Dana Hagstrom – Page 5

Jeremiah 29:11 – Whose Plans?

“‘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.’” (Jeremiah 29:11)

God’s plans and our plans don’t always match up, but when they do, it’s golden. We often get so caught up in our own planning for the future that we lose sight that God is doing the same for us. I’m always thrilled when I remember to stop for a moment and ask, “Hey, God, are these plans yours or mine?” It’s good to check ourselves because God’s plans are always better.

Context (Jeremiah 29:1-23): This is a great text of promise found in a letter Jeremiah writes from Jerusalem, on behalf of the LORD, to the people exiled to Babylon. It’s in this letter that God tells his wayward Israelites to get comfortable in Babylon because they’re going to be there for a while, for seventy years. God takes responsibility for their being taken away into exile in the first place and warns them about listening to prophets there. Our memory verse falls right after God promises to bring them home in the future and make good on all the promises not yet fulfilled. Among other blessings, that means sending Jesus, doesn’t it? Continue reading “Jeremiah 29:11 – Whose Plans?”

1 Corinthians 10:13 – Way Out

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This is one of those verses that is often misrepresented to include more than just temptations. Has anyone ever said to you, “God will never give you more than you can handle,” when it comes to trials or tragedy? As a pastor’s wife, I heard people misquoting this verse often. While we have a loving God who hates our adversity as much as we do, our comfort comes from knowing we’re never alone.

Context (1 Corinthians 10:1-13): This verse is speaking of the temptations we face in life because evil is running rampant. Paul is teaching the Corinthians in this section about idolatry and the dangers of craving evil. He wants us to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites, who were easily distracted by pagan rituals, building idols, and grumbling about God. The promise is that God always gives us a way out, a way to endure. It’s up to us to be looking for it. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 10:13 – Way Out”

Luke 11:28 – Follow-Through

^“Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28)

What happens to the people who don’t “hear” the word of God? Are their blessings limited or non-existent? I can’t answer that, but I do believe that is why Jesus wanted us to be sharing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Everyone should have the opportunity to hear God’s word, God’s message to the world. Those who scoff at it are missing out by their own choice. It’s those people who have never heard it or truly listened that break my heart.

Context (Luke 11:14-28): Shouldn’t we listen to what Jesus told us about the Bible? To His first audience, Jesus had just been teaching about evil spirits and opposition by those who don’t follow Him. Suddenly, Jesus was interrupted by a woman wanting to bless him, or Jesus’ mother actually. The mystery woman must have been moved by Jesus’ wisdom concerning the evil one. Our memory verse is Jesus’ response to her. What a beautiful way to segue from his previous discussion! Continue reading “Luke 11:28 – Follow-Through”

Romans 12:2 – Be Transformed!

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)

There is so much focus these days on transformation. I don’t think a day goes by when I don’t see some sort of physical transformation celebrated on social media–from weight loss to wrinkle reduction. We applaud those who must now be feeling more content with their appearance. But those are not the transformations Paul was talking about here.

Context (Romans 12:1-5): The book of Romans covers so much ground teaching us about living a Christian life. This short section alone deals with how we should devote ourselves to God and what that behavior looks like. Paul warns us to be careful not to focus on the wrong things in life, even when looking in the mirror. Who are we as Christ followers? Continue reading “Romans 12:2 – Be Transformed!”

Ephesians 2:8-9 – Gift of Grace

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Grace. What is it? God saved us “by” his grace when we believed. That’s a memory verse I’ve had in my brain from childhood. This grace that saved us is definitely a gift because of how much it changes us when we let it.

Context (Ephesians 2:1-10): Paul speaks of grace in these verses in a helpful way. Grace is something Jesus gives us that we don’t deserve. We might wonder how God could be so rich in his mercy toward us sinners. That’s love and God’s desire to be in a right relationship with us, his children. Such a great reminder that our salvation does not depend on us! Continue reading “Ephesians 2:8-9 – Gift of Grace”