Jeremiah 29:11 – “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.’ ”

WOW!!! If there was ever a verse of Scripture that sparked encouragement and optimism this is one of them. I mean …who wouldn’t want to claim this promise from God for their life? And that’s what Jeremiah 29:11 is …a promise of God spoken to the Jews. But, before we claim it we need to understand that there is a lot that went on in their lives before this promise was given. See, this promise was spoken to the Jews AFTER they repeatedly refused to listen to Him and AFTER God had already taken drastic measures to “regain their attention”

This promise in Jeremiah 29:11 is in exactly that context. God spoke this promise to them after He had to turn their lives upside-down.

Anyone ever had that happen to them where you weren’t listening to what God was saying and He had to get your attention?

We’re going to see today that everything God does or allows in this life, and in your personal life, is ordered. It’s all part of His temporal and eternal plans.

God does not gamble nor is He wasteful. God never randomly does or allows anything to happen. Everything He does and allows has meaning, purpose, and a goal in mind. Everyone is included in God’s plans, and God accomplishes His plans without ever forcing anyone to do good or evil. God never violates anyone’s free will right to make their own choices.

True, God does narrow down everyone’s options into two categories: (1) obedience to Him, or, (2) disobedience to Him. But, in doing so God never violates our right to choose.

And this promise spoken in Jeremiah 29:11 is no exception! None of God’s promises exist in a vacuum. To understand them we need to understand three things:

1.“Who was it spoken to?”

2.“What was the context which this promise was spoken in?”

3.“What was the spiritual condition of the people it was spoken to?”

ALSO, we need to understand another principle by which God works. Many people find this hard to believe about God but it’s true none-the-less: “Every event and everyone is an instrument which plays a part in fulfilling God’s plans whether that event or person was good or evil.”

Revelation 17:17 – “For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled.”

“They will agree.” God never forces anyone to accept or reject His plan; each person chooses or refuses it themselves. But, God has the right to work through anyone or anything He wants to carry out His plans. God will and has used a city, a person, a small group of people …even a nation. He can and has used a government, a president, Pharaoh’s, kings, rulers, Satan, demons, and angels. And they all freely agreed.

God uses good people; God uses evil people, without ever forcing their decisions. God has used the most-vile person as His instrument to accomplish His plans, but, those used for evil were never forced to do evil, they willingly lend their will and energy to the evil deeds.

God wants us to understand that he does this because He is Sovereign and God ultimately runs the show. He does this without ever violating or manipulating the free will of any person.

Each individual, from angels to people, choose the direction they want to go in, then God uses them accordingly to accomplish His purposes.

In Jeremiah we see how God used false-prophets – but each prophet chose to be a false-prophet.

In Jeremiah God used a heathen king Nebuchadnezzar who chose to be a heathen. God used the heathens of the Kingdom of Babylon also known as the “Land of the Chaldeans;” heathens that all chose to be heathens. God used a true prophet Jeremiah, who chose to be a true-prophet.

God has a plan. His plan will be successful, and all people by the choices they freely make fit into His plan. All people and beings are instruments that bring about God’s plans. Each individual choosing to be on the good side of it or the evil side!

And, God has every right to have a plan because God reigns supreme over all...

UPSIDE-DOWN?!?!

For complete manuscript and CD of this sermon, contact: tlcministers@aol.com