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"This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.' Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: 'Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. This is what the LORD says: 'When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back from captivity.I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.'” --Jeremiah 29: 4-14
Most prefer to reference the verse, "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." This verse is always a comforting Truth. But, for now I wish to call your attention to the less noticed verses, those I have highlighted above. And, let's consider those highlighted verses in light of a verse taken from an earlier chapter in Jeremiah.
Here it is.
God says in Jeremiah 6:16,
This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’"
The directions have been given in the written Word of God, the Holy Bible. The choice is ours as to whether we will choose the plans of man over the plan of God. The plans of man are paved with all of the characteristics of Galatians 5:19-21.
"The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
In contrast, the plans of God are paved with the attributes of the Holy Spirit as seen in Galatians 5:22-23.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other."
Only salvation through Christ Jesus makes the life in the Holy Spirit possible.Without Christ, the plans of man will grant the results that characterize a culture of death and destruction.
But, what exactly do we mean when we say examine the "ancient paths"? The ancient paths are those God expressed in the written Word of God, the Holy Bible. And, consequently the good way is beyond anything man would conceive.
It is the godly way of life.
Walking in the Spirit of God means that one operates in agreement with God's written word. And, consequently, life will have integrity -- integrated wholeness-- at the core the very essence of holiness. Why? Because our lives will be directed by the Creator of life, "Life" Himself. He calls Himself "the Way, the Truth, the Life." Christ Jesus is the Way, the Ancient Path, we are to take. And, the entire Holy Bible speaks of Him!
Walking in the Spirit of God does not mean one will not encounter problems. But, what it does mean is that we will never be alone in confronting those problems. Hallelujah! And, we will be confident that nothing we encounter can pose a problem to us without the divine permission of Our God who loves us.
And, walking in the Holy Spirit does have divine consequences for our family and for society, ultimately. That is why the Psalmist could declare, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." --Psalm 33.
But, we must recognize that we are most vulnerable immediately after achieving success.
The vulnerability comes from forgeting that every good and perfect gift comes from God and is not simply the doing of man.
Another important message is this, Saints.
In the age in which we find ourselves we must remember:
"Don't be overcome by evil. Overcome evil with good." [Romans 12:21]
We must not be overcome by evil in any form, not even the insidious form of evil called "misplaced zeal". It can lead to idolatry.
We must overcome all evil with "good."
Saints, by "good" I am referring to that declarative characteristic that God Himself pronounces upon those outcomes that He Himself directs and brings forth from His living Word just as He declared in Genesis. Let me be clear about this: The "good" is that which originates with and is then orchestrated by God. "Good" does not find its origin in man.[Psalm 53:3]
"God changeth not" and He is the only one that can create something out of nothing, bring order out of chaos, and separate darkness from light. So, when we are rightly aligned with God, we become His instruments in His plan for His world. As His instruments, God is willing to work through us to bring about "good."
"Good" is what we call a blessing when we take time to recognize it.
Yes!
"Good" is that which is brought forth by virtue of the exercise of God's authority on this earth. [Matthew 28:18-20]
Recognizing that all of productive value comes forth from God makes the use of the term "goods," make sense as used extensively when speaking of economies. Indeed, the Holy Bible sheds light on the cause for the opposite of that productivity, that "futility" as a curse from God. Futility is a curse that comes with ignoring Who God is. Nations of the world --including our own--should take note of that.
Saints, we need Wisdom from God if we are to know the direction each of us is to take as we are called to elevate the Name of Christ Jesus in our nation now. Christ is made unto us Wisdom. We must do as God directs, but do so only after being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is only within the confines of divine guidance confirmed by Holy Scripture that there be any hope for our nation. We must wait for God to reveal that understanding in our lives. [Acts 1:4-5]
We trust God! Amen! Our trust in God requires our obedience, not complacency. Trust in God in no way negates our stewardship responsibility to do justice, love mercy, and humbly walk with God! Amen!
Thanks be to God for His amazing grace! We are not undone!
Saints, We are to do the work God assigns until the rapture! Amen!
So, it is time to give thanks to God for His mercy on our nation.
We should now focus on God rather than the political prognosticators.
We should diligently search the written Word of God, the Holy Bible, to find out exactly what God would have us do now.
All gains, any success that we see is due to the Grace and Mercy of God, Saints!
Let's not forget this!
God Heard Our Prayers of Supplication and Petition!
Now, Let Him Hear Our Prayers of Thanksgiving! Amen!
Let's be thankful that we are spiritually seated in heavenly places in Someone who has overcome the world!
Thank YOU, LORD! for what You Alone have done!
AMEN!
---Livvy McDonald :)<><
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