Borrowed Truths

To An Expected End

to an expected end
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To An Expected End

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer. 29:11)

When our plans override the plans that our Father in heaven has for us, that is called being out of the will of God.

To be spiritually discerning one must study the Scriptures to be able to hear the Holy Spirit in the matter of the path that He would have us to walk, and there is one discernable truth that applies to all that have been born again in this regard, if it glorifies the Lord our God, then you are hearing Him correctly.

But therein lies the truth of the opening statement in this letter to you today, many, if not most of the time, our plans do not exactly line up with what the Almighty has planned for us.

“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:” (James 4:13)

And the correction?

“For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” (James 4:15)

The examples for us in the Scriptures and our own prayers concerning the plans we have, that really is all we have, and sometimes my friends, as you are probably well aware of already, God does not always answer with a clear and definitive voice. And so, we must find our answer everywhere in the Word of God where it says, “By faith.”

Faith is what causes me to sit at the bottom of the steps ten or twelve times a week writing these letters, faith is what keeps me in my well-worn chair in front of my desktop almost fifty hours a week or more, reading the Scriptures and several other books every day.

Faith is the catalyst, the object is that the Lord Jesus Christ would be lifted up to the glory of God the Father, and I can only do that if I listen to the Holy Spirit.

Recall the last few words of that verse, “to give you an expected end.” I think about that end at times, just like all who are hid in Christ do, but the path that leads to it is what consumes my mind the most.

“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

What we do, we do for His glory, the crowns and rewards enter into our minds at times, being in the presence of the fulness of joy, pleasures forevermore at His right hand, no more tears or sorrow, no more of that bothersome old sinful nature, yes. But that is not what is usually on my mind.

If I have not glorified the Almighty in some way, shape or form during the day, I have spent the day being unprofitable. And one day such as that is one day too many.

The plans I have are not trying to figure out how to exalt His name above the heavens each day, it is listening to how He would have me to do that. Then neither my plans, nor my own will, will override His will for me.

That sentence may be the best description I have at this time for Galatians 2:20.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

I asked this question of you once long ago, but it bears repeating here, I see them as the same thing, as having the same meaning. How do you see them?

“What I want is immaterial.”

“Thy will be done.”

If you truly desire to see the Lord glorified, then no matter what your plans are, you will alter them to His plans for you. Studying and contemplating His Word, reading the examples of those who came before us, praying with fervent intent that He would be glorified in your life.

And then listening and moving in faith towards that expected end He has for you.

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