GOD’S PLAN FOR US
Anita Clark – Pastor Grace Chapel, Carbondale, KS
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and you shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD...” Jeremiah 29:11-14.
These beautiful verses were given to Israel with God’s promise to help them and work His will in them, and for them. However, these beautiful assuring words are also very encouraging to us. The word “thoughts” found here has a beautiful meaning referring to God’s plan for each of His people. Further explanation of the meaning is: “a scheme, strategy, blueprint or map, a cunning plan.” Our God is not helter-skelter, but working according to the Plan, “His thoughts toward us.”
Before the foundation of the world, His thoughts were upon us. Ephesians 1:3-6 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings...in Christ. He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame, ... predestined us to adoption (son placing) by Jesus Christ... To the praise and glory of His grace and made us accepted in the Beloved (Christ).” His divine thoughts were upon us before time.
I Corinthians 2:14, states, “The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned...” Paul goes ahead to say in verse 15, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” The word “mind” speaking here of Christ’s mind, means in the Greek, ‘the intellect of Christ, divine thought, feeling or will.’ When we are saved and are yielded to the Holy Spirit, we have the mind of Christ. His thoughts are toward us. What kind of thoughts? ”Thoughts of peace, thoughts of love.” Our God is love.
The whole Psalms 33 is a great blessing if read all the way through, however one verse stands out (V. 11) which says, “The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.” The Scripture says. “God is good.” Everything God allows into our lives will work good for us. Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” God allows everything for our Spiritual growth, everything for our blessing,” even the corrections in our lives is for our good.
No one thinks more often about us than God does. Psalms 40:5 tells us, “Many, O LORD, my God are...thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee… They are more than can be numbered.” Psalms 139:17 says, “How precious...are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them.” Psalms 33:11 says, The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever; the thoughts of His heart to all generations.” Everything God thinks about us is for our good, and for our growth, for our blessing, and even for our correction, and even that is good.
The first verses we have considered in Jeremiah 29, we have the phrase concerning the Lord “giving us an expected end.” The words, “to give” mean “to bestow, bring forth, restore, to pay.” This is what God does for the person who has a willing heart. The Lord Jesus said, in Matthew 7:11, “If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him.”
The essence of this message is: He is watching over you - You are constantly in His thoughts. His plan is being worked in each of your lives. You will be blessed if you commit your way to the Lord and trust also in Him, and He will direct your path. “ The path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more unto a perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18.