23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?
Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
24 “Therefore I will scatter them like stubble
That passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 This is your lot,
The portion of your measures from Me,” says the LORD,
“Because you have forgotten Me
And trusted in falsehood.
26 Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face,
That your shame may appear.
27 I have seen your adulteries
And your lustful neighings,
The lewdness of your harlotry,
Your abominations on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
Will you still not be made clean?”
Jeremiah 13:23-27 NKJV
The past does affect the future. Habits learned yesterday will guide what one does tomorrow. When one is accustomed to doing wrong it becomes impossible to do right. Just as we cannot change the color of our skin and leopards cannot move their spots from one place on their hide to another, so we are going to continue to do evil. When we forget God and trust in the lies of Satan and the lies of men, then we will walk in darkness and our ways will be wicked.
Are we then hopeless, once we've decided to go against God and learned to live according to the desires of our own hearts and become accustomed to doing evil? In Ezekiel, God promises to put a new spirit and a new heart, a new heart of flesh to replace the heart of stone that we develop when we continuously fight against God. Verse 27 Jeremiah 13 offers us a choice. Our wickedness and our running after the false gods in our lives are contrasted with the opportunity to have Jesus cleanse us. We are dirty, filthy, with abominations filling us when we walk after our own desires. We can choose to be cleansed by God as it says in Revelation 1:5-6; Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. He will wash us from our sins, He will make us clean and we will be kings and priests to God and to His glory. The Ethiopian cannot change his skin and the leopard cannot change his spots, but we will be changed through the power and glory of God to give up our desires to do wrong. We will be given pure hearts that desire to follow God. We will give up the evil we are accustomed to doing and through the power of Jesus form new habits, where we are accustomed to do good. We choose to follow God, and God changes us into children with hearts receptive to Him and His love. We choose Him, God changes us.
Lord,
Help me today to allow Your cleansing power to change my heart of stone, accustomed to do wrong, into a heart of flesh that will be guided by you into a relationship of love with You. Help me to grow today in my ability to see truth and falsehood as You see them. I want to live a life in the truth, I want to push away the lies of the world and the lies of the devil to walk in the light of Your truth. Help me to let You hold me and guide me. Help me to accept the truth when You reveal it to me.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Jeremiah 13:18-22
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother,
“Humble yourselves;
Sit down,
For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.”
19 The cities of the South shall be shut up,
And no one shall open them;
Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it;
It shall be wholly carried away captive.
20 Lift up your eyes and see
Those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given to you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He punishes you?
For you have taught them
To be chieftains, to be head over you.
Will not pangs seize you,
Like a woman in labor?
22 And if you say in your heart,
“Why have these things come upon me?”
For the greatness of your iniquity
Your skirts have been uncovered,
Your heels made bare.
Jeremiah 13:18-22
The leaders of God's people have a greater responsibility to do what is right than those who follow them. The individual in His congregation is ultimately responsible for their relationship with God, God has given all of us the knowledge we need to choose Him or to choose against Him. When leaders are corrupt and work against God, there are many who follow them who will be encouraged to be corrupt and fight against God. It is human nature. The rulers of Judah could have led in such a way as to encourage the people to follow God. Some did, and the nation was blessed. Most rulers did what they wanted and did not trust in God. Their lack of integrity helped their subjects make poor decisions also. Those of weak character are further weakened by weak leadership, while many of weak character will be strengthened by strong leadership for what is right. The rulers of Judah after Josiah were proud, thinking that because of their beautiful houses and the riches that remained in their land, they were somehow deserving of praise. With each passing year they became weaker in relation to the powerful nations like Babylon and Egypt. They were forced to surrender at different times to Babylon and Egypt and give them tribute. Still, they somehow thought they were special and deserving of the deference that their subjects gave them. They held the lives of their people in their hand, able with just a word to have them thrown in the muddy dungeon where they would die unless someone intervened to save them. The nation is drawing nearer to destruction because of the iniquities of Judah and her rulers. God sends Jeremiah and Ezekiel and others to warn them, but they refuse to listen to the words of life and instead continue on the path toward death. God asks the king and queen mother where was the flock, the beautiful sheep, that had been given to them. They would have no answer. The greatness of their unfaithfulness to God had encouraged the people of Judah to walk in paths that led away from Him who wanted to save them. The Jews walked away from God, turned their backs on Him, and refused to heed His calls to come back to the special relationship with Him that would have led to life for Judah.
Lord,
Help me today to follow You and rely on You. When leaders lead in a way that is faithful to You, help me to follow them and be an encouragement to them. When I see leaders that are being unfaithful to You and to Your word, help me to follow You and be faithful to You. I am weak and tend to want to walk on the path that seems smoothest. Help me to walk on the path that You set before me, and give me the wisdom to recognize it when You lead me to it.
“Humble yourselves;
Sit down,
For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.”
19 The cities of the South shall be shut up,
And no one shall open them;
Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it;
It shall be wholly carried away captive.
20 Lift up your eyes and see
Those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given to you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He punishes you?
For you have taught them
To be chieftains, to be head over you.
Will not pangs seize you,
Like a woman in labor?
22 And if you say in your heart,
“Why have these things come upon me?”
For the greatness of your iniquity
Your skirts have been uncovered,
Your heels made bare.
Jeremiah 13:18-22
The leaders of God's people have a greater responsibility to do what is right than those who follow them. The individual in His congregation is ultimately responsible for their relationship with God, God has given all of us the knowledge we need to choose Him or to choose against Him. When leaders are corrupt and work against God, there are many who follow them who will be encouraged to be corrupt and fight against God. It is human nature. The rulers of Judah could have led in such a way as to encourage the people to follow God. Some did, and the nation was blessed. Most rulers did what they wanted and did not trust in God. Their lack of integrity helped their subjects make poor decisions also. Those of weak character are further weakened by weak leadership, while many of weak character will be strengthened by strong leadership for what is right. The rulers of Judah after Josiah were proud, thinking that because of their beautiful houses and the riches that remained in their land, they were somehow deserving of praise. With each passing year they became weaker in relation to the powerful nations like Babylon and Egypt. They were forced to surrender at different times to Babylon and Egypt and give them tribute. Still, they somehow thought they were special and deserving of the deference that their subjects gave them. They held the lives of their people in their hand, able with just a word to have them thrown in the muddy dungeon where they would die unless someone intervened to save them. The nation is drawing nearer to destruction because of the iniquities of Judah and her rulers. God sends Jeremiah and Ezekiel and others to warn them, but they refuse to listen to the words of life and instead continue on the path toward death. God asks the king and queen mother where was the flock, the beautiful sheep, that had been given to them. They would have no answer. The greatness of their unfaithfulness to God had encouraged the people of Judah to walk in paths that led away from Him who wanted to save them. The Jews walked away from God, turned their backs on Him, and refused to heed His calls to come back to the special relationship with Him that would have led to life for Judah.
Lord,
Help me today to follow You and rely on You. When leaders lead in a way that is faithful to You, help me to follow them and be an encouragement to them. When I see leaders that are being unfaithful to You and to Your word, help me to follow You and be faithful to You. I am weak and tend to want to walk on the path that seems smoothest. Help me to walk on the path that You set before me, and give me the wisdom to recognize it when You lead me to it.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Jeremiah 13:15-17
15 Hear and give ear:
Do not be proud,
For the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God
Before He causes darkness,
And before your feet stumble
On the dark mountains,
And while you are looking for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
And makes it dense darkness.
17 But if you will not hear it,
My soul will weep in secret for your pride;
My eyes will weep bitterly
And run down with tears,
Because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
Jeremiah 13:15-17 NKJV
Pride. So much trouble is caused by the pride we have in our lives. Judah was proud in their nation and in themselves. They had no reason to be proud in their accomplishments or themselves, anymore than we have to be proud of ourselves just because we have a blessing from God in our lives. Give the glory to the Lord our God, and let Him have the praise. God sees our pride and weeps bitterly because He sees the results of this pride. We place our trust in ourselves and our abilities and disaster awaits us. We will surely fail in the end if we rely on our self, because we cannot save ourselves. We must trust in God to save us, because we cannot cleanse ourselves from the sins that we have committed. The sacrifice of Jesus in giving His life cleanses us and we are offered the gift of eternal life. It is with humbleness, not pride, that we should accept this gift. If someone offered me a million dollars and I accept it, is it because of my generosity that I now have a million dollars? I have no reason to be proud. If I work hard and create a product that sells and sells until I have earned a million dollars, should I be proud that I have done so? Does not God give me the health and the talent and the time and the resources and the help of others and the wisdom to recognize the opportunity? God is responsible for all good that comes to me, why should I think that any success I have is because of my greatness? While I am in the light I can see, if I let pride come between God and myself the light will be blocked out and I will be in darkness. When the darkness prevails, I will stumble and fall. Death will come upon me and I cannot stop it when it arrives. Pride in myself does not keep me upright and it does not give me life, Pride did not keep Judah safe in the land God had given to their fathers as a land of promise and safety. God deserves the honor and glory, by trying to give honor and glory to ourselves we become blinded to His blessings.
Lord,
Help me today to give you the honor and glory for all the blessings You give me. Help me to be humble, recognizing that You are the source of all my blessings and the One who gives me everything I need. I tend to look at my small accomplishments and think I am something special, but everything I accomplish is done using the gifts You have given me in Your love. Help me to remember Your greatness and continuously call upon You for the strength and wisdom I need to be Your servant.
Do not be proud,
For the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God
Before He causes darkness,
And before your feet stumble
On the dark mountains,
And while you are looking for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
And makes it dense darkness.
17 But if you will not hear it,
My soul will weep in secret for your pride;
My eyes will weep bitterly
And run down with tears,
Because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
Jeremiah 13:15-17 NKJV
Pride. So much trouble is caused by the pride we have in our lives. Judah was proud in their nation and in themselves. They had no reason to be proud in their accomplishments or themselves, anymore than we have to be proud of ourselves just because we have a blessing from God in our lives. Give the glory to the Lord our God, and let Him have the praise. God sees our pride and weeps bitterly because He sees the results of this pride. We place our trust in ourselves and our abilities and disaster awaits us. We will surely fail in the end if we rely on our self, because we cannot save ourselves. We must trust in God to save us, because we cannot cleanse ourselves from the sins that we have committed. The sacrifice of Jesus in giving His life cleanses us and we are offered the gift of eternal life. It is with humbleness, not pride, that we should accept this gift. If someone offered me a million dollars and I accept it, is it because of my generosity that I now have a million dollars? I have no reason to be proud. If I work hard and create a product that sells and sells until I have earned a million dollars, should I be proud that I have done so? Does not God give me the health and the talent and the time and the resources and the help of others and the wisdom to recognize the opportunity? God is responsible for all good that comes to me, why should I think that any success I have is because of my greatness? While I am in the light I can see, if I let pride come between God and myself the light will be blocked out and I will be in darkness. When the darkness prevails, I will stumble and fall. Death will come upon me and I cannot stop it when it arrives. Pride in myself does not keep me upright and it does not give me life, Pride did not keep Judah safe in the land God had given to their fathers as a land of promise and safety. God deserves the honor and glory, by trying to give honor and glory to ourselves we become blinded to His blessings.
