What are God’s plans for me?

The Bible’s suggests that we have to plan life’s journey with the questions:”How do I fit into God’s plans?” And “What are God’s plans for me?”

God is not standing idly by as the world plummets from one debacle, corruption and failure into another. God certainly has not deserted our world, leaving us to see whether we will be able to fix the problems we have created for our world and each other.

God has revealed his plan to bring an end to all evil. He made the preparations for a new world possible when Jesus once and for all died and rose to save sinners. He continues his preparation by using you and me, his children and his church, to invite the whole world to accept his invitation to join him in overcoming evil by following him as Lord of our lives.

God has set a day when he will bring an end to all wars, all sickness, and every natural disaster.

A  grand picture of this God-designed future is given to us in Revelation:

“Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Rev 21:3-4)

This is a world where those who share God’s peace will no longer be self-centred, greedy, and insecure. Instead God will be with his people and he will be their God. He will rule over them perfectly and lovingly through his Son Jesus.

This is what God is doing when the message of forgiveness and reconciliation is preached. It is all about a relationship that begins now and will last for eternity in God’s new heaven and earth. And it begins when we submit our lives to the perfect rule of King Jesus.

As Christians, our lives are living testimonies of God’s new world and Kingdom. We are called to “no longer live for ourselves but for Jesus who died for us” (2Cor 5:15). According to what Jesus taught, this practically means that serving God’s kingdom will be my highest priority (Matt 6:33).

The better questions to ask are: How will what I do fit into my Lord’s plans?

How can I best serve him with the means, gifts, opportunities and responsibilities he has given me today?

Nobody knows when Jesus is coming back.

The well known parable in Matthew 25: 1 – 13, about the ten maidens, five wise and five foolish, Jesus taught first of all, that he will return when least expected, for no one knows the day or the hour of his return.

Secondly, he teaches that we must be ready for his return at any time of our days and lives.

The bridegroom in this parable is Jesus Christ, the heavenly bridegroom. The ten maidens are the expectant and waiting Christian church looking for the return of Christ. The lateness of the bridegroom is the seeming delay of the second coming. The sudden appearance of the bridegroom is the coming of Christ at a time when least expected. And the stern rejection of the foolish maidens is the Final Judgment.

At the end of Matthew 24 and at the start of Matthew 25,  Jesus tells us the same thing five times: that he will return when least expected for no one knows when he returns:

(Mt 24:36) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

It is God's intention to keep the time of the second coming the best kept secret in the universe.

Do not be concerned and do not speculate about the day or hour of my return, says Jesus. Rather, concentrate on doing your work, on spreading the Good News of the Gospel, on being my witnesses, across the world.

Scripture tells us that because the day and hour is unknown, it will be totally unexpected and will be a shocking experience to many members of the Church.

Nobody knows when Jesus will return!  God has not revealed to us the day or hour of his return. Instead, he reminds us again and again that the time of Christ's return will be unexpected. That's the first important lesson Jesus wants to teach us.

The reason for this cosmic secret is also revealed.

Because we do not know the day or hour, our Lord wants to teach us that we must always, in every circumstance,  be ready, yes, every day and every hour,  to meet him and come before him.

Christian living in the Kingdom of God is simply defined as being ready to meet the Saviour at any time.

In summing up the parable of the Ten Maidens, Christ Jesus says,

"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour."

Keep watch, all the time!

Behold the Lamb of God - the hymn

Behold the Lamb of God –

he takes away our sin!

He’s worthy honour, praise –

his Church prevails! We win!

Proclaim our God!

Bring honour only to “I AM”  –

behold the Lamb!

“I AM the Bread of Life,

I AM the world’s True Light!

I AM the Way, the Truth,

victorious in the fight!”

Our risen Lord!

We stand in awe before “I AM” –

behold the Lamb!

He did unseal the scroll –

God’s one salvation plan!

He gives true life to me  –

behold the Son of Man!

King Jesus Christ!

God’s Spirit does reveal “I AM” –

behold the Lamb!

Oh Christian praise the Lord –

who blessed us day by day.

For countless years of mercy:

sing, exult and pray!

Hail Christ the King!

Bring glory, bless and laud “I AM” –

behold the Lamb!

Behold the Lamb of God –

who purchased us with blood.

He pleads before the throne,

he is God’s saving Word!

Now honour Christ!

We worship you, the great “I AM” –

behold the Lamb!

Lyrics:  A.J. Combrink - 2009; Music:  John Darwall – 1770.

(The melody is in Songs of Fellowship 619)

Children of light!

We should be people living outside the darkness of sin. We simply cannot live the same lives as the children of darkness.

Eph 5: 8 -12: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.”

This means that we should live as children of light. Our lives should be full of the fruit of the light which are goodness, righteousness, and truth.  The light of Jesus should be evident in our lives. People should be able to look at us and see the light of Christ in us. This is how Isaiah puts it:  (Is 60:3) “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

For those who do not know Jesus Christ personally, our lives must show that we own something important that they do not have. They must see the glorious light of God’s presence in Christ in our lives, become curious and become willing “to find out what pleases the Lord (Eph 5)” while they “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness.”  Integrity requires that we will stop living shameful lives – even in secret!

And so leaders, yes, people with influence and authority will come to the “brightness of our dawn (Is 60)”. Because we carry in us the light that Jesus brought into the world.

Reflect the light of Christ and show others the way to God, the way to truly good, righteous and truthful living, and the way to heaven, because we carry the Light of the world wherever you go!