God's Plans Aren't Always Easy
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INTRO:
AFTERPARTY - Mar. 9th
Coffee Cup Verses
Vacation or Party Plans - have they ever gone wrong?
For I Know the Plans
For I Know the Plans
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
What we know - God has a plan for you
It’s a good plan
It cannot fail
It is for your good
Have you ever had something bad happen to you? How was that a part of God’s good plan for you?
You are who you are for a reason. You're part of an intricate plan.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design, Called God's special woman or man.
Called God's special woman or man.
You look like you look for a reason. Our God made no mistake.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb, You're just what he wanted to make.
You're just what he wanted to make.
The parents you had were the ones he chose, And no matter how you may feel,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind, And they bear the Master's seal.
And they bear the Master's seal.
No, that trauma you faced was not easy. And God wept that it hurt you so;
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart. So that into his likeness you'd grow. - Russell Kelfer
So that into his likeness you'd grow.
If we are made in God’s image and He loves us...
God will send things our way
2 Corinthians 12:7
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Why do we face hardships?
1. The testing of our faith
Tube of toothpaste - find out what something is made of you have to apply pressure
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-
2. Keeps us dependent on Him
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2
3. God disciplines us
Jeremiah 29:
3. We live in a world
everything became fractured from our sin
others sin against us
4. God disciplines us
The Discipline of the Lord
The Discipline of the Lord
Jeremiah 29:10-
10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
God’s people had chosen to follow after false gods
Did what was wicked in the sight of the Lord
This passage is in the context of, even in His discipline God’s plans are still at work and are doing good things for us
The End Result
The End Result
What are God’s good plans
12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
for us to worship Him
Jeremiah 29:
God will walk you through fire if need be
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
:16-18
In God is where we find rest and hope