“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.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Ivan Parker’s Thoughts: “don’t ever let the devil tell you there is no future. So many hold to the opinion there’s no hope for me. You may be alone and lonely or discouraged from your circumstances but never adjust your spirit of faithfulness to nonsense. God is true and on course in your life so be careful not to loose focus of his good for you!”
My Thoughts: God does not want to harm us even when we feel we are been harmed by pain, discouragement or friends. Lock faith in your heart and mind and our good comes into play!
What are your thoughts on this scripture?
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My thoughts are that if we find out and cooperate with God’s plan for us, and seek to keep walking forward to follow His commandments, that He will help us and see us through.
Commenting on the quote of Ivan Parker….. The devil actually is correct. THERE IS NO FUTURE FOR him [but eternal hell fire]. But our God has big plans and purposes for us. He not only has plans for our good and glorious future but He says He will Never leave us or forsake up, for He is in the midst of His people continually.
God has: “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,student’s name______, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV What a great pocket keychain to drop in one’s pocket as they start out their new school year today. My Mother always provided a little goodie of truth to encourage and sustain my day as I walked into a new class with a new teacher and new books!
Of course , like Flora Slosson Wuellner writes in; Enter by the Gate; JESUS NOT ONLY firmly maintained his own freedom of choice but also respected the free choice of others. When the rich young man turned sorrowfully away from the invitation to be Jesus’ disciple, Jesus grieved because he had loved this man. But Jesus did not run after him pleading and pushing. He rebuked the disciples when they wanted to call down vengeful fire from heaven on the towns that did not welcome them.” O, to be so loved by a caring and loving God and then share this truth with our children is so rewarding on days and weeks like this. “School Days!”
“What are your thoughts on this scripture?”
Sounds like encouragement to me. Read with me a portion of the footnotes for this verse. “As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda and goes with us as we fulfill his mission, we can have boundless hope. This does not mean that we will be spared pain, suffering, or hardship, but that God will see us through to a glorious conclusion.” Thank you, God for Your promises!
Footnotes here gives me a painting of Mulholland Jr.’s thoughts as he writes; “Every event of life is an experience of spiritual formation. Every action taken, every response made, every dynamic of relationship, every thought held, every emotion allowed: these are the miniscule areneas where, bit by bit, infinitesimal piece by infinitesimal piece, we are shaped into some kind of being.
We are being shaped either toward the wholeness of the image of Christ or toward a horribly destructive caricature of that image.”
I never thought of it that way until I read Mulholland’s quote above….”character of Christ versus ‘Caricature’ of Christ.” That is something to give one pause & examine one’s conscience. Am I truly following Christ & walking in His footsteps or merely a marionette in a puppet theater, letting the world pull the strings.
Muholland’s quote and Sara’s comment following give an expanded meaning to Deut. 30:19 concerning receiving blessing or cursing for our lives…”therefore choose life…that both you and your descendents may live.” To see and understand that we are or become the compound of choices we choose.
Sara, your prayer… God has: “plans to prosper you and not to harm you,student’s name______, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV interpretation for our students is excellent to use in our prayer time before school. Thanks you.
– Linda Parsons wrote in “Prayers for Hard TimesI” I KEEP the words from Jeremiah 29:11 on a card in my office desk drawer where I will see them several times a day. I placed them there because I am traveling through a difficult place now. When my husband was 55, his job was eliminated.
After raising a family and reaching middle age, we were finally able to enjoy some financial freedom and the joys of independence. I was even trying on the idea of a new career and exciting changes.
Then my husband lost his job, and my dreams and plans no longer seemed possible. I was plunged into anger and despair. Why did this have to happen now? Why, just as I was looking forward to working less, do I have to work more at a stressful job that does
not match my dreams? What about all the plans I had? I wondered.
Then God’s words came into my life, “I know the plans I have for you … to give you a future with hope.” As I meet each day and its challenges and as I travel through shock, anger, loss, and fear of the unknown, it helps me to remind myself that whatever happens, God’s future for me is one filled with hope.”
As we read one another’s heart story it gives us opportunity to place their story along beside ours in our prayer folder to the Father’s Heart. Just as I know place Linda’s!
The heart story like above that is tied to the scripture, Jeremiah 29:11, sure shows that hope is an anchor for the soul. (Heb 6:19)
As I listened to Ann Romney’s heart speech at the RNC 2012, I was reminded how important it is to speak, write and do from the heart. When hearts join in love, hope, prayer and thanks the Father’s heart seems to me to open to us like a day lily! I have heard lilies are Nocturnal, where daylilies open late in the afternoon, remain open all night! Hum, how we need the hope in the night of our heart story!