HOPE
I heard a sermon by Francis Chan one time on this ,
60 and he illustrated it perfectly . He was on the stage at a mega church and had one of those old-school projectors with the long neck on it ; the one where you use transparent plastic sheets to write on . He drew a large black circle on the circumference of the screen . Then he held up a clear plastic cup with eight ladybugs in it . He told the audience that he was going to place the cup upside down in the middle of the circle , and when he did so he wanted everyone to choose one of the bugs . Then he was going to lift the cup up and whichever bug crossed the line first would be the winner . After a few moments , he lifted the cup , and the bugs slowly began moving around doing their bug thing . Eventually one of the bugs crossed the line . There was loud cheering from some and boos from others . Then he asked this question , “ Do you think those ladybugs had any idea about what was taking place ??”
Isaiah 55:8-9 says , “ For my thoughts are not your thoughts , neither are your ways my ways , declares the LORD . For as the heavens are higher than the earth , so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts .”
His thoughts , His ways , His plans for us are so much higher than ours , and we have absolutely no idea what He has in store for us . Therefore , we must have a close relationship with Him , and always be going to Him in prayer before we make decisions , and always be open to the things He shows us , whether or not they are part of what we want or what we had planned . He ’ s got so much more for you than you could ever have for yourself ! The first question is : Have you called out to Him ? Have you made Him LORD ? If not , Jeremiah 33:3 says , “ Call unto me and I WILL answer you , and I will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known .” Proverbs 19:21 states , “ Many are the plans in the mind of man , but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand .”
And the all famous Jeremiah 29:11 ( even though in context the LORD was talking to the nation of Israel , the same can be applied to all of us ) “ For 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 .” However , most people leave out the rest . He goes on to say in verses 12-13 , “ 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 .” Did you call out to Him ? Are you seeking Him with ALL your heart ? Are you praying to Him ? Here are the individuals the LORD seeks and can use , read Isaiah 66:2 . “… But this is the one to whom I will look : he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word .” Humility , contriteness of spirit , and allowing the word to move you into action are necessary to be used mightily by God . Remember James ’ words in James 1:22 . “ But be doers of the word , and not hearers only , deceiving yourselves .” You want a case of God to break out in your life and be involved in seeing it happen all around you ? Want to be used by God ? Want those plans He has for you ? Think it can ’ t happen to you ? Allow my life to be a great testimony to Jesus Christ , and what He can do in each of your lives . Surrender it all to Him and He will use you ! Give up your life completely to Him , and He will fulfill the promises in Ephesians 1:5 , 9-10 . “ He predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ , according to the purpose of his will ... making known to us the mystery of his will , according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time .” My biggest prayer for you all is that you submit your lives fully to Jesus Christ and allow Him to remake you into the individual He created you to be . When He died on the cross , He paid enough to take everything you ’ re willing to give up .
Love and blessings to you all , Brian Cole Senior Pastor | The Oaks Community Church www . oaksofdrummond . com