Looking Ahead:
If you haven’t seen the journal entry before this one, you may want to “look back” first: Please click here to view.
I hope you will enjoy following along with me as I dig deeper into God’s word. I sat on my comfy couch for a couple of hours just thumbing through the pages of the bible and handwriting the verses and insight that I received from them, with the theme “looking ahead” at the forefront.
Once I began reading and writing, I was so grateful and impressed how God orchestrated the flow of these verses. Why am I surprised that God laid them out perfectly? I have no idea. He always is “ahead” of the game and is ready to reveal His word and love to us.
Here are the eight Scripture reads that God sent me to: 1 Corinthians 4:5, Exodus 13:21, Isaiah 45:2-3, Deuteronomy 31:8, Hebrew 11:1, Revelation 21:4, Philippians 3:13-14, and Jeremiah 29:11. I’m just going to type the words/notes/outline/thoughts as is as I have written on the page. Oh, I’m sure I could probably ponder on these verses for days and dig even deeper, but I really want to encourage you to grab your holy shovel and get busy yourself. God loves for us to be still in Him. He has so much to share with us! Ready?
*1 Corinthians 4:5 NLT So don’t make judgements about anyone ahead of time – before the LORD returns. For He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.
Verse 4b, It is the LORD Himself who will examine me and decide.
Remember only God knows a person’s heart. I’ve mentioned in journal entries before that one of the elements I believe hurts Christians the most is being judgmental towards others. Y’all, we don’t know why people do or say what they do while trying to live a godly life. What I do know is that 1) no one is perfect, 2) God is God and I am not, 3) I can only try (as scripture instructs me) to be like Christ, 4) I am accountable for myself, 5) we need to pray for others and our own attitudes, and 6) as a Christian, I have Jesus’ power and love within me and I need to tap into it and shine bright for Him…not me.
Verse 5 in MSG, So don’t get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgements before all the evidence is in. When He comes, He will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of – inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear “Well done!” of God.
Those are two words I can’t wait to I hear God say to me.
Remember…He is God and He is the Judge…not you and me.
*Exodus 13:21 NLT The LORD went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with a pillar of cloud, and He provided light at night with a pillar of fire. This allowed them to travel by day or by night.
This is when Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go. God didn’t lead them on the shortest/most direct route – for He knew battle would ensue, and some would turn back to Egypt to return to their way of life as they’ve known it. He guided them out of the way and through the wilderness. (vv. 17-18)
Friend, God has great plans for you (a Promised Land so to speak). Just like He provided those two pillars to show the Israelites the best way, He provides 1) the bible and 2) the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Y’all, God guides us. He has the best path and plan for your life. Get into His word and allow the Holy Spirit to gently nudge you in the right direction.
*Isaiah 45:2-3 NLT This is what the LORD says – “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.”
MSG, “I’ll go ahead of you, clearing and paving the road…
ERV, “I will go in front of you and make the mountains flat…
A bible reference: Isaiah 40:3-5, A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all the people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Jump over to Matthew 3:113 ERV, “When it was the right time, John the Baptist began telling people a message from God. This was out in the desert area of Judea. John said, ‘Change your hearts and lives, because God’s kingdom is now very near.’ John is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said, ‘There is someone shouting in the desert: Prepare the way for the LORD. Make the road straight for him.’”
Y’all, God has people to prepare the way for others to come to know God. You are on of those people too! Show others the path to Christ. Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving just as Jesus did. (Eph 4:32). May the glory of the Lord shine through you, as others just may be looking at you to point them to God. Remember the saying, “You may be the only bible someone reads.” Read well.
*Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT, Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”
In the previous “looking ahead” bible verse, Isaiah 45:2-3, I ended by encouraging you to shine bright for God to point others to God. In Deuteronomy 31, Moses is telling the Israelites (who have been looking to him) to look to God. We also want others to be dependent on God, not man. Lordy, I can imagine others following me instead of Christ. Bless them, they’d be “afraid or discouraged” at times. I/We should point others to Christ. He is the way, truth, and life (John 14:6).
Between verses 6-8. In Deuteronomy 31, we are instructed to be strong and courageous and to not be afraid. These words we find in the Old Testament weren’t only for Joshua and the Israelites, yet for you and me.
Be encouraged, and take hope, that when you follow God, there’s no need to be afraid or discouraged. We need only to be strong and courageous…for He is with us and goes before us.
Being strong and courageous can seem foreign at times when we go about life our way. That’s when we lack self-confidence. Again, let me remind you that when we allow God to be our guide, our confidence is found in Him (Proverbs 14:26).
I want to close this section with using Romans 15:13 as my prayer for you: “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Can I get and Amen?
*Hebrew 11:1 NLT, Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, it gives us assurance about the things we cannot see.”
You may ask, “How does this verse tie into the ‘looking ahead’ scripture finds?” Well, when you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you have hope in what is to come. Living in faith full of hope and confidence that one day (ahead in time) we will see Jesus face to face. Oh how this brings excitement to my beating heart! I get giddy just thinking about that day. The day when I’ll be standing before God, so hoping and ready to hear those words mentioned previously, “Well done.”
This verse is planted in the “looking ahead” scriptures because we must live in the confidence of God through our faith…this gives purpose to our lives.
Speaking of the one day in when we get to Heaven…
*Revelation 21:4 NLT, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
Glory!
This verse is describing Heaven, the New Jerusalem. Can. You. Imagine?! If you have or are suffering from anything…there will be no more of that!
Just let this verse give you encouragement to “look ahead”. To hold on to hope, faith, and love that comes only from God. Praise Him!
*Philippians 3:13-14, No, dear brother and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Oh, dear precious one, how the encouragement of Heaven continues! Look ahead! All those things you’ve done in the past (or had done to you)…forgive, ask for forgiveness, God will grant it and forget about it, and then move on. Move forward. Put the guilt behind you, and the glory ahead of you!
I have just one more bible verse to share with you regarding “looking ahead”:
*Jeremiah 29:11 NLT “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.”
Yes! God knows! God has a plan for you! The future looks good when you have God on your side.
I love how verses 12-14 tell you how you can have this plan. 1) Pray. God is listening. 2) Seek the Lord with your whole hear. You’ll find Him. He wants to be found. 3) He will restore you.
Well if that doesn’t just get you all giddy and give you something to look forward to, I don’t know what will.
I’ve enjoyed having God lead me to all these verses and cause me to seek Him more via His word. Even after typing and reading my notes, I see that I’ve only scratched the surface…it makes me want to study more on these verses. More personal experiences come to my mind. More excitement for wanting to know more is about to burst within me. More more more!
This may have been a wild goose chase for some, but to me it motivates me to look ahead and always LOOK TO GOD!
Have I encouraged you? I hope so. To God be ALL the glory!
Remember:
- Let God be the Judge
- Let God be your Guide
- Be strong and courageous
- Be grounded in faith
- Look ahead to the prize…HEAVEN!
I pray you will look ahead to a richer and more purposeful life with Christ.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie