Most Read Bible Verses---#2---Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 (NCV)

“I know what I am planning for you”, declares the Lord, “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you.  I will give you hope and a good future.”

This is my wife’s, Midge, and many others' favorite life verse of the Bible.  When I delivered the homily at my daughter’s wedding in Seattle I had to work this into my message (and, of course, it’s a great verse to use in a wedding ceremony).

One problem with a verse like this is that it can be misused and taken out of context.  Some pastors preach the “prosperity Bible” and use this verse to prove their point.  

Jeremiah 29 is written to Israelites who had been exiled to Babylon (Iraq) by King Nebuchadnezzer.  Not all Israelites were exiled as Jeremiah was one who remained in Jerusalem.  False prophets in Babylon and Jerusalem were claiming that God would break the power of Nebuchadnezzer and send the captives back to Jerusalem very shortly and that they would prosper.  Jeremiah refuted this false teaching, telling them to try to live normal lives in Babylon.

The Hebrew word used for “good plans” in the NCV translation (“prosper’ in other translations) is the familiar word “shalom”.  Shalom means peace, not economic prosperity.  The connotation of this verse is that God plans for people living in Babylon to live in peace and have good relationships with one another and with Him.

How does this verse apply to you today?  It promises you that God has a purpose for you, that He wishes to draw you to Himself, to remain in close relationship with you.   Because of His love and concern for you, you do not need to fear or worry about anything because He plans for you a future and a hope.  His definition of shalom may be found in verses 12-14.  He promises His children that your trials have a purpose that will be found by seeking Him.  And even though these promises are written to exiles in Babylon, Christians can be viewed as exiles in this world.  I Peter 2:11 describes Christians as ‘aliens and strangers’ in this world so this verse applies to Christians just as much as it applied to Jewish exiles in Babylon. 

List what you believe right now are God’s plans for you that give you hope and a good future.  Applying the faith and works principle, what can you do to live and work alongside the Lord to enable you to have hope and a good future?  

 

Most Read Bible Verses---#3---Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 (LB)

And we know that all that happens to us is working for our own good if we love God and are fitting into His plans. 

In my modest preaching career, I have given a sermon perhaps 40 times.  Three of these times, at different churches, I have preached on this verse.  Why?  Because this verse provides a great principle of hope.  Especially when you are dealing with bad experiences, this verse promises and gives the Christian hope that God is at work to use those bad experiences for eventual good in your life.  Note that this Scripture emphasizes “All things”!  Indeed, for the Christian, “all” means all!  Every experience of life, good or bad, God is working for your eventual good!  For the experienced Christian person, as you reflect on your past life and how the Lord has worked during your times of crises, is there any question that this verse is not true?

 

You must love God in both the good and bad times.  Be honest, do you tend to resort to self-pity or discouragement or bitterness in the bad times?  This shows your human weakness.  These negative reactions cut you off from the resource you need most—knowing that God loves you and will help you.  God sends circumstances into your life that “sandpaper” you to be molded to the image of His Son (read Philippians 2:12-14).  Martyn Lloyd-Jones spent 208 pages in his classic publication on the Book of Romans focusing on Romans 8:28-30!  He called these three verses the most comforting statements in Scripture.  They reaffirm the fact that the Christian person was known by God prior to being born, was predestined to become conformed to the image of Christ, was and is called by God to give his/her life to Christ, was then justified (“no condemnation”) and will be glorified in the life to come. 

God changes and molds you by the pressure of His hand guiding all circumstances to enable the stature of your soul to conform more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. God is your potter: He uses every single revolving day like the potter uses the turning wheel, pressing you on all sides with His own expert fingers wet with your tears and grimed with the useless portions cut away from your life. No circumstance in your life, on any side, within or without, comes upon you by accident: it is all part of the plan of the Master Potter.  You are molded, you are pressed and shaped beyond your will, all for the Master Potter's glory, as a work of His inscrutable art. But in every turn of the wheel, with every pressure brought to bear on you, He is for you, not against you.

However, when reading the context of this verse (all of Romans 8) there is a limitation in this passage……these words apply only to Christians!  Only a Christian can claim this and other promises found especially in Romans 8:26-39.  I think that these 14 verses comprise the most encouraging passage in the entire Bible.  Read through these carefully and decide for yourself.

Most Read Bible Verses---#4---Philippians 4:13

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me

This verse is one of the most popular and best loved memory verses in the entire Bible.  It is a primary verse used to counsel depressed and suicidal people.  It carries a very positive message.  It is a ‘can do’ message, the kind of message you hear from motivational speakers.  Yet, motivational speakers, even some Christian leaders, tend to focus too much on the human role in positive thinking and minimize the role of Jesus Christ.  Notice that there is a balance, a partnership in this verse.  There indeed is the “I can do” part, but there’s also the “through Him (Christ)” part.  You have a part to play in meeting the challenges, facing the difficulties, overcoming the temptations, and living up the high standard of holiness imposed by God’s Word.  Thankfully, in addition, there is a partner in all this so that you can say exactly what this verse says.  But, depending on His strength does not allow you to abdicate personal responsibility and effort. 

Think of application of this verse to dieting.  You can lose weight without asking for Christ’s help, but you likely will be more successful if you rely on His strength.  Yet, if you only rely on His strength and do little, if any, self-discipline yourself, you are going to fail in your effort to lose weight.  Again this verse demands balance, a partnership between you and Christ.  This is similar to the “faith and works” principle found in James 2.  

In John 15:5, Jesus said, “without Me you can do nothing”.  There are many things in your life that do not require the strength of Christ (although perhaps you might want to argue this).  However, these things that you can do alone, do they really matter in the long run and how strong are you when you have to face true calamities that life sooner or later will bring?  Paul is talking about coming to the bottom, as it were, of human resources and finding there the strength of Christ. 

Paul wrote the book of Philippians while in prison.  He may have reached the end of his own strength, albeit in chains, but His faith enabled Him to know that the Lord will take over and carry him through His strength.  What a wonderful thought that gives peace of mind when you have the positive resolve that Jesus Christ provides whatever strength you need in whatever circumstances you are dealing with. 

Where in your life right now do you need the strength of Christ?  What “things” does He want you to do through His strength?