Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you"-this is the LORD's declaration- "plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."- Jeremiah 29:11

One of the most misused/misapplied Bible verses is Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah 29:11 states, "For I know the plans I have for you"- this is the LORD's declaration  "plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." The abuses to this verse are numerous; Jeremiah 29:11 is plastered onto coffee mugs, paintings, key chains and has been adopted by numerous individuals as their "life verse". This verse is especially popular around graduation time as numerous cards are produced with this verse encouraging graduates not to fear about the future but to realize God has great plans for them.

When reading any Bible verse we must remember that every verse has a context and was written to a particular people. In the case of Jeremiah 29:11, we must remember that chapter 29 was written to Judean exiles in Babylon. The purpose of this letter is to reassure these exiles that God hasn't abandoned them. In verse 10, God tells the exiles they will be in Babylon for seventy years before He will change the course of history and bring Judah back to their land. The Lord's words in 29:11 demonstrate his perfect control of Judah's history. He knows what he is doing and that his plans for Judah will bring peace, not misfortune. He is preparing a future full of hope for his people. The Lord seems to be saying that this suffering is not their ultimate fate. Through it, God is preparing something fundamentally different and pleasant for Judah and his people. In the midst of suffering God assures them that He hasn't forgotten them and has a plan for them.

When we use this verse and plaster it all over graduation cards, mugs, paintings and apply it to other non-devastating circumstances we rob the verse of it's power. Jeremiah 29:11 was given specifically to Israel, however, an application of this verse should be used to encourage individuals. The promise found in this verse should be clung to by all those in the midst of tremendous suffering and sorrow. In the midst of pain, we must remember, "God has plans for our welfare, not disaster, to give us a future and a hope." 

In conclusion, when we misuse Jeremiah 29:11 we rob the verse of it's power. The verse was originally given to Israel to bring hope in the midst of suffering and should be applied by those of us who are the New Israel to also provide hope and encouragement in the midst of suffering.

For YOUR city

Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.- Jeremiah 29:7

Jeremiah 29 contains the letter that Jeremiah wrote to the Judean exiles in Babylon, who had been taken there in 597 BC. The letter was a prophecy that the Lord told him to proclaim to the exiles. The letter contains several commands for the exiles in Babylon. The exiles are commanded to build houses, plant gardens, marry, have children, seek the welfare of the city, and pray to the Lord on its behalf. The Lord's commands are shocking because Israel has been taken from Israel to pagan Babylon. The reader would expect Jeremiah to command the exiles to avoid the city all together. The reader expects Jeremiah to encourage them to ONLY meet together, to form their own education system, form their own bookstores and entertainment industry, hold harvest festivals in their synagogue parking lots, and avoid any appearance of fun. Jeremiah, though, doesn't command these things instead he commands the exiles to seek Babylon's welfare. The exiles are to seek the welfare of the city by becoming involved in daily life, interacting with pagan Babylon, inter-marrying, having children, and changing the city.

If the exiles to pagan Babylon were commanded to seek the welfare of their city, how much more, should this command apply to us. As followers of Christ we mustn't shrink away from our cities but instead must seek their welfare. Our cities should be different because of Christians living there. As Christians we must seek our cities welfare by involving ourselves in social action. We must look around and notice the problems in our city and get involved. We should seek the welfare of our cities by standing against abortion and homosexual marriage, standing for educational and prison reform, religious freedom, and women's rights. We should assist people in getting out of poverty, feeding the homeless, tutoring struggling children, and creation care. We need to provide clean water, malaria and AIDS prevention, sexual education and care for orphans and widows... The list of ways to seek the welfare of our cities is endless. As Christians we MUST stop spending hours upon hours in "holy huddles" cut off from our cities, instead, we must be involved in serving, sacrificing and seeking the welfare of our cities.

In conclusion, the exiles were commanded by God to seek the welfare of pagan Babylon and as followers of Christ we are also commanded by our Lord to seek the welfare of our cities. Our cities should be different because of Christians. We must become involved in serving our cities! 

March Newsletter

You can not pick up a stone with one finger.- Mamprulli proverb

PICTURES:

Our trustee dentist equipment.

An unsuspecting patient. He wont be smiling for long.

