Welcome to Confident in This! Scroll to today's date for a daily worship song, guided study of God's Word, and prayer. Feel free to leave a comment! And please come back tomorrow!
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:10-14
10 This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 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. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
Thursday, September 12
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read the entire passage. Here's what was happening at the time. Judah, the southern kingdom of God's chosen people, had rebelled against God. In order to bring them back to Him, God allowed them to be taken captive by the kingdom of Babylon. This passage contains the words of Jeremiah, a profit who God had sent to warn his people about what would happen if they continued to turn their back on God. In a way, we are like these people, living in a world that is not our home for a span of about 70 years- a lifetime. We are homesick of heaven. (See Hebrews 13:14)
Think-
Do you ever get the feeling that this world just isn't enough? Why do we feel that way?
John 15:19 says, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." Is it worth to be hated temporarily to spend eternity with the one who loves us perfectly?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Ask that you would physically feel his arms around you in times when the world seems like more than you can handle.
Friday, September 13
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 10. God ALWAYS fulfills his good promise. In Genesis 17:8, God promised Abraham that He would give that land to his descendants and that He would be their God forever. Over and over, His people gave Him plenty of reasons just to zap them off the face of the Earth. But God allows them to suffer for a while in order to bring them back to Himself and fulfill his promise. He does the same for us.
Think-
Make a list of as many examples as you can think of from scripture where God kept his promises.
What is something you are struggling with right now? Do you have faith that God is using that for your good? (See Romans 8:28)
Find a verse where God makes a promise about whatever it is you are struggling with. (You can google "verse about ______" and you'll probably find tons of God's promises or ask your small group leader for help finding one.) Claim that promise today. Repeat it to yourself over and over!
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray for faith that God will use your struggle for good.
Saturday, September 14
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 11. God is in control. Everything you are going through is all part of a perfect plan that he designed before creation. But everywhere we look, we see depression, panic disorder, cutting, and substance abuse even among Christians.
Think-
Do you trust that God is in control or do you allow worry to rule your life?
What would turning your worries over to God actually look like? Is that a one time decision?
(If you are fighting any of the battles listed above, please talk to your small group leader and let walk with you through giving God control in that situation.)
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Make a list of things that make your worry or feel anxious. Pray the name of Jesus over each one of them. Ask Him to be in control.
Sunday, September 15
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 11 again. This time let's focus on the last part of the verse... "plans to give you hope and a future." HOPE means "to EXPECT with CONFIDENCE." We don't just wish for a bright future... We don't just desire good things... We have CONFIDENT EXPECTATION that God is planning something immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! (See Ephesians 3:20)
Think-
What do you HOPE for in your future?
Do you have confident expectation that God can and will make it happen if that dream is His will?
Do you have confident expectation that if that is not His will, His plan is even better?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray for confident hope in the future God designed for you.
Monday, September 16
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verses 12 and 13. If we are going to find joy in God's plans for our lives, we've got to desire the same things God desires. How do we do that? We seek God. The more we know Him, the more we realize he is Faithful, Sovereign, Almighty, Merciful, Patient, and Loving. And we want to be more like him. And as we become more like him, we find more and more joy in his plan.
Think-
How do you seek God? (If you don't know, ask you small group leader.)
What is your favorite Bible story? What does it say about who God is?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray that God would give you a passionate, no-excuses, overwhelming desire to know more about Him.
Tuesday, September 17
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 14. God promises to bring us back from captivity. So many of us read over that and think it doesn't apply to us. But I bet if you really think about it, there's something that's holding you captive... something that you obsess over... something that keeps you from being what you were created to be. Image? Food? Anxiety? Attitude? Guilt?
Think-
What is holding you captive?
Is it so big that the God of the Universe can't handle it? (Matthew 19:26)
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Confess whatever has held you captive. Ask God to free you from captivity.
Wednesday, September 18
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read over the whole passage again. Make notes in your Bible of everything new you realized while studying this scripture this week. This passage takes place during the same time as the stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that we have discussed recently in FpStudents. Even though these guys were living in a land that was not their own and in captivity, they still found God's purpose for them. Although we are homesick for heaven, we still have a purpose here are well.
Think-
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Ask that you would physically feel his arms around you in times when the world seems like more than you can handle.
