The Lord has plans for you.

The Lord has plans for you.

 

Jeremiah 29:11-14

 

I ask myself this question.

If I die today, what is last sermon I want to preach?

without any doubt, God gave me this verse. Jeremiah 29:.

This is my story. In order to have ‘ testimony’, you should go through testing faith period.

Without testing, there is no testimony.

I was Buddhist when I was in Korea, I move to July 1999 to Waco, Texas.

I want to be “ Rich and famous.”

I want to make a big bucks and people like me, and respect me.

My first choice was to get educated more.

I studies at Baylor University as ESL students.

One day I was very sick, maybe I had flu.

I could not go to school, I had high fever.

I was laid down in my Apt by myself without any help.

so I realize that I need some good help, specially from good Christians.

I started to attend Baptist fellowship group in Baylor, after that they lead me to columbus Baptist church.

after that I attended Methodist church at Waco, Texas just for good lunch with kimchi.

Columbus Avenue Baptist church folks loved me so much.

They accepted who I was and accepted where I was. There were great Christian, Frank, Libby, Ann, and Gean Pittman.

After 6 month, later I baptized from that Columbus Avenue Baptist church.

I still remember that the day I got baptized whole congregation stood up and sang for me.

“ I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back, No turning back.”

I want to be “ Rich and famous,” But God changed my heart to follow him.

 

Maybe your story would be similar. Whatever reason God plant you over here, I sent you here with reason.

Maybe you had a lot of drought times, going through dessert, had a stormy day to get you here.

 

God’s Story:

Today let us look up Jeremiah 29:.

This letter is written by Jeremiah from Jerusalem.

Recipients are all of surviving elders among the exiles and to the priest.

As one of Baptist tenets says,

1 Peter 2:9, “ You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.”

I want you understand this context.

29:5-10, says, “ Build houses and settle down, marry and have sons, increase numbers, When seventy years are completed to you

and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this places.”

Wait and think up to this point.

Basically I said, ‘ NO.’ You will not come back to your home, you will stay there 70 years, which means until you die.

After God said, NO, God said this verse 11.

“ I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I want to know this first.

God has plan for you. Maybe your plan failed miserably, but good news is that God has plan for you.

His plan is to prosper you and not to harm you. His plan in Hebrew text is shalom. Shalom could translate as ‘Peace.’

Verse 12 said, When you call upon me, come and pray to me, I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.

 

So what now?

First, I want you rest your uncertainty at the cross because God have plans for you.

Maybe you had plans, your plans failed epically. But Trust and believe God have plans for you.

His plan is shalom not to harm you, give you hope and future.

maybe you got terrible places to be, going through divorce, going through argument with your spouse and love one,

 do not worry. God’s plan is shalom for you.

maybe you got rebellious teenager in your household, do not worry, God’s plan is shalom for you and teenager.

Maybe you got terrible bosses and customer, your business is terrible, do not worry. God’s plan is shalom for you.

Actually what incidents that you are facing now are not matter at all.

It matters how you respond, that matters.

I want respond it with faith. You should proclaim that God’s plan is shalom for me.

I want you pray; call upon God, Oh Lord. Change me; transform me to be like you.

My family mission statement is this.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “ 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

When everything looks falling apart.  what Bible verses you go and have rest.

 

Let me close today sermon.

Jeremiah 1:5 says, “ before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.”

Jeremiah was not famous and rich guy in the world, but in God’s perspective he was very faithful on his calling.

I want you know and understand today.

God’s plan is shalom for me even though my plan fail, God got my back.

so, I can rest my anxiety and fear, because God have plans to prosper me not to harm me. Give me hope and future.

I want your cup overflow, so others can be blessed through you by you.

I want you have enough faith to proclaim to the world; The Lord all mighty is with us today.

so, I should not dismay and fear for tomorrow.

I want you believe and trust that God have plans for you and my family.

Let lay down all of your burdens, anxiety and uncertainty at the cross.

Live faithful Christians’ life.

 

(By Pastor; Park yoon soo, 022817)