They have no idea.

All numbed up and waiting for the dentist.

The dentist sizing up the patient. Realizes he might not be able to pull the tooth and calls for back-up.

I get the nod to come and assist.

Working, working, working but the tooth isn't budging.

I finally got it. Victory is mine!

You want me to do what?

OK, let me watch first and than I will try.

I think I can. I think I can.

Victory is hers!

A crowd gathered to watch and I was able to share a Bible story in Mamprulli. Huge answer to prayer.

By the end of the day everyone was all smiles.

DEVOTIONALS:

Flat Tires and God's Providence

Are you exhausted?

STORY:

This month Julia and I had the privilege of traveling with a dentist from America. The dentist is eighty-five years old and has been to Nalerigu, forty-five times. Over the course of his time in Nalerigu, he has pulled 1,000’s of teeth and shared the Gospel with scores of people. His love for the Mamprusi people and the Lord is contagious. He goes to bed every night at 7 and is up at 4 to begin working at the hospital. He sees patients at the hospital until 8am and then travels to pull teeth.

When Julia and I went with him, we set up shop under a mango tree. The tree provides shade for the patients and keeps the instruments from becoming too hot. All of the patients sit on a bench under the tree, a doctor goes down the line numbing each one, and the dentist follows behind and pulls their tooth. Julia and I had the privilege of pulling a few loose teeth. It’s not as easy as it looks, but it was quite an experience! During our time in the village a large crowd of children gathered and I was able to share a Bible story.

God impressed upon us that everyone is called into their profession to bring glory to God. Everyone has been called by God to use their profession, talents and skills to make much of Christ. No profession is more important than another; whether you are a janitor, dentist, stay-at-home mom, pastor, banker, engineer, or missionary; everyone must use their profession, talents, and skills to make much of Christ. God is glorified when we utilize our profession and talents to make his name known both in our workplace and abroad.

Prayer Requests:

1) We are progressing in our understanding of Mamprulli. We are fluent in Mamglish (a mix of Mamprulli and English). Julia is able to hear more than I am, but, I am able to speak better. We make a great team! Pray we would be diligent/determined to put in the hours necessary to learn Mamprulli. Pray we would have ears to hear and tongues to speak Mamprulli.

2) We are slowly but surely adjusting to life in Nalerigu. We are getting used to shopping in market, ALWAYS being asked for money, and having to explain why T only has one wife. Pray we would continue to adjust to life in Nalerigu. Pray we would be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves in navigating culture. Pray we would have wisdom to navigate the culture and humility to laugh at ourselves when we make a mistake.

3) We have entered hot season in Nalerigu. The temperature is 110-115 during the day and 100 at night. In case you were wondering, there is no air conditioning at our house or at the hospital. Pray we would stay hydrated and our bodies would adapt to the heat. Pray for a cool breeze at night to help us sleep. Pray we would have perseverance to push through hot season.

4) The volunteer coordinator went back to America and we have inherited new jobs. Pray for Julia as she begins teaching 8^th grade history and vocabulary. Pray for T as he purchases groceries for the volunteers and welcomes them to the hospital. Pray God would send a volunteer coordinator to Nalerigu.

5) Julia and I daily share our faith with people in Nalerigu. Pray we would have boldness to proclaim the Gospel. Pray for the salvation of the Mamprusi people. Pray God would take out the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh.

An Idiots Guide to Eating in Nalerigu

As I walk down the streets of Nalerigu; I am constantly being invited to sit down under a mango tree and enjoy a meal. When I first arrived on the field, I would refuse to eat; offering up a lame excuse about not being hungry. I have since learned the benefits of enjoying a meal vastly outweigh the potential risks. Below is a ten step guide to enjoying a meal in Nalerigu.

10) After being invited to eat look to see what they're eating. If it's porridge turn and run in the other direction, (life's too short to eat bad food), but if it is anything else feel free to eat.

9) Before sitting down make sure to greet everyone sitting at the bowl. Make sure you say Good Morning, Afternoon or Evening; ask about their wives; ask about their children' ask how they slept last night and how their work is going. It's rude to only greet one or all of them at the same time, so make sure you go through all of the questions with each person.