Lord,
Help me today to give you the honor and glory for all the blessings You give me. Help me to be humble, recognizing that You are the source of all my blessings and the One who gives me everything I need. I tend to look at my small accomplishments and think I am something special, but everything I accomplish is done using the gifts You have given me in Your love. Help me to remember Your greatness and continuously call upon You for the strength and wisdom I need to be Your servant.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Jeremiah 13:12-14
12 “Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Every bottle shall be filled with wine.”’
“And they will say to you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?’
13 “Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! 14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD. “I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them.”’”
Jeremiah 13:12-14 NKJV
“And they will say to you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?’
13 “Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land—even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness! 14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD. “I will not pity nor spare nor have mercy, but will destroy them.”’”
Jeremiah 13:12-14 NKJV
Monday, December 21, 2009
Jeremiah 13:1-11
1 Thus the LORD said to me: “Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.” 2 So I got a sash according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.
3 And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, 4 “Take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock.” 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 Now it came to pass after many days that the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.” 7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “Thus says the LORD: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. 11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
Jeremiah 13:1-11 NKJV
God's commands to Jeremiah were very specific, and Jeremiah obeyed without question. A linen sash around his waist, another command to bury it by the Euphrates. A trip to the Euphrates could not have been easy for Jeremiah. There were other places where it could have been buried, but at God's command the arduous trek was made. The Lord had commanded Jeremiah to not wash the linen sash in water, now He commanded that the sash be hidden in a hole in the rock by the river. Jeremiah must have wondered why he was doing this with the sash, but there is no evidence he questioned God. Trust in Him seems to be guiding Jeremiah. After arriving back in Judah time passes. Does Jeremiah forget about the sash buried so far away, does he sometimes think of it and wonder why God had him do such a thing? After many days the sash comes to mind in a forceful way. God commands Jeremiah make the journey to it's hiding place and take it from the hole in the rock. Once again Jeremiah no doubt wondered at the mission, and once again he acted without question. Back to the Euphrates, locate the spot where the sash had been hidden, dig in the hole of the rock. Would the sash be found whole, miraculously preserved? Maybe the sash will have been changed into something valuable? Jeremiah no doubt trusted that God had a lesson in the sash and its hiding. He most likely wondered at the meaning of his task as he dug there by the Euphrates, looking for the hidden sash. Ah, there is something, there is the sash. It has not been preserved and it has not been transformed. The weather and time have left the sash ruined, as one would expect. No surprise there, Jeremiah saw that the sash was ruined, it was worthless, there was nothing that the sash would be useful for now. It couldn't even be tied around the waist now, it fell apart and disintegrated upon any handling. Then the word of the Lord explained it all. Jeremiah understood, and he would never forget this lesson. The Lord would ruin the pride of Judah and Jerusalem in the same manner the linen sash had been ruined. The people who had been called His people had refused to listen to God, preferring to follow their own desires and worship the same gods as the other nations around them. They thought they did not need God, their pride told them they were strong enough and smart enough and rich enough and cunning enough to survive and prosper on their own. They would pretend to serve God, speaking the words they thought were expected, to appease Him; as they worshipped the false gods of the peoples around them to appease them. They in reality put their trust in themselves and in their ability to do things their own way. Like the linen sash was wrapped around Jeremiah, close to him, clinging to him, so the Jews had been close to God and clung to Him. God intended them to be a witness for Him and a source of pride, renown, praise, and glory. Instead they had refused to hear Him. They would be hidden by the Euphrates, their pride would be ruined. What did the Jews offer, in what would other nations look upon them and think that they were a people with blessings or anything good? The pride in themselves would be gone. Their pride would profit them nothing. They refused to listen to God, trusting in themselves to take care of themselves. Now they would be taught that in themselves there was nothing good or profitable. Pride would not save them.
Lord,
Help me today to trust in You for every blessing and every good thing. I cannot save myself and I cannot cause myself to act correctly. I need You for life and for growth and for hope. Help me to give my life to You. Help me to surrender my pride, and hear You and listen to the messages of hope You give me. Help me to obey Your wisdom, to follow the paths where You lead me.
3 And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, 4 “Take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock.” 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 Now it came to pass after many days that the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.” 7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “Thus says the LORD: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. 11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
Jeremiah 13:1-11 NKJV
God's commands to Jeremiah were very specific, and Jeremiah obeyed without question. A linen sash around his waist, another command to bury it by the Euphrates. A trip to the Euphrates could not have been easy for Jeremiah. There were other places where it could have been buried, but at God's command the arduous trek was made. The Lord had commanded Jeremiah to not wash the linen sash in water, now He commanded that the sash be hidden in a hole in the rock by the river. Jeremiah must have wondered why he was doing this with the sash, but there is no evidence he questioned God. Trust in Him seems to be guiding Jeremiah. After arriving back in Judah time passes. Does Jeremiah forget about the sash buried so far away, does he sometimes think of it and wonder why God had him do such a thing? After many days the sash comes to mind in a forceful way. God commands Jeremiah make the journey to it's hiding place and take it from the hole in the rock. Once again Jeremiah no doubt wondered at the mission, and once again he acted without question. Back to the Euphrates, locate the spot where the sash had been hidden, dig in the hole of the rock. Would the sash be found whole, miraculously preserved? Maybe the sash will have been changed into something valuable? Jeremiah no doubt trusted that God had a lesson in the sash and its hiding. He most likely wondered at the meaning of his task as he dug there by the Euphrates, looking for the hidden sash. Ah, there is something, there is the sash. It has not been preserved and it has not been transformed. The weather and time have left the sash ruined, as one would expect. No surprise there, Jeremiah saw that the sash was ruined, it was worthless, there was nothing that the sash would be useful for now. It couldn't even be tied around the waist now, it fell apart and disintegrated upon any handling. Then the word of the Lord explained it all. Jeremiah understood, and he would never forget this lesson. The Lord would ruin the pride of Judah and Jerusalem in the same manner the linen sash had been ruined. The people who had been called His people had refused to listen to God, preferring to follow their own desires and worship the same gods as the other nations around them. They thought they did not need God, their pride told them they were strong enough and smart enough and rich enough and cunning enough to survive and prosper on their own. They would pretend to serve God, speaking the words they thought were expected, to appease Him; as they worshipped the false gods of the peoples around them to appease them. They in reality put their trust in themselves and in their ability to do things their own way. Like the linen sash was wrapped around Jeremiah, close to him, clinging to him, so the Jews had been close to God and clung to Him. God intended them to be a witness for Him and a source of pride, renown, praise, and glory. Instead they had refused to hear Him. They would be hidden by the Euphrates, their pride would be ruined. What did the Jews offer, in what would other nations look upon them and think that they were a people with blessings or anything good? The pride in themselves would be gone. Their pride would profit them nothing. They refused to listen to God, trusting in themselves to take care of themselves. Now they would be taught that in themselves there was nothing good or profitable. Pride would not save them.
Lord,
Help me today to trust in You for every blessing and every good thing. I cannot save myself and I cannot cause myself to act correctly. I need You for life and for growth and for hope. Help me to give my life to You. Help me to surrender my pride, and hear You and listen to the messages of hope You give me. Help me to obey Your wisdom, to follow the paths where You lead me.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Jeremiah 12:14-17
14 Thus says the LORD: “Against all My evil neighbors who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel to inherit—behold, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out the house of Judah from among them. 15 Then it shall be, after I have plucked them out, that I will return and have compassion on them and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land. 16 And it shall be, if they will learn carefully the ways of My people, to swear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ as they taught My people to swear by Baal, then they shall be established in the midst of My people. 17 But if they do not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that nation,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 12:14-17 NKJV
The nations by which the punishment of God's people came would not escape the judgments of God. Even though God allowed them to destroy and capture the Jews, the hands of the Babylonians and their allies were not innocent. The wickedness of those by whom the captivity came would merit justice. Those nations who had taught Judah the worship of false gods and encouraged them to forsake the true God, bore some responsibility for their actions. Judah was not free from their own responsibility for doing what they knew to be wrong. Going along with evil just because everyone else is doing it does not absolve one of responsibility for what we choose to do. Those who lead in the evil are also accountable to God for what happens and for their choices. Faithfulness to God's leading is the only way we have of being kept in His life. Our choices will determine our fate. God said that when he gave Judah a second chance by bringing them back to the land of promise, He would also give the nations around a second chance. If the nations learned the ways of obedience to God and worshipped Him who was their creator, they too would rest in the love and blessings of God. The final end of Judah and the nations around was not yet to be. There would come a time when they would be able to choose to serve the Lord and put their trust in Him. The witness of God's justice with His people and His mercy with His people would give opportunity for all the nations to choose to follow the true God. Judah would have the chance to teach the surrounding nations of His love and what it meant to be faithful to God. The second chance would lead to choices once again for God or against God. The captivity would be a time of learning to trust in God, a chance to develop the heart religion that the Jews needed so desperately.
Lord,
Help me today to be a help to others and not a hindrance. Help me to point others towards You. Help me to refrain from doing anything that would cause others to move farther from You. Help me to act in ways that help others see Your love for them. don't let me get in the way with my ego to come between You and any of Your children.
Jeremiah 12:14-17 NKJV
The nations by which the punishment of God's people came would not escape the judgments of God. Even though God allowed them to destroy and capture the Jews, the hands of the Babylonians and their allies were not innocent. The wickedness of those by whom the captivity came would merit justice. Those nations who had taught Judah the worship of false gods and encouraged them to forsake the true God, bore some responsibility for their actions. Judah was not free from their own responsibility for doing what they knew to be wrong. Going along with evil just because everyone else is doing it does not absolve one of responsibility for what we choose to do. Those who lead in the evil are also accountable to God for what happens and for their choices. Faithfulness to God's leading is the only way we have of being kept in His life. Our choices will determine our fate. God said that when he gave Judah a second chance by bringing them back to the land of promise, He would also give the nations around a second chance. If the nations learned the ways of obedience to God and worshipped Him who was their creator, they too would rest in the love and blessings of God. The final end of Judah and the nations around was not yet to be. There would come a time when they would be able to choose to serve the Lord and put their trust in Him. The witness of God's justice with His people and His mercy with His people would give opportunity for all the nations to choose to follow the true God. Judah would have the chance to teach the surrounding nations of His love and what it meant to be faithful to God. The second chance would lead to choices once again for God or against God. The captivity would be a time of learning to trust in God, a chance to develop the heart religion that the Jews needed so desperately.
