Jeremiah 29:10-13 –
March 1, 2009 - God’s Future!
Intro: Today we are
going to look at one of my favourite scriptures and exhortations for the
future, not only for Hay River but the church in Canada as well.
1. The background for
the scripture is that Jeremiah was talking to the false prophets
Who had been
telling the people of Judah
that God would not destroy Jerusalem. That
Everything would
be o.k. They did not know God’s voice or
plan. Jeremiah at this
Time had been
God’s voice for almost 40 years. He had
been called as a youth during
Josiah’
times. He had seen the nation go from
revival to apostasy during that time.
Jeremiah was the
first prophet in conflict with his nation.
a. What was also
happening was the Babylonians were laying siege to the land and
Jerusalem
because Judah
had been guilty of great sin. Yet even
as they were about to
Go into captivity
God gives this promise.
b. After
70 years in Babylon
the Lord will visit them. This
was because Judah
had
Forgotten to give
the land a rest. Every 7th
year they were suppose to let the land rest
And they did
not. This had gone on for 490 years so
for 70 years the land would rest.
1. After that time
God will visit. God raised up a king man
Cyrus which Isaiah talks
About 200 years
before in Is 44:28-45:19.
2. The
Lord will perform His good word to them.
Jeremiah wrote about 92 promises
God made. He gives 62 messages from God and 1002
predictions. Jeremiah knew
That God would
perform His word. The word burned in
Jeremiah’s heart, he knew
It as a crushing
hammer. Paul tells us the promises of
God are yea and Amen.
c. In
causing you to return to this place. The
promise is that even though they will
Go into captivity
they will return. It is not the end of
the story. Jeremiah even bought
A piece of land
from a relative to prove this point.
2. For I
know the thoughts that I think toward you saith the Lord. God has thoughts
About His people. Did you know right now God has thoughts about
you? He has a
Plan, a destiny,
goal and future for us.
a. God’s first
thought revealed here is, “peace and not evil.” God wants to bring peace,
Absence of
strife, war, injury or harm. A
contentment, freedom, harmony, calm,
Quiet, serenity
and tranquility. EC Mackenzie writes,
“When a man finds peace in his
Heart, it is
useless to look anywhere else.” God is
the author, provider and sustainer
Of peace. The bible says, it is something the world
cannot give and the world can’t
take it away.
b. God’s second
thought is to give us hope. Hope is
one of the three virtues found in 1
Cor 13:13. Peace and hope was something Jeremiah wished
for but never really
Found in his
world. Hope means an expectation of
something desired. A belief that
Is founded on a
promise. God’s promise of the Jews would
return in 70 years was that
Promise. It gave the next generation hope. This would motivate Daniel 70 years later.
Hope is based in
love and faith. It is linked with both
these other
Virtues.
c. Hope works like
this. Something comes and rocks your
world. First, you go to prayer
And invite divine help and
perception. God knows and sees
all. He has an answer
and as soon you
pray the answer is on the way. This
starts the process of building
Faith and
hope. Next you go to the word and reads
God’s promises on the matter.
This along with
prayer quiets a heart and brings divine hope and peace. Thirdly, invite
Others to pray and get godly
mature counsel Sharing it with
other mature
Responsible
believers helps shares the load. Lastly,
trust
and obey God. God knows
What is going on
and He knows what He is doing.
c. I kind of like the
way the NIV puts this verse. “For
I know the plans I have for you”
Declares
the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a
Hope and a future.” That is so powerful. A hope and a future. Church that is God’s
Promise. It does matter how dark things look at the
outset. God has a future for us.
That must have
thrilled Jeremiah’s heart to bring this to the people. He wasn’t all
Doom and gloom.
d. These two verses
are God’s thoughts. He is not a big bad,
harsh, unforgiving God.
He is loving,
patient, kind, merciful and gracious.
The last thing He wants to do is
Punish. But when e does judge it will be just.
3. Now let us look at
Vs 12-14, just briefly and see the promises contained in them.
a. Then
you will call upon me. When you
call at someone you are trying to get their
Attention. God says here when you call on me I am going
to hear you.
1. And
come. This means you take a step
towards. You go to where God is. You
Grabbed Him say
God here I am. You say God I am serious
to leave where I am to
Come to you.
2. And
pray to me. This is where you
put your heart’s desire into words and phrases to
Solidify in your
own heart what you want and then you ask for divine help and
Intervention. Jeremiah knew this first hand that he needed
God’s divine presence.
He told the
people how to find God. Vs 12
3. I
will listen to you. God will
hear, listen and then do. What a
promise. You have
God’s attention.
b. You
will seek me and you will find me. God
is as closer as the mention of His name.
He is not
hiding. He is the rewarder of those that
diligently seek Him. When
you
Seek him with all your
heart. God is looking for people
who want to give their all
To Him. Half hearted service will never do. Talk about the man ploughing the field.
c. Jeremiah then
states that when we seek God, “I will be found of you declares the
Lord. God is not hard to find. He is everywhere you just need to know how to
Approach Him.
d. and I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all nations and
Places where I have banished
you,” declares the Lord and will bring you back to
The place from which I exiled
you. No matter what kind of
captivity we may be in.
God will deliver
us. Physical, mental, emotional,
intellectual, family and financial.
Whether we did
ourselves or other did it to us. God
will break those bondages.
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