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A GOOD PLAN

A. Introduction: We are working on a series about the mind, specifically how to have peace of mind and heart
in the midst of this chaotic, challenging, and often very difficult world. We have more to say in this lesson.
1. Almighty God promises peace of mind (or freedom from disquieting thoughts and emotions) to those
who trust in Him and keep their thoughts fixed or set on Him. Isa 26:3—You (God) will keep in perfect
peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you (NLT).
a. This statement brings up two questions. How can we have peace of mind and heart when bad
things still happen to us even though we are committed to and trust in God? And how can we
keep our thoughts fixed or set on God when we have to attend to the affairs of life?
b. The answer to both questions begins with your perspective, your view of reality, or the way you see
things. It’s not what you see that gives you peace of mind. It’s how you see what you see.
c. To experience the peace of mind you must have an eternal perspective. An eternal perspective
lives with the awareness that there is more to life than just this life and that the greater and better part
of life is ahead, after this life. An eternal perspective recognizes that God has a good plan for us.
2. To have an eternal perspective you must understand the big picture or what God is doing in the world.
God is working out a plan that began in eternity past and will be completed in the life after this life.
And, through faith in Jesus, we have a part in His plan. We have a future and a hope.
a. God’s plan was and is to have a family with whom He can live in loving relationship forever. God
created human beings to become His sons and daughters by receiving Him (His Spirit) into their
being, and He created this world to be a home for Himself and His family. Eph 1:4-5; John 1:12-13
1. However, neither humankind nor the family home (this planet) is the way it’s supposed to be,
the way God created it to be because of sin, beginning with Adam, the first man.
2. All human beings are guilty of sin before God and disqualified for His family. And the earth
is infused with a curse of corruption and death. Gen 2:17; Gen 3:17-19; Rom 5:12-14; etc.
b. God knew before He created the world that mankind would choose independence from Him through
sin. And, motivated by love, God devised a plan to deliver His creation from this condition and
recover His family through Jesus. This plan is called redemption or salvation.
1. Jesus came to earth the first time to pay for sin through His death on the Cross and open the way
for sinful men and women to be restored to God’s family through faith in Him. I Pet 3:18
2. Jesus will return in the not too distant future to cleanse the earth of all sin, corruption, and death
and restore it to a fit forever home in what the Bible calls the new heavens and new earth.
Then, God and His family will live here forever. Heaven will be on earth. Rev 21-22
c. In connection with Jesus’ second coming, resurrection of the dead will occur. At that time, all of
God’s sons and daughters will be reunited with their dead bodies raised from the grave, and made
immortal and incorruptible, so that they can live on earth again. I Cor 15:50-52
1. Life will finally be all that God intended it to be before sin damaged creation. Jesus showed
John the apostle the new heavens and new earth in a vision. Note what John wrote about it.
2. Rev 21:3-5—Look, the home of God is now among his people. He will live with them, and
they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will remove all of their sorrows,
and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For this old world and its evils are
gone forever (NLT).
3. Much of the popular preaching today makes it sound as though God’s plan for you is that you have a
wonderful life in this life. But this life is not meant to be the highlight of our existence.
a. The first Christians understood this. Paul wrote: This world in its present form is passing away
(I Cor 7:31, NIV). Peter referred to Christians as “sojourners, strangers and exiles [in this world]”
(I Pet 2:11, AMP). James wrote: For your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while,
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then it’s gone (James 4:14, NLT).
b. Not long before Jesus was crucified Peter asked Him: We have given up everything to follow you.
What will we get out of it (Matt 19:27, NLT). Jesus didn’t rebuke Peter for the question.
1. Jesus answered Peter: And Jesus said to them, assuredly, I say to you, that in the regeneration,
when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt 19:28, NKJV).
2. This statement is specifically directed at His twelve apostles. A portion of the their reward for
service will include judging the tribes of Israel at the end of this age (lessons for another day).
c. But notice that Jesus said this reward will come to them at the regeneration. Note also that Jesus
didn’t define what He meant by regeneration. They already knew what it meant.
1. His apostles (1st century Jews) knew from the Old Testament prophets that when the Redeemer
comes He will restore the world to pre-sin conditions. Isa 51:3; Isa 35:1-7; Isa 55:12-13
2. The Greek word translated regeneration (paliggenesia) is made up of two words that mean a
new birth: the Messianic rebirth of the world (Amp); when the world is born anew (Rieu).