8) Wash your hands before sitting. There will be a plastic pot near the group which contains water. Make sure you pour the water over your hands. There wont be any soap so don't bother looking.

7) When you sit down to eat, understand, that you have already brought your eating utensils with you; your right hand. Make sure you reach into the bowl with your right hand, DON'T USE YOUR LEFT. Your left hand is resevered for other unmentionable activities.

6) In your mind visualize a small triangle in the bowl which begins from where you are sitting to the middle of the bowl. This is your section. Do NOT eat someone else section because that would be rude.

5) Take the rice, fufu, or buku (trust me you don't want me to explain what it is) and roll it into a ball in your palm, take the ball and dip it into the soup, finally, bring the food to your mouth and push it in with your thumb. Make sure you make a smacking noise while you eat; it lets them know you're enjoying it.

4) While eating remember to pray, Dear Lord if I put it down, you keep it down.

3) There will usually be one piece of meat; no matter how much they try to offer it to you; don't eat it! Remember, you're the rich man who is able to have meat with every meal and this one piece of meat might be there only protein for the week, therefore, let them have it.

2) Enjoy the company of everyone around the bowl. Get to know them, ask questions, laugh. Eating is more about the relationships than the food.

1) Jesus ate with others. We worship a God who left the glories of Heaven to come down and share a meal with us. Eating with others opens the door for friendships and provides an opportunity to share Christ.

Happy Eating!

A child of God

Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as he is pure.- 1 John 3:3

A lie has permeated into Christian thinking in the 21st century. 100's if not 1,000's of Christians have been deceived into believing that they are saved because they prayed a prayer when they were a child or a teenager at youth camp. The sinners prayer; which it is commonly called, NEVER saved anyone. 100's of people living in a lifestyle of sinning have been deceived into believing they are going to Heaven when they are on the road to Hell. The sinners prayer has taken the lifeblood out of Christianity and replaced it with cheap Kool-Aid.

The Bible; specifically, 1st John teaches that an individual is saved by faith in Christ, alone, but the evidence of saving faith is shown in striving after holiness or persevering in the faith. In 1 John 3; John discusses four overlapping qualities that characterize a child of God...

• Not being known by the world: God and the world are polar opposites, so it is no wonder that those who belong to God are seen as strange by the world. The word "know" as used in 3:1 does not refer to merely intellectual knowledge, but also to emotional appreciation and recognition.
• Doing what is right: God who is righteous is the standard of what is right, and his will is expressed in his word, the Bible. The degree to which we obey his word determines the degree to which we have been sanctified. While our status as righteous has been settled once and for all by our coming to Christ in faith, we are still called to live righteously, in obedience to him.
• Loving one's brother: Anyone who does not love his brother is not a child of God (3:10)
• Not living in habitual sin: Believers are called to be like Christ, there is no place for sin in our lives (3:6). Because of our fallen nature, we cannot totally eradicate it, but continual or habitual sin is contrary to the nature of one born of God.

In conclusion, a child of God will strive after holiness. A child of God's life will be marked by a lifestyle of persevering in the faith. Sin will still occur but when it does it will be confessed and repented of quickly. A person is not saved by a prayer BUT rather faith in Christ made evident by a life of persevering in the faith. May we by the grace of God persevere to the end.

IN Christ

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.-1 Corinthians 15:22

In the Bible, Paul called Jesus the "last Adam" because he is the remedy for idolatry and the redeemer of humanity, whereas the first Adam was the source of idolatry and the downfall of humanity. The first Adam turned from the Father; the last turned to the Father. The first Adam was naked and unashamed; the last Adam was naked and bore our shame. The first Adams sin brought us thorns; the last wore a crown of thorns. The first Adam substituted himself for God; the last Adam was God substituting Himself for sinners. The first Adam sinned at a tree; the last Adam bore our sin on a tree. The first Adam died as a sinner; the last died for sinners.

According to the Bible, we die in Adam but are born in Christ. In Adam there is condemnation but in Christ there is salvation. In Adam we receive a sin nature but in Christ we receive a new nature. In Adam we're cursed, but in Christ we're blessed. In Adam there is wrath and death but in Christ there is love and live. In conclusion, for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Title: Who do you think you are?

Author: Mark Driscoll