Open Heaven 11 May 2024: He Has a Plan for You
MEMORISE: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
BIBLE READING: Jeremiah 29: 1-14 (KJV)
1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)
3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Read Yesterday’s Open Heaven Devotional here
Whether you believe it or not, God has a plan for your life. Even if your parents weren’t planning to have a baby when they had you, as long as God formed you in your mother’s belly and made you come out of the womb alive, He has a plan for you. Jeremiah 1:5 illustrates this clearly:
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Believe me, the plan that God has for you is a good one. He made that known in Jeremiah 29:11. The question now is, are you walking in line with His plan for you? It is not enough for God to have a good plan for your life; if you refuse to live according to His plan, it will look like there was none in the first place.
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. – (Isaiah 30:21)
God is willing to guide you in the direction you should go at every point of your life; He is willing to be your compass all through life. Another question you must answer is, are you willing to draw close to Him enough to hear His voice? After you have heard His voice, are you willing to obey Him, even when He asks you to do something that seems foolish? Only those who draw close to God, listen to Him, and obey Him completely will fulfill His plan for their lives.
I thought I was on the right path when I was trying to become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa. I thought that was a good plan until I met God and drew close to Him. Thereafter, He began to whisper into my ears which way to go at every point. When He told me to leave my job and become the General Overseer of a church whose total monthly income was not up to my salary, that was a hard thing to do – thank God I obeyed. I did not become the youngest Vice Chancellor in Africa, but today, many Vice Chancellors call me Daddy. The Redeemed Christian Church of God also owns a university that has been rated as the second overall best in the country. God’s plans will always be far greater than anything you can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
REFLECTION: Are you close to God enough to hear His voice leading you in line with His plan for your life?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 12-16
Thank you for studying today’s Open Heaven – He Has a Plan for You – written by Pastor Enoch Adeboye
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Open Heaven 11 May 2024
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