Trusting God for the Future

30 Day Guide for New Believers by John Beckett

Is my future safe in His hands?

When Wendy and I were beginning our family, we spent long hours talking about what kind of world our children would encounter. While we still wonder, we’re confident in this: The future is safely in God’s hands. We can trust Him, no matter what happens.

Historical perspective is an important backdrop to trusting God. The Bible describes history as having a beginning and an end. It is linear, not circular, as some religions contend, and is defined by three major markers:

Creation. The Bible’s opening phrase is, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” - Genesis 1:1. Jesus was present:“He was in the beginning with God” - John 1:2.Redemption and Restoration. The birth, death and resurrection of Jesus fulfilled God’s plan for our restored relationship with Him. This became the pivot point of all history.Consummation. The Bible describes an ultimate “summing up,” when God will “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him” - Ephesians 1:10.

We are now in the period leading up to the consummation. Each person (including you!) and each event has a purpose, whether a birth, a death, a scientific discovery or even a terrible storm. It is no time to be passive but rather to be watchful, engaged and fully trusting God in all things as He writes the glorious final chapter (see Matthew 24:42).

Key Verse

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End”

Revelation 21:6

PATH OF DESTRUCTION

PATH OF DESTRUCTION

(A FRIEND STORY)

Caught in the heart of citywide riots that had been sparked by anti-government student demonstrations, God was our only defense—but He was strong enough! What could have turned into trauma and tragedy for us became instead a thrilling testimony to the power of God.

Our third-story apartment doubled as housing and base of operations for our volunteer work. In the previous few days we had left only for emergencies. “Have you heard the latest?” someone whispered. We kept our voices low, as we didn’t want to upset the children. “Crowds are rioting all across the city!”

Lydia peered out the window, being careful to stay out of sight behind the curtain. “It’s all quiet around here,” she said. “Almost too quiet.”

“We’re safe here for the time being,” John replied, putting his arm around Lydia. “We’ve prayed for our situation, so we know we’re in the Lord’s hands.” We had been praying about trying to leave the city, but kept feeling that the Lord wanted us to stay put.

“Now seems like a good time to try to talk to some of our neighbors,” John said.

Lydia looked out the window again, this time at the men who stood guard at the outer gate of our housing complex. Their show of force might be enough to deter a few would-be looters, but what could they possibly do if they were set upon by an angry mob?

John and Lydia prayed for the Lord’s protection, and then set off down the stairs and out of the building. They hurried past the evacuated shops on the ground floor, then over to the front gate of our complex where a few neighbors mingled and talked with the guards. As John and Lydia got closer a loud crash shook the neighborhood. At the same instant two frightened teenagers came hurtling around the corner.
“Quick!” one of them shouted. “Get out of here! A mob is headed this way!”

There were more people behind the two teenagers—dozens of them on foot and motorbikes or in cars—all racing as fast as they could to keep ahead of the rioters.

The first young man stopped and bent over. Resting his hands on his knees, he tried to catch his breath. “They’re breaking shop windows and setting buildings on fire—buildings just like this one!” he said. “They’re right around the corner!” Fear flashed in his eyes and he sprinted off again. Panic overcame our neighbors, and they took off too.

John and Lydia prayed to stay calm. Without saying another word to each other, they turned, rushed back to our apartment building, and bounded up the stairs. Joanna had seen them coming and flung the door open for them.

It was clear that something terrible was happening in the streets below, and there was only one thing that we could do: pray desperately for the Lord to keep us from harm!

A couple of us kept our children occupied with reading in another room, while the rest of us prayed as we never had before! Time passed. We prayed on. When the shouting and screaming below got louder, we stopped our ears and claimed God’s protection over and over.

Psalm 91 was a tremendous comfort. “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. … I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust. … You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day. … No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.” It seemed like that had been written specifically for us. The peace of God covered our spirits like a cozy blanket.

After what seemed like forever, someone got up and went to the window. Everything was quiet and still. Not a soul was in sight. We were safe!

Phil and Esther ran up to the roof to get a better look. There they could see just how wonderfully we had been saved. The mob had left a path of destruction down the street that led to our neighborhood—a cindered, litter-strewn mess of mangled steel and shattered glass. The mob had come straight up our street, and then just before it got to our apartment, the mob had made a U-turn and headed for a nearby supermarket.

For some time after that, we could still hear the shouts of looters as they emptied the supermarket of anything they could carry. Later, 200-foot columns of fire illuminated the night sky as two nearby department stores were looted and burned.

Destruction and terror were all around, but through it all, we were kept safe in the hands of our loving Savior.

—

James 4:7 ESV / Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Philippians 3:19 ESV / Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Philippians 3:18 ESV / For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

The Basis of a Christian Marriage

The Basis of a Christian Marriage

by R.C. Sproul

Some years ago, I attended an interesting wedding. I was especially struck by the creativity of the ceremony. The bride and the groom had brainstormed with the pastor in order to insert new and exciting elements into the service, and I enjoyed those elements. However, in the middle of the ceremony, they included portions of the traditional, classic wedding ceremony. When I began to hear the words from the traditional ceremony, my attention perked up and I was moved. I remember thinking, “There is no way to improve on this because the words are so beautiful and meaningful.” A great deal of thought and care had been put into those old, familiar words. 

