Wide Eyed in Wonder wrote:
> Another devotional from my free book, Power 4 Life for ministry and
> discussion...
>
> Life by Design
>
> Ephesians 2:10 - ESV
> "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
> good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we
> should walk in them."
>
> As I sit here putting together this book, I am aware that
> the Great Author of the story of life faced many of the same
> challenges in putting together life, itself.
>
> He knew, as He sat there putting it together, that there
> would be a story of mankind's fall and restoration through
> Christ. He knew there would be a deceiver and a rebel spirit
> uprising, long before the notion had ever entered the devil's
> head. He knew of every war to come, up to the devil's final
> one, and how they would turn out.
>
> Individually, He knew of each of our birth dates,
> marriage dates, promotion dates, dates of trials and
> tribulations, and the date we will eventually transition into
> eternity's great celebration or punishment.
>
> You can imagine the time that the Great Author put into
> making our lives work out. When any author writes any
> story, they try out one story line after another until they,
> finally, get one that works with the rest of the story. God
> must have done the same thing, only He wouldn't have
> stopped until He had picked the best option, not just one that
> worked.
>
> Finally, after considering all options and making the
> best choices, the Lord closed the book and began the story
> by creating the universe.
>
> Do you think about your life this way? Do you
> understand that the world around you is not chaos in the
> process of destruction but is a plan unfolding unto life
> eternal? Do you know the plan of Author for your life?
>
> Now, our life is not dictated, nor is it from a heartless
> planner. Pain, suffering, and death were not supposed to be
> part of our lives. However, since Adam, we have been
> seeking our own ways, instead of God's way, as if we could
> know any better than Him.
>
> God knows the best and blessed lives we can have, and
> He knows whether, in the end, we will follow that plan or not.
> Success in this life comes from matching our passions with
> His plan for us, which will result in the most prosperous
> future we can achieve.
>
> The Great Author and Architect of the universe and all
> our days knows of each prayer you will offer and has, in His
> story, already assigned the answer to those prayers. So,
> pray confidently, serve willingly, and expect great things from
> your life.
>
> A Word in Season
> "Prayers, also, are of avail to procure those things which
> He foreknew that He would grant to those who offered them;
> and with justice have rewards been appointed for good
> deeds, and punishments for sins." - St. Augustine in The
> City of God (413-426 AD), book 5.
>
> Confession
> I believe God prepared a successful plan for my life,
> before any life began. I believe God's plan for me is the best
> plan possible. I believe He knows every request I will make
> in prayer and has prepared an answer for every one of them,
> unto His glory and my success.
>
> God Bless
>
> Kenny Clifton
> -author of the Red Letter Stories
> http://www.christianjedi.com/redletterstories.html
Amen and amen !
May GOD continue to bless the writing and discussing of HIS Word in
these USENET newsgroups in Jesus' most precious and holy name.
Amen ! ! !
Will be available to "glow" and chat about this and other things like
cardiology, diabetes, Bird Flu, the 2006 global earthquake advisory,
cooking and nutrition that interest those following this thread here
during the next on-line chat (03/23/06) from 6 to 7 pm EST:
http://tinyurl.com/8w7uq
For those who are put off by the signature, my advance apologies for
how the LORD has reshaped me:
http://tinyurl.com/7mcuo
Prayerfully in Christ's love,
Andrew
http://tinyurl.com/rgsp8