For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord!

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This past few months I have been thinking about my life where it is now, and thinking that perhaps instead of waiting for God to open a door for me I was instead Chuck Norris style kicking down a locked door, that was never intended to be opened for me at all. The hardest part for me has always been knowing when God is telling me to do something, and when I am just projecting my own wishes on His will. But God says that He knows the plans He has for me. I just keep trying to figure out how I am supposed to know them as well. So after searching for several days on this, I came to the conclusion that first I should find out what God asks of me in scripture, and what He requests of those who claim to follow Him,  and here is what I have found so far. 

1. Fear the Lord your God and walk in all His ways- Deuteronomy 10: 12

2. Love Him and serve the Lord with all my heart, soul and to keep His commands- Deuteronomy 10:13-14

3. Seek the Lord and His strength- Psalm 105: 3-4

4.To know God and to show mercy more than sacrifice- Hosea 6:6

5. To show mercy and compassion to those around me - Zechariah 7: 9-10

6. To Rejoice in the Lord in everything that I put my hand to. -Deuteronomy 12:7

7. Do everything as unto the Lord. -Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Or in  Ephesians 6:7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men

These verses are outlined below. But in conclusion I have decided that the more I learn about God and what He is asking me to be, the closer I will be walking with Him and the easier it will be for me to hear His voice. 

I remember as a child when we would go the wrong way or do something we weren't supposed to my mom would yell at us "Hear my voice and obey me at once!" This week I pray that I will be able to hear God's voice and obey Him... regardless of what or how hard what He's asking me to do is.

(Deuteronomy 10:12-14) "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, {13} "and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good? {14} "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it.

(Psalms 105:3-4) Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! {4} Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!

(Hosea 6:6) For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

(Zechariah 7:9-10) "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother. {10} Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in his heart Against his brother.'

(Mark 12:29-31) Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. {30} 'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. {31} "And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."