life. God will lay everything at my feet when it is time. God will bring it to me. I will not have to pursue it.
Am I promoting passivity? Absolutely not! While I'm not actively pursuing, or rather manipulating the outcome of my life, I am actively pursuing my Lord. When I seek Him, He provides the rest, so that I may rest in His promises!
What a fruitless effort!
I have never been successful at this feat, and when, by chance, I did receive something I thought I so desperetely wanted, it never lived up to the expecation of my heart.
Why is that?
I really have no idea. But one thing that has been brought to my attention lately is that if you are a child of God, you have no need to manipulate the circumstances of your life, because God will work everything out according to His plan for you. The problem is, we usually don't want to wait for it to happen.
I noticed something very interesting as I was reading in 2 Samuel last night. In chapter 1, it begins with the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan, and the end of his reign over Israel.
What was the interesting part? It was the fact that when someone reported to David regarding the deaths, they brought Saul's crown with them and laid it at the feet of David. They brought it to him. He did not go a get it.
If you know any history regarding the story of David and Saul, then you know that David was anointed as the next king over Israel when the LORD discovered that Saul was not fit for the job. However, David did not immediately take his rightful place as king. In fact, David waited a very long time to become king.
David had many opportunites to take the throne from Saul. David had several opportunites to take Saul's very life, but he never did.
Why?
I believe it's because David understood this principle of being a child of God. The principle of the sovereignty of God to make the plans He had spoken over David's life to come to pass, in His own timing.
David felt no need whatsoever to control the circumstances of him becoming the king of Israel. He trusted God to do what He said He was going to do.
How difficult that would have been for me!! When God speaks something over my life, I want to see it immediately! I don't want to wait for it, and, I find myself trying to control every aspect, in order to ensure it comes to pass. What unnecessary stress I add to my life! What an anxiety provoking activity!
But, I've learned something very valuable from David's life. God will lay everything at my feet when it is time. God will bring it to me. I will not have to pursue it.
Am I promoting passivity? Absolutely not! While I'm not actively pursuing, or rather manipulating the outcome of my life, I am actively pursuing my Lord. When I seek Him, He provides the rest, so that I may rest in His promises!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
The Problem of Perplexity
In the mornings, before my son leaves for school, I have him listen to an audio Bible on my iPhone. They have one that is read by children, for children, and it's just a few short verses to start the day off right.
This morning, the text was 2 Corinthians 4: 1-12. As I was listening to the podcast, the words that were spoken began to grasp my spiritual attention. After the podcast was finished, I pulled up the text on my Bible app to read again, aloud. As I was reading those Scriptures something very interesting really stuck out to me. It was verse 8: "We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair..."
We are perplexed but not in despair.
We are perplexed....but not in despair.
As I read those words aloud, I began to get teary-eyed and hope began to return to me.
You see, I don't know about you, but there are a lot of things about my walk with God that perplex me. The problem of perplexity is that it has a way of despairing us. When I allow myself to become perplexed about something, I tend to lose all hope about that situation, because I simply don't understand it. I don't like not understanding something!
So here's the wonderful thing: we can be perplexed and be hopeful at the same time! How is this possible, you ask? It's made possible through faith.
Faith tells us that, despite not understanding something fully, we know that God has our best interest in heart. It's not a blind faith, but a seasoned faith, a tested faith. A faith that has been proven valid, because God has proven Himself faithful to us.
It's wonderful news for me, because it means I don't have to have all the answers in order for the plans that God has for my life to come into fruition.
So, I want to encourage anyone out there who may be experiencing some perplexity about a particular situation. Do not allow yourself to be in despair. If you continue reading that chapter, we are encouraged to trust not in what we can see, but in what we cannot see (v.18).
Trust in the unseen hand of the Almighty, the One who makes ALL things work together for your good!
This morning, the text was 2 Corinthians 4: 1-12. As I was listening to the podcast, the words that were spoken began to grasp my spiritual attention. After the podcast was finished, I pulled up the text on my Bible app to read again, aloud. As I was reading those Scriptures something very interesting really stuck out to me. It was verse 8: "We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair..."
We are perplexed but not in despair.
We are perplexed....but not in despair.
As I read those words aloud, I began to get teary-eyed and hope began to return to me.
You see, I don't know about you, but there are a lot of things about my walk with God that perplex me. The problem of perplexity is that it has a way of despairing us. When I allow myself to become perplexed about something, I tend to lose all hope about that situation, because I simply don't understand it. I don't like not understanding something!
So here's the wonderful thing: we can be perplexed and be hopeful at the same time! How is this possible, you ask? It's made possible through faith.
Faith tells us that, despite not understanding something fully, we know that God has our best interest in heart. It's not a blind faith, but a seasoned faith, a tested faith. A faith that has been proven valid, because God has proven Himself faithful to us.
It's wonderful news for me, because it means I don't have to have all the answers in order for the plans that God has for my life to come into fruition.
So, I want to encourage anyone out there who may be experiencing some perplexity about a particular situation. Do not allow yourself to be in despair. If you continue reading that chapter, we are encouraged to trust not in what we can see, but in what we cannot see (v.18).
Trust in the unseen hand of the Almighty, the One who makes ALL things work together for your good!
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