Tag: plans

God Doesn’t Remember Our Sins

God Doesn’t Remember Our Sins

Isn’t this wonderful to consider that God does not remember our sins, nor does He ever use them against us.  Glory to God most high! 

Here are some Scriptures to review:

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.  (Ps 103:12 NIV)

I, I am the one who wipes out your rebellious behavior for my sake. I won’t remember your sin.  (Isa 43:25 CEB)

In the above passage, the Lord assures us that He has wiped away what was written against us, and the reason is because Jesus Christ has paid the debt.  And He also says that He will not remember our sins which means that He will never punish us for them.

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance?  He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.  (Mic 7:18 ESV)

Rather than remembering our sins, the Lord delights in His steadfast love for each and every one of us!  God says that He WON’T remember our sin; it is an intentional decision on His part.  And He does this for His own plans and purposes, not because of anything that man can or ever will do.

We serve a powerful, merciful and loving Savior and Redeemer.  Let us rejoice in His love!

Good Gifts

Good Gifts

Every good thing that we receive in life, no matter how it comes to us, is a blessing from God.  We need to recognize the truth of this principle.  What does the Bible teach us?

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  (Jas 1:17 NKJV)

This verse clearly supports the premise that I offered in the first sentence of this article.

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  (Mt 7:11 NKJV)

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”  (Lk 11:13 NKJV)

Both of the passages above say clearly that if we, as human parents, understand the desire to shower good gifts upon our own children, then surely we must recognize that God’s desire is also to do good and to bless His spiritual children.

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.  (Jer 29:11 NIV)  God plan is to prosper each one of us and to give each of us hope and a good future.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  (Rom 8:28 NIV)  God is telling all who have accepted Christ as their Savior that He works for our GOOD in every circumstance of life.  Praise God!

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will . . .  (Eph 1:11 ESV)  God has given each and every believer an inheritance, which is not only eternal but it is GOOD.  Thank the Lord most High!

God Knows You

God Knows You

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.  3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.  (Ps 139:1-4)

God has explored and examined humanity.  He knows each one of us better than we know ourselves. 

According to the Bible verses above, God knows where we’re going; what our plans are; when we will sleep; and all about our individual personalities.  He even knows what each one of us is about to say!  Wow!

Jesus is our Savior and Intercessor.  He intercedes and even pleads for us before the throne of God continuously.  (Rom 8:34; 1 Tim 2:5) 

Jesus always lives to make intercession for us.  (Heb 7:25)

He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.  (Rom 8:27-28 MSG)

Everything that we do out of love for God and in serving God, He has promised He will work out for our good.  Glory to His name.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  (Joh 15:5)

In the above Scripture, we’re reminded that as the vine and branches are one entity, even so we’re united with Jesus Christ into a unique, spiritual entity.  Since we are united with Christ, we also have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor 2:16) We can know His will and plans for us.

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.  (1 Cor 12:27)  Even though we are members or individual parts of the body of Christ, we are still unique and individual.  God uses every matchless part of His body to minister in distinct and irreplaceable ways. 

Rejoice in the truth that God knows you very well.

God Brings to Nothing Things That Are

God Brings to Nothing Things That Are

God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.  (1 Cor 1:28-29 ESV)

God has chosen the people that are despised—objects of contempt—to “bring to nothing” things that are! 

In Bible days, God used Gentiles, after they became followers of Jesus Christ, to annihilate the works of the enemy through the working of miracles.  Whatever believers do in serving the Lord does not give them grounds to boast, but rather, it reminds us that we are servants and vessels in the hands of our King.

He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and sets others in their place.  (Job 34:24 NKJV)  In our modern day terms, the Lord breaks powerful, rich, and influential people by exposing the truth about them in very public ways.  With others who are on the same paths of greed and dominance, He sets them in their place and wakes them up to God’s power when they see their friends endure public exposure and humiliation.

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.  (Isa 2:11 NKJV)  No human being is entitled to be haughty.  The Lord alone deserves praise, honor, and exaltation. 

Then the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.  (Isa 37:36 NKJV)  This is a shocking but real example of God bringing to nothing things, and people, that exist in order to fulfill His own plans.

You shall seek them and not find them—those who contended with you.  Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing.  (Isa 41:12 NKJV, emphasis added)  The Lord is the divine judge of all, and He is the only One who decides when a human being has had all of the chances that He has allotted to them. 

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.  (Ps 32:10 NKJV)

Glory to God!  Those who are in a close and obedient relationship with Jesus as their Savior and Lord are surrounded by mercy, protection and the blood of the Lamb!  In humility and thanksgiving, with fear and trembling, it is our honor to serve the living God.

God Is In Control

God Is In Control

There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.  (Pro 19:21)

This article is a meditation upon the concept that our God and Savior is in control of life’s events.  Even in those cases where something that is negative or harmful occurs, the Lord can ultimately bring glory to Himself by delivering us.  He can also cause something that was intended to harm us turn into an opportunity for us to receive a blessing!  (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28)

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (Ps 46:1) – God is not with us in trouble merely to comfort or strengthen us, but to protect and help us.  Hallelujah!

The Lord has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.  (Pro 16:4) – The Lord has created everything for His own purposes, and He gave human beings a free will even though He knew that a percentage of us would rebel against Him and reject Him.

A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.  (Pro 16:9) – We make our own, fleshly plans; but the Lord in His mercy and goodness directs the circumstances of our lives according to His good plan for us. 

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.  (Pro 16:33) – Even the most seemingly accidental, chance, unexpected, or unplanned events are under God’s control. Trust Him and rely upon His love for you.

But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.  (Ps 115:3) – Our God is a merciful and loving God, so He will show mercy whenever and wherever He chooses to do so.  Because He can see the end from the beginning, He knows what events need to take place in our lives in order to accomplish His good plans for us.

The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand . . . (Isa 14:24) – God’s good purposes and plans for us shall stand for He will bring them to pass.

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”  (Jer 32:27) – Whatever our difficulty or challenge or heartache, NOTHING is too difficult for God to turn it around.  Praise the Lord!

Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  (Mt 10:29) – We know that God cares for us vastly more than the sparrows, so this verse opens our eyes to the truth that He diligently watches over us in all of the details of our lives.

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  (Rom 13:1) – We must recognize that God even determines who will have authority at every level of a nation’s hierarchy.  He determines when and for how long a person will be in authority, even our employers, overseers, or business partners. 

God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: that power belongs to God.  (Ps 62:11) – All power comes from God because it all belongs to Him.  Therefore, whatever position of power, authority or influence that you may have, be conscientious, kind, respectful and merciful to others.  You will one day give an account of yourself.

. . . not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.  (1 Pet 3:9)

We are called to bless others and to be a blessing.  Living in obedience to God’s will always causes us to inherit blessings.  Recognizing that God is not only in control of all things, but that He watches over us in order to be able to bless and help us will make it quite easy for us to want to help others.