How much do you control when it comes to your future? Can you keep yourself from getting cancer or a dreaded disease?
Can you guarantee your financial success? Can you keep others from hurting you or doing you wrong? Can you prevent a horrible car crash or a catastrophic event?
Who controls your future?
There are some things we can do to assist in our success, however there is no stopping something bad. If you haven’t’ experienced bad, give it time. The storm always comes.
I’ve seen healthy die. I’ve witnessed a normal morning result in a horrific and deadly car crash. I’ve seen financially stable people informed of a lay-off or the job changes to something they hate.
So how do we feel secure about our future? What can we do to protect ourselves?
God told the prophet Obadiah that “The people of Jacob will be like a fire and the people of Joseph like a flame. But the people of Esau will be like dry stalks. The people of Jacob will set them on fire and burn them up. There will be no one left of the people of Esau.” This will happen because the Lord has said it.” (Obadiah 1:18 NCV)
God brought success for his chosen people of Jacob and Joseph. He brought destruction to the sinful people of Esau. The key phrase is the last sentence in the verse: “This will happen because the Lord has said it.”
The storm always comes. The difference is the person who has prepared - or not. So how do we prepare?
Jesus himself said: ““Everyone who hears my words and obeys them is like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7:24 NCV)
He said “It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and hit that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on rock.” (Matthew 7:25 NCV)
But he warned “Everyone who hears my words and does not obey them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” (Matthew 7:26 NCV)
He said about the house built on sand; “It rained hard, the floods came, and the winds blew and hit that house, and it fell with a big crash.” (Matthew 7:27 NCV)
The truth is we are not in control of anything. All we can do is live as God commands, pray for protection and provision and trust the Lord.
All we can do is love Jesus Christ. He said “If you love me, you will obey my commands.” (John 14:15 NCV)
The key is to love God. To love Christ. To love the Holy Spirit. And to love others as much as you love yourself. (Matthew 22:39) This is the “only” way to live. Then, we know we are in God’s will.
But please know this. Jesus himself said “I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.” (John 16:33 NCV)
Trouble will come because we are not in heaven yet. “The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News—the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NCV)
So we believe, accept, trust, love and follow Jesus Christ. It’s the only thing we can do to secure our future. Sometimes, we are protected in this life. Sometimes, God allows disaster for some reason that is for our benefit.
So we live trusting God. Things will happen as God allows. It will happen because the Lord has said it.
LORD, help us beleive and trust your love for us. You loved us so much that you gave us Jesus Christ to save our souls. This life is just small blip on the radar screen of eternity. Help us believe and live trusting you along the way. IJNIP amen ♥️
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