Quote from Forum Archives on September 16, 2010, 10:15 pm

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

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The Burning Bush Devotional
Welcome to the 1611 new subscribers since January 1, 2010!!
There were 1367 new subscribers during 2009!!
(A Classic Devotional from 2002)

09.16.10

God's Better Plan

When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up
your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his
kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne
of his kingdom forever. - 2 Samuel 7:12-13.

Your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your
throne shall be established forever. - 2 Samuel 7:16.

Being in the midst of God's plan in my own life I don't always like His
plan, and I still enjoy the mountaintops much more than the valleys. If it
were up to me, there would only be mountaintop experiences. However, as many
have pointed out without the valleys the mountaintops would not be nearly as
exhilarating. If it were up to me instead of writing devotionals, which are
going out to the world through electronic means, I would be going personally
to share those messages. Sometimes I don't understand why God has me where
He has me and why He has sent me to certain places at certain times.

We have been studying the Life of David on Sunday nights (In 2002), and I
have been learning some great lessons from his life. One of David's dreams
was to build a magnificent Temple for God but God said No. God had a better
plan. David would gather the materials and Solomon his son would build the
Temple. However, God's plan for David was much greater in that Jesus would
sit on the throne of David forever and God said to David, "Your house and
your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be
established forever (2 Samuel 7:16)." Jesus' Kingdom will truly last forever
and the Temple that God would build would be built of living stones (1 Peter
2:4-6 - all those who received Jesus as their Savior and God will live
within them). There would be no end of this Kingdom. God's plan for David's
life was far greater than he could possibly comprehend (Probably greater
than we can comprehend as well).

So, when what we want doesn't work out, and we are down because our plans
have failed it may actually be a time for rejoicing because God has a better
plan. We have to remember that when we think we are in the valley it may not
actually be a valley but only a time of preparation that is necessary for
the fulfillment of the greater plan in our lives. Our part, which is
sometimes difficult, is to continue to have faith and trust that God is
working and will bring us through this time in our lives. We must continue
to walk with Him even when we cannot see how anything will ever change. But
if we are faithfully committed to right living and serving our God, there
will come a day when the valley is behind and the summit is ahead.

What seems impossible for us is very easy for God. Even though we think it
will never happen, and that it is impossible; God can bring it about. When
He does bring it about it is like being transported into another dimension.
We do not know how He did it, but we know that somehow. He did. Will you
trust God believing that He indeed has a better plan for your life?

(This devotional may be another instance of God having a better plan. I have
had problems with my computer all day with sporadic Internet access and
finally gave up on writing a new devotional because of it.)

Copyright © 2010. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. The Burning Bush website has
been online since January 31, 1998. On June 8, 1998 the email version of the
Burning Bush Devotional was first sent. Ed Wrather began writing devotionals
in the early 1990s. The distribution of these first devotionals was
primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent to prison facilities
throughout the United States and Canada.

Many prayer needs are posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer
Request page. You can also post your prayer requests there and they will be
forwarded to the Burning Bush Prayer Group (Of course, I am always in need
of prayer - please pray for me.).

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Two videos of my sermons are posted on GodTube (now Tangle) at:
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You can listen to services at my son, Clark Wrather's church (First Baptist
Church of Broken Bow, Oklahoma) live on Sunday mornings at 10:55am CST
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There is a complete devotional archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here
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