Lord,
Help me today to be a help to others and not a hindrance. Help me to point others towards You. Help me to refrain from doing anything that would cause others to move farther from You. Help me to act in ways that help others see Your love for them. don't let me get in the way with my ego to come between You and any of Your children.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Jeremiah 12:5-13
5 “ If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you,
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain[a] of the Jordan?
6 For even your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called a multitude after you.
Do not believe them,
Even though they speak smooth words to you.
7 “ I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest;
It cries out against Me;
Therefore I have hated it.
9 My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture;
The vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 “ Many rulers[b] have destroyed My vineyard,
They have trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because no one takes it to heart.
12 The plunderers have come
On all the desolate heights in the wilderness,
For the sword of the LORD shall devour
From one end of the land to the other end of the land;
No flesh shall have peace.
13 They have sown wheat but reaped thorns;
They have put themselves to pain but do not profit.
But be ashamed of your harvest
Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
Jeremiah 12:5-13 NKJV
The Lord answers Jeremiah's question on why the wicked seem to prosper and the implied question of why Jeremiah has it so hard. He asks Jeremiah if He has trouble keeping up with the infantry, how does Jeremiah expect to keep up with the cavalry. He asks that if Jeremiah has trouble in the peaceful countryside, how does he expect to fare better in the rough terrain around Jericho. If I manufacture trouble for myself when times are easy, how will I be able to handle real trouble when it comes. God does not promise us a life of ease on this earth. Satan is given latitude with us as he was with Job. Because of the sin in the world, things will happen that are outside our control. Our God who can see what is best for us in all circumstances allows these things to happen so that we can grow in character and learn to trust Him in all things. Parents can relate to this. One can always try to step in and remove all problems from a child's life, making sure that the child has as easy path as possible and giving the child whatever they think they want. The child is usually left weak with an inability to handle life when true hardship comes their way. God essentially is telling Jeremiah that the things he is complaining about will be for his strengthening. Horrible troubles are coming on Judah, Jeremiah will be able to remain faithful to God during those times because he has been faithful to God in the times of peace. By walking with God when it seems as if he could walk without Him, Jeremiah learns to love and trust God so that he is able to trust and love Him when what should be support and love from those closest to him turns to persecution and hatred. The rulers of Judah have destroyed God's vineyard with neglect and with deliberate turning away from God. Now the weak nation of Judah, with only their own feebleness to rely on because of their rejection of God, will fall to the might of the plunderer. Judah will become a desolation in fact because they allowed their spiritual lives to make their hearts desolate in times of peace. Wheat sown and then ignored becomes thorns. Blessings become curses because of the unfaithfulness of their hearts toward God. Daily choices made against God result in separation from Him who desires their peace and prosperity. When the swords of the nations come upon them, they are left with only themselves for defense. The fruits of their choices is thorns instead of grain. Destruction is all they have left. The best they can hope for is slavery to man, because they have rejected voluntary servitude with God.
Lord,
Help me today to live my life for You and for Your honor. Help me to recognize the blessings You give and to be thankful for them. Help me to not complain about the minor trials in my life, but to trust You to always bring good to me from every test You give me. Help me to be a willing servant for You, encouraging others and helping them to understand Your love for them.
Then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace,
In which you trusted, they wearied you,
Then how will you do in the floodplain[a] of the Jordan?
6 For even your brothers, the house of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you;
Yes, they have called a multitude after you.
Do not believe them,
Even though they speak smooth words to you.
7 “ I have forsaken My house, I have left My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 My heritage is to Me like a lion in the forest;
It cries out against Me;
Therefore I have hated it.
9 My heritage is to Me like a speckled vulture;
The vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 “ Many rulers[b] have destroyed My vineyard,
They have trodden My portion underfoot;
They have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 They have made it desolate;
Desolate, it mourns to Me;
The whole land is made desolate,
Because no one takes it to heart.
12 The plunderers have come
On all the desolate heights in the wilderness,
For the sword of the LORD shall devour
From one end of the land to the other end of the land;
No flesh shall have peace.
13 They have sown wheat but reaped thorns;
They have put themselves to pain but do not profit.
But be ashamed of your harvest
Because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”
Jeremiah 12:5-13 NKJV
The Lord answers Jeremiah's question on why the wicked seem to prosper and the implied question of why Jeremiah has it so hard. He asks Jeremiah if He has trouble keeping up with the infantry, how does Jeremiah expect to keep up with the cavalry. He asks that if Jeremiah has trouble in the peaceful countryside, how does he expect to fare better in the rough terrain around Jericho. If I manufacture trouble for myself when times are easy, how will I be able to handle real trouble when it comes. God does not promise us a life of ease on this earth. Satan is given latitude with us as he was with Job. Because of the sin in the world, things will happen that are outside our control. Our God who can see what is best for us in all circumstances allows these things to happen so that we can grow in character and learn to trust Him in all things. Parents can relate to this. One can always try to step in and remove all problems from a child's life, making sure that the child has as easy path as possible and giving the child whatever they think they want. The child is usually left weak with an inability to handle life when true hardship comes their way. God essentially is telling Jeremiah that the things he is complaining about will be for his strengthening. Horrible troubles are coming on Judah, Jeremiah will be able to remain faithful to God during those times because he has been faithful to God in the times of peace. By walking with God when it seems as if he could walk without Him, Jeremiah learns to love and trust God so that he is able to trust and love Him when what should be support and love from those closest to him turns to persecution and hatred. The rulers of Judah have destroyed God's vineyard with neglect and with deliberate turning away from God. Now the weak nation of Judah, with only their own feebleness to rely on because of their rejection of God, will fall to the might of the plunderer. Judah will become a desolation in fact because they allowed their spiritual lives to make their hearts desolate in times of peace. Wheat sown and then ignored becomes thorns. Blessings become curses because of the unfaithfulness of their hearts toward God. Daily choices made against God result in separation from Him who desires their peace and prosperity. When the swords of the nations come upon them, they are left with only themselves for defense. The fruits of their choices is thorns instead of grain. Destruction is all they have left. The best they can hope for is slavery to man, because they have rejected voluntary servitude with God.
Lord,
Help me today to live my life for You and for Your honor. Help me to recognize the blessings You give and to be thankful for them. Help me to not complain about the minor trials in my life, but to trust You to always bring good to me from every test You give me. Help me to be a willing servant for You, encouraging others and helping them to understand Your love for them.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Jeremiah 12:1-4
1 Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.
3 But You, O LORD, know me;
You have seen me,
And You have tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long will the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
The beasts and birds are consumed,
For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
Jeremiah 12:1-4 NKJV
In verse 1 Jeremiah asks a question that many have? Why do the wicked prosper? Why are those who do everything wrong seemingly happy? Before asking the question, Jeremiah confirms his faith that God is righteous and acknowledges that he sees God answering his prayers. Still, he sees the people who claim to follow God by speaking the correct religious words while practicing evil deeds prosper. They seem happy, they pile up mounds of money, they drive a ripping sports car, they live in a booming estate with plenty of hired staff, the beautiful people hang with them and on them, everything looks good in their lives. Jeremiah knows his own heart, and he can see the errors of the way the rulers and officials of his day live. God speaks to him, and Jeremiah has faith that God knows him. Why, he asks, does God let those who only pretend to follow God while taking advantage of the weak and poor have the respect and admiration of their fellow men. The wicked think that they are being rewarded for their good words, but what is their final end? Jeremiah knows what the wicked who pretend to follow God, while in actuality paying God and His plans no heed, deserve. They deserve what all sinners deserve, but it seems that this fate is passing them by and they are being rewarded with blessing beyond what the righteous have. Jeremiah can see the results on his homeland of the actions of those who are in positions of leadership and responsibility. He asks God if they will get their just rewards, or will they always be rich and powerful.
Lord,
Help me to have Jeremiah's faith in You. when I see those prosper who do wrong, help me to know that You know me and that my reward will come from You. Help me to remember that only You can give me blessings that last for eternity. Help me to trust in You whatever circumstances I find myself, because You are faithful and righteous and Your judgments are fair and merciful.
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root;
They grow, yes, they bear fruit.
You are near in their mouth
But far from their mind.
3 But You, O LORD, know me;
You have seen me,
And You have tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
And prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 How long will the land mourn,
And the herbs of every field wither?
The beasts and birds are consumed,
For the wickedness of those who dwell there,
Because they said, “He will not see our final end.”
Jeremiah 12:1-4 NKJV
In verse 1 Jeremiah asks a question that many have? Why do the wicked prosper? Why are those who do everything wrong seemingly happy? Before asking the question, Jeremiah confirms his faith that God is righteous and acknowledges that he sees God answering his prayers. Still, he sees the people who claim to follow God by speaking the correct religious words while practicing evil deeds prosper. They seem happy, they pile up mounds of money, they drive a ripping sports car, they live in a booming estate with plenty of hired staff, the beautiful people hang with them and on them, everything looks good in their lives. Jeremiah knows his own heart, and he can see the errors of the way the rulers and officials of his day live. God speaks to him, and Jeremiah has faith that God knows him. Why, he asks, does God let those who only pretend to follow God while taking advantage of the weak and poor have the respect and admiration of their fellow men. The wicked think that they are being rewarded for their good words, but what is their final end? Jeremiah knows what the wicked who pretend to follow God, while in actuality paying God and His plans no heed, deserve. They deserve what all sinners deserve, but it seems that this fate is passing them by and they are being rewarded with blessing beyond what the righteous have. Jeremiah can see the results on his homeland of the actions of those who are in positions of leadership and responsibility. He asks God if they will get their just rewards, or will they always be rich and powerful.
Lord,
Help me to have Jeremiah's faith in You. when I see those prosper who do wrong, help me to know that You know me and that my reward will come from You. Help me to remember that only You can give me blessings that last for eternity. Help me to trust in You whatever circumstances I find myself, because You are faithful and righteous and Your judgments are fair and merciful.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Jeremiah 11:18-23
18 Now the LORD gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”
20 But, O LORD of hosts,
You who judge righteously,
Testing the mind and the heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You I have revealed my cause.
21 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, lest you die by our hand’— 22 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; 23 and there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their punishment.’”
Jeremiah 11:18-23 NKJV
Jeremiah is faithful to God. He speaks God's words of warning and repentance to a hardened people. Because of his unwavering stand for God against the corruption of the hearts of God's people, he becomes hated. Plots are made on his life by those who personally knew him best, his hometown. It came as a surprise to him that some in Anathoth would not only try to keep him from speaking God's words, but they would go so far as to threaten his life and plan to kill him. Jeremiah called upon God to save him. He trusted God to judge him rightly, because he knew God. He realized that God judged righteously because God knew his mind and his heart. There was no hiding from God what was really in his heart and what he was really thinking. He and his thoughts and character were open to God. He was not afraid to be judged by His God. The people of Anathoth could not be trusted, they schemed his death behind his back as he went forward doing his best to be God's spokesman. The Lord spoke to the men of Anathoth. What they desired in their wickedness for Jeremiah, would be paid in full on themselves and their families. For those who refused to repent, their lives would not be ended just on the earth, but they would be lost for eternity. Had they accepted the words of God through Jeremiah, life would have been theirs. By allowing themselves to loose sight of God's truth, they ensured their own destruction. They had a choice to make and because they closed their eyes and hearts to what God wanted, their choice was inevitably wrong.
