There is so much deception out there about who God truly is. Many think of Him as an angry God with a set of rules that cannot be met. However, if you look at the scripture reference for my website, this would appear to be a contradiction, according to the Word of God. Let’s take a look.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 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. Jeremiah was a prophet and is the author of the book of Jeremiah found in the Old Testament. In this passage, Jeremiah is writing to those Jews being held in captivity in Babylon. They had been taken into captivity because they had trusted the lies of the enemy rather than believing God. It had been prophesied that they would be in captivity for 70 years and the time was coming to an end where they would see God perform what He had spoken – they would experience the goodness of God.
The thoughts of God toward His children (those who have trusted in Him) are always that of peace and never evil. It is hard for us to believe this sometimes, but God says that “Whom the Lord loves He chaseneth”. As good parents, we do the same. We discipline our children in hopes of correction because we are more able to see the end from the beginning. We know the harm/heartache that can come about if left unchecked. God has given us principles to live by because He is able to see the end from the beginning. He is trying to keep us from unnecessary harm and heartache.
God wants us to recognize that because of the desire of satan to “covet” God’s position and then the plan to “ruin” His plan for the redemption of mankind (see my page “His Plan”), evil (sin) entered into the world and altered (although temporarily) God’s plan and purpose for His creation of mankind – which is made in HIS image. We were designed to be like Him. Satan works only to keep us from being reunited into fellowship with God through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Satan is still trying to take God’s position.
Satan’s only weapon is deception. It was his weapon in the Garden of Eden and it remains his weapon today. He uses many strategies to do this – fear, murder, rape, anger, sickness, gossip, slander, lies and more – all designed to cause us to doubt God’s love for us. “How could a good God allow such”? He didn’t! Man was warned of the consequences, however, chose to believe satan rather than God (see my page “His Plan” for a little more detail). And because there is NO sin in God, there had to be a sacrifice. He gave us His own Son, Jesus, as the one who took our “sins” on Himself so we could then make the choice to come back into fellowship with Him.
He still gives us a “Choice” – He doesn’t use fear or manipulation. Those who receive His “Sacrifice” – or make the right choice – become Children of God and our journey begins. We should then begin to develop an intimate relationship with God and allow our Spirit to become like His – possessing the fruits of the Spirit and becoming more like the example Jesus walked out in the Bible. However, satan will still be on the attack. He will use anything or anyone to discourage and frustrate us to the point where we begin to question God’s ways and motives – causing a wall between ourselves and God – possibly even a turning away. God just wants us to believe Him.
God actually spoke this to me back in the mid 90’s. I happened to go to church alone that morning and on my way back home, all of a sudden I heard very clearly – not audibly – but it came at me through the windshield on the driver’s side of the car – “I just want someone to believe me”. I knew that God had spoken to me. I am now beginning to understand why He spoke to me. He was letting me know that He wanted to get me to a point where “I would be that someone that would just believe Him”. He always speaks to us with the end in mind – who He knows we can/will become. He just had to use those things that satan and the world would throw at me and work it for my good. But you and I always have a part to play. Our choices to believe Him or not will be the deciding factor. We do this by “taking every thought captive” – subject of another post at some point.
What God is saying to you today is that He has PLANS for you, He wants to PROSPER you, He has no desire to harm you, He wants to give you HOPE and He wants for you a wonderful FUTURE. We just have to “choose” to believe Him.
As always, I encourage you to consider what God is speaking to you today. Meditate on it. Ask Holy Spirit for revelation – Taste and See that “God is Good!”
Blessings! ……….. Brenda
