Peace, Hope and a Good Future - By Steve Wickham

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Peace, Hope and a Good Future

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Peace, Hope and a Good Future - By Steve Wickham

"I know the plans that I have you," declares the LORD. "They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope." ~Jeremiah 29:11 (GW)

Plans are a thing we are constantly engaging in. No matter how dis-organised our lives are we are found scheming about the next minute, hour, or day. And how much do we skip ahead of the day, planning either diligently or anxiously? We hardly need to mention how we plan in reverse; that is, the review of our plans and our thoughts as to whether they worked out or not.

We spend a great deal of time thinking about the future and the past. Not all of this is worthy of our time. But, by instinct it seems, we get concerned by what has been or what could be.

In our planning we always seek something better, particularly when hard times have struck. We never can tell when a harder time might strike, but it does us more good to think in ways where we are reminded of God's faithfulness to deliver us up on good plans.

It is best, always, to believe God's plan to prosper us and not harm us; to give us a hope and a future.

But with this belief - and it is a biblical belief - the belief of a Christ-believer - we must add a very important component. Indeed, this component is a necessity.

In alignment with other like-Scriptures (I'm thinking about Psalm 37:4 and Matthew 6:33), Jeremiah 29:11, in context with what follows in verses 12-14, is heavily reliant on putting our faith in God first - seeking the LORD with all our hearts.

SEEK THE LORD

Sometimes we use Jeremiah 29:11 out of place.

We consider it an unconditional promise to anybody who even tacitly believes in God. Well, even demons believe in God, as James tells us (2:19). Our 'belief' must be more than what we say.

Our faith must be set apart by our obedience.

Faith without obedience is not faith. Faith without obedience is just disobedience. But a proper faith, based in the portents of truth and love and myriad virtue, to trust in God beyond sight, to live by faith, is manifest by continually seeking the LORD.

When we seek the LORD with all our hearts, God will be found by us. That is the promise of Jeremiah 29:13. Of course, as soon as we note the faithfulness of God we do tend to seek him with all our hearts. Faithfulness usually presents as a miracle, and miracles always encourage the faithful to look to God.

It is good for us to align God's promise to give us a hope and a future with our faithfulness to seek him. We should not expect God to be faithful to us when we are not faithful initially or by response.

***

We should not doubt that God has a good plan for our lives; for peace, a hope, and a prosperous future. Let us honour the LORD by seeking Jesus with all our hearts.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham. Steve Wickham is a Registered Safety Practitioner and holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7443895

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Yearning for a Broken Heart

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Yearning for a Broken Heart - Steve Wickham

"Heal my heart and make it clean,

Open up my eyes to the things unseen,

Show me how to love like You have loved me,

Break my heart for what breaks Yours,

Everything I have for Your Kingdom's cause,

As I walk from Earth into eternity."

~Hillsong United (Hosanna)

Like many, worship easily brings me to tears when I consider the awesome theological facts we sing from the bottom of our hearts. The bridge, above, is a fantastic portrayal of an attempt to experience our existence as God experiences it.

The idea is an utter Spirit-filled concern as God would be concerned.

But such fullness of commitment to live as God would have us live does not come easily. We cannot make ourselves think this way. Only when the LORD invades upon our lives, redeeming control over us, and blessing us all the same, do we stand a chance to have hearts transformed into the likeness of the Son.

***

The six lines of this bridge show what I believe to be a process by which God blesses us in our sincerely seeking him.

Despite the years of theological training anyone can amass, the heart closest to God is that which has desired God richly, uniquely, unswervingly, and beyond all doubt.

THE PASSAGE TO LOVING LIKE GOD LOVES

We cannot pretend to love, for we are found out. Of all things we cannot fake it is love that abounds most in truth. Love and truth coexist, informing each other.

When we desire that God would heal us and make us clean, when he does that, he will also open up our eyes to the things unseen. Then we will know how to love others as God, himself, has loved us. We cannot see unless we are healed. And we cannot be healed unless we make ourselves available to be healed. That's humility.

We all need healing.

To desire that God would break our hearts for what breaks his is not only a bold prayer, but it is the prayer to be touched; by the very hand of God itself. And this is why we need to be healed first. When we have been healed there is no distraction impeding our approach to the throne room of God. We fear no one and nothing. And when we are healed our emotions belong to God and are a vessel for blessing.

When we can invest in life to the degree of the fullness of our emotions - having been summarily healed of any vast hurts - we become perfectly willing to throw ourselves down before God's throne. Then, we can give everything we have - and not before time.

***

When everything we have and everything in us is for God, our hearts break for injustice and suffering. Yearning for such a broken heart is the pinnacle of Christian living we should strive for; hearts broken and convicted to help those in need.

© 2013 S. J. Wickham. Steve Wickham is a Baptist Pastor and a Registered Safety Practitioner and holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7547252

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How to Be a Good Christian Wife?

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How to Be a Good Christian Wife?

by Karla Downing

Are you looking for guidance on how to be a good Christian wife? If so, here are seven things you simply must do:

1. Pray for your husband.

The world is a difficult place for a man. They are competing in the marketplace for jobs, feeling the weight of the financial burden of providing for a family, and having to deal with many stressors beyond their control. They are also in a world that increasingly assaults their masculinity.

2. Speak clearly and directly to your husband.

Men use fewer words than women do. They want to get to the bottom line of the message quickly and they also process one aspect of an issue at a time. Women like to explore all aspects of a subject at the same time as well as give hints about what they really want. Give your husband the gift of direct and short messages he doesn't have to work at interpreting.

3. Have your own support system.

Too many women expect their husbands to handle all their emotional needs. Men aren't equipped to do that. They don't understand their wives emotional ups and downs and they don't understand how to respond to them. They want to solve the problem and don't get it when we just want empathy. Men aren't capable of being girlfriends.

4. Accept his relationship with his mom.

There's something about the two women in the kitchen that transfers to the two women most important to a man. It is hard for us to accept that there is something between our husbands and their moms that we don't share with them. Our mother-in-laws will always see them as their little boys. We will feel the same way about our sons. Unless their relationship is really dysfunctional and ruining yours, let it be.

5. Be his partner.

The two of you joined together to have a life together. Figure out how to take care of your needs and goals while prioritizing filling in the gaps that your husband can't fill. This way you are his helpmate and you are a valuable team member. Also make time for being with him doing things he likes.

6. Be an independent woman.

He was attracted to you as a single woman. He saw you as a person he respected and admired. You need to continue to have interests separate from your husband and to have different opinions. He needs to see you as a person and not just his wife.

7. Accept him as a spiritual leader.

Not all men lead their families spiritually by having sit down devotions. Some lead by example through hard work and good character. Some lead by their strength and desire to protect. Others lead by teaching life lessons. Accept whatever form of spiritual leadership your husband offers rather than making him feel like he is a failure as a spiritual leader.

You simply must do these seven things to be a good Christian wife. Your husband will absolutely love the new you and you will love your new man!

About the Author

If you need more practical tips and Biblical truths to help you change your relationships, get my FREE "15-Day Relationship Challenge" designed to give you back the power over your life. Just click here: Free 15 Day Challenge - http://www.changemyrelationship.com/subscribetodevotional.html Karla Downing is an author, speaker, licensed marriage and family therapist, and Bible study teacher. Karla's passion is to help people find freedom in Christ in the midst of their difficult relationships and circumstances through Biblical truths and practical tools. source : http://goarticles.com/article/How-to-Be-a-Good-Christian-Wife/6389260/

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