peace

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

One Minute Message

You have probably heard this verse before. Did you know that it is not a promise to individuals, but rather to an entire nation? Israel, God’s people in the Ancient Near East, had been taken into exile by the Babylonians. God sent the prophet Jeremiah with a message to God’s people: God has not forgotten about you, and he does have a perfect plan for your nation. The Israelites were scared, far away from their homeland, and hopeless. God sent a message to them in their time of greatest need that he would redeem their future and return them to the land of their ancestors.

“What in the world does this have to do with me?” you are probably asking. Well, while this is not a direct promise to you or me, it does demonstrate something remarkable about God’s character. No matter what circumstances seem impossible, no matter how hopeless a situation, God is in control, and he has a plan. That means that God ALWAYS has a plan! The creator and sustainer of the universe has a plan even for your life and for mine. Who better to have a plan for our lives than the one who created everything, the one who hung the moon and the stars, the one who gave us life? If you are a child of God, you can be certain that God has a plan for you, even when life is at its toughest. Are you a child of God?

To know what it means to be a ‘child of God,’ check out the resources below. And remember, God is real; His word is true; and that has the power to change YOUR life!

‘The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’
Psalm 34:18

One Minute Message

Have you ever experienced brokenheartedness? Have you ever felt crushed in spirit? Chances are that you have, and if you have, then you know that in those moments we often feel that no one understands what we are going through. There is rarely anyone CLOSE enough to us to empathize with our pain or speak to the deep longing of our hearts. In those moments, frankly, we maybe don’t even want anyone to be close to us. It is in those moments that we are at our lowest.

It is remarkable, then to read that God says that he is CLOSE to the brokenhearted, and that he will SAVE those who have had their spirits crushed! This is a promise from God to his children. Any loving parent would desire nothing more than to come alongside a hurting child and be close to them and save them from their despair. That is exactly what God will do for those who belong to him. He alone is the one who not only understands our brokenness and pain but who also SAVES us in the most hopeless of seasons. He alone provides hope in hopelessness and salvation to those who have had their spirits crushed by this cruel world. Whatever you are going through, know this: if you are a child of God, he will be close to you and save you from the worst pain that life can dish out.

To know what it means to be a ‘child of God,’ check out the resources below. And remember, God is real; His word is true; and that has the power to change YOUR life!

You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Isaiah 26:3

One Minute Message

The prophet Isaiah is singing a song to God about how God will provide perfect peace to those who keep their thoughts fixed on him. Perfect peace!?! Are you kidding me? Is there even such a thing? God’s Word, the Bible, says that there is, and I am here to tell you that you can experience that perfect peace from God. This is a promise to the children of God. The promise says that when a person fixes their mind on God, they will experience a perfect peace. The source of such peace is the righteous, sovereign, saving God who “will swallow up death forever,” “will wipe away every tear,” and who alone is worthy of our trust.

That kind of promise could mean EVERYTHING in a world like ours that seems to be moving faster than ever, a world that seems lost and broken, a world where it is increasingly harder to find any peace, much less perfect peace. I would say that is a promise worth exploring!

To know what it means to be a ‘child of God,’ check out the resources below. And remember, God is real; His word is true; and that has the power to change YOUR life!