God Has Plans

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Jeremiah 29:11 NASB95

11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

This is a message to the exiles

Jeremiah 29:5–9 “5 ‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 ‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7 ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ 8 “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9 ‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.”

God had punished them, but still had their well-being in mind

God always has His eyes on me

That even when I’m in a bad, unpleasant or unfavourable circumstances (brought on by me) - He is willing to take care of me.

. . . I still belong to God

God executes all His charateristics in perfection

God does not love them so much, that he can’t punish

God is not so consumed with anger that His providence fails

God still wants you (close the distance between you and God)

Jeremiah 29:7 “7 ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.”

God’s plan to restore Israel and less to do with Israel and more to do with Jesus

God used a nation to bring a Messiah who would bless the world

Israel wasn’t the biggest or best - Deuteronomy 7:7 “7 “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples,”

This tells me that God has the ability and the will to use you for His purpose

This also tells me that God’s purpose is bigger than what you think - This blessing would not just bless Israel, it will bless all peoples

#1 - Trust that God Knows and His will is Good

“I know the plans that I have for you”

I need to trust that God knows even when I don’t

Romans 12:1–2 “1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

#2 - Submit your will to God’s

The goal of the child of God is for his will to become consumed with God’s will

This leads to/embodies submission

Proverbs 16:1 “1 The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”

Proverbs 16:9 “9 The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”

New Living Translation Chapter 16

9 We can make our plans,

but the LORD determines our steps.

You may have a proposal, but it doesn’t mean God has to sign off on it

You must acknowledge the sovereignty of God over your life

This means get ready for God to interupt your life at any moment (He doesn’t need to notify you either)

The wise man shapes his life and will to God’s and let God have the final word, becasue he has soundest word