Lord,
Help me to be open to Your word. Help me to know You so well that I will recognize Your voice when You speak to me. Help me to choose You and Your salvation over the sinfulness of my desires. Help me to walk with You, so that I do not fight against You.
20 But, O LORD of hosts,
You who judge righteously,
Testing the mind and the heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You I have revealed my cause.
21 “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, lest you die by our hand’— 22 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; 23 and there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their punishment.’”
Jeremiah 11:18-23 NKJV
Jeremiah is faithful to God. He speaks God's words of warning and repentance to a hardened people. Because of his unwavering stand for God against the corruption of the hearts of God's people, he becomes hated. Plots are made on his life by those who personally knew him best, his hometown. It came as a surprise to him that some in Anathoth would not only try to keep him from speaking God's words, but they would go so far as to threaten his life and plan to kill him. Jeremiah called upon God to save him. He trusted God to judge him rightly, because he knew God. He realized that God judged righteously because God knew his mind and his heart. There was no hiding from God what was really in his heart and what he was really thinking. He and his thoughts and character were open to God. He was not afraid to be judged by His God. The people of Anathoth could not be trusted, they schemed his death behind his back as he went forward doing his best to be God's spokesman. The Lord spoke to the men of Anathoth. What they desired in their wickedness for Jeremiah, would be paid in full on themselves and their families. For those who refused to repent, their lives would not be ended just on the earth, but they would be lost for eternity. Had they accepted the words of God through Jeremiah, life would have been theirs. By allowing themselves to loose sight of God's truth, they ensured their own destruction. They had a choice to make and because they closed their eyes and hearts to what God wanted, their choice was inevitably wrong.
Lord,
Help me to be open to Your word. Help me to know You so well that I will recognize Your voice when You speak to me. Help me to choose You and Your salvation over the sinfulness of my desires. Help me to walk with You, so that I do not fight against You.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Jeremiah 11:1-17
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 that I may establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’[a] as it is this day.”’”
And I answered and said, “So be it, LORD.”
6 Then the LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’”
9 And the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”
11 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.
14 “So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.
15 “What has My beloved to do in My house,
Having done lewd deeds with many?
And the holy flesh has passed from you.
When you do evil, then you rejoice.
16 The LORD called your name,
Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit.
With the noise of a great tumult
He has kindled fire on it,
And its branches are broken.
17 “For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.”
Jeremiah 11:1-17 NKJV
The Lord had established a covenant with His people when He brought them from slavery in Egypt and gave them a good land for their prosperity. God intended good things for His people. The Hebrews said they would obey Him and do as He commanded them and He promised to be their God and they would be His people. As is often the case with humans and God, they did not keep their part of the covenant. God wanted to bless them and give them what they needed and even more. With God giving direction and purpose to the nation Israel and guiding them and protecting them and blessing them with the rain and crops and livestock and peaceful homes, Israel would have been an ideal place to live. God knew what was best and shared that knowledge with the people. But the Israelites looked around at all the dysfunction of the nations around them and saw the shiny pretty things and the outward appearance of peoples enjoying life and decided they wanted to be like the nations around. So they went after the false gods and worshipped rocks and sticks. They asked for a king to rule over them like the kings of those nations around them. They turned their back on a King who was fair and just and who offered to lead them in righteous ways that ensured them everything they could desire. They turned away from Him, and yearned to have men rule them who turned out to be what one would expect, wicked and weak. They got what they asked for and ultimately they got what they deserved. How could the Jews be so blind as to what was good for them? How could they push away the God who would supply all their needs and bless them with peace and prosperity to follow after the worthless gods of the nations around? God had called them Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. They were to be righteous and produce fruit to be a blessing on the nations around. Instead of clinging to their God and rejoicing in His love, they rejoiced in their evil. They followed the dictates of their evil hearts instead of letting God cleanse their hearts and heal their wounds. They ran after rocks and sticks to worship instead of giving allegiance and obeying the true God, their creator. Now instead of the blessing of the covenant they would receive a curse. Calamity and destruction would come upon them, their evil ways would be punished by the peoples they should have been a witness to of God's power. The blessing became a curse because they trusted in that which could not save.
In my life there are so many things that I am drawn to trust in that lead me away from God. So many shiny, pretty things and people that offer a false hope of happiness. God gives me the choice, ultimate freedom to walk with Him and obey Him or to walk away from Him and reject Him. Israel and Judah had the same choice, and they chose poorly. Which will I choose?
Lord,
Help me today to choose You and life over myself and death. Only in You can I have the happiness my heart desires. Help me to obey You and trust You and give my heart anew to You today. Help me to choose Your love over the world's pretty, shiny things that lead to an empty heart of selfishness.
And I answered and said, “So be it, LORD.”
6 Then the LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice.” 8 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’”
9 And the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”
11 Therefore thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.
14 “So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.
15 “What has My beloved to do in My house,
Having done lewd deeds with many?
And the holy flesh has passed from you.
When you do evil, then you rejoice.
16 The LORD called your name,
Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit.
With the noise of a great tumult
He has kindled fire on it,
And its branches are broken.
17 “For the LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced doom against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.”
Jeremiah 11:1-17 NKJV
The Lord had established a covenant with His people when He brought them from slavery in Egypt and gave them a good land for their prosperity. God intended good things for His people. The Hebrews said they would obey Him and do as He commanded them and He promised to be their God and they would be His people. As is often the case with humans and God, they did not keep their part of the covenant. God wanted to bless them and give them what they needed and even more. With God giving direction and purpose to the nation Israel and guiding them and protecting them and blessing them with the rain and crops and livestock and peaceful homes, Israel would have been an ideal place to live. God knew what was best and shared that knowledge with the people. But the Israelites looked around at all the dysfunction of the nations around them and saw the shiny pretty things and the outward appearance of peoples enjoying life and decided they wanted to be like the nations around. So they went after the false gods and worshipped rocks and sticks. They asked for a king to rule over them like the kings of those nations around them. They turned their back on a King who was fair and just and who offered to lead them in righteous ways that ensured them everything they could desire. They turned away from Him, and yearned to have men rule them who turned out to be what one would expect, wicked and weak. They got what they asked for and ultimately they got what they deserved. How could the Jews be so blind as to what was good for them? How could they push away the God who would supply all their needs and bless them with peace and prosperity to follow after the worthless gods of the nations around? God had called them Green Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit. They were to be righteous and produce fruit to be a blessing on the nations around. Instead of clinging to their God and rejoicing in His love, they rejoiced in their evil. They followed the dictates of their evil hearts instead of letting God cleanse their hearts and heal their wounds. They ran after rocks and sticks to worship instead of giving allegiance and obeying the true God, their creator. Now instead of the blessing of the covenant they would receive a curse. Calamity and destruction would come upon them, their evil ways would be punished by the peoples they should have been a witness to of God's power. The blessing became a curse because they trusted in that which could not save.
In my life there are so many things that I am drawn to trust in that lead me away from God. So many shiny, pretty things and people that offer a false hope of happiness. God gives me the choice, ultimate freedom to walk with Him and obey Him or to walk away from Him and reject Him. Israel and Judah had the same choice, and they chose poorly. Which will I choose?
Lord,
Help me today to choose You and life over myself and death. Only in You can I have the happiness my heart desires. Help me to obey You and trust You and give my heart anew to You today. Help me to choose Your love over the world's pretty, shiny things that lead to an empty heart of selfishness.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Jeremiah 10:23-25
23 O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself;
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
24 O LORD, correct me, but with justice;
Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You,
And on the families who do not call on Your name;
For they have eaten up Jacob,
Devoured him and consumed him,
And made his dwelling place desolate.
Jeremiah 10:23-25 NKJV
"It is not in man to direct his own steps." But, I want to direct my own steps. I want to decide for myself what to do. I don't want anyone else telling me how to live my life. I don't like for anyone to be bossing me around. I am smarter than you and I can decide for myself what is best for me. I don't need You to direct my steps or my life. My natural bent is often this kind of attitude. Then when I have a choice to make about something that potentially could change my life, I find myself asking friends, family, and God - Please tell me what to do! I don't know what is best for me, I need help. Which way should I turn, which decision should I make? I am unsure which path to take. Help!
I am a Seventh Day Adventist. My wife and children are Seventh Day Adventists and my life is built around being a Seventh Day Adventist. It is easy for me to be a Seventh Day Adventist. I believe that the Seventh Day Adventist church is God's true church and that it teaches the truth from the Bible. If I were to be unwilling to listen to God if He were to tell me that there is another more complete truth, then being a Seventh Day Adventist would not be a help to me. My relationship with God and having my heart aligned with Him is more important than the religious affiliation I adhere to. God speaks to me about my life and where I should go and what I should do and even how I should relate to others and to God. If I keep my heart open to His truth and follow His guidance, then ultimately I will end up with Him. God knows what is best for me, He has told me and He is telling me what is ideal for me. I choose to follow or not. I have the final decision about everything in my life. I will choose what path to take, I will choose where my steps will take me. God directs me as I am willing to allow Him to guide me. When I follow His direction, He continues to give direction. When I refuse to follow God's direction, I shut off His voice and do not allow His wisdom to guide me. Each time I refuse to listen, I move myself farther from Him, and closer to aloneness.
When I make mistakes, sin, and fight against God, I need correcting. How many times do I look back and see a mistake I made and think how much better it would have been if someone stopped me. I become angry with my child, for a good reason or not, and say harsh, hurtful, words. The Lord needs to correct me and teach me. He does correct me if I listen. He corrects me in justice, and sometimes this correction is painful for me. I can choose not to accept the correction, choose to continue to get angry and react harshly to my children, choose to continue to say harsh, hurtful words to them. Eventually the pain for me will seem to diminish, not because I am doing right, but because I will no longer be able to see the hurt that I do. It will become more and more about me and less and less about the ones I claim to love. I will blind myself to the reality of what is actually happening and become more sure that my actions are right. Of course, I will be wrong, which you can see clearly as you stand beside me and watch. I will not see the truth, because I have refused to listen and have convinced myself that I can direct my steps. I don't need God to direct me, I think, because I will correctly decide for myself what i will do. I will be wrong, I will be choosing very poorly, and I will be walking in the wrong way. I will be lost. The ability to direct my own steps is not in me. I need the guidance and I need the correction of God.
