In Jeremiah 29:11 God assures His people that His thoughts (His intentions or His plans) are to “give you a future and a hope”; although they were in captivity at that time the inference was that they should look to Him in hope. Today we live in a world that is dominated by flesh, with darkness and evil all around us, but if we will receive it God gives us the light of hope! In Hebrews 11:25-26 He calls our attention to Moses who could have lived in famed luxury in Pharaoh’s court but chose rather to “suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season … for he looked to the reward.” Then in 12:2 He speaks of Jesus who “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross …” Hebrews 11 draws our attention to many heroes of faith who suffered tremendously for their faith but looked beyond seeing a glorious future; God says in verse 40 that He has “provided something better for us” which I believe is because Jesus has offered one eternal sacrifice for our sins (Hebrews 10:12), and given us the Holy Spirit (John 14:17) bringing us into a new and “living hope” 1 Peter 1:3. With this in mind we are called upon to practice self-denial in this life (Matthew 16:24) and promised better things after the “suffering”, (1 Peter 5:10), and we are given assurance that He loves us “to the end” John 13:1. This is summed up in Roses prophetic message today,
Something Great In View If You Are Not Shortsighted
I have something better and greater in view for you than the things of this world, saith God. Are you short-sighted? Can you not see beyond this life to eternal things? Look away from everything that would distract you and look unto your loving Savior. When you really see His love for you, and His death and suffering to save you from punishment, you will be willing to deny yourself, fast, pray, and seek God. You will seek His power and consider it more important to please Him than to please yourself. Don’t be short-sighted and only see the things of this life, you will live eternally and what you do now will determine how happy you will be beyond this life. So get your vision corrected and look FAR into the future. Do you want to suffer with the people of God now and then go to the promise land, or will you see only this life and suffer with those who are lost? I have many wonderful things prepared for those who can see beyond this world and have prepared themselves for the blessings of the kingdom of God.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.