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Purposeful Captivity (Once again I am sharing my thoughts based upon word
studies I have done on a passage of Scripture, and I have written the passage
based upon my study. I am in no way saying that this is the correct
interpretation of this passage. I am only sharing what the Lord has been
speaking to me through this passage. I pray that you are blessed and encouraged
to seek Him more fully through it. -- Shalom, Mike) “…for so says The Self-existent Eternal God, ‘After seventy years of confusion are fulfilled I will make myself known to you, and accomplish the good things I promised you that I would – by causing you to turn back to the place I have called you to stand. For I am intimately acquainted with the way I have woven together My intentions for you,’ says The Self-existent Eternal God. ‘Intentions of Shalom (i.e. welfare, rest, tranquility, health, prosperity, peace, good health, and safety); not of evil (adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displeasure, distress, evil, grief, harm, hurt, ill, mischief, misery, sorrow, trouble, wickedness, wretchedness, or wrong). In the end I intend to give you that which you expectantly hope and deeply long for.’” (See Psalm 37:4, Jeremiah 24:7) “When you have turned back, then you shall recognize that it is Me, and you will walk in this correct judgment while interceding with Me, and I will respond to you. And you will search Me out and strive after Me, and I will be enough and you will follow (walk with) Me with all of your heart. And I will be present with you and be enough for you,’ says the Self-existent eternal God, ‘and I will bring you back home again from your captivity, and I will gather you from all the places I have led you,’ says the Self-existent Eternal God, ‘and I will bring you back again to the place from which I caused you to be stripped and carried away like a captive.’”(Jeremiah 29:10-14) In this passage of Scripture, the children of Israel were following leadership that was not presenting truth, and as a result the people were trusting in lies. They were being led in a way that was not the WAY. God was not fighting this in His children’s lives; He was using it. He stated clearly that He is well aware of His thoughts and intentions for His people. He was standing ready for His purposes to be accomplished in their lives so they would discover the nearness of God to them in spite of all they were being taught. What is most important to God is that His children grow into the deep awareness of His presence in and through ALL things. How like us today. We have lived our faith-walk in a certain way for many years, possibly decades, and then God puts us in a situation that we cannot fix. He puts us in a situation where we must choose to walk in greater levels of faith, trusting Him and seeing Him in ALL things, or cling to our false beliefs. Only He can bring us to the place of understanding that He truly does work ALL things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. Many times Jesus leads us to the place where everything that we have been taught about our Lord fails us. At that point we have a choice: to try fitting God into our beliefs, or to let our God fit us into His plan. This is the terror of walking in faith. This is the terror of letting go of that which is behind and pressing on to that which is ahead. It is not wrong to have been where we have been in the past, it is only wrong to try to stay there when He is clearly leading us on. Remember, He who has called is Faithful! He calls us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. We can stay comfortable even though we are miserable, or we can step out of our comfort zones and embrace a greater trust in Christ. The beautiful thing about our God is that He never imposes Himself on us; rather He exposes Himself to us, leaving us with the choice to follow. We can accept Him or reject Him. That choice is ours: will we choose Him today? Verses for Reflection And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 MKJV) Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, cultivate your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12 MKJV) For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13 MKJV) |
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