A plan for you...

What a terrific afternoon as we celebrated the commencement of a new session of cadets for training as Salvation Army Officers and sent out the second year Cadets on assignement.

The verse given for reflection was:

Jeremiah 29:11-13
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 hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Here's my thinking in relation to this. There are many occasions in life whereby we would love to know what the plan is ahead of us, especially on the occasions where we are struggling to see a way forward, or things are tough and we want to know we will actually get through OK. At other times, life is sort of coasting and doesn't cause for us much concern, and the surprises seem at least to be pleasant and enjoyable one's.

But here's the thing. God has a plan for us (you and me) and we can be sure that this plan is 'always' for good. Look at the words: 'prosper, not harm, hope, a future, call - I listen, seek Me and find Me.' Now many of these aspects might carry with it various interpretations, for instance, to prosper does not always mean to have a lot of money (though sadly this is how many would interpret this), instead, we might do well in our field of work, our service to others. Know though, the promises of God are sure and they are beneficial. He desires good things for us and to be born through us for others too.

Now look again at the emphasis captured above. See how it is personalised. This is for 'you'. God is speaking to 'you'. He has a plan that includes 'you'.

I don't know about you but I want to be a part of God's plan. I desire for Him to use me for the sake of His Kingdom, for my life to be spent for this purpose. I hope you do too.

Bless ya real good!  

With Anticipation...

I have been reflecting upon the fact that I have placed a few orders over the past couple of weeks, locally and international. Some I am waiting on a phone call to say when they are in or when they will be delivered and others it is a matter of watching and waiting with anticipation for their delivery by post/courier.

These items have consisted of furniture, bike parts and books (I love my reading in case you are not a 'Goodreads' follower of mine). So, each day I might at some point wonder, 'is today the day?' Some items I have gotten tired of waiting and ended up phoning to check on the progress of availability and delivery.

Here's the thing it had me contemplating, do I watch and wait for a revelation of the Lord with the same anticipation? Is that the way I view my relationship with the Lord, wanting more, desiring more, hoping for more of Him to be revealed. For me to understand the Lord that bit more because of my encounter with Him?

Actually, it 'is' my experience. There is something about the realisation that my reliance is upon Him. I constantly depend upon Him. Does it mean I always listen well to His instruction? No! Does it mean I am absolutely obedient? Sadly, no! But there is an ever growing desire that I might place myself in a better place whereby it is the Lord I seek direction and guidance from first. I do not want to get in the way of His being able to do GREAT things in this city, in this Corps of Geelong, in the lives of people that I might encounter.

'Lord (Master), speak: Thy servant heareth,

Waiting for Thy gracious word, 

Longing for Thy voice that cheereth;

Lord (Master), let it now be heard.

I am listening, Lord, for Thee;

What hast Thou to say to me?

May you be richly blessed as you seek a stronger and growing relationship with the Lord.

What do you want ...

We might be reminded that the battle that rages is not one of flesh and blood but with principalities and powers (not even of this world). And James reminds us of this again in the fourth chapter of his letter. The battles we have are often from within. They are not always about external forces. In the instances he mentions it is about what we desire from a world view. As I think of this I contemplate the comforts, the pleasures, the "things", power, position, etc.

The problem is, these tend to pull us away from or separate us, from God, and what His will and plan is for us. They tend to take over and become a distraction to the simplicity of what God offers and promises us. They not only effect our relationship with God, but on many occasions the relationships we have with others, and James mentions the quarrels and fights, the jealousy and even the extreme of death (think even of King David as he pursued Bethsheba).

James highlights further the problem: "if you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God" - ouch! That is full on.

The secret or success to overcome is found in "coming close to God, and God will come close to you." Develop the relationship with God. Allow God's voice to be the One you hear and heed. Seek or search out His plan, His character and live it.

Have a look at the verses:

James 4:1-10 (New Living Translation)

Drawing Close to God

1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? 6 But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say,

“God opposes the proud

but favors the humble.”

7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

May it be that we seek to further pursue and develop our relationship with God.

Trust in the Lord ...

Yesterday I raised the issue of needing to keep focused so as not to become distracted by others, or things around us (as I easily can).

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New Living Translation)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

I am reminded in these verses (again) where my focus should lie and from where my wisdom must come. I am taken by the reminder too that this is not a piecemeal encounter or engagement, the instruction is to do this with all my heart, my whole being. It is serious. It is everything.
 
Another challenge lays within these verses, the seeking of His will. We tend to like it when it is easy, or there is not much effort required (I take ownership of this action). We might even excuse ourselves for decisions or actions because we did not have the full picture. This suggests to me that I have to take some responsibility here, I am required to seek the will of God for each and every circumstance, in all I do. I need to do some looking, praying, asking of others, so that I get this right. For God promises that the path will be right and good and beneficial and profitable, for me, for mine and for others.
 
Lord, help me to not be reliant merely upon the knowledge I have gained to date through experience and and action, whether mine or in observing others. Help me to seek afresh Your desire and will and plan for my life - each day and throughout the day!