The only other place the word is used it refers to men and women being born of God. Titus 3:5
A. Just weeks after Jesus returned to Heaven following His crucifixion and resurrection, Peter
preached that: (Jesus) must remain in heaven until the time for the restoration of all
things, as God promised long ago through his prophets (Acts 3:21, NLT).
B. Jesus’ first followers understood that full salvation means the complete restoration and
transformation of all that has been damaged by sin (both the family and the family home),
through the power of the Holy Spirit, on the basis of Jesus’ sacrificial death.
d. Jesus continued His answer to Peter and broadened it to include all who follow Him: Everyone
who gives up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake,
will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life (Matt 19:29, NLT).
1. Jesus’ point is that whatever you give up to follow me, you will get back. A hundred times as
much was a cultural expression that meant over and above what you lost.
2. Some of it will come in this life and the rest in the life to come. Eternal life, among other
things, means no more loss, pain, or death. And in the life to come, you’ll keep it all forever.

B. One of the biggest issues that keep many from having peace of mind is this question: If God is a loving God,
why does He allow all the tragedy and heartache in the world (many lessons for another day).
1. The short answer is: That’s life in a sin cursed earth. We must understand that there is no such thing as
a problem free life in this broken world. You can do everything right and things still go wrong.
a. Peace of mind comes from knowing we’re only passing through this world in its present form, every
trouble and problem is all temporary, and God is able to use these challenges and cause them to
serve His ultimate purpose for a family. And He is able to bring genuine good out of genuine bad.
b. An eternal perspective not only helps you face the harsh realities of life in this broken, sin damaged
world, it gives you the hope and assurance that all will ultimately be well.
c. Paul prayed for Christians: that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope
that was given to you when God chose you (Eph 1:18, CEV); so that you can understand the
wonderful future he has promised to those he called (Eph 1:18, NLT).
2. Paul the apostle, in the context of the many hardships he faced he wrote: II Cor 4:17—Our present
troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory
that will last forever (NLT).
a. Note that Paul recognized that even a lifetime of suffering is temporary and miniscule in comparison
to forever. He also realized that troubles produce glory (good) because they work for us.
1. Paul is the one who wrote: We know that in all things God works for the good of those who
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love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28, NIV).
2. Paul wrote these words the context of God’s eternal plan to have holy sons and daughters who
are Christ-like: For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his
Son, so that his Son would be the first born, with many brother and sisters (Rom 8:29, NLT).
b. The Greek word that Paul used for produce in II Cor 4:17 means to accomplish, achieve, finish.
Paul knew that God is so big and so great that He can cause life’s hardships to serve His ultimate
purpose for a family of sons and daughters who are like Jesus in character.
c. We could do many lessons on how God uses the hardships of life for His purposes and our good.
But consider one thought. Possibly you’re thinking: Of course Paul’s troubles served an eternal
purpose and built up glory for him because he was Paul the apostle. But I’m an ordinary person.
3. The Bible has many examples of ordinary people who were doing ordinary things that, unbeknownst to
them, were serving an eternal purpose and being worked into God’s eternal plan.
a. I Sam 20:1-40—David was anointed to be the next king of Israel while Saul was still on the throne.
Saul became increasingly jealous of David’s military successes and wanted to have him killed.
1. David and Saul’s son Jonathan had developed a deep friendship. Jonathan tried to talk Saul
out of his plans and assure David that Saul wasn’t going to harm him. David wasn’t convinced
so they devised a way for Jonathan plan to find out Saul’s true intentions and secretly
communicate the information to David. (You can read the account to get the details.)
2. The point is that at a set time David was to hide at a set place in a field. Jonathan would shoot
three arrows at a target as though he was practicing his skills. If Jonathan sent his arrow carrier
one way to gather up arrows, it meant that all is well. If he told his servant to go farther on, it
meant that David was in danger and needed to leave immediately. The latter was the message.
A. The boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran back to his master. “He, of course, didn’t
understand what Jonathan meant, only Jonathan and David knew “(I Sam 20:39, NLT).
B. This young arrow carrier had no idea that, through his menial task, he was communicating
vital redemptive information to David, through whose lineage the Messiah was to come.
b. I Kings 17:1-7—In a time when Israel went deep into the worship of Baal, a three year long drought
occurred that led to food shortages.