Lord,
Help me today to follow You wherever You lead me. You give me truth in Your word, wisdom to trust You, and the strength to allow You to correct me. Help me to accept Your guidance and Your correction today, so that I may be found and not be lost.
It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
24 O LORD, correct me, but with justice;
Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You,
And on the families who do not call on Your name;
For they have eaten up Jacob,
Devoured him and consumed him,
And made his dwelling place desolate.
Jeremiah 10:23-25 NKJV
"It is not in man to direct his own steps." But, I want to direct my own steps. I want to decide for myself what to do. I don't want anyone else telling me how to live my life. I don't like for anyone to be bossing me around. I am smarter than you and I can decide for myself what is best for me. I don't need You to direct my steps or my life. My natural bent is often this kind of attitude. Then when I have a choice to make about something that potentially could change my life, I find myself asking friends, family, and God - Please tell me what to do! I don't know what is best for me, I need help. Which way should I turn, which decision should I make? I am unsure which path to take. Help!
I am a Seventh Day Adventist. My wife and children are Seventh Day Adventists and my life is built around being a Seventh Day Adventist. It is easy for me to be a Seventh Day Adventist. I believe that the Seventh Day Adventist church is God's true church and that it teaches the truth from the Bible. If I were to be unwilling to listen to God if He were to tell me that there is another more complete truth, then being a Seventh Day Adventist would not be a help to me. My relationship with God and having my heart aligned with Him is more important than the religious affiliation I adhere to. God speaks to me about my life and where I should go and what I should do and even how I should relate to others and to God. If I keep my heart open to His truth and follow His guidance, then ultimately I will end up with Him. God knows what is best for me, He has told me and He is telling me what is ideal for me. I choose to follow or not. I have the final decision about everything in my life. I will choose what path to take, I will choose where my steps will take me. God directs me as I am willing to allow Him to guide me. When I follow His direction, He continues to give direction. When I refuse to follow God's direction, I shut off His voice and do not allow His wisdom to guide me. Each time I refuse to listen, I move myself farther from Him, and closer to aloneness.
When I make mistakes, sin, and fight against God, I need correcting. How many times do I look back and see a mistake I made and think how much better it would have been if someone stopped me. I become angry with my child, for a good reason or not, and say harsh, hurtful, words. The Lord needs to correct me and teach me. He does correct me if I listen. He corrects me in justice, and sometimes this correction is painful for me. I can choose not to accept the correction, choose to continue to get angry and react harshly to my children, choose to continue to say harsh, hurtful words to them. Eventually the pain for me will seem to diminish, not because I am doing right, but because I will no longer be able to see the hurt that I do. It will become more and more about me and less and less about the ones I claim to love. I will blind myself to the reality of what is actually happening and become more sure that my actions are right. Of course, I will be wrong, which you can see clearly as you stand beside me and watch. I will not see the truth, because I have refused to listen and have convinced myself that I can direct my steps. I don't need God to direct me, I think, because I will correctly decide for myself what i will do. I will be wrong, I will be choosing very poorly, and I will be walking in the wrong way. I will be lost. The ability to direct my own steps is not in me. I need the guidance and I need the correction of God.
Lord,
Help me today to follow You wherever You lead me. You give me truth in Your word, wisdom to trust You, and the strength to allow You to correct me. Help me to accept Your guidance and Your correction today, so that I may be found and not be lost.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Jeremiah 10:17-22
17 Gather up your wares from the land,
O inhabitant of the fortress!
18 For thus says the LORD:
“Behold, I will throw out at this time
The inhabitants of the land,
And will distress them,
That they may find it so.”
19 Woe is me for my hurt!
My wound is severe.
But I say, “Truly this is an infirmity,
And I must bear it.”
20 My tent is plundered,
And all my cords are broken;
My children have gone from me,
And they are no more.
There is no one to pitch my tent anymore,
Or set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the LORD;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the report has come,
And a great commotion out of the north country,
To make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.
Jeremiah 10:17-22 NKJV
The Lord is hurt by the disloyalty of His people. It is a trial to Him to have them turn away from Him and no longer fulfill their mission of carrying His great name to the world. When they refuse to be led by God into His peace and prosperity, they are left without protection from their enemies. The ones whom He choose and gave special blessings have now refused His blessings, turning for protection and help to the worthless gods that verses 1-16 talked about instead of giving their allegiance to the powerful God of creation. The leaders of His people did not seek the Lord. They were dull-hearted, doing what was easy and going along with the people into the ways of ease and comfort, speaking words to the people that they wanted to hear instead of words of truth that they needed to hear. Because the shepherds did not help the people hear and understand the message God had for them, these supposed leaders would not prosper and their flocks would be scattered as Judah went to its destruction and captivity. The leaders supposed that by speaking smooth things that people wanted to hear, they would be appreciated and loved. However, by failing to speak God's truth to the people, they helped them turn their backs on God, to their own destruction and causing the whole land to be lost. While each person in Judah had their individual need to listen to the Lord's messages and obey Him, the leaders had a special responsibility to help them to listen to the Lord and follow Him. They needed to guide by example and word and deed. Whether or not they were appreciated for the truth or not, as shepherds it was their responsibility to lead the people towards God and His truth. When the leaders lost their dedication to their God and His truth, the people were encouraged to likewise abandon following and obeying the creator who was their only hope for salvation. The result was the armies came from the north and Judah was left desolate. So it is with my life. Whatever leadership role God gives me, I must fulfill to the best of my ability. If I think I will help those whom I lead by telling them things they want to hear and encouraging them to only do the things they want to do, then I will fail in the mission God gives me. Those whom I would lead will be left adrift in their own weakness. Leading in the wrong direction is trouble, but also lack of leading is trouble. The result will be everyone ends up in a place that is outside of God's will. Jeremiah was faithful to lead the people toward the will of God. When they choose to not listen to him, and by ignoring him the people ignored God, the people took responsibility for the results of their decision. Good leaders are not always followed, but their reward will be based on their faithfulness to follow the path God sets before them.
Lord,
Help me to be faithful to whatever leadership role You give me. Help me to rely upon You for the wisdom and strength needed to carry out Your mission. Help me to not lord it over any whom You assign me to help in a vain attempt to have self power, but give me Your Spirit of love and care for the souls of those I lead. Help me to be willing to serve You in whatever way You assign me. When I follow other leaders and if You call me to lead, help me to do all to Your glory and honor.
O inhabitant of the fortress!
18 For thus says the LORD:
“Behold, I will throw out at this time
The inhabitants of the land,
And will distress them,
That they may find it so.”
19 Woe is me for my hurt!
My wound is severe.
But I say, “Truly this is an infirmity,
And I must bear it.”
20 My tent is plundered,
And all my cords are broken;
My children have gone from me,
And they are no more.
There is no one to pitch my tent anymore,
Or set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,
And have not sought the LORD;
Therefore they shall not prosper,
And all their flocks shall be scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the report has come,
And a great commotion out of the north country,
To make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.
Jeremiah 10:17-22 NKJV
The Lord is hurt by the disloyalty of His people. It is a trial to Him to have them turn away from Him and no longer fulfill their mission of carrying His great name to the world. When they refuse to be led by God into His peace and prosperity, they are left without protection from their enemies. The ones whom He choose and gave special blessings have now refused His blessings, turning for protection and help to the worthless gods that verses 1-16 talked about instead of giving their allegiance to the powerful God of creation. The leaders of His people did not seek the Lord. They were dull-hearted, doing what was easy and going along with the people into the ways of ease and comfort, speaking words to the people that they wanted to hear instead of words of truth that they needed to hear. Because the shepherds did not help the people hear and understand the message God had for them, these supposed leaders would not prosper and their flocks would be scattered as Judah went to its destruction and captivity. The leaders supposed that by speaking smooth things that people wanted to hear, they would be appreciated and loved. However, by failing to speak God's truth to the people, they helped them turn their backs on God, to their own destruction and causing the whole land to be lost. While each person in Judah had their individual need to listen to the Lord's messages and obey Him, the leaders had a special responsibility to help them to listen to the Lord and follow Him. They needed to guide by example and word and deed. Whether or not they were appreciated for the truth or not, as shepherds it was their responsibility to lead the people towards God and His truth. When the leaders lost their dedication to their God and His truth, the people were encouraged to likewise abandon following and obeying the creator who was their only hope for salvation. The result was the armies came from the north and Judah was left desolate. So it is with my life. Whatever leadership role God gives me, I must fulfill to the best of my ability. If I think I will help those whom I lead by telling them things they want to hear and encouraging them to only do the things they want to do, then I will fail in the mission God gives me. Those whom I would lead will be left adrift in their own weakness. Leading in the wrong direction is trouble, but also lack of leading is trouble. The result will be everyone ends up in a place that is outside of God's will. Jeremiah was faithful to lead the people toward the will of God. When they choose to not listen to him, and by ignoring him the people ignored God, the people took responsibility for the results of their decision. Good leaders are not always followed, but their reward will be based on their faithfulness to follow the path God sets before them.
Lord,
Help me to be faithful to whatever leadership role You give me. Help me to rely upon You for the wisdom and strength needed to carry out Your mission. Help me to not lord it over any whom You assign me to help in a vain attempt to have self power, but give me Your Spirit of love and care for the souls of those I lead. Help me to be willing to serve You in whatever way You assign me. When I follow other leaders and if You call me to lead, help me to do all to Your glory and honor.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Jeremiah 10:11-16
11 Thus you shall say to them: “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 He has made the earth by His power,
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.
13 When He utters His voice,
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
“And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain,
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”[a]
14 Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image;
For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things,
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The LORD of hosts is His name.
Jeremiah 10:11-16 NKJV
The false gods that were worshipped and relied upon for help and salvation will not survive, they will be destroyed. They were created by man and have done nothing except exist. They have not created or helped, they do not breath or move. Idols do not think or understand or care what happens. The true God made the earth with His power and created the world with His wisdom. Nature's intricacies shows His wisdom and knowledge and creativeness. False gods will perish, the true God will live forever. False gods are futile and a work of errors. The true God is steadfast, desiring and able to save us through His love. The creative ability of God and His creation of our world is what distinguishes Him from all other gods. The Lord is the only One who created the world. No other can honestly claim to have created us or the world around us. As a faithful God who created us and who is willing to save us, the Lord of hosts is deserving of our worship and praise.
Lord,
Help me today to recognize Your greatness. Help me to trust in You to save me and to strengthen me. In gratitude I praise You and thank You for all Your blessings.
12 He has made the earth by His power,
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.
13 When He utters His voice,
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
“And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain,
He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”[a]
14 Everyone is dull-hearted, without knowledge;
Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image;
For his molded image is falsehood,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are futile, a work of errors;
In the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 The Portion of Jacob is not like them,
For He is the Maker of all things,
And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
The LORD of hosts is His name.
