Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

A Great Idea

by Bernard Kariuki

So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration.
Nehemiah 7:5, NLT

Throughout the Scriptures we see God giving great ideas to His servants. Baby Moses was such a lovely child, who was born during the executions of all the male children of Israel. God gave his mum a great idea which saved his life.

She made a papyrus basket, something that wouldn’t let the water in. She placed her precious boy in it and let it float down the river, where the princess, Pharaoh’s daughter, would see it. And she sent her own daughter, Miriam, to watch and be close at hand. Pharaoh’s daughter, spotted the basket. Then Miriam, as if by accident, appeared, and gave Pharaoh’s daughter the idea that, she could find a Hebrew woman to be a nurse to the child and take care of him. This way Moses ended up being raised by his own mother, and she was paid to do it. No way could they have thought of such an idea, unless the Lord had given it to them.

Rahab hid the Israelites spies (Joshua Chapter 2), and, because of that brilliant idea, she ended up being saved when the city was captured by Joshua’s army. We read her name in Jesus’ genealogy.

Shortly after Paul’s conversion, some of the Jews had conspired to kill him, and King Aretas, Damascus’ governor, was waiting to arrest him. God gave him the great idea of escaping by being lowered in a basket down through an opening in the city wall (Acts 9:23, & 2 Corinthians 11:33). Paul's life was saved and he was able to fulfill the plans that the Lord had for him.

When God instructed Samuel to go and anoint David as the next king, after rejecting Saul, Samuel was scared that Saul would kill him. So, God gave Samuel a great idea. ‘The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate”’ (1 Samuel 16:2-3).

Basically, we can see from the Scriptures that great ideas come from the Lord. ‘For we’re God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10).

In order to do what God created us for, we need to fully rely on Him to give us great ideas related to our purpose on the earth. God knows the walls He called us to build, like Nehemiah, and He’s there to help us. He sent Jethro to Moses with a great idea on how to settle disputes among the Israelites, and this reduced the work load for Moses.

God knows the plans He has for us, and He will give us ideas which are related to the plans. We just need to turn to Him and ask Him for ideas. His ideas will be the stepping stones to our hope and our future. Let’s not rely on our own human ideas, or put our trust in our own experience. ‘This is what the LORD says: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD”’ (Jeremiah 17:5).

Are you stranded? Turn to the Lord and ask Him to give you a great idea for the step you want to take, and our faithful Lord will flood you with great ideas. Ideas from Him never fail. Trust in Him, for the big ideas as well as the small. Nehemiah said, ‘I had not told anyone about the plans God had put in my heart for Jerusalem’ (Nehemiah 2:12). So, when the Lord gives you ideas which are related to the plans He has for you, don’t just share them with others.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I submit myself to You in everything that I do. Lord, give me ideas in each step of my life, every day. Help me to always trust in You, and run to You for ideas, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Bernard Kariuki is from Kenya, and married to Yulia from Russia. They met in Ellel Ministries and served together for many years at both Ellel Scotland and Ellel Grange. Bernard has the desire to share the Word of God with young people, for he desires to see young people walking in holy fear of the Lord.

 

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