JANUARY 5 - PURSUING GOD’S BEST
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)
Devotional Thought: Today is the second day of our 21 Days Of Prayer And Fasting emphasis that we began yesterday at Celebration. If you haven’t already done so, determine how you’re going to participate in this 21 Days Of Prayer And Fasting. You can find prayer and fasting suggestions and tips at www.celebrationchurch.org/prayer. In this 21 day emphasis we’re praying for people to draw near to the Lord so they can hear from Him and better discern His purposes and plans for their lives.
As we read in Jeremiah 29:11, God has great purposes and plans for our lives. That promise in Jeremiah 29:11 was made to God’s people a long time ago. But He still has similar plans for His people in our day as well. God’s plans and purposes for us are impacted by the decisions we make. We can miss out on God’s plans and purposes because He is not going to force us to experience the plans He has for us.
The reason many people live defeated and discouraged lives and miss out on God’s plans for their lives is because of the wrong choices they make. In the Old Testament when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery, they were headed for the Promised Land. He told them they were going to be a land of bountiful blessings, much better than the land of slavery they had lived in. But he also told them that what they experienced would be based on the choices they made. In Deuteronomy 30:15-16 Moses said: "Today, I'm giving you a choice. You can choose life and success, or you can choose death and disaster. I am commanding you to love the Lord your God, to live the way He has told you . . . If you obey Him, you will live and you will become successful and powerful" (Deuteronomy 30:15-16)
If you remember that story in the Bible, that group of Israelites chose to disobey the Lord (Numbers 13-14). As a result they spent 40 years in the wilderness instead of the Promised Land. But when the second group of Israelites chose to obey the Lord, they went into the Promised Land and experienced the great things God had planned for them. That’s what our SMART CHOICES series in January is about. In this series we’re learning how to make choices that lead us to experience God’s plans for our lives.
So what kind of choices do you need to make as you begin this new year? Do you need to make decisions about your health, finances, relationships, career and/or your walk with the Lord. Whatever decisions you need to make, pray during this 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting that the Lord will lead you to make the right choices, because good and godly choices lead to God’s will and God’s best in our lives.
Prayer Focus: Lord, help me to make the right choices, the best choices in 2026 in every area of life; so that I will live like You want me to live, do what You’ve called me to do, and experience all that You want me to experience. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Follow-Up Activity: Write down 3-5 areas of your life where you need to know God’s will in 2026, and start praying for the Lord to give you the direction you need.