Jeremiah 10:11-16 NKJV
The false gods that were worshipped and relied upon for help and salvation will not survive, they will be destroyed. They were created by man and have done nothing except exist. They have not created or helped, they do not breath or move. Idols do not think or understand or care what happens. The true God made the earth with His power and created the world with His wisdom. Nature's intricacies shows His wisdom and knowledge and creativeness. False gods will perish, the true God will live forever. False gods are futile and a work of errors. The true God is steadfast, desiring and able to save us through His love. The creative ability of God and His creation of our world is what distinguishes Him from all other gods. The Lord is the only One who created the world. No other can honestly claim to have created us or the world around us. As a faithful God who created us and who is willing to save us, the Lord of hosts is deserving of our worship and praise.
Lord,
Help me today to recognize Your greatness. Help me to trust in You to save me and to strengthen me. In gratitude I praise You and thank You for all Your blessings.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Jeremiah 10:1-10
1 Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel.
2 Thus says the LORD:
“ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
5 They are upright, like a palm tree,
And they cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them,
For they cannot do evil,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For this is Your rightful due.
For among all the wise men of the nations,
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish;
A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
9 Silver is beaten into plates;
It is brought from Tarshish,
And gold from Uphaz,
The work of the craftsman
And of the hands of the metalsmith;
Blue and purple are their clothing;
They are all the work of skillful men.
10 But the LORD is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth will tremble,
And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
Jeremiah 10:1-10 NKJV
The futility of idol worship is explored in this passage. The idea that objects have power within themselves to be gods seem strange to me on the face. How can something that I make be more powerful than me and guide and control me. A wooden or stone idol just sits there, it cannot move on its on, you have to carry it wherever you might decide it needs to be. The idol does not eat anything, or say anything, it does not breath, it does not think or create. Do not be afraid of them, said God. They are mere forms created by man and designated by man to be a god. A similar work is designated art and man looks upon it as just an object.
In verse two the signs of heaven are mentioned. to me, this actually seems more reasonable for something in which to put mystical powers. At least the signs of the heavens are bigger than me and something I don't understand and I and my fellow man had no part in creating. The heavens and their workings were here long before me and it appears that they will be here long after I am gone. So I could, if I wanted, look at the things in the heavens and imagine wonderful or disastrous import on different phenomenon that I observe. Of course, I will in reality be making it up and putting myself in control of the meaning and the import of any celestial happening. When I decide to believe in the stars controlling my life and my future and personality, I am once again putting man and his ideas in control of my life. And, I am once again worshipping the creation rather than the creator.
In comparing the creation of God or the creation of man to God Himself, there is no comparison. Verse six points out that there is none like the Lord, for He is truly great and His name is great because it represents Him and His power. God cannot be controlled by man. We don't pick Him up and carry Him to another place and sit Him down so that we can worship Him. God is omnipotent and has all wisdom and all truth as part of Himself. No man has the ability to understand the workings of creation in their completeness. God made the creation and understood the principals so well that He made each and every object and life form in the universe. Verse ten says that He is alive and He is everlasting. Why would I worship the created instead of the creator? Only so that I can be in control and not have to do what someone else, namely God, wants me to do. When I follow mans rules, then I as a man try to control my destiny. When I follow God's rules, I recognize the reality that God is in control of my destiny.
Lord,
Help me today to recognize that You are the true God. Help me to worship You and praise You for You are deserving of praise. Help me to put everything in my life in its rightful place, subordinate to You. Help my mind to understand and know of Your power and might and help me to allow You to come into my heart and make me anew in Your image. I want control, help me to give You control of my life and help me to choose to obey and serve You today, each moment of today.
2 Thus says the LORD:
“ Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
5 They are upright, like a palm tree,
And they cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them,
For they cannot do evil,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 Inasmuch as there is none like You, O LORD
(You are great, and Your name is great in might),
7 Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
For this is Your rightful due.
For among all the wise men of the nations,
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether dull-hearted and foolish;
A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
9 Silver is beaten into plates;
It is brought from Tarshish,
And gold from Uphaz,
The work of the craftsman
And of the hands of the metalsmith;
Blue and purple are their clothing;
They are all the work of skillful men.
10 But the LORD is the true God;
He is the living God and the everlasting King.
At His wrath the earth will tremble,
And the nations will not be able to endure His indignation.
Jeremiah 10:1-10 NKJV
The futility of idol worship is explored in this passage. The idea that objects have power within themselves to be gods seem strange to me on the face. How can something that I make be more powerful than me and guide and control me. A wooden or stone idol just sits there, it cannot move on its on, you have to carry it wherever you might decide it needs to be. The idol does not eat anything, or say anything, it does not breath, it does not think or create. Do not be afraid of them, said God. They are mere forms created by man and designated by man to be a god. A similar work is designated art and man looks upon it as just an object.
In verse two the signs of heaven are mentioned. to me, this actually seems more reasonable for something in which to put mystical powers. At least the signs of the heavens are bigger than me and something I don't understand and I and my fellow man had no part in creating. The heavens and their workings were here long before me and it appears that they will be here long after I am gone. So I could, if I wanted, look at the things in the heavens and imagine wonderful or disastrous import on different phenomenon that I observe. Of course, I will in reality be making it up and putting myself in control of the meaning and the import of any celestial happening. When I decide to believe in the stars controlling my life and my future and personality, I am once again putting man and his ideas in control of my life. And, I am once again worshipping the creation rather than the creator.
In comparing the creation of God or the creation of man to God Himself, there is no comparison. Verse six points out that there is none like the Lord, for He is truly great and His name is great because it represents Him and His power. God cannot be controlled by man. We don't pick Him up and carry Him to another place and sit Him down so that we can worship Him. God is omnipotent and has all wisdom and all truth as part of Himself. No man has the ability to understand the workings of creation in their completeness. God made the creation and understood the principals so well that He made each and every object and life form in the universe. Verse ten says that He is alive and He is everlasting. Why would I worship the created instead of the creator? Only so that I can be in control and not have to do what someone else, namely God, wants me to do. When I follow mans rules, then I as a man try to control my destiny. When I follow God's rules, I recognize the reality that God is in control of my destiny.
Lord,
Help me today to recognize that You are the true God. Help me to worship You and praise You for You are deserving of praise. Help me to put everything in my life in its rightful place, subordinate to You. Help my mind to understand and know of Your power and might and help me to allow You to come into my heart and make me anew in Your image. I want control, help me to give You control of my life and help me to choose to obey and serve You today, each moment of today.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Jeremiah 9:25-26
25 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised— 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.”
Jeremiah 9:25-26 NKJV
Circumcision was required by God as representing the special relationship between God and His people. It made the followers of the true God different and distinct from the pagans and Gentiles. Anyone who wanted to join the Jews in worshipping God could be circumcised to show their decision to serve God was serious. As with any outward sign of loyalty to God, circumcision was of no value if the special relationship and obeying of the covenant with the Lord were not part of the heart of the person involved. Keeping the Sabbath, paying tithe, avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and unclean meats are for many Seventh Day Adventists an outward sign of loyalty to God, but when the heart does not have a true obedience to God that puts Him first over everything else in our lives, then all good things are as worthless as circumcision turned out to be for the people in Jeremiah's time. It must have made the Jews angry when Jeremiah lumped Judah in with Egypt, Edom, Ammon, and Moab; nations around them whom the Jews despised as Gentiles and heathens and worthless and deserving only to be annihilated. The Lord through Jeremiah told the Jews that they were no better and no more worthy than those peoples, because they were only physically circumcised, but in their hearts they were uncircumcised. The did not obey the covenant with God to write His law on their hearts and obey Him in all that they did. They did not live righteous lives that would be a witness of God's love and care to all the surrounding nations. God had called them for a special work of telling other nations of His love, they were to be a light to all peoples of the world. They choose to outwardly to be circumcised, but in their hearts they choose to follow the dictates of their own desires and acted as depraved and ignorant of God as much as any of the surrounding peoples. It is just as important for us to be Christians in truth and action as it was for the Jews to trust and obey God with their hearts in the days of Jeremiah.
Lord,
Help me today to give my heart to You and put You first in my life over every and any other thing or person. Help me to be circumcised in my heart, obeying and following You in truth, deed, and action. Forgive me for thinking that doing certain things will mean I 'deserve' to be saved. Help me to reflect Your love to me on those around me, acting in ways that are representative of Your character.
Jeremiah 9:25-26 NKJV
Circumcision was required by God as representing the special relationship between God and His people. It made the followers of the true God different and distinct from the pagans and Gentiles. Anyone who wanted to join the Jews in worshipping God could be circumcised to show their decision to serve God was serious. As with any outward sign of loyalty to God, circumcision was of no value if the special relationship and obeying of the covenant with the Lord were not part of the heart of the person involved. Keeping the Sabbath, paying tithe, avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and unclean meats are for many Seventh Day Adventists an outward sign of loyalty to God, but when the heart does not have a true obedience to God that puts Him first over everything else in our lives, then all good things are as worthless as circumcision turned out to be for the people in Jeremiah's time. It must have made the Jews angry when Jeremiah lumped Judah in with Egypt, Edom, Ammon, and Moab; nations around them whom the Jews despised as Gentiles and heathens and worthless and deserving only to be annihilated. The Lord through Jeremiah told the Jews that they were no better and no more worthy than those peoples, because they were only physically circumcised, but in their hearts they were uncircumcised. The did not obey the covenant with God to write His law on their hearts and obey Him in all that they did. They did not live righteous lives that would be a witness of God's love and care to all the surrounding nations. God had called them for a special work of telling other nations of His love, they were to be a light to all peoples of the world. They choose to outwardly to be circumcised, but in their hearts they choose to follow the dictates of their own desires and acted as depraved and ignorant of God as much as any of the surrounding peoples. It is just as important for us to be Christians in truth and action as it was for the Jews to trust and obey God with their hearts in the days of Jeremiah.
