Jeremiah 29:11 (amp) says, “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
Jeremiah 29:12 (amp) Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.
Jeremiah 29:13 (amp) Then you will seek Me, inquire for , and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find Me when you search for me with all your heart.
Jeremiah was sending a letter to the people that were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon, they were hostages. The Lord said tell them this:
The Lord God who made us has a plan for our lives. He wants us to prosper- meaning to succeed in everything we do, not just financially but also mentally and physically in every area of our lives. In vs 13 it says Then you will seek Me, seek – meaning to search diligently for. An example would be when I lost my ring I looked under the couch, under the cushions, I walked from room to room, retracing me steps. I was persistent and attentive in finding my ring. In the same verse it also says inquire for inquire means investigate, look into ask for information, have you seen?
In vs 13 it says, require for – meaning a need for a particular purpose, got to have (as a vital necessity) VITAL necessity!, absolutely necessary, critical, life and death. An example would be our vital organs are the kidneys, the heart and the lungs. They are vital for the functioning of our entire body, they are critical for life support. Just like we need to have a close relationship with the Lord. Its a life and death situation. After we seek Him we will find Him when we have searched with all of our heart.
So I find that God knows the thoughts and plans for me. Welfare, well being, my health, my comfort, my security, my safety, my protection, my prosperity, my success, my peace which is freedom from disturbance, not for evil.
Its good to know that those are the thoughts and plans God wants for us all!! Right, that is wonderful! He said you will find Him when you search for Him with all of your heart. IT IS A HEART THING!!!
I Samuel 16:7 says, “Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart.”
John 4:23,24 God is Spirit and those who worship Him (must) worship in Spirit and in truth! vs 23 “A time will come however indeed it is already here when the true (genuine) not counterfeit, worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. (Must means have to.) When my daughter was younger I would tell her you must, you have to do your homework, no excuses do it!
2 Corinthians 1:22, “Who also sealed us and (gave us the Spirit in our hearts) as a pledge. Our Spirit man is part of our nature. We are made up of Spirit, Soul and Body. “
I Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify (to set apart) you completely and may your whole Spirit, Soul, and Body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. “
Paul was saying in those scriptures my whole being may be yielded up to the will of God.
Our nature is made up of: 1. Spirit – made to communicate with God (God is Spirit) 2. Soul -our will, emotions, reasoning faculties 3. Body – what you see, blue eyes, brown hair
So now we know God made us, He has a plan and a purpose for us that is going to be good not evil, so why aren’t there more people walking in the plan God has for them?
Proverbs 20:5, “Counsel, (advice, plans, purposes) in the heart of man is like deep water but a man of understanding will draw it out. A counselor gives advice, plans and the purpose in your life, they counsel with you. So since the counsel or the advise, plans my purpose is in my heart (Spirit) and it is like deep water, I have to draw that out of my Spirit. We get Spiritual answers with Spirit. Remember God is Spirit! He left Holy Spirit here for us to help us. Jesus said it is to your advantage that I go away – But I am sending the Helper to help you – John 16:7 (amp) Because if I do not go away, the Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby, will not come to you (into close fellowship with you ), but if I go away, I will send Him to you (to be in close fellowship with you).
Praying in the Holy Spirit helps us get in the plan and purpose of our lives, Jude 1:20, “But you beloved building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”
If I had a glass of water that was full to the rim that glass is for me to drink from, but if that glass overflows others are able to partake of the overflow. You can not help anyone Spiritually if you are not full yourself. David said in Psalms 23:5 ” My cup runs over!”
Ephesians 5:18, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin you life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit,”
2 Corinthians 5:18 , “But all things are from God, who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him). Bring them to God.
NOW you know the plan of God for your life. Now you know the ministry for you – THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION– reconciling people back to God!!!!!
