Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps. 119:105 NASB) This week s study He Knows The Future (and The Way) He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. (Isa. 53:7-8 NKJV) [Day 1 Core Study] He Prepares You THOUGHT TO PONDER: In today s Scripture we read an incredible detail describing the death still to come of Jesus who had not yet been born! If God s Word can so mightily and in vivid detail describe of what would come in the future to His people back then isn t it possible that He can and does still even now? INSIGHT INTO HIS WORD: Sometimes when God speaks (or) shows you your what is to come it is so easy to lean toward the thought of surely not or that was just a coincidence or my imagination. My friend, take His Words to heart; hear Him speak you, listen to Him and take some time to reflect on what He is trying to show you. Could it be a blessing to come and He is trying to give you hope that there is still something to look forward to? Maybe it is a warning and He is trying to make you aware of something that is wrong for you, or He could possibly be trying to prepare you for something that is coming up and He wants you to know This is the step I want you to take. ~ My friend, today I would like to share a story with you. ~ Towards the end of May two years ago, the number forty started echoing inside of me. I couldn t get it off my mind, and in my spirit it just kept being moved in me. Now I know that forty is a biblical number, and that many times this has been a significant time frame (example: forty days, forty years) for God s people, but I couldn t figure out why it seemed so important to me at this particular time in my life. (I understand now that God was trying to get my attention.) Friends kept telling me that it was because I was turning forty in a few
months and that this was why it was so noticeable to me. I could have accepted this, except for the fact that turning forty really didn t bother me. So on June 1st I cleared my calendar, purchased a new prayer journal and started watching and listening for God s direction and power verses that seemed to speak very strongly to me while reading my Bible. Exactly forty days later I lost my job! Not thirty-nine days, and not forty-one days. But FORTY DAYS on the dot! But the awesome thing is that the very next day, I walked into the new future and the plans God had waiting for me. I stepped into an unknown path and began a journey that I wasn't sure where it would lead to. I only knew that overnight God had moved very much in my life. I was nervous, YES. But, I wasn't scared. You see, He had been preparing me the entire 40 days. The same verses that leaped out at me in my daily Bible reading were showing up EVERYWHERE. Every time I turned around, it was the same set of Scripture and message. At the time it would have been very easy for me to brush it off as just coincidence, but God had my attention. Songs on the radio, conversations in passing with friends, daily devotionals I followed at time; the same message and sets of Scriptures that were very personally for me, were being repeated in so many different ways. So when life erupted, I knew God had spoken and it WAS TIME to move. So I simply trusted. My friend, way before Jesus was ever born, Scripture talked of Him, and God's Word came to pass. But He wasn't the only one. In Isa. 44:28 Cyrus was named as God's servant who would rebuild the temple in Jerusalem-- BEFORE Cyrus was ever even born! In fact when Cyrus became the king of Persia; it was brought to his attention what the prophets had said about him specifically long ago. It was shown to Cyrus what God had already declared about him. So Cyrus obeyed, and he let people go who had a heart to rebuild God's temple. (Now read Ezra 1:1-11) My friend God's Word came true. Have you ever just, "known" something, even though you couldn't see it yet? But, deep inside, you just "knew." For instance when a decision had to be made, you already knew what direction to take. Or, maybe you just had "inner insight" about what God was going to do in your life so little by little, you just prepared. My friend that would be discernment from God, preparing you before His hand is revealed in your life. God really does "open the eyes of our hearts" so we can see direction from Him so that we can follow as He leads-- if we just let Him. His Word will come to life in you in a whole new way, when You are looking for Him. Passages you have read before will take on a whole new meaning for you in different seasons as He reveals His Heart and plans for you, if you will just "listen" as you spend time in His Word. He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 2
My friend, God isn't going to give us a crystal ball or show us every little thing that is up ahead, if He did, we wouldn't learn how to depend on Him. But, He will lead us and guide us. And when needed-- He will give us insight that can ONLY come from Him. And then at the right time-- in His time, His Word will prove true. My Friend, He knows what your future holds and He knows how to see you through. His part is to be GOD, our part is to listen and move as He directs. ~ YOUR TURN ~ {} Read Luke 1:13 Question: Why do you think it was so hard for Zechariah to believe? {} Read Judges 4:6-7 Summarize what Deborah told Barak. My friend, again here is someone encouraging someone else from what God had revealed about them, and giving insight as to what was to come. This time we see that it isn't that God's servant (Barak) doesn't believe-- but he, like Moses, wanted someone to go with him. So he tells Deborah he would go, but only if she went too. But, because of Barak's persistence in putting conditions on his willingness to go, Deborah told him that he (Barak) would still have victory-- but someone else would receive recognition for it. {} Read Judges 4:8-10 Question: Given the situation, what would you have done? {} My friend in Genesis 37:5-11, we read that God gave Joseph two dreams. It wasn't until years later that they came to pass and Joseph fully understood what they meant. But when God's Word came true, Joseph was able to look back and realize why things had happened in his life and he was able to see the bigger picture. (Genesis 50:15-21) He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 3
