There Are Things God Has Ordained For You To To That He’s Already Written In His Book Before Time Began.

27/12/24

GOSPEL CORNER

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
Today’s Word

Today’s Scripture
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:22–23, NIV

A Prophecy over You
All the things that Mary went through were to fulfill the prophecy that was spoken through the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years previous. She had to get pregnant at what seemed to be the wrong time—she wasn’t married and nearly lost Joseph in the process. It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, which meant that Caesar Augustus had to call for a census to get them from Nazareth to Bethlehem at seemingly the wrong time—she was nine months pregnant, had to travel by donkey, and there were no rooms available when they got there. All these wrongs were necessary; they were prophesied.

Can I tell you there is a prophecy over your life? There are things God has ordained for you to do that He’s already written in His book before time began. As with Mary, you’re not going to understand everything that happens; it may seem wrong. It’s all necessary. It’s leading you to the birth, to the promise, to things bigger than you can imagine; to favor, influence, and opportunity as you’ve never seen.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are taking me on a journey of faith that is beyond my dreams. Thank You that I can trust You when things seem wrong, knowing that You have ordained them for me. Help me to keep being faithful to do what’s right and give birth to what You have promised. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

The Word of God says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Now, what is the kingdom of God? The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

When you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and pursue the kingdom of God, which is Jesus’ righteousness, His peace, and His joy, God’s Word promises that “all these things” will be added to you. “These things” refer to what you will eat, drink, and wear.

Jesus tells us that you do not have to be consumed by these concerns. If your Father feeds even the birds of the air, even though they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, how much more will He take care of you, who are of much more value to Him than the birds (Matt. 6:25–32)!

Beloved, keep your eyes on Jesus and His finished work on the cross. He will add the things that you need in this life to you and cause you to become safe for success. Now, turn with me to the book of Jeremiah to see what the Lord says about having riches, wisdom, and might.

“Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.—Jeremiah 9:23–24, NASB

Let us be a people who will not depend on our own wisdom, might, and riches (in summary, our own merits), but rather, let our boasting (dependence) be in understanding and knowing Jesus.

Know that He is gracious and full of unmerited favor toward us. Know that He executes justice against all injustices. Know that He Himself is righteousness and He clothes us with His robes of righteousness. The more you focus on beholding Jesus in all His loveliness and the less you struggle to earn things by your own merits, the more you become safe for greater success in your life.