Lord,
Help me today to give my heart to You and put You first in my life over every and any other thing or person. Help me to be circumcised in my heart, obeying and following You in truth, deed, and action. Forgive me for thinking that doing certain things will mean I 'deserve' to be saved. Help me to reflect Your love to me on those around me, acting in ways that are representative of Your character.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus says the LORD:
“ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 NKJV
We can think we have something that makes us somebody. So many people glory in their brains and lead empty lives. Solomon was given wisdom by God and when he came to glory in himself, he became corrupt and wicked. Many glory in their muscles and athletic ability and lead empty lives. Samson was given great physical strength by God, and he gloried in his strength and lost everything due to his weak character. Many glory in their riches and lead empty lives. The young man of Matthew 19 was given great wealth by God, and when he gloried in his riches he went away sorrowful, still grasping his money, but empty in his soul. The people of this earth glory in their might and power and wisdom and riches. God says that instead of the earthly riches and might and wisdom, we should glory in our relationship with Him. When we see and know and understand God and his character, and become a friend of God as Abram did, then we can be happy with His love and care for us. God exercises lovingkindness. He wants good things for each and blesses us with the little, and sometimes great joys, in our lives. He gives us salvation and peace in a turbulent world. He gives mercy and forgiveness to us sinners, frees us from the darkness of our hearts with His light, and sets our feet on the paths of life. He guides us with His words to truth and greater understandings of Himself. God is a God of judgment. Evil and lies are not allowed to be eternal. The God who is able to see all and know all will judge each of us and reward and punish each of us according to our acceptance of His gift of life or our denial of Him. God is righteous, He is fair. He deals mercifully with us, but each person has the same opportunities to step closer to God or to move away from Him. When we see the results and know all the facts, each will agree that God has acted righteously in His dealings with us. God delights in lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. Evil and wickedness and sin and oppression and hatred of good and love of might, riches, and wisdom will be burned in the cleansing fire of God's love. When the second chances and the third chances and all the other chances He gives us in His love are rejected, God will restore the earth to it's original creation state and in fairness reward and punish each of us. Men may make mistakes in our judgments, because we can be led astray by our wisdom, might, and riches. God, however, has all wisdom and all might and all riches and is not swayed from being righteous and loving, because His character is one of love. He delights to do right and He delights to give good gifts. Each of us can choose to understand and know Him, and He is faithful to allow us to come close to Him.
Lord,
Help me today to understand and know You. Help me to see your lovingkindness and judgment and righteousness on this earth and in my life. Lift my eyes from the darkness of my mind and fill me with Your light, so that I may reflect Your love to those around me. Heal me and forgive me. thank You for Your blessings of life. Help me to share those blessings with others that you put in my path.
“ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 NKJV
We can think we have something that makes us somebody. So many people glory in their brains and lead empty lives. Solomon was given wisdom by God and when he came to glory in himself, he became corrupt and wicked. Many glory in their muscles and athletic ability and lead empty lives. Samson was given great physical strength by God, and he gloried in his strength and lost everything due to his weak character. Many glory in their riches and lead empty lives. The young man of Matthew 19 was given great wealth by God, and when he gloried in his riches he went away sorrowful, still grasping his money, but empty in his soul. The people of this earth glory in their might and power and wisdom and riches. God says that instead of the earthly riches and might and wisdom, we should glory in our relationship with Him. When we see and know and understand God and his character, and become a friend of God as Abram did, then we can be happy with His love and care for us. God exercises lovingkindness. He wants good things for each and blesses us with the little, and sometimes great joys, in our lives. He gives us salvation and peace in a turbulent world. He gives mercy and forgiveness to us sinners, frees us from the darkness of our hearts with His light, and sets our feet on the paths of life. He guides us with His words to truth and greater understandings of Himself. God is a God of judgment. Evil and lies are not allowed to be eternal. The God who is able to see all and know all will judge each of us and reward and punish each of us according to our acceptance of His gift of life or our denial of Him. God is righteous, He is fair. He deals mercifully with us, but each person has the same opportunities to step closer to God or to move away from Him. When we see the results and know all the facts, each will agree that God has acted righteously in His dealings with us. God delights in lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. Evil and wickedness and sin and oppression and hatred of good and love of might, riches, and wisdom will be burned in the cleansing fire of God's love. When the second chances and the third chances and all the other chances He gives us in His love are rejected, God will restore the earth to it's original creation state and in fairness reward and punish each of us. Men may make mistakes in our judgments, because we can be led astray by our wisdom, might, and riches. God, however, has all wisdom and all might and all riches and is not swayed from being righteous and loving, because His character is one of love. He delights to do right and He delights to give good gifts. Each of us can choose to understand and know Him, and He is faithful to allow us to come close to Him.
Lord,
Help me today to understand and know You. Help me to see your lovingkindness and judgment and righteousness on this earth and in my life. Lift my eyes from the darkness of my mind and fill me with Your light, so that I may reflect Your love to those around me. Heal me and forgive me. thank You for Your blessings of life. Help me to share those blessings with others that you put in my path.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Jeremiah 9:17-22
17 Thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Consider and call for the mourning women,
That they may come;
And send for skillful wailing women,
That they may come.
18 Let them make haste
And take up a wailing for us,
That our eyes may run with tears,
And our eyelids gush with water.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion:
‘How we are plundered!
We are greatly ashamed,
Because we have forsaken the land,
Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’”
20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O women,
And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;
Teach your daughters wailing,
And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.
21 For death has come through our windows,
Has entered our palaces,
To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!
And the young men—no longer on the streets!
22 Speak, “Thus says the LORD:
‘Even the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on the open field,
Like cuttings after the harvester,
And no one shall gather them.’”
Jeremiah 9:17-22 NKJV
I do not relate to the hiring of mourners and the tumult that was evidently a norm for funerals in Judah at the time of Jeremiah and evidently through much of the time periods of the Bible. I am used to more quiet mourning in my culture. The people of Jeremiah's day could relate much better with the imagery of Jeremiah's words as he describes what should be the reaction to the messages of doom upon Judah. They should have been greatly ashamed because their sin and wickedness had removed God's protections and now death, calamity, and captivity was coming upon them. We too should mourn the coming judgment upon the wicked. Each day most of this world chooses to obey someone other than the true God.Destruction will be the final result if they do not turn and choose to follow God. This is a sad thought for me, but how much sadder it must be for the God who loves each one. The sadness and grief we feel at the unexpected loss of loved ones cannot compare to the grief and sadness God must feel for those who choose death over life. Yet He rejoices for each one who chooses life over death. His justice calls for death on all sinners, but His love and mercy calls for life for all who choose to accept His forgiveness and a new heart of love.
Lord,
Help me today to choose Your life. Help me to be Your servant to share Your love and word of Your salvation so that all may choose You. Give me the wisdom, strength, and power to fulfill Your mission in my life. Let me be Your hands and feet and share the blessing You have given me with those to whom You send me.
“Consider and call for the mourning women,
That they may come;
And send for skillful wailing women,
That they may come.
18 Let them make haste
And take up a wailing for us,
That our eyes may run with tears,
And our eyelids gush with water.
19 For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion:
‘How we are plundered!
We are greatly ashamed,
Because we have forsaken the land,
Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’”
20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O women,
And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;
Teach your daughters wailing,
And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.
21 For death has come through our windows,
Has entered our palaces,
To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!
And the young men—no longer on the streets!
22 Speak, “Thus says the LORD:
‘Even the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on the open field,
Like cuttings after the harvester,
And no one shall gather them.’”
Jeremiah 9:17-22 NKJV
I do not relate to the hiring of mourners and the tumult that was evidently a norm for funerals in Judah at the time of Jeremiah and evidently through much of the time periods of the Bible. I am used to more quiet mourning in my culture. The people of Jeremiah's day could relate much better with the imagery of Jeremiah's words as he describes what should be the reaction to the messages of doom upon Judah. They should have been greatly ashamed because their sin and wickedness had removed God's protections and now death, calamity, and captivity was coming upon them. We too should mourn the coming judgment upon the wicked. Each day most of this world chooses to obey someone other than the true God.Destruction will be the final result if they do not turn and choose to follow God. This is a sad thought for me, but how much sadder it must be for the God who loves each one. The sadness and grief we feel at the unexpected loss of loved ones cannot compare to the grief and sadness God must feel for those who choose death over life. Yet He rejoices for each one who chooses life over death. His justice calls for death on all sinners, but His love and mercy calls for life for all who choose to accept His forgiveness and a new heart of love.
Lord,
Help me today to choose Your life. Help me to be Your servant to share Your love and word of Your salvation so that all may choose You. Give me the wisdom, strength, and power to fulfill Your mission in my life. Let me be Your hands and feet and share the blessing You have given me with those to whom You send me.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Jeremiah 9:12-16
12 Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through? 13 And the LORD said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, 14 but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them,” 15 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. 16 I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send a sword after them until I have consumed them.”
Jeremiah 9:12-16 NKJV
Why does the land perish? Jeremiah asked that about his land and we can today ask why our land perishes. The LORD gives the answer and the wise will understand it. The LORD says the land perishes because we forsake His law and do not obey His voice. We follow the dictates and desires of our own hearts and worship false gods to our destruction. Worship of false gods and ignoring the law and voice of the true God is like eating and drinking poison. Wormwood and gall were poisonous plants found in Palestine, and eating and drinking them would have been as good for the people as the trusting in the false spiritual hopes of Baal and the other false gods that the people loved. They would be scattered until they were consumed. It is the same for me today. Should I choose to follow the dictates of my own heart and ignore the law and voice of God, I too will be eating and drinking bitter poison that leads to my destruction. Jesus died for my sins, he will heal me of the poison that I have eaten and that I have drunk. If I go and eat more poison and do not accept His healing, then I will die. Jesus wants to feed me the sweet food of His word and remove the bitterness of my selfishness from me, replacing the poison of following my own desires with the joy of following His paths. It is my choice, will I choose as the people did in Jeremiah's day and be scattered to destruction, or will I choose to walk in the healing and love of God, obeying His law and His voice?
Lord,
Help me today to choose to walk in Your law and listen and obey Your voice. Too often I think I can do everything on my own and handle all problems and temptations without You. When I choose to eat the poison of selfishness, I ask for Your healing. Replace the bitterness of the results of my bad decisions with peace and a desire to obey You in whatever path You lead me.
Jeremiah 9:12-16 NKJV
Why does the land perish? Jeremiah asked that about his land and we can today ask why our land perishes. The LORD gives the answer and the wise will understand it. The LORD says the land perishes because we forsake His law and do not obey His voice. We follow the dictates and desires of our own hearts and worship false gods to our destruction. Worship of false gods and ignoring the law and voice of the true God is like eating and drinking poison. Wormwood and gall were poisonous plants found in Palestine, and eating and drinking them would have been as good for the people as the trusting in the false spiritual hopes of Baal and the other false gods that the people loved. They would be scattered until they were consumed. It is the same for me today. Should I choose to follow the dictates of my own heart and ignore the law and voice of God, I too will be eating and drinking bitter poison that leads to my destruction. Jesus died for my sins, he will heal me of the poison that I have eaten and that I have drunk. If I go and eat more poison and do not accept His healing, then I will die. Jesus wants to feed me the sweet food of His word and remove the bitterness of my selfishness from me, replacing the poison of following my own desires with the joy of following His paths. It is my choice, will I choose as the people did in Jeremiah's day and be scattered to destruction, or will I choose to walk in the healing and love of God, obeying His law and His voice?
