God's Dream for YOU- Understanding God's Plan Through Difficult Times

Published on may 4th, 2021 | by Pastor Wildman

1st and 2nd Chronicles are books of the Bible often not referenced. They aren’t entertaining being mostly genealogies.  The message is powerful and one relating to the world today. Much had happened to the Israelites. They had spent 70 years in Babylonian exile. They had disappointed God several times They were wondering, “Does God still care about us?” The writer of Chronicles writes, “Yes He does!” There is evidence of this throughout, but the first word alone conveys this message- Adam (1 Chronicles 1:1). The writer did not start with King David, but went to Adam. The man in whom God fulfilled His amazing dream. He breathed into Adam the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). The Israelites were to take from this name, the same dream He had for Adam is the same dream he had for them! What was the dream? To create a being God could be one with. Before the fall God and Adam were one and inseparable. Whatever God asked Adam to do- He did, without hesitation, concern or complaint- Gods dream. After the fall, the dream was severed and Adam and all his descendants were separated from God. 1st and 2nd Chronicles was a reminder, God is still there and He still has a dream for His people. God also has a dream today, He desires to be one with you. This was the reason Christ came- to restore the dream (2 Peter 3:9).

We need the same reminder today.  COVID, death and riots sums up the news we hear each day. Since COVID began in March of 2020- there have been MANY conspiracy theories. Why? Because, truth isn’t present and any time truth isn’t present, people gravitate to conspiracy. From the beginning- we haven’t had a consistent message. Leaders have disagreed with each other and with themselves, Why? This  unexpected virus caused all to guess what was going on. The truth is, no one knows the future.  This shouldn’t be a surprise, but it is. We live in a prediction world where everyone hopes to know what the future holds. We predict weather, sports, economy and health. Any time our predictions don’t come true we don’t know where to turn- hence the increase in violence and depression.

Jesus explained no man knows the day or the hour He Will return (Matthew 24:36).  This bothers us, because we want to know. If no one knows, then no one knows. The disciples were waiting for Jesus to return right after he ascended (Acts 1:9-11).  If no one knows, what are we to think of 2021? This- like any other year is a time for us to trust Jesus more than we ever have. Here’s a challenge- instead of being anxious about all that is going on, ask, “Lord, what lesson are you trying to teach me through all this?” You may be surprised at His answer. Possible lessons:

-Church is more than gathering in a building- "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”- Matthew 18:20

-We can still follow Jesus without modern conveniences of worship. "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."- Acts 16:25

-He hasn’t forgotten us. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20  May Jesus reveal Himself in a way He never has before in each of our lives. May we be the fulfillment of the dream God had for Adam from the beginning.

What Bob Hartman wrote in 1986 is a good reminder….

Whole World by Petra (Chrous)

“And he still has the Whole World in His Hands Tonight, And Only He Knows Where the Sparrow Lands Tonight, And Nothing In This World Can Stop His Plan Tonight, Cause He Still Has The Whole World In His Hands, In His Hands, Tonight.......”

Grasping this truth will help all of us fulfill God’s dream he had in the beginning for Adam, even through this difficult time.