I accepted Christ as my Savior when I was 6 years old and I promise you, although I was young, it was real. I'll never forget the feeling I had inside of me when I pulled my dad down the asile towards the front of First Baptist Church in Kosciusko, MS. I couldn't wait another second to show the world that I knew that Jesus had come to save me. That will always be such a special moment in my mind.
Since then I've known what it's like to have the Holy Spirit living inside of me.
As a child we were encouraged to participate in Bible Drill which was a "competitive" way of learning the books of the Bible and many important scripture verses. I loved it. I have legitimately used all of the things I learned from this in my life.
There are always verses that stick out in your mind. Ones that people quote more than others or choose to lean on. One of those verses is Jeremiah 29:11. I don't even have to quote it here because most people know it but I will anyways ....
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Seriously this verse is everywhere. It's every senior's verse in the yearbook ... it everywhere.
I've typically stayed away from the verse because I thought it was cheesy the way everyone used it so flippantly. It kinda bothered me .... until about a month ago. For some reason around the first week of June this verse landed on my heart like a ton of bricks. I had no idea why or what I was supposed to do with it but I found myself quoting it to myself many many times a day. Almost subconsciously.
Yesterday I was spending some time thinking and the verse came up again as it had been, but this time I said it out loud to myself and tried to soak up the meaning.
And that's when it hit me. I know this verse backwards and forwards. I know what it means and how to apply it. I know the Lord has plans for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future.
But do I BELIEVE it?
Knowing something and believing something are two totally different things. Knowledge and faith are not the same thing.
I'll be honest, because I usually am, I had to chew on this for a little while. Do I believe that the Lord has great plans for me?
When I was high school and got made fun of everyday did I believe that the Lord had plans to prosper me? When I was in college with mounds of insecurity and ending up finding myself in situations I shouldn't be in did, I believe that the Lord's plans were not to harm me? And as I sit here now, alone and somewhat unsure of what will happen going forward, do I believe that the Lord has plans to give me a hope and a future?
I know He does ... and yes, after much thought I believe He does.
Without a doubt I believe that the Lord is everything He says He is, was and ever will be. I not only know this to be true I fully and completely and abundantly BELIEVE this to be true.
And so this revelation changes everything! It really does. Now that my knowledge has grown into full blown faith everything changes.
The way I treat people changes. The way I look at my past and my future ... it changes. All because I now believe that the Lord has great plans for me. When you start to believe, your heart starts to change. And when your heart starts to change your love grows larger and when your love grows larger you can't help but overflow that love onto everything and everyone you see.
So that's just it, my darlings, don't just know something ... believe it. When you believe it ... you live it and that's when your life changes and when you are able to help change other lives!
How exciting! Oh, the abundance and joy that comes from just believing!
This is God's Word, for God's people ... hear it, believe it, and live!
Since then I've known what it's like to have the Holy Spirit living inside of me.
As a child we were encouraged to participate in Bible Drill which was a "competitive" way of learning the books of the Bible and many important scripture verses. I loved it. I have legitimately used all of the things I learned from this in my life.
There are always verses that stick out in your mind. Ones that people quote more than others or choose to lean on. One of those verses is Jeremiah 29:11. I don't even have to quote it here because most people know it but I will anyways ....
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Seriously this verse is everywhere. It's every senior's verse in the yearbook ... it everywhere.
I've typically stayed away from the verse because I thought it was cheesy the way everyone used it so flippantly. It kinda bothered me .... until about a month ago. For some reason around the first week of June this verse landed on my heart like a ton of bricks. I had no idea why or what I was supposed to do with it but I found myself quoting it to myself many many times a day. Almost subconsciously.
Yesterday I was spending some time thinking and the verse came up again as it had been, but this time I said it out loud to myself and tried to soak up the meaning.
And that's when it hit me. I know this verse backwards and forwards. I know what it means and how to apply it. I know the Lord has plans for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me a hope and a future.
But do I BELIEVE it?
Knowing something and believing something are two totally different things. Knowledge and faith are not the same thing.
I'll be honest, because I usually am, I had to chew on this for a little while. Do I believe that the Lord has great plans for me?
When I was high school and got made fun of everyday did I believe that the Lord had plans to prosper me? When I was in college with mounds of insecurity and ending up finding myself in situations I shouldn't be in did, I believe that the Lord's plans were not to harm me? And as I sit here now, alone and somewhat unsure of what will happen going forward, do I believe that the Lord has plans to give me a hope and a future?
I know He does ... and yes, after much thought I believe He does.
Without a doubt I believe that the Lord is everything He says He is, was and ever will be. I not only know this to be true I fully and completely and abundantly BELIEVE this to be true.
And so this revelation changes everything! It really does. Now that my knowledge has grown into full blown faith everything changes.
The way I treat people changes. The way I look at my past and my future ... it changes. All because I now believe that the Lord has great plans for me. When you start to believe, your heart starts to change. And when your heart starts to change your love grows larger and when your love grows larger you can't help but overflow that love onto everything and everyone you see.
So that's just it, my darlings, don't just know something ... believe it. When you believe it ... you live it and that's when your life changes and when you are able to help change other lives!
How exciting! Oh, the abundance and joy that comes from just believing!
This is God's Word, for God's people ... hear it, believe it, and live!
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