Lord,
Help me today to choose to walk in Your law and listen and obey Your voice. Too often I think I can do everything on my own and handle all problems and temptations without You. When I choose to eat the poison of selfishness, I ask for Your healing. Replace the bitterness of the results of my bad decisions with peace and a desire to obey You in whatever path You lead me.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Jeremiah 9:2-11
2 Oh, that I had in the wilderness
A lodging place for travelers;
That I might leave my people,
And go from them!
For they are all adulterers,
An assembly of treacherous men.
3 “And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies.
They are not valiant for the truth on the earth.
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” says the LORD.
4 “Everyone take heed to his neighbor,
And do not trust any brother;
For every brother will utterly supplant,
And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor,
And will not speak the truth;
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the LORD.
7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Behold, I will refine them and try them;
For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out;
It speaks deceit;
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
But in his heart he lies in wait.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the LORD.
“Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”
10 I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains,
And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation,
Because they are burned up,
So that no one can pass through;
Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle.
Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled;
They are gone.
11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of jackals.
I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.”
Jeremiah 9:2-11 NKJV
One of the major sins in Jeremiah's day is also one of the main sins we see today. Dishonesty. Sin on this earth began with the serpent lying to Eve in Eden and all sin is abetted and supported by dishonesty. We lie to God and we lie to our families and neighbors and we lie to the authorities and to strangers. We even lie to ourselves, or perhaps we lie the most to ourselves. It is not hard to imagine that if everyone tells the truth then trustful relationships would be possible and preferred to the distrust that most operate under today. Honesty and integrity in all aspects of ones life are to be desired, and when it is trusted that someone else has these qualities, then it is possible to can rely on them in all circumstances. Unfortunately, we have learned that most people are willing to lie when they think it is in their best interests to do so, and they often think a lie is best for them. Therefore we do not trust each other. Many even seem to take pride in their ability to deceive others and trick and scam to get the things they want or to avoid the consequences of the mistakes they make. Jesus said "I am the truth" and Deuteronomy 32:4 says that God is "A God of truth and without injustice". When we choose to be dishonest and deceitful and walk among slanderers and dwell in the midst of deceit, we cut ourselves off from God. In God is truth, away from God are lies. Lies are not acceptable in God's presence, His glory will burn the lies and that which embraces them. Jeremiah warned that no one could trust their brother or their neighbor, because they only spoke lies and deceit. The Lord said He would try them and refine them, their lies would be consumed by the truth in His judgment, and they would be punished for their lies. So too will all men be accountable for their dishonesty. I can be honest and speak truth as I wish others would speak truth to me, or I can walk in the tangled webs of deceit and lies as far too many do with eternal destruction as my reward. God makes it clear that only those who are in the truth and who speak truth will be able to accept His salvation. In Jeremiah's day everyone spoke lies and lived in deceit, I can today choose to walk in truth and speak truth.
Lord,
Help me today to be honest in all my words and actions. Help me to speak truth and help me to listen and understand the truth You speak to me. Lies seem to come naturally to my mind as I think I will gain something from them. Take these lies away from my thoughts and replace them with the truth and give me integrity to follow your example in being honest in all things.
A lodging place for travelers;
That I might leave my people,
And go from them!
For they are all adulterers,
An assembly of treacherous men.
3 “And like their bow they have bent their tongues for lies.
They are not valiant for the truth on the earth.
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me,” says the LORD.
4 “Everyone take heed to his neighbor,
And do not trust any brother;
For every brother will utterly supplant,
And every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
5 Everyone will deceive his neighbor,
And will not speak the truth;
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit;
Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” says the LORD.
7 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts:
“Behold, I will refine them and try them;
For how shall I deal with the daughter of My people?
8 Their tongue is an arrow shot out;
It speaks deceit;
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
But in his heart he lies in wait.
9 Shall I not punish them for these things?” says the LORD.
“Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”
10 I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains,
And for the dwelling places of the wilderness a lamentation,
Because they are burned up,
So that no one can pass through;
Nor can men hear the voice of the cattle.
Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled;
They are gone.
11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of jackals.
I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.”
Jeremiah 9:2-11 NKJV
One of the major sins in Jeremiah's day is also one of the main sins we see today. Dishonesty. Sin on this earth began with the serpent lying to Eve in Eden and all sin is abetted and supported by dishonesty. We lie to God and we lie to our families and neighbors and we lie to the authorities and to strangers. We even lie to ourselves, or perhaps we lie the most to ourselves. It is not hard to imagine that if everyone tells the truth then trustful relationships would be possible and preferred to the distrust that most operate under today. Honesty and integrity in all aspects of ones life are to be desired, and when it is trusted that someone else has these qualities, then it is possible to can rely on them in all circumstances. Unfortunately, we have learned that most people are willing to lie when they think it is in their best interests to do so, and they often think a lie is best for them. Therefore we do not trust each other. Many even seem to take pride in their ability to deceive others and trick and scam to get the things they want or to avoid the consequences of the mistakes they make. Jesus said "I am the truth" and Deuteronomy 32:4 says that God is "A God of truth and without injustice". When we choose to be dishonest and deceitful and walk among slanderers and dwell in the midst of deceit, we cut ourselves off from God. In God is truth, away from God are lies. Lies are not acceptable in God's presence, His glory will burn the lies and that which embraces them. Jeremiah warned that no one could trust their brother or their neighbor, because they only spoke lies and deceit. The Lord said He would try them and refine them, their lies would be consumed by the truth in His judgment, and they would be punished for their lies. So too will all men be accountable for their dishonesty. I can be honest and speak truth as I wish others would speak truth to me, or I can walk in the tangled webs of deceit and lies as far too many do with eternal destruction as my reward. God makes it clear that only those who are in the truth and who speak truth will be able to accept His salvation. In Jeremiah's day everyone spoke lies and lived in deceit, I can today choose to walk in truth and speak truth.
Lord,
Help me today to be honest in all my words and actions. Help me to speak truth and help me to listen and understand the truth You speak to me. Lies seem to come naturally to my mind as I think I will gain something from them. Take these lies away from my thoughts and replace them with the truth and give me integrity to follow your example in being honest in all things.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Jeremiah 9:1
1 Oh, that my head were waters,
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
Jeremiah 9:1 NKJV
One can certainly relate to the feeling Jeremiah had as he saw the fate of his people in Judah. As Jeremiah makes clear in the next few verses, he knew that the fate of the Jews was fair and deserved. Yet, he could mourn for the suffering he knew was coming upon the people. We too can mourn as we see the suffering of humanity today. Suffering is sometimes perpetuated on the innocent and mourning is certainly appropriate for us in those circumstances. Other times suffering is brought about by unwise choices by the recipient of the suffering. How many times do I choose something because it seems good to me or because I am angry or because I convince myself I am tired of doing the 'right' thing and end up suffering through poor health or broken relationships or worse. It is appropriate for us to mourn the suffering for the suffering sake. Many will follow their choice to deny God to their eternal destruction. We can mourn the lost potential of those who for whatever reason make choices to turn away from the Lifegiver and turn to Satan, who desires to destroy them. Jeremiah wished to weep day and night for those who deliberately turned their backs on the God who worked tirelessly to save them. How God must weep at the choices we make. And how He rejoices when we allow Him to come into our hearts and wash us clean. How we also can weep as loved ones turn away from God, and how we also can rejoice when they come back to His family. Jeremiah would weep a fountain of tears, but still he would do the task of warning that God set before him. The mourning for the future destruction of his people would not prevent Jeremiah from being faithful to the job given him to spread God's true message.
Lord,
Help me today to be faithful to You in all that I do. Help me to recognize the and mourn the suffering of those around me. Help me to comfort those who need to be comforted and help me to interact with all using Your Spirit of compassion and wisdom. Thank You for the wisdom and strength You give me today, please give me a heart willing to serve You.
And my eyes a fountain of tears,
That I might weep day and night
For the slain of the daughter of my people!
Jeremiah 9:1 NKJV
One can certainly relate to the feeling Jeremiah had as he saw the fate of his people in Judah. As Jeremiah makes clear in the next few verses, he knew that the fate of the Jews was fair and deserved. Yet, he could mourn for the suffering he knew was coming upon the people. We too can mourn as we see the suffering of humanity today. Suffering is sometimes perpetuated on the innocent and mourning is certainly appropriate for us in those circumstances. Other times suffering is brought about by unwise choices by the recipient of the suffering. How many times do I choose something because it seems good to me or because I am angry or because I convince myself I am tired of doing the 'right' thing and end up suffering through poor health or broken relationships or worse. It is appropriate for us to mourn the suffering for the suffering sake. Many will follow their choice to deny God to their eternal destruction. We can mourn the lost potential of those who for whatever reason make choices to turn away from the Lifegiver and turn to Satan, who desires to destroy them. Jeremiah wished to weep day and night for those who deliberately turned their backs on the God who worked tirelessly to save them. How God must weep at the choices we make. And how He rejoices when we allow Him to come into our hearts and wash us clean. How we also can weep as loved ones turn away from God, and how we also can rejoice when they come back to His family. Jeremiah would weep a fountain of tears, but still he would do the task of warning that God set before him. The mourning for the future destruction of his people would not prevent Jeremiah from being faithful to the job given him to spread God's true message.
Lord,
Help me today to be faithful to You in all that I do. Help me to recognize the and mourn the suffering of those around me. Help me to comfort those who need to be comforted and help me to interact with all using Your Spirit of compassion and wisdom. Thank You for the wisdom and strength You give me today, please give me a heart willing to serve You.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Jeremiah 8:18-22
18 I would comfort myself in sorrow;
My heart is faint in me.
19 Listen! The voice,
The cry of the daughter of my people
From a far country:
“Is not the LORD in Zion?
Is not her King in her?”
“Why have they provoked Me to anger
With their carved images—
With foreign idols?”
20 “The harvest is past,
The summer is ended,
And we are not saved!”
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.
I am mourning;
Astonishment has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead,
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery
For the health of the daughter of my people?
Jeremiah 8:18-22 NKJV
People often try to make others think that they 'can feel your pain'. While this seems to usually be a ploy of pretended sympathy, it is clear that Jeremiah suffers for the sake of the nation of Judah and it's people. He sees their future and he hears their cries of distress from their future captivity. He asks, 'Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?' Where is God while the people suffer? God answers Jeremiah with a defense. The people have chosen. They decided to rely on false gods, carved images made with their own hands, for their salvation. They have chosen to rely upon themselves and their own strength and ignore the words spoken to them by the Lord through His prophets. They refuse to repent, they refuse to obey He who they claim is their God.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. A sad lament of despair. Jeremiah sees that the doom of Judah is sealed, there is no hope. The time when the people would have been able to reap the harvest of faithfulness to God in peace and prosperity are gone. They have wasted the period of time where repentance and a turning of their hearts to serve God would have allowed the nation of Judah to be saved from the armies coming upon them to destroy and enslave. Now winter is setting in, there will be no reprieve from the fate they have chosen for themselves. Jeremiah hