God's Plan
It is clear God intended for us to spend eternity with Him from the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth with us in it as the main character, the very reason why we are here. We are created in God’s own image, which explains His desire and love for us.
Before we were created God foresaw the fall of man just as God foresaw the fall of Lucifer and his fallen angels (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-19). Because God is righteous, He endowed His creations with true freedom of choice. As free-will beings not robots, we are free to choose including sin and disobedience to God.
On earth male and female are to propagate the world, for in heaven all are like angels neither married nor given in marriage (Mark 12:25). Believers who abide with God will be with Him at the end.
Here is the parable of harvesting the wheat and not the weed for His kingdom.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ’Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ ‘An anomy did this,’ he replied. The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” Matthew 13:24-30 NIV
The fall of Adam & Eve caused humanity to be expelled from the Garden of Eden with the curse to struggle on earth and to return to dust.
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:17-19 NIV
As human continued to sin, then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years.” Genesis 6:3 NIV
God grieves when our sin separated us from Him. Our loving God full of grace instituted a plan for our redemption according to His eternal purpose before the foundation of the world.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to fulfill God’s plan for our salvation. Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead on the third day. When we believe and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we will be saved.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace." Ephesians 1:7
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
God gives humanity a chance to repent and prepare us for His kingdom through Jesus Christ. God and the heavenly hosts rejoice when each and every soul returns to the Father like the parable of ‘the return of the prodigal son’ in Luke 15:11-24.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
Granting humanity the freedom to choose does not alter God’s eternal plan for us. Our omnipotent God is always in control.
Throughout the ages, human covetous desires continue to generate corruption and injustice on earth. There will always be conflicts, destructions, and tears in this temporal world. Therefore let us set our minds on things above and focus on God’s eternal plan.
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17
“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16
“For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Galatians 6:8
Indeed all things on earth grow dim compared to God’s promise of eternal plan for us. When we keep our sight on God, He will show us the rewards. "You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11
God’s word gives us direction, hope, and comfort in life. Therefore, do not worry about our needs. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:33
God loves us and desires for us to have a close relationship with Him. It would be our greatest blessing to invite Him into our heart. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20
It delights God when we are close to Him and abide by His will. God holds our future with the best plan for each of us. Know that God is in complete charge and He shall bring our dreams to pass and we shall know He is God Almighty. Trust God’s love and timing for nothing happens without God’s permission in every aspect of our lives. Trust God’s providence with faith, confidence, and perseverance. Pray that our desire and granted freedom of choice coincides with His plan. Rejoice! "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
God our heavenly Father will not leave us nor forsake us if we love Him and follow His Son Jesus whom He sent.
God sees the future and is not surprised at whatever we do, but He is pleased when we love Him and desire to be with Him. It would be foolish to trade the glory of His kingdom for the fleeting gratification of this world, like Esau forfeiting his precious birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-33). Let us ponder on the helpful clues from the Bible events and learn to trust and obey God. "When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." Proverbs 16:7
We may not always understand God’s ways, but we can always trust His plan. Trust God and have faith especially when things do not turn out according to our understanding. Without doubt God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). Jesus showed us His obedience to God by submitting to the Father’s will even to the point of death. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
Seasons and events will come to pass in God’s timing. "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9
Surely God has the best plan for us. "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
God’s plan continues to proceed. Our time on earth is short and the end of our journey is near. Many atheists regard the short existence of life on earth meaningless. Indeed, life on earth would be a terrible waste of time without God’s eternal purpose.
The truth is at the end of our earthly journey; our soul departs to be with the Lord from our corruptible body, which will be resurrected at the last trumpet by Christ when he returns. Upon death believers of Jesus will be with the Lord in Paradise as promised. Jesus said to the repentant robber on the cross, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43
All is well with our soul knowing that we do not conform to the desire of this world, but are conformed to Christ and redeemed by His love and precious blood.
"We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:8
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." John 14:2
The story of Lazarus warns the torment of unbeliever in Hade. “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’” Luke 16:27-28
The end of the age comes with great tribulations the world has never seen (Matthew 24). Rapture of believers of Jesus Christ will occur at any time. At the last trumpet, in a twinkling of an eye, we who are alive shall be changed into incorruptible bodies together with the dead in Christ, will be caught up to meet the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:51-52 & 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." Revelation 3:10
Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords will return in triumph as foretold in His second coming prophecy. Christ with the sword in His mouth and His armies in heaven will strike the nations and put an end to the world's folly. The antichrist and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire. Satan will be chained in prison. Christ with His followers will rule for a millennium, a period of utopia on earth.
After the millennium, Satan, the devil will be released from prison to deceive the nations again for the last time before his final destruction. The sea and Hades will give up the dead to face judgment each according to his work in front of God’s great white throne. Satan and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20). This is the second death. There will be a new heaven and a new earth for the followers of Jesus whose names are in the Book of Life to dwell with God in His eternal kingdom (Revelation 21).
No matter what others choose to preach or believe, God prepares the best plan for those who are in Christ. God’s plan is laid out from Genesis to Revelation. Let the Holy Spirit guide our steps through His word. Praise the Lord and rejoice!