Today, of course, many young people not only are saying no to the traditional wedding ceremony, they are rejecting the concept of marriage itself. More and more young people are coming from broken homes, and as a result, they have a fear and suspicion about the value of marriage. So we see couples living together rather than marrying for fear that the cost of that commitment may be too much. They fear it may make them too vulnerable. This means that one of the most stable and, as we once thought, permanent traditions of our culture is being challenged. 

One of the things I like most about the traditional wedding ceremony is that it includes an explanation as to why there is such a thing as marriage. We are told in that ceremony that marriage is ordained and instituted by God—that is to say, marriage did not just spring up arbitrarily out of social conventions or human taboos. Marriage was not invented by men but by God. 

We see this in the earliest chapters of the Old Testament, where we find the creation account. We find that God creates in stages, beginning with the light (Gen. 1:3) and capping the process with the creation of man (v. 27). At every stage, He utters a benediction, a “good word.” God repeatedly looks at what He has made and says, “That’s good” (vv. 4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). 

But then God notices something that provokes not a benediction but what we call a malediction, that is, a “bad word.” What was this thing that God saw in His creation that He judged to be “not good”? We find it in Genesis 2:18, where God declares, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” That prompts Him to create Eve and bring her to Adam. God instituted marriage, and He did it, in the first instance, as an answer to human loneliness. For this reason, God inspired Moses to write, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (v. 24). 

But while I like and appreciate the words of the traditional wedding ceremony, I believe the form of the ceremony is even more important. This is because the traditional ceremony involves the making of a covenant. The whole idea of covenant is deeply rooted in biblical Christianity. The Bible teaches that our very redemption is based on a covenant. Much could be said here about the character of the biblical covenants, but one vital facet is that none of them is a private matter. Every covenant is undertaken in the presence of witnesses. This is why we invite guests to our weddings. It is so they will witness our vows—and hold us accountable to keep them. It is one thing for a man to whisper expressions of love to a woman when no one will hear, but it is quite another thing for him to stand up in a church, in front of parents, friends, ecclesiastical or civil authorities, and God Himself, and there make promises to love and cherish her. Wedding vows are sacred promises made in the presence of witnesses who will remember them. 

I believe marriage is the most precious of all human institutions. It’s also the most dangerous. Into our marriages we pour our greatest and deepest expectations. We put our emotions on the line. There we can achieve the greatest happiness, but we also can experience the greatest disappointment, the most frustration, and the most pain. With that much at stake, we need something more solemn than a casual promise. 

Even with formal wedding ceremonies, even with the involvement of authority structures, roughly fifty percent of marriages fail. Sadly, among the men and women who stay together as husband and wife, many would not marry the same spouse again, but they stay together for various reasons. Something has been lost regarding the sacred and holy character of the marriage covenant. In order to strengthen the institution of marriage, we might want to consider strengthening the wedding ceremony, with a clear, biblical reminder that marriage is instituted by God and forged in His sight.

Content provided by OnePlace.com.

THE SAFETY BUBBLE

THE SAFETY BUBBLE

Our heavenly fatheroffers us incredible security and peace from the evils of this world. Through His divine care and intervention, we can live in a bubble of protection from the bad things that go on around us and that could also happen to us if He wasn’t constantly keeping them at bay.
God can protect us from anything, but only when we give Him our cooperation. We do that by staying close to Him in spirit—by loving Him and doing our best to live by the principles He’s laid out in His Word—and by taking the necessary physical precautions. When we do those things, we have nothing to fear and can count on Him to deliver us from harm.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Greater is He who is in us than anything this world can throw at us. His love in our hearts will cast out any fearful thoughts or worries, because His Spirit will fill us with power, love, and a sound mind. We are surrounded and sheltered by Him and His angelic forces. We don’t have to fear anything the devil or bad people can try to do to us, because our great protector has promised that not a hair of our head can be touched without His permission. We can rely on Him to fulfill all of those promises and more, and through faith in them we can have peace of mind, regardless of the circumstances around us.

Sometimes, for one reason or more reasons, He lets something get through that bubble of protection, but even then “all things work together for good to those who love God.” When those seemingly bad things happen, there is usually a lesson for us, and often it is that we need to be more prayerful and more vigilant in the physical realm. If we’ve never experienced a robbery or a break-in or a mugging or some other frightening or life-threatening situation, it’s hard to imagine it happening to us, and that can lead to a false sense of security, which is dangerous.

People do desperate things when they’re at the end of their rope, and there are also people whose hearts are very evil. We live in dangerous times, but as long as we do our part, we can count on His unfailing counsel, forewarning, protection, and care. We are blessed!

—

1 John 4:4 (NIV) You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:18 (NIV) There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV) For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

GIVING AT ITS BEST

GIVING AT ITS BEST

Give cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:7: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Deuteronomy 15:10a: Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart.

