WHAT IS GOD THINKING?

                                                                                                        Pastor Rick Jackson

JEREMIAH 29:11 For I know the thoughts (well devised plans) that I think (weave) toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

I. THOUGHTS OF PEACE

1. Peace From God [Acts 10:36, Rm. 1:7]

2. Peace With God [Rm. 5:1]

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

3. Peace of God [Phil. 4:7, Col. 3:15]

- And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

- And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

II. NOT THOUGHTS OF EVIL

Not evil in the sense of sinful, but evil in the sense of something unpleasant happening to you. But just because God doesn’t want to do this does not mean He will not do this.

-Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

-Ezekiel 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

1. Disobedience brings “Evil” [Jer. 4:4-6]

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities. Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

2. Not Listening/Responding brings “Evil” [Jer. 35:17]

Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

3. Ignoring God brings Punishment [Jer. 36:31]

And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

III. AN EXPECTED (hoped for) END

1. A Foretold End [Is. 46:10]

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

2. An Established End [Micah 4:1]

But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it.

3. An Eternally Blessed End [Ps. 17:15, 62:5, 1 Cor. 15:24-28]

-As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

- My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.