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Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Sometimes this is translated as "plans to prosper you". The word for "good" or "prosper" is actually "shalom". It is plans for peace.

Philippians 4:6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and petition present your requests to God; and the peace of God which transcneds all understandting will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We need to change our concept of what is "good". Most of the time when we think of good, we are thinking of something that makes us happy. Ice cream is good, kale is not. Goodness becomes identified with whatever gives us a seratonin, dopamine hit in our brains. 

But in the desert, goodness is about the end result. It is exercise toward a goal. I might not enjoy eating healthy and exercising, but I do enjoy being healthy for my family. 

What is the good God has for us? Shalom...peace. When Jesus tells us that we will ahve trouble in this world, He doesn't stop there. He goes on to say that we shouldn't be afraid because He has overcome the world. Shalom...peace. 

This life is the desert. There will be moments of joy and moments of sorrow as we walk it. Our ultimate destination is eternity with Christ. But we are promised peace in the desert...if we will only accept it. Imagine the impact on those watching us if they saw the peace of God flowing from us as we walked this life.

May the peace of Christ dwell in you richly!

SONGS FOR SUNDAY

You Are Good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF5pNOZF934&list=RDBF5pNOZF934&start_radio=1

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbDNkwcuBus&list=RDlbDNkwcuBus&start_radio=1

Break Every Chain (begin at 47:50)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUU-SuSJUrM&list=RDsUU-SuSJUrM&start_radio=1&t=2870s