Sometimes (like in Joseph's case) God will give us just a glimmer of something still to come. He does this to give us hope and to encourage us not to give up when trials and heartache come along before His promises come to pass. God in all His wisdom knows how long it will be, and if it is going to be a while, then in His mercy and grace-- He will shed light on what we have to look forward to, just so we can hold on. When looking back at your life, when was there a time that you knew God had forewarned you of something to come? (It doesn't have to be of a bad time-- just a time that God was working in your heart to prepare you for something.) At the time, did you notice it, or only in retrospect after it had happened? And finally: {} Read John 16:13 Have you ever taken into consideration that all your little knowings all the little warnings and insight- - was actually that of His Holy Spirit, telling YOU of things to come and fulfilling His promise to you? PRAYING IN FAITH: Father God, what a wonderful thing you do for us, as You open up Your Word to lead us and guide us. Lord, thank You for the many times You speak of things to come so that we may have hope and not give up when things get tough. Lord, thank You that you sustain us and pick us up when it seems like we can't go any further. Lord, thank You for Your amazing grace that shelters us when we stumble trying to make it through. Lord, I hold hands with this reader You have brought along side me today. Lord, may You strengthen them and give them courage. Lord, I pray that You will open the eyes of their heart to see you leading them, and open their ears to hear you directing them. Lord, may You steady their feet and guide them in each step. Lord, I pray that as You reveal things to them they will have an open mind to accept Your revelations. Lord, as You prepare them, I pray they will not harden their hearts towards you today. In Christ Jesus Name, Amen. ~ My friend, have a wonderful day. He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 4
[DAY 2] Being Led ~ GOING DEEPER ~ When God called Abram (Abraham) to leave his home, he didn t know where he was going, only that God had said to a place I will show you. Often times when God gets our attention, and starts to make us aware that He is preparing to move us, He won't immediately show us where. This is so we will have to spend TIME seeking HIM, and following HIM, so that He can prepare us for what He is bringing us into. All too often if God initially said Go to-- such and such place. We would bolt off without hearing anything else. OR we would argue about what was SEEN instead of trusting Him. {} Read Gen. 12:1-7 Notice that we read that it is only after Abram got to the site of Shechem, that the Lord spoke to him again. Though we do not read it in Scripture, there must have been some type of just knowing or signs which assured Abram he was going the right way. The important thing is though that Abram OBEYED and God spoke to give him more understanding, and to enlarge his vision. What are your thoughts: {} Read Ps. 32:8-11 Summerize the promise made in these verses. Make special note of verse 8. {} Read Ps. 119:105 Notice that it is GOD S WORD that lights up our way, and gives us direction. My friend, not only will God give you His Word, but He will often times leave us little breadcrumbs along the trail to show us that He is indeed leading us. He will leave His Handprint so that we may see it. And as He does, it is up to US to stake the steps which He leads. In this season, what is He showing you(or in what direction does He seem to be pointing you)? He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 5
[Day 3 ] In His Steps Today s Guiding Light When Jesus 1 st called His disciples, He simply said follow Me, and they did. Of course each of them had either met Him directly, or had heard of Him (so He wasn t a complete stranger). What s interesting is that He didn t invite them to go with Him. His command was to FOLLOW. He set the pace, and they went as He went, and at times as He even sent them. However, they never walked out on their own. Jesus always led by example, and when He gave His commission He told his follower to do as He had done, and teach others what He had taught them. We are called to do the same. When God calls us to follow, it is because He has somewhere He wants us to go, and this means we need to focus on HIM, and let HIM set our place, because usually He is taking us some place we have never been before, so it it imperative that we keep Him insight. As you read the following verses, put yourself in their place and think about what your reaction would have been. Matt. 4;18-22 Mark 2:13-17 In the space below: what Scriptures from today s reading spoke the most to you? And what are your thoughts on them? There was a reason Joshua told the Israelites to keep a certain distance between them and the Ark if they didn t, then they could have very well have gotten ahead of it!. Joshua Chapter 3 Read Isaiah 30:19-21 and make special note of the promise God gives here in His Word. He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 6
[Day 4] Seeking Guidance Today s Guiding Light When following God, it is important to seek His guidance, even when we think it could be a simple task. The reason being is that, there may be hidden variables that we are unaware of. This happened to David when he thought he was going out to fetch the Ark and bring it back, and it cost a man his life! Another time, it would have seemed that what worked before would work again, but God had different plans! Read and compare the following sets of verses. Journal the differences and outcome, and any other insight God gives you. {} 1 Chronicles 13 and 1 Chronicles 15 (make special note of 15:13) {} 2 Samuel 5:17-21 and 2 Samuel 5:22-25 He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 7
[Day 5] When We Are Stopped Today s Guiding Light Sometimes we can be going in a certain direction, and then all of the sudden it seems like everything we do to try and push forward is jarred shut on us. Things will break down, things get lost, people leave all kinds of things can happen and it seems as if the enemy is fighting us tooth and nail, so we persist in trying to push through. Sometimes it is the enemy trying to delay, but sometimes it really is GOD trying to slow us down, or to even STOP us so that He can get our attention and direct to something else. Sometimes we can get so excited in going in a direction that God has allowed to open up for us, that we rush out without stopping to really listen to the commands set by God for it. Also, if we are not careful, we can rush out with in our OWN agenda forsaking God s. {} Read Numbers Chapter 22. In an effort to somewhat obey, but also to acquire personal gain, Balaam rushes out to Balak s men. However, God had already told him, he was NOT to curse the Israelites! God gave a strict command that Balaam was to ONLY speak the Words of God. Balaam (in his greed) was hoping to please God and Balak at the same time and profit, but God knew his heart (and intentions) and stopped him in his tracks! (Record any insight in the space below.) {} Read Acts 16:1-15. It would have seemed ok for Paul to continue on in the direction he was going, but God wanted him to detour somewhere else, so He did not allow Paul to go forward and put the roadblocks! (Record any insight in the space below.) He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 8
[Day 6] In Quiet Observation ~ IN REFLECTION ~ Today spend some time going back over your notes from this past week. {} What verses spoke the most to you? {} Is God calling you from someplace? Has He called you to follow Him? Is maybe pointing you in a new direction? (And, are you willing?) {} Any other thoughts? He Knows the Future study written by Cypress Ministries: Copyright 2012, all rights are reserved. Page 9