Plans to Prosper
Date: January 9, 2023
Bible Scripture Verse
Jeremiah 29:11 - "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.
Listen for God’s Voice
Heavenly Father, I pray today for the wisdom and understand of Your Word. I know you have good things in store for my life, those plans are never evil. Help me to have the patience to wait for those things to happen and to trust in your timing. Give me the strength and courage to follow your will, even when it is difficult or uncertain and different from my will. I pray I seek your guidance always that I will align my plans with yours.
Explore History – Who wrote it, when and to what audience? Key people in the story?
Jeremiah wrote this letter to the exiled Jews in Babylon. Jeremiah was a prophet who lived in the kingdom of Judah in the 7th century BCE. He was called by God to speak to the people of Judah and to warn them of the consequences of their sin and rebellion.
In the year 597 BCE, the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and took many of the Jews into exile in Babylon. Jeremiah wrote this letter to these exiled Jews, encouraging them to settle down and build lives for themselves in Babylon, even though they were far from their homeland. He assured them that God was with them in their exile and that he had a plan for their future.
The key people in this story are Jeremiah, the prophet who wrote the letter, and the exiled Jews in Babylon who received the letter.
Study and Savor – Key Words
He knows the plans He has for me
Plans to give me hope and a future
Summarize and Share
God has a plan for our lives and that this plan is good. It encourages us to trust in God's guidance and to have hope for the future, even when we may be facing difficult circumstances. We need to trust in God's plans for us, even when we don’t understand them or when they seem too difficult to follow. We have to have confidence in God's love for us, and in his desire to see us prosper and have a fulfilling life knowing that he is always with us and working for our good.
Bible Cross Reference
Psalm 33:11 - "The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations."
Isaiah 46:10 - "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'"
Romans 8:28 - "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."