Exodus 25:2: Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give.

Exodus 35:21: And everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.

1 Chronicles 29:9: The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.

 

Give generously.

2 Samuel 24:24: But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them.

Proverbs 21:26b: But the righteous give without sparing.

Luke 21:4: All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.

 

Give with pure motives.

Matthew 6:1–3: Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

Luke 6:34–35: And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

1 Corinthians 13:3: If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

Give according to ability.

Deuteronomy 16:17: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

Proverbs 3:27–28: Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so. 28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, and tomorrow I will give it,” when you have it with you.

Acts 11:29: The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

1 Corinthians 16:2: On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Galatians 6:10: Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

 

God blesses those who give.

Deuteronomy 15:10: Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.

Proverbs 22:9: The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Proverbs 28:27a: Those who give to the poor will lack nothing.

Ecclesiastes 11:1: Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.

Mark 10:21: Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Luke 6:38: Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Acts 20:35b: In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

2 Corinthians 9:6b: Whoever sows generously will also reap generously

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

FLIGHT TRACKER

FLIGHT TRACKER

(A FRIEND STORY)

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place.”

This morning my husband Simon left suddenly to the USA, after receiving word that his elderly mother’s health had taken a turn for the worse. We couldn’t afford trans-Atlantic airfare for two, so here I am, home alone and already missing Simon.

I’ve been combating loneliness by keeping busy, and between catching up on housework and checking email, I came across a real-time “flight tracker” on the Internet. Since then I’ve gone back to that screen every couple of hours to follow Simon’s progress as his plane passed over the vast expanse of ocean, reached landfall, and is now making its way down the eastern coast of North America. Even though Simon has no idea I am “watching” in this way, knowing where he is at the moment gives me a curious sense of comfort.

A few minutes ago the thought struck me that this is how God is with us. He’s always watching and knows right where we are in our flight schedule, and unlike me, He doesn’t take His eye off the “screen” even for a moment. “His eyes are on the ways of man, and He sees all his steps.”

Three thousand miles across ocean and land. That’s how far Simon has traveled since he left home. But with God, there is no such distance. He is always right here with us. The psalmist David wrote, “If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”

The flight tracker is showing his approach to Philadelphia now. The Lord is always tracking us too. Are we heading in the right direction, walking in the path of His choosing, the path that leads to happiness and Him? “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy.”

I just checked the screen again. Simon’s plane is descending. Dear Lord, please give them a safe landing. “The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in.”

No matter where life takes us, we have an invisible guide who is watching, loving, never neglecting us for a moment, and taking care of us each step of the way.

I’m considerably cheered up—and look, my prayers have been answered. The plane has landed.

—

Proverbs 15:3 (NIV) The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

Job 34:21 (NIV) His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step.

Psalm 139:8–10 (NIV) If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

SELF DEVELOPMENT TIPS

SELF DEVELOPMENT TIPS
1. Make friends with successful people and occasionally buy them gifts and surprise them with lunch because successful people always give and hardly get, so when you give them, they value the gift a lot.
2. Get a mentor and follow his instructions and respect the relationship. Never beg your mentor for money or disrespect his or her privacy.
3. Make new positive friends as often as possible and ensure you keep the communication line open. Create a network of friends and not just connections.
5. Show kindness to everyone. Some small boys today will be big boys tomorrow. The biggest dog in the neighbourhood was once a puppy. And keep the information/secret to yourself.
6. Always plan ahead and be proactive. He that plans the future work less in the future.
7. Listen to speeches and messages from great teachers. Both religious and educational.
8. Attend seminars and training on any area you need to improve yourself. Train the trainer, personal development, public speaking, sales etc.
9. Have the habit of keeping a pen and a writing pad handy because ideas come in the form of flashes. The smallest pen is bigger and better than the biggest brain.
10. Make sure at every point in time you are reading a book. If you spend 20 minutes reading daily, for 52 weeks you would have consumed 1,000,000 words.
11.Stay away from television as much as possible. You can watch educational channels. Men with big TV sit in front of them to watch men with big library.
12 Put control over your mouth, never say evil of any man, what you are not certain of should not be said. Say good of all men.
13. Always show appreciation for any good deed you received.
14. Always help someone in need.
15. Live a debt free life. What you can’t pay cash for is not your size.
16. Give out loans that you can part with as gift, so that you don’t destroy your business and relationship.
17. Create legitimate multiple sources of income.
18. Save at least 10 percent of your income.
19. Invest a portion of your income. And be patient to see it grow. If what you have in your hands is not good to be called a harvest then it’s a seed, sow it.
20. Keep a good financial record of all income and expenses, so you won’t ask later “where did my money go”
21. Be involved in community service. Control traffic, free lesson class for students etc.
22. Keep getting better on your daily goals and dream, develop yourself on them and make sure you get to the top 10 % of your industry.
23. Make sure you engage in exercise. It keeps your brain alert and your body fit to enjoy your success.
24. Pray often, and know that for every success, God made it possible.
Wishing you the very best. I tell you, this will keep you going in life if you practice what you just read. Don't forget to share.
Happy New Year!