I was talking with an old friend this week and I asked him what I could pray about on his behalf. He told me: "for a bright future". As I prayed about it for him the next morning, I felt inspired to write this post. What consists of a bright future? Is it by chance that it comes? Are we responsible for making it bright? Is there another source that makes our future bright? In this post, I will share my thoughts on what I've learned the Bible teaches us about this topic.
I really love this Bible verse from Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
God's desire is to give us peace, hope and a good future. Think about it, God is omnipresent which means He is everywhere at all times. He knows the past, present and future. That being the case, He must know what's best for us! What an assurance it is to have someone who can guide us into the best path.
God tells us:
"“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Is God being arrogant? No! He is being straightforward with us. The truth is, compared to this world, to this great universe, we are sooo small! We are just a speck in comparison with all life that surrounds us. Just go out in the country one day, look up at the sky and you'll realize just how little you are. We have the choice to follow our own way but I feel like there's much more assurance in following the ways of the One who knows it all; what's best for me, what's not the best and what will bring me joy and peace. How much suffering would be avoided if we just listened to the voice of God!
So for me, to follow God, listen to Him and trust Him is what leads to a bright future. So now, how do I follow Him? What does He tell me? Check out these two verses:
"Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
"The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple." Psalm 119:130
His word (the Bible) gives us a path to follow. We find an example of this path in the life of Jesus actually.
"Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12
Yes! Jesus is a light to our path and He is what makes our future bright. The Bible tells us He is the brightness of God's glory (Hebrews 1:3)!
You know, reading about this topic I just thought to myself "Wow!", the Bible really contains all answers.
So how does one follow Jesus/God practically?
I use God and Jesus alternatively because Jesus tells us that "I and my Father are one." (John 10:30).
1. Believe
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
"And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst." John 6:35
So the first step here is to believe in Jesus. In His words, His teachings and in His life.
2. Repent
You see the Bible teach us that we "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
[Sin/iniquity basically means going against God's law. Doing, speaking and thinking bad.]
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear. [...]
Therefore justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!" Isaiah 59:2;9
Our sins have separated us from God. The more we stay in our wrong doings, the less we want to be around God because of our guilt. In the verse about it says we look for light, but there is darkness! We look for a bright future but in reality if we live in sin, in disunion with God, there is only darkness before us. Only God can fill our lives with meaning. The Bible teaches us:
"He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." Proverbs 28:13
We cannot have a prosperous future if we keep sinning. Sure on the worldly scheme of things, we can seem prosperous. But true prosperity doesn't come from wealth and worldly success but rather from strength and quality of character as well as assurance of a place in God's home where we hope to rest one day:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21
Thankfully there's hope! God doesn't leave us to struggle in our sins. We're told to:
"Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord" Acts 3:19
and that
"whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." Proverbs 28:13
We've all done wrong and just like criminals pay the price for their crimes, we should be paying for our wrong doings. However, God being the judge, loved us so much that He didn't want us to pay for our wrongs because "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) and He didn't want us to die. Rather, He sent His son, Jesus, to die for us. Jesus, being perfect and having never sinned acted as our replacement when He died on the cross. He died the death we should have died so that we may be forgiven and be restored in harmony with God's wonderful law.
We're told to repent from our sins which means reviewing one's actions and feeling contrition or regret for past wrongs, which is accompanied by commitment to and actual actions that show and prove a change for the better. So this is a two step process, first we need to confess and acknowledge our sins and then forsake them. Then we can be forgiven and find mercy in the sight of God. Now we can walk in the light and prosper.
What a blessing!
"And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38
Baptism is a symbol representing death to our old lives without Jesus and our new commitment to following Him. By being immersed in water, we die to our old life as Jesus died for our sins. And by coming out of the water, we come into a new life, one with Jesus as Jesus came back to life.
3. Prayer | Talk to Him
Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. (Steps to Christ, Ellen G. White)
Like a friend, God wants us to have a relationship with Him. He wants us to talk to Him like we would with those we love and that's exactly what prayer is. Prayer isn't about reciting the same thing over and over again to obtain something.
"And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." Matthew 6:7-8
God just wants us to share our lives with Him. I've found that God is the best: therapist, counselor, friend and much more. God is a great listener and the one who understands us most, He is able to help us with anything.
I encourage you all to read the chapter on Prayer in the book Steps to Christ. The author really goes in depth about Prayer, better than I could!
4. Listen to Him
Imagine having a friend who knows exactly what's best for you, who knows your future and always knows the right thing to do. Wouldn't you want to do what that person advises you to all the time? This is the same thing with God!
God created us. He knows exactly what brings us the most fulfilment in life. He knows what will bring us joy and peace. He knows which path is the best for us and this is why He wants us to obey Him in all things. He wants us to trust Him as a child trusts His parents. Sometimes a child will want to play in the street and be upset because His parent won't let him. The child may find it unfair at first but realizes as he grows that His parent was trying to protect him. The same thing with God! So many times He requires things of us that may seem uncomfortable, unpleasant or unfair but when we look at the bigger picture, there's a reason for that and it's always for our ultimate good. He wants us to trust Him because He loves us. This is why Jesus tells us "If you love Me, keep My commandments." John 14:15.
Jesus teaches us:
""Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27
We need to make sure we build a strong foundation to our future if we want to succeed. This verse teaches us that listen to what Jesus tells us is like building our house on a rock. Despite the difficult times ahead, it will never fall.
The Bible is rich in blessings and teachings applicable to your life today. Start reading it and ask God to help you understand and you will find the precious truths it has for you.
Trust God and listen to His word and His guidance and you are sure to have a great future.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6
5. Share with others
"Give, and it will be given to you" Luke 6:38
This one is simple. Give to others of what you have received and you will receive much more in return. It's a cycle. Giving is what we were meant to do from the beginning! Just as trees give oxygen freely, the sun gives energy etc. we are to give to others. We need to give the good news about God just as we need to give our time and means to help those around us. This is how we will prosper: by generously giving!
6. Become like Him
"You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." John 13:13-15
Jesus is our example. He is perfect and always does good. This is why we are encouraged to become like Him! We're told that "in Him there is no sin." (1 John 3:5). He is the best person to look up to and thrive to become like.
"If indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
"So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27
We were initially created in God's image but by going against God and His law of love we were no longer His image. We are renewed when we follow Jesus, we become restored in His image, restored back into what we were always meant to be!
Becoming a Christian, "a follower of Christ", is the best thing that has happened to me. I hope this post will inspire you all to keep getting to know Jesus and what He's all about. You will surely fall in love with Him the more you get to know Him, what He's done for you and His tremendous love for you.
Prayer: Dear God, I truly want a bright future. I can see now the steps for it to happen and I just pray that You would help me better understand Your plan for me. Teach and guide me. Thank you for Your love and for Your presence in my life. I pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen
May God bless you all abundantly!
Much love and smiles,
Nahisha :)
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