If you’ve been a Christian for a fair amount of time, you probably know Jeremiah 29:11:
“For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
I have been camping on this word for a couple of weeks. I heard the Holy Spirit whisper:
“My plans are so precise and accurate …”
The Holy Spirit reminded me of specific events in my life that were birthed out of God’s infinite wisdom, goodness and kindness. I’ll share one with you with the prayer that it will inspire, encourage, ignite hope, and bring you back to that place of gratitude, worship, excitement, fresh zeal and anticipation concerning His plans, and the things He has spoken to you about your life and future.
I was 16 years old and for the first time in my life, encountered the powerful love of Jesus and was radically saved from Buddhism and pagan worship. My heart was set on fire for Jesus Christ. One Sunday morning, I decided to go to church early to spend time with Jesus. I had been barely saved for a couple of months. Everything was so new to me, worship, prayer, and such. I found an empty room, sat down and in the simplest of words I uttered, “Jesus, I am here … It’s just You and me now.”
The next thing I knew, I felt this incredible presence and peace enter the room. I knew instinctively someone else—some transcendent being and power—had just tangibly invaded my atmosphere. I had just been saved. I had no vocabulary or prior experience of anything like that. I didn’t know anything about the presence of God, that He can make Himself known tangibly, that God can speak to me and that I can hear His voice. I know now that Jesus had walked into the room and made His presence known to me. His incredible love and peace and compassion were so overwhelming that I started to weep. I have never known a love like that. As I was soaking in His love, out of my mouth came these words, “Lord, if it is OK with You, I’d like to serve You for the rest of my life.”
What I heard next altered the course of my life forever.
“Son, your wife is not Asian, she’s white …”
“Errr, what … ?” I could not believe what just happened, let alone what I just heard. Again, I didn’t know anything at all about hearing His voice. In my pagan background, I didn’t know deities or gods could speak. I definitely didn’t know the Christian God could speak like that. I thought, “This is scary. Am I hearing voices, have I gone crazy, or was it the pizza I ate last night? This is either God or a bunch of baloney.” I kept it to myself and never told a soul. Eight years later, a pastor came up to me and said, “I had a dream about your wedding. Your wife is not Asian, she’s white.”
What was incredibly profound was not the fact that God could speak, but that the Creator of the universe, the One who flung stars into space, would speak so personally and precisely into my life and my future.
“You brought my inner parts into being; you wove me in my mother’s womb. I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder; marvelous are your works, and You know me completely. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in secret, and intricately put together in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw me unformed; yet in your book all my days were written, before any of them came into being” (Ps. 139:13-16, MEV).
Today, I’m happily married to Tiffany you guessed right … she’s white. Interestingly, God has put in Tiffany a desire to marry an Asian man for many years. That’s another story for another time that she has to share herself!
I felt it really strongly in my heart to encourage you as you read this. God hasn’t forgotten about you, or your dreams, or your marriage or anything He has spoken to you or put in your heart. He is more passionate about your godly dreams and desires than you are. He put them in there. He’s a good, good Father.
The One who knew you before you were born, the One who created you wonderfully, is also the same One who knows precisely and intimately the wonderful plans He has for you. His timing is perfect. Take your eyes off your imperfections, unbelief, doubt and inadequacies, and set them on the One who believes in you and rejoices over you with singing. He loves you with a relentless passion!
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them“ (Eph. 2:10, MEV). {eoa}
Founder of 7K, Cornelius Quek is originally from Singapore, born into a Buddhist family. Cornelius is passionate about speaking to, equipping and mentoring contemporary leaders and culture-makers who know their God and do mighty exploits in every sphere of society. He has 20 years of leadership and ministry experience in more than 20 countries in Asia, Australia, America and Europe. Cornelius’ ministry is marked by sound biblical teaching, the presence of God, healing and supernatural provision. He and his wife, Tiffany, are ordained by Bethel Church in Redding, California, where they serve as Connect Pastors. Cornelius also teaches the Bible at church as well as the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry.
For the original article, visit the7k.org.
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