"The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." (Psalm 33:10, 11)
Our text applies throughout history, in all generations, in all nations, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, Germany, Russia, the United States of America. Do not ever think for a moment these Words do not rule.
"So how does this 'devotional thought' bless me?"-- one may ask. Quite simply, Our Lord, King, Savior, Jesus the Christ, has us covered, in all "seasons" of our lives, whether we live in a land of "freedom" or a land of persecution, a condition of slavery or democracy, a nation where we can determine our government, or a nation which allows no such choice, "The counsel of the Lord stands forever...." All of the above worldly powers have either ceased to exit, or were once seemingly all powerful, or the Earth's only "super power"; n0 matter. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away" (Jesus). There you have it, my friend. Now some will ask, "If the text is true, why the famine, why the suffering, the enslavement of people groups, the Holocaust, the triumph of evil is so many places throughout so much of human history?"
I repeat, "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing...." Has He not? What, "counsel of the nations..," throughout human history still stands? what, "....plans of the peoples.., from a thousand years ago are still in, "effect"? Conversely, What, "....counsel of the Lord," does not stand? What, "....plans of His heart," have ceased? Be very careful how you may be tempted to answer such questions. The truth is that none of us knows what were/are Jesus', "counsel," and, "plans," in all humanity has observed through the centuries. (This is what makes the current American political scene so fascinating to me.) O, yes, there will be the "experts" among us, the have-an-answer-for-everything-and-everyone, but they are not, and do not.
My "blessing" today in this land which has given so much "good" and so much evil to the world is in Jesus Christ, "The counsel of the Lord [Jesus Christ]," and, "The plans of [Jesus'] Heart...." I pray the same for you, no matter what nation in which you find yourself.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You are, "Wonderful Counselor," and the Ultimate "Planner." Amen.
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* Well, Sarah's bag finally made it this morning. Weather is low 50s, rainy and cool, typical Berlin weather.
* I have posted a couple of photos to "Facebook." Thanks for any prayers for us.
Our text applies throughout history, in all generations, in all nations, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, Germany, Russia, the United States of America. Do not ever think for a moment these Words do not rule.
"So how does this 'devotional thought' bless me?"-- one may ask. Quite simply, Our Lord, King, Savior, Jesus the Christ, has us covered, in all "seasons" of our lives, whether we live in a land of "freedom" or a land of persecution, a condition of slavery or democracy, a nation where we can determine our government, or a nation which allows no such choice, "The counsel of the Lord stands forever...." All of the above worldly powers have either ceased to exit, or were once seemingly all powerful, or the Earth's only "super power"; n0 matter. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away" (Jesus). There you have it, my friend. Now some will ask, "If the text is true, why the famine, why the suffering, the enslavement of people groups, the Holocaust, the triumph of evil is so many places throughout so much of human history?"
I repeat, "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing...." Has He not? What, "counsel of the nations..," throughout human history still stands? what, "....plans of the peoples.., from a thousand years ago are still in, "effect"? Conversely, What, "....counsel of the Lord," does not stand? What, "....plans of His heart," have ceased? Be very careful how you may be tempted to answer such questions. The truth is that none of us knows what were/are Jesus', "counsel," and, "plans," in all humanity has observed through the centuries. (This is what makes the current American political scene so fascinating to me.) O, yes, there will be the "experts" among us, the have-an-answer-for-everything-and-everyone, but they are not, and do not.
My "blessing" today in this land which has given so much "good" and so much evil to the world is in Jesus Christ, "The counsel of the Lord [Jesus Christ]," and, "The plans of [Jesus'] Heart...." I pray the same for you, no matter what nation in which you find yourself.
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that You are, "Wonderful Counselor," and the Ultimate "Planner." Amen.
**************************
* Well, Sarah's bag finally made it this morning. Weather is low 50s, rainy and cool, typical Berlin weather.
* I have posted a couple of photos to "Facebook." Thanks for any prayers for us.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
