“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.” – Jeremiah 29:11

God’s will is mysterious.  Although He has revealed His will for every believer’s life in His Word and through His Spirit, there are many details that are left unknown.  God does not give us the answers to all of our questions.  This can be frustrating because it requires more faith than we can muster on our own.

It would be easier to trust God and His plan if He laid out each and every step for us…or would it?  We tend to think it would.  But maybe this is not the case.  Perhaps if God showed us everything, it would be too much for us and we would turn back.

In order for God to glorify Himself through our lives, He must push us out of our comfort zones.  He leads us to mountaintops; but He also leads us through dark valleys of despair.  His will does not always make sense to our temporal mindset.  But we must remember that God sees the end from the beginning; and anything He allows into our lives is for our good and His glory.

So, what do we do when we don’t have the answers that we think we need?  We can cling to this promise in Jeremiah 29:11. This verse is often misused and misunderstood to mean that God’s plans are never hard or sad or uncomfortable.  That is not what this verse promises.  God has plans to prosper His children and not harm us, yes.  He has plans to give us a hope and a future, yes.  But this is according to His standards, not by ours, and not by this world’s. 

Our God is so mighty and majestic that He can glorify Himself through tragedy, hardship and suffering.  The most gracious thing that God can give us is Himself…and it is in the valleys of life that we are drawn most near to His heart.  We cannot understand it or explain it…it is just part of the beautiful mystery of living life with God.

So, the next time you have more questions than answers.  The next time you are struggling and desperately need to hear from God.  Remember that what you need isn’t something from God…you need God.  His plans are always good, because God is always good. (James Merritt)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”– James 5:16

   After pondering the perfect sovereignty of God, many have asked the question “Why should I even bother praying then? If God is always going to do His will, and His will is always perfect, then why should we ever pray?”

   The answer, it is important to recognize, comes from the same God Who tells us that He “works all things after the counsel of His own will.” This very same God informs us that effectual, fervent prayer on the part of His people avails — not just a little bit, or for a little while, but much!

   How can this be? How can an immutable, all-knowing, eternal God listen to our prayers and allow them to influence the outcome of events great and small? Frankly, we may never know or understand. But this we do know: God tells us that our prayers make a tremendous impact.

   So then, how should you respond to temptation or trial? Pray. What should you do on behalf of sick, or wayward, or feeble loved ones? Pray. What is your responsibility toward those that have authority over you? Pray for them. How can you make a difference in the world around you? Pray. ( Baptist Bible Hour)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat”. – Genesis 3:6 

Do you believe that God is good?  I don’t mean an intellectual affirmation of His goodness, but a deep down, stake-your-life-on-it conviction of His goodness.  This is perhaps one of the most fundamental, and overlooked, questions in all of Christianity.  For a belief God’s goodness is the basis for all that following Jesus brings.  

At the root of Eve’s sin in the Garden was a doubt of God’s goodness.  The serpent questioned God’s intentions, not only His command.  “Did God really say…?  You will not surely die…” Satan hissed.  Eve knew what God had said, that wasn’t up for debate.  So the enemy attacked God’s goodness.  He tricked Eve into questioning God’s good plan.  Was He withholding something good from them?  Was His command meant not to protect, but to deprive? 

That is the question at the center of sinful man’s rebellious heart even today.  Can God really be trusted with our lives?  Does He really know best?  Is there something better outside of His will?  When we take our eyes off of Christ and His glory, allowing them to wander to the forbidden fruit, we are prime targets for attack.  

There is room for only one ruler of our hearts.  That place was created by and for Jesus Christ.  He is worthy of all glory and honor.  He is trustworthy and faithful in all He does.  There has never been or will never be any reason to doubt Him.  So the next time your heart starts to stray, remember God’s goodness.  There is nothing better than Him.  

Dear God, Please forgive me for ever doubting Your goodness.  I know that Your heart is kind at all times, even in my difficulties and struggles. – James Merritt

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” – Matt. 5:6

Jesus tells us that when we seek after righteousness, we will be filled. Sounds like we’ll be happy, don’t you think? But happiness is not something we find by hungering for it; it’s something we receive by serving the Lord.

The word “happy” comes from the same root as “happening” or “happenstance.” In other words, it depends on what “happens” to you, or on your circumstances, rather than on your relationship with God or upon who you are in Christ. Happiness can be superficial if it comes from external circumstances. Joy, in contrast, comes from deep within.

God doesn’t want us to be “happy” without Christ. God allows us to experience unhappiness in our lives in the same way we experience pain when we step on a nail. The pain tells us something is wrong.

Now, for us to seek happiness without seeking righteousness would be like breaking our arm and then not taking a pain killer and getting it set. Blessing comes when we find the Deliverer.

When you hunger for Him, you will have Him. How much of God do you want today? – Adrian Rogers

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” – 1 Cor. 6:19-20
Suppose by some means you were enabled to do as you pleased. What would you be pleased to do? Since we are all different the answers would vary, but we all would have a desire for something. I won’t even try to guess what it would be for you, but I suspect something has already come to your mind. Sadly most people would make the same mistake. They would do as they please rather than as they ought. In other words, they would do as they desire instead of that which God demands. That’s human nature and precisely what’s wrong with the world today. Instead of saying “Thy will be done”, they say “My will be done”. Unlike Jesus who said, “I do always those things that please him” (the Father) John 8:29, they say, “I do as I please”.

Every Christian needs to realize, as Paul said, “ye are not your own” ( 1 Cor. 6:19). We have been “bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20), the precious blood of Christ. We don’t have the right to do as we please. We are God’s property. You are obligated to “glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor.6:20). It is for Christ to decide how we should spend our lives. His will is always right, best, and safest. But do you really believe that?

We often fail to realize that God’s way is best in every sense of the word. I don’t mean that it is always fun and easy. God’s will sometimes calls for great sacrifice and suffering. But if we are wise we will do as Moses did, “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;” ( Heb. 11:25). Even better, we would have the attitude of Christ “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross” ( He. 12:2). If our main concern is for the glory of God rather than the gratification of self we will pray, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

God help us to invest our lives in that which pays eternal dividends. May we never forget our purpose for remaining on the earth. Heaven is better than this, but God left us here to serve Him, not please ourselves. Hopefully we will live in such a way that we can hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” ( Matt. 25:21). That’s a life well spent. That’s life at its best! – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346