Are you confident about your future? As unpredictable as the future may be, do you have any assurance that you have reason to look forward to the future?

by Rev. Jack Richards on April 18, 2022

SEARCHLIGHT 

Are you confident about your future? As unpredictable as the future may be, do you have any assurance that you have reason to look forward to the future?

SCRIPTURE

“I ANSWERED THEM BY SAYING, “‘THE GOD OF HEAVEN WILL GIVE US SUCCESS.’” NEHEMIAH 2:20a NIV

SPOTLIGHT

Captain Johnson was serving as Chaplain on an island in the South Pacific during World War II. He prepared to go on a bombing raid on enemy occupied islands several hundred miles away. The mission was a complete success, but on the way home, the plane began to lose altitude and the engines faded out. A safe landing was made on a strange island. It was learned later that the enemy was just one and a half miles, in either direction, yet the landing had gone undetected.

The staff sergeant came to the chaplain and said, “Chaplain, you’ve been telling us for months about the need of praying and believing that God answers prayer in time of trouble, and that He does it right away. We are out of gas, the base is several hundred miles away, and we are almost surrounded by the enemy.” Chaplain Johnson began to pray and declare the promises of God. He believed that God would work a miracle. Throughout the night the Chaplain continued in intense prayer. About 2 AM, the sergeant awakened and felt compelled to walk to the water’s edge. There he discovered a metal float, which had drifted up on the beach. Before him were barrels of octane gas. In a few hours, the crew safely reached home. An investigation revealed that the skipper of a US tanker, discovered his ship in sub-infested waters. He had his gasoline cargo removed so as to minimize the danger, in case of a torpedo hit. Barrels were placed on barges and put adrift 600 miles from where Johnson and the plane crew were forced down. God had navigated one of those barges through wind and current to beach itself, 50 steps from the stranded men.

Nehemiah was much like Chaplain Johnson. He had gone to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall because, after much prayer, he felt God directing him to do so.  He knew it was God’s will. Opposition raised its ugly head the moment he arrived through people who wanted to thwart the effort. Nehemiah, being a man of prayer, was totally confident that God had sent him to Jerusalem for this task. You can read about it in Nehemiah 1. In chapter 2, when he is confronted by his enemy, he confidently declares to them, “The God-of-Heaven will make sure we succeed. We’re His servants and we’re going to work, rebuilding…” [Nehemiah 2:20, Message.] He was totally confident of his future because he worshipped the God who knows the future. Within the record time of 52 days, his goal had been achieved. The Jerusalem wall had been rebuilt.

Do your future days look bleak? Have troubles got you down? Does the future seem impossible to bear, yet alone, to live? Someone said, “The future belongs to those who believe in it.” To a certain extent that statement is true, but not entirely true. Believing in the future is a very positive way to think, but also very nebulous. Truthfully, the future belongs to those who depend on God. 

Do you have a promising future? Are you in over your head? God wants you to depend on Him. Do His will. When you know something is God’s will, you know you will be successful. You will be confident of the future, because you worship the God who knows the future. Your success begins with God. It does not begin by saying, “When I wish upon a star…,” but instead by praying to Almighty God. The God of heaven will give you success.

The Apostle Paul wanted the Philippian Christians to know the relaxing happiness the future holds to those who depend on God. He summed it up in Philippians 4:19, which says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Paul  believed with all of his heart that the future belongs to those who know how to depend on God.

There is only one source worth depending on when thinking about your future. That is God. You need to learn to pray and trust Him. He will meet not just some of your needs, but all of them. Life situations will not be easy, but your God will supply everything you need to reach your God-given goals. For Paul, God had supplied joy while he was in jail. He had also been rescued from a shipwreck and healed from a viper. As he stood before a world leader, named Felix, Paul  had been given wisdom as to what to say. Paul was not making a suggestion based on hearsay. He was recommending God, Who knew the future.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FUTURE? You will never be confident of the future until you have established a personal, trusting relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. You cannot know that God will be your success until you depend on God’s Son. The future belongs to those who trust God. Now tell me about your future.

SOMETHING TO DO

What future plans do you have? Do you know if they are God’s plan for your life? Do you need to pray about your future? Do you need to trust God with your future, so that you will know that you will be successful?

SOUL TIME PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I am not sure about my future. Show me Your will for my life. I take Jesus, Your Son, to be my Savior and Lord. Thank You for giving me a successful future! AMEN.

Tags: your, future, you, about, can, what, me, tell


Previous Page