God’s Plans
Wednesday October 22, 2014
But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. (Psalm 33:11 NLT)
Jesus had great plans for his follower, Peter. Even though Peter failed Jesus at a critical moment Jesus especially sought him out after His resurrection for healing and restoration. Peter went on to be one of the strongest witnesses for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are willing to submit to the plans God has for us He will lead us in the way He has prepared for us to go.
We thank God for the power Christ has given us. He leads us and makes us win in everything. He speaks through us wherever we go. The Good News is like a sweet smell to those who hear it. We are a sweet smell of Christ that reaches up to God. It reaches out to those who are being saved from the punishment of sin and to those who are still lost in sin. (2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NLV)
What is it that keeps us from walking in the plan that God has for our lives? Perhaps it is the reluctance to deal with the failure that comes from sin. We settle for less than we could be. We wallow in resentments. We hold grudges. We cling to unhealthy ways of living. We live according to our own plan instead of God’s plan. We often embrace violence instead of peace, self-centeredness instead of caring, hatred instead of love, despair instead of hope. Sin walks through our lives like an accepted guest. God will give us the courage to confront this type of behaviour. In the Bible, Paul describes his battle with the failure in not doing what he really wants to do.
When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! (Romans 7:21-24a NIV)
God invites us to leave our sin and failure at the cross of Jesus. God forgives us when we confess, repent, and turn away from our wrong attitudes and behaviour. God gives us power to let go of grievances against others. God pours out grace so we can live in healing rather than continuing to walk in painful embarrassment or humiliation from failure. God gives us power to say “NO” to the demands of our addictive voices. As we turn away from failure, caused by our own sinful independence and self-centered ways, we daily become more like the person God created us to be. That's the satisfying experience of peace and true success our hearts are actually seeking. We can then fulfill God’s plan for our lives and say with all God’s saints, The power of the Holy Spirit has made me free from the power of sin and death. This power is mine because I belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:2 NLV)
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