Bible Studies

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Acts 17:25-27 – “He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men to inhabit all of the earth and He determined the times set for them the exact places where they should live. God did this so that people would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

Thesaurus Fun:

Determined – decided, established, shaped, governed

Seek – look for, search for, inquire about

Where You Are

God has placed you where you are. He decided when and where you would be born, who your parents would be, and what traits of personality and appearance you would inherit from them. God gave you life, sustains that life, and gives you everything that you have. He is in sovereign control and has allowed everything that has happened and every decision you have made – the good and the bad. God uses it all for one purpose – to draw you to Himself (Romans 8:28). Everything has been orchestrated so that you might finally reach out for God (Acts 17:25-27). He is not far from each of us. Indeed Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)”. The poor depend on God for their every need. The rich turn to God when they realize that nothing else can fill the hole in their hearts. The fatherless seek their heavenly Father, the widow reaches for her heavenly Bridegroom. In Him the hurting find comfort, the lost find direction, the burdened find rest, the despairing find hope, the broken find healing, the lonely find love, the outcasts find acceptance, the guilty find forgiveness, and the bound find freedom. God is not indifferent as to whether someone goes to heaven or hell. Rather, “He is patient with you not wanting anyone to perish but all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)”.

So once you have opened the door of your heart to Him, instead of complaining about what you don’t have or feeling guilty for what you do have – thank God for what He gives you and use everything (your entire self included) for His glory and for His Kingdom. Allow everything that ever happens to you draw you closer to God as He intends. Therefore, “rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)”. For, “the Lord your God is with you. The mighty one will save you. (Zephaniah 3:17)”. He gives strength to the weary (Isaiah 40:29) and grace to the humble (James 4:6). God planned out everything about you from where you live to who conceived you to how you look to what you have to who you should be to who you want to be deep down inside. By no stretch of the imagination are you an accident or mistake no matter what anyone ever told you because God does neither. If He placed each star in the sky and calls them all by name (Isaiah 40:26) how much more has He placed you where you are and called you by name? For those who belong to God Scripture says, “you were created anew in Christ Jesus to do the good things that He planned before you were born for you to do. (Ephesians 2:10)”. There’s a place in the sky with your name on it and He put you there to shine. So do it.

Point to Ponder

Take a look around you, at everything you have (tangible and intangible) – are you enjoying it? Are you thankful for it? Or are you greedy for more? Take a look at those things again – how are you using them? Remember to “do everything for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)”. What do you wish you could change about yourself? The country you were born in? Parts of your personality? The color of your skin? Your freckles? Remember – God made you exactly the way He wanted you and placed you where you are to encourage you to reach out for Him and then to do what He planned for you to do. So, are you reaching out for Him? He’s calling you.

Let’s pray, “Lord, we are so glad that you are not a God who is far off (Jeremiah 23:23) but that You have sent Your Holy Spirit to live in us (1 Corinthians 3:16). We are amazed at the way that You plan everything out for our good (Romans 8:28) and for Your glory, to draw us to You (Acts 17:25-27) and to give us hope and purpose for this life (Jeremiah 29:11). Work in us, Lord, so that everything that happens in our lives draws us to You and refines us like gold in the fire (1 Peter 1:7). Help us to be grateful for the things that You give us and to use everything for Your glory. Help us to remember that You made us the way we are and You love us the way that we are and while there are things that You are changing, You see the beauty in us even when we don’t see it in ourselves. Thank You for loving us and saving us and drawing us to You, the only source of life (John 14:6) and joy (Psalms 16:11). To You be all praise and honor, glory and majesty forever. Amen.”

See these songs; Never that Far, This Day

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