The Ultimate Guide
Have you ever faced something unexpected? Maybe it was a good surprise that brought you joy, or a heartbreaking tragedy that deeply affected your life. All of us experience moments in life that we don’t anticipate.
Even though unexpected things will happen, we still make plans and dreams for our lives. We make plans for our future—education, family, community, career, or specific relationships. But we can never fully plan for the unexpected, since we cannot know the future. We don’t even know what might happen in the next few minutes.
We learn in Scripture that God is all-knowing, which means He knows everything that will happen everywhere in the world. He has complete knowledge of every event and action that happens. More than that, He is also sovereign, which means He has ultimate authority and control in this world.
That means that even though we make our own plans, God is ultimately the one who directs our steps. He has the power to change the direction of our lives, to orchestrate details we can't even fathom, and to guide us into what is best for us.
Take some time to think about the dreams and plans that you have for your life. Have you ever submitted those plans to God in prayer? This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make plans for your life, but rather, whatever you plan should not come before God’s plans for your life.
Take a moment to ask God to direct your steps. Ask Him to reveal any desires or plans that aren't from Him. Submit your plans to God so that you’ll be open to following Him wherever He leads.
God So Loves You
If you’ve experienced any part of the Bible, you probably know that John 3:16 highlights a vital part of the gospel message…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
Think about it:
“For God so loved the world …”
God didn’t merely like the world, but He loved the world. He loved you so much that He created you, made a way for you, and desired a forever relationship with you.
“… that he gave his one and only Son …”
Because of God’s immense love for the world, He gave—generously and sacrificially—His one and only Son … because it’s only through His death that we can have life.
“… that whoever believes in him …”
It’s not enough to know that Jesus existed as a real, historical person—James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe that and shudder. Believing in Jesus means we choose to trust Him as Savior and Master...