Friday, September 13
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 10. God ALWAYS fulfills his good promise. In Genesis 17:8, God promised Abraham that He would give that land to his descendants and that He would be their God forever. Over and over, His people gave Him plenty of reasons just to zap them off the face of the Earth. But God allows them to suffer for a while in order to bring them back to Himself and fulfill his promise. He does the same for us.
Think-
Make a list of as many examples as you can think of from scripture where God kept his promises.
What is something you are struggling with right now? Do you have faith that God is using that for your good? (See Romans 8:28)
Find a verse where God makes a promise about whatever it is you are struggling with. (You can google "verse about ______" and you'll probably find tons of God's promises or ask your small group leader for help finding one.) Claim that promise today. Repeat it to yourself over and over!
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray for faith that God will use your struggle for good.
Saturday, September 14
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 11. God is in control. Everything you are going through is all part of a perfect plan that he designed before creation. But everywhere we look, we see depression, panic disorder, cutting, and substance abuse even among Christians.
Think-
Do you trust that God is in control or do you allow worry to rule your life?
What would turning your worries over to God actually look like? Is that a one time decision?
(If you are fighting any of the battles listed above, please talk to your small group leader and let walk with you through giving God control in that situation.)
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Make a list of things that make your worry or feel anxious. Pray the name of Jesus over each one of them. Ask Him to be in control.
Sunday, September 15
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 11 again. This time let's focus on the last part of the verse... "plans to give you hope and a future." HOPE means "to EXPECT with CONFIDENCE." We don't just wish for a bright future... We don't just desire good things... We have CONFIDENT EXPECTATION that God is planning something immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! (See Ephesians 3:20)
Think-
What do you HOPE for in your future?
Do you have confident expectation that God can and will make it happen if that dream is His will?
Do you have confident expectation that if that is not His will, His plan is even better?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray for confident hope in the future God designed for you.
Monday, September 16
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verses 12 and 13. If we are going to find joy in God's plans for our lives, we've got to desire the same things God desires. How do we do that? We seek God. The more we know Him, the more we realize he is Faithful, Sovereign, Almighty, Merciful, Patient, and Loving. And we want to be more like him. And as we become more like him, we find more and more joy in his plan.
Think-
How do you seek God? (If you don't know, ask you small group leader.)
What is your favorite Bible story? What does it say about who God is?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray that God would give you a passionate, no-excuses, overwhelming desire to know more about Him.
Tuesday, September 17
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read verse 14. God promises to bring us back from captivity. So many of us read over that and think it doesn't apply to us. But I bet if you really think about it, there's something that's holding you captive... something that you obsess over... something that keeps you from being what you were created to be. Image? Food? Anxiety? Attitude? Guilt?
Think-
What is holding you captive?
Is it so big that the God of the Universe can't handle it? (Matthew 19:26)
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Confess whatever has held you captive. Ask God to free you from captivity.
Wednesday, September 18
Worship-
Click here to listen to today's worship song.
Study-
Read over the whole passage again. Make notes in your Bible of everything new you realized while studying this scripture this week. This passage takes place during the same time as the stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that we have discussed recently in FpStudents. Even though these guys were living in a land that was not their own and in captivity, they still found God's purpose for them. Although we are homesick for heaven, we still have a purpose here are well.
Think-
What is your purpose here on earth? Are you living it?
How has the meaning of this passage changed for you throughout the week?
How will you apply these realizations in your daily life?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray that won't forget these lessons but that God would etch them into your heart and help you to live them out day by day.
How will you apply these realizations in your daily life?
Pray-
Praise God for who he is. Thank him for your blessings. Pray that won't forget these lessons but that God would etch them into your heart and help you to live them out day by day.
From Camryn: For a while now, God has been teaching me to care less about what is being done to me and to care more about what I do to others. I have been so mature and strong. I am so glad God has helped me. I know he has plans for me. ... Jeremiah 29:11-14
ReplyDeleteFor I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
My thoughts from today... It's our tendency to walk around in a constant state of stress. But when we do that, not only are we not accepting God's best for us, we also are not able to be used to our full potential for God's purpose. Who wants to take advice about joy from someone who doesn't seem joyful? If we are going to show Christ to the world, we've got to turn over our stress to God and choose joy.
ReplyDeleteMiranda
I've quoted Jer. 29:11 in many different situations but until this week, I had never taken a focused look at its context. How much more powerful is this verse now that you know that God made this promise to his people while they were living in a time of captivity? When we are at our worst, God whispers, "Don't worry... I got this!"
ReplyDeleteMiranda