"The truth is that you will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:10-11 NLT

You have heard the verse

For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:10 NLT

Life's trials have great value to us. God has plans for us which are good and prosperous, but they are often outpourings of the lessons we learn during the trials. As we saw yesterday, this

In those days when you pray, I will listen. Jeremiah 29:12 NLT

When we are going through the trials, God does hear our prayers. Even when it doesn't feel like He is listening, He is. Dear friend, don't quit praying. Keep calling upon the Lord.

Prayers have a way of shaping our hearts as much as our situation. There is a certain comfort that

If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. Jeremiah 29:13 NLT

We can grow closer to God during the trials of life. In my experience, we will always find God more through the dark times than through the times of prosperity. Look at the lives of David, Moses, Noah, Job, Elijah. All of them went through trials that brought

I will be found by you," says the LORD. "I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and bring you home again to your own land." Jeremiah 29:14 NLT

God wants to be found. He wants to be known by you. Dear friend, God has a reason for your trials. God wants what is best for you. God

That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they

turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to

destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy

whatever among you is devoted to destruction. Joshua 7:12 NIV

What in your life is "devoted to destruction"?

I know that seems like a silly

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast trusting in

the Lord. Psalm 112:7 NIV

We live each day not knowing what to expect. Last week I watched the news as cities near me were devestated by tornados. I arrived home from a trip out of town to learn that a good friend had been killed in a car wreck.

Bad news is something none of

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way

off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran

to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20 NIV

One of the finest word pictures in the Bible: God running to His children! Can you say God speed?

Jesus told this parable, not about

My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of

my heart. Job 17:11 NIV

Notice what book of the Bible this comes from? This is Job talking. Good ole righteous Job. A follower of God. A good man. A man who had a great misfortune. In fact, Job lost it all. His children, his livestock, his health, and then his wife and

HE HAS RISEN!

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground,

but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the

dead? He is not here; He has risen! Luke 24:5-6a NIV

Don't you love a happy ending? Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Amen!

I have never been to the Holy Land. I'd love someday

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Faith. I've often said that faith is a great subject, until you have to live it. We want to have faith in God. We want to trust that He is who He claims to be and that He will do what He claims He will, but the truth is that many of us, when we are

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8 NLT

A real faith goes without knowing where. Abraham was sent on a mission from God with no road maps. He didn't even have a compass. He didn't know

And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith--for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. Hebrews 11:9-10 NLT

A real

It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children--a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on

It was by faith that Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau. He had confidence in what God was going to do in the future. Hebrews 11:20 NLT



Some people believe in a distant God; one that really doesn't get too involved in the everyday problems of life. They believe He is the creator, but He doesn't really care about life's routine

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29 NIV

Last week we began our discussion of a real, authentic faith? What is it? What is it based upon? This week we will continue this series looking at some principles that may help us apply our faith to

"We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up" Acts 13:32-33 NIV

Faith is not what you and I want or even hope will happen. Faith is the confidence that God will do what He says, based on the promises of God, and then acting accordingly to that promise. God makes a promise and

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

NIV

You and I need to live by faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God. Because of this truth, God will test our faith. He tested Abraham's faith. He made

By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. Hebrews. 11:5 NIV

A real authentic, secure faith in God pleases God.

Can you imagine having your name in the faith chapter? What if they were

He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40 NIV

Possibly the most important thing to remember about faith is that faith is in a person. Faith is not in a building. It is not in a program. Faith is not in a religion. Faith is not in a set of rules or in keeping those rules. Faith is certainly not in