1. The Lord directed Elijah the prophet to a specific brook and commanded ravens to bring him
bread and meat every morning and evening. Birds don’t make bread. Some unknown person
baked the bread (and possibly the meat) that kept the prophet alive, but never knew.
2. Elijah still had important work to do—take on the prophets of Baal and preserve the worship of
Jehovah the true God of Israel, the nation through which the Messiah will come. Chap 18
c. Matt 21:1-11—The last week of Jesus’ life, He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, in fulfillment of a
major prophecy about the coming Messiah (Zech 9:9). Some unknown person raised that donkey.
4. Paul followed his statement about his troubles working for him with these words: II Cor 4:18—So we
don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen.
For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever (NLT).
a. The Greek word that is translated looking at has the idea of mental consideration. In the midst of
trouble, you can focus your attention on the fact that my troubles are temporary, God will get me
through until He gets me out, and what is ahead far surpasses what I am dealing with now.
b. Just a few passages down from Paul’s statement about how he viewed life’s hardships, Paul talked
about being sorrowful yet rejoicing. II Cor 6:10
1. The Greek word that he used for rejoicing means to be “cheerful”. This doesn’t mean that Paul
felt joyful about his many troubles because he also writes that he is sorrowful.
2. To cheer means to encourage by giving someone hope. In other words, when Paul was
challenged emotionally by his very real hardships, he encouraged himself with eternal realities
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that gave him hope even in the darkest of situations.
3. Remember, Paul is the man who, when unjustly beaten and jailed in the city of Philippi, at
midnight prayed and praised God and was miraculously delivered. Acts 16:16-26
c. To praise God means to acknowledge Him by speaking out who He is and what He has done, is
doing, and will do. It’s always appropriate to praise God no matter how you feel or what you see.
5. Consider two example of an eternal perspective that led real people to praise God in the face of awful
circumstances. Focusing on the Lord didn’t change their circumstance, but it gave them peace of mind.
a. The examples come from Jeremiah and Habakkuk, prophets to Judah (the southern kingdom of
Israel) in its final days, as it was about to be destroyed by the Babylonian Empire.
1. Jeremiah and Habakkuk were sent to Judah when the people were deep in idolatry to warn them
to repent or face the complete destruction of their nation.
2. The people did not repent, and all but the poorest people in Judah were deported to Babylon as
captives. The city Jerusalem, including the Temple, was eventually destroyed by Babylon.
3. Although Jeremiah and Habakkuk were both godly men who did everything God asked them to
do, their lives were forever altered because of the wicked behavior of their fellow countrymen.
b. The historical record doesn’t tell us what happened to Habakkuk (if he died, was taken captive, or
remained in Judah). But at the end of his book we see his mindset in the midst of it all.
1. Hab 3:17-19—Even though the fig trees have no blossom, and there are no grapes on the vine;
even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die
in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the
God of my salvation. The sovereign God is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a
deer and bring me safely over the mountains (NLT).
2. Despite his circumstances, Habakkuk chose to be joyful by cheering or encouraging himself in
the Lord—He is my salvation and He will get me through. Rejoice can be translated triumph.
c. Jeremiah survived the attack on Jerusalem but was soon taken captive by fellow countrymen who
fled to Egypt and took Jeremiah with them. He prophesied for about five years and died in Egypt.
1. Throughout most of his ministry Jeremiah’s message to Judah was submit to Babylon and save
the nation from destruction, but they didn’t listen. After several decades his message became:
Because you have not repented you will be removed from your land.
2. But in that message there was a note of hope. Jer 29:4-10—This is a message from God to His
people who have been taken away as captives to Babylon: Settle down in Babylon, build
homes, and plant gardens, raise families. Work and pray for the peace of your captors. You
will be in Babylon for seventy years. Then, I will bring you home. Jer 29:4-10
3. Note God’s next statement. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are
plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope (Jer 29:11, NLT). This has
nothing to do with God making this life the highlight of your existence. It is a promise for the
life to come when there is final restoration:
4. Jeremiah wrote these words after witnessing the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple: I will
never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember
this. The unfailing love of the Lord never ends. By his mercies we have been kept from
complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to
myself, The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him (Lam 3:20-24, NLT).
d. Jeremiah and Habakkuk are now in Heaven waiting to return with Jesus to live on earth again when
God’s good plan is finally completed.
C. Conclusion: Keeping your thoughts on God is a natural by-product of an eternal perspective. Peace of
mind and heart comes from a certainty that all will ultimately be made right. More next week!!