God’s Got God’s Got PlansPlans

Jeremiah Jeremiah 29:1129:11

““God loves you and has a God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your wonderful plan for your

life!”life!”

““God loves you and has a God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your wonderful plan for your

life!”life!”Sometimes Sometimes

God’s plan is God’s plan is different than different than what we were what we were

thinkingthinking

The Jewish people have a The Jewish people have a beautiful history of Godbeautiful history of God

coming coming through for through for

them in times them in times of crisisof crisis

Exodus 3:7Exodus 3:7The LORD said, “I have The LORD said, “I have

indeed indeed seen the seen the misery of my misery of my

people in Egypt. people in Egypt. I have heard I have heard

them crying out them crying out because of their because of their

slave drivers, slave drivers, and I am and I am

concerned about concerned about their suffering.”their suffering.”

Exodus 14 - Exodus 14 - God brings them through God brings them through

thetheRed SeaRed Sea

Joshua 24 Joshua 24

The Israelites The Israelites inherit the inherit the

Promised LandPromised Land

II Kings 19 - II Kings 19 - The Assyrian Army The Assyrian Army

invades Judahinvades Judah

II Kings 19 - II Kings 19 - The Assyrian Army The Assyrian Army

invades Judahinvades JudahBut Hezekiah But Hezekiah prays and God prays and God comes through comes through

again!again!

597 BC597 BC

597 BC 597 BC The Babylonians invade The Babylonians invade

JudahJudah

597 BC 597 BC The Babylonians invade The Babylonians invade

JudahJudahThe captives The captives

think “No think “No problem, God problem, God

will come will come through as He through as He always does!”always does!”

God’s ways are not God’s ways are not always always

our ways!our ways!

In Jeremiah 29:1-6, He In Jeremiah 29:1-6, He basically says they are basically says they are

notnotgoing home for going home for a while…God has a while…God has

other plansother plans

Like the Jewish people in Like the Jewish people in this story – we too are this story – we too are

livinglivingin a world that is in a world that is not our home!not our home!

We learn from God’s We learn from God’s instruction to theminstruction to them

We learn from God’s We learn from God’s instruction to them (vs. 7)instruction to them (vs. 7)

““Also, seek the Also, seek the peace and peace and

prosperity of the prosperity of the city to which I city to which I

have carried you have carried you into exile. Pray to into exile. Pray to

the LORD forthe LORD forit, because if it it, because if it

prospers, you too prospers, you too will prosper.”will prosper.”

We are to be a blessing to We are to be a blessing to the non-Christian worldthe non-Christian world

Matthew 5:44Matthew 5:44““But I tell you: Love yourBut I tell you: Love yourenemies and enemies and

pray for those pray for those who persecute who persecute

you”you”

Jeremiah 29:10Jeremiah 29:10““This is what This is what

the LORD says:the LORD says:““When seventy When seventy years are years are

completed for completed for Babylon, I will Babylon, I will

come to you and come to you and fulfill my fulfill my gracious gracious

promise to bring promise to bring you back to this you back to this

place.”place.”

70 years!!70 years!!

Look what God Look what God accomplished in the lives accomplished in the lives

of His peopleof His peopleduringduringthose seventy those seventy

years…years…

Look what God Look what God accomplished in the lives accomplished in the lives of His people during of His people during those those seventy years…seventy years…

#1. Shadrach, #1. Shadrach, Meshach & Meshach & AbednegoAbednego

(see Daniel 1)(see Daniel 1)

They became the best They became the best administrators that administrators that

countrycountryever hadever had

Look what God Look what God accomplished in the lives accomplished in the lives of His people duringof His people during

those seventy those seventy years…years…

#2. Daniel#2. DanielInterprets Interprets

dream, becomes dream, becomes ruler over entire ruler over entire

province of province of Babylon!Babylon!

#3. King #3. King Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar becomes a becomes a believer with believer with Daniel’s help!Daniel’s help!

#4. Jewish #4. Jewish people people could could live in peace live in peace under leadership under leadership of Daniel & of Daniel & NebuchadnezzarNebuchadnezzar

I & II Kings, I & II I & II Kings, I & II Chronicles, Jeremiah, Chronicles, Jeremiah,

LamentationsLamentationsEzekiel and Ezekiel and Daniel all were Daniel all were written during written during

this 70 year this 70 year period period

#5. Most of all…#5. Most of all…the the Jewish Jewish people people began began to realize to realize that that they needed they needed to to be right with be right with the Lordthe Lord

Jeremiah 4:18aJeremiah 4:18a

““Your own conduct Your own conduct and actions and actions have have brought this uponbrought this uponyou.”you.”         

We look at the big picture We look at the big picture and see God is working and see God is working

behind    behind    the scenes in the the scenes in the hearts and lives hearts and lives

of the Jewish of the Jewish people, even people, even though they though they can’t see it.can’t see it.

Today, God is working Today, God is working through every event in through every event in

our lives to     our lives to     make us more make us more and more and more

dependent on dependent on Jesus for Jesus for

everything we everything we needneed

That brings me to verse That brings me to verse 29:1129:11

““For I know the plans I For I know the plans I havehave

      

for you,” for you,” declares declares

the LORD, “plans the LORD, “plans to prosper you to prosper you

and not to harm and not to harm you, plans to you, plans to give you hope give you hope and a future. ”and a future. ”

God knows the plan He God knows the plan He has for ushas for us

      

God knows the plan He God knows the plan He has for ushas for us

      He sees our He sees our tomorrowstomorrows

Jeremiah says that God’s Jeremiah says that God’s plan gives us a hope and plan gives us a hope and

a futurea future      

Jeremiah says that God’s Jeremiah says that God’s plan gives us a hope and plan gives us a hope and

a futurea future      

As believers in As believers in Jesus, our hope Jesus, our hope and future goes and future goes far beyond the far beyond the parameters of parameters of

this lifethis life

Jeremiah 31:31aJeremiah 31:31a      

““The time is The time is coming,” coming,” declares declares

the LORD,the LORD,    “when I will     “when I will make a new make a new covenant…”covenant…” 

630 years later, God 630 years later, God ratified this new Covenant ratified this new Covenant

when He when He       

sent Jesus Christ sent Jesus Christ to die on the to die on the cross for our cross for our

sins!sins! 

We have the opportunity We have the opportunity to be forgiven…proving to be forgiven…proving

once againonce again      

that the Word of that the Word of the Lord always the Lord always

comes truecomes true 

Jeremiah 29:12-13Jeremiah 29:12-13““Then you will call upon Then you will call upon

memeand come and and come and pray to me, and I pray to me, and I

will listen to will listen to you.you.  You will You will

seek me and find seek me and find me when you me when you

seek me with all seek me with all your heart.”your heart.”

God has a wonderful plan God has a wonderful plan       

God has a wonderful plan God has a wonderful plan       

……it may be it may be different than different than what we were what we were

thinkingthinking

God has a wonderful plan God has a wonderful plan       

……it may be it may be different than different than what we were what we were

thinkingthinking……but it is but it is

ALWAYS the ALWAYS the BEST plan!BEST plan!