I know the Plans I have for you--I

When the Babylonians overthrew the Judeans when king Jehoiachin and 10,000 citizens of Jerusalem went into exile in 598 BCE, Jeremiah the prophet wrote a letter and sent a messenger to these people far away. In this letter, Yahweh through Jeremiah uttered this promise in Jeremiah 29:11:
"For surely I [Yahweh] know the plans I have for you, says the Lord,
plans for your welfare and not for harm,
to give you a future with hope."

Throughout human history, groups of people have struggled with all the changes and problems that have arisen over the past years and decades and centuries, attempting to evaluate the past, the present, and the future. Right now, churches and universities and states and nations are trying to deal with this massive problem facing humanity.

Our God, through the Bible, offers hope and a divine strategy to move forward. The next several blogs call attention to this divine message.

THE ONLY HOPE FOR HUMAN KIND IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE IS GOD.

Only if human beings focus on God can there be a future of any kind. Hence, the first step [and every subsequent step] is to STAY ON OUR KNEES, to PRAY CONTINUALLY, to TRUST IN GOD ALONE. All of our plans and strategies are futile. We need to turn to God alone daily.

It is meaningful to study and write about our past. As a recent historical example, the denomination called The Church of Christ arose for the first time in history in the 1700s. Approximately 300 years later, some good scholars have gathered information about our history. We need to learn this history if we are a part of this religious tradition. The realities of the past should be presented openly and completely and truthfully. This is the story of every church that every existed on planet earth.

For the future, the traditions of every church are interesting, but have no future. The future is with God our Creator, King, Lord, Leader, Father, and Master. As we face the future, let us lift up our hands and our hearts to God our Father.

More to come.

Share YOUR insights and fears and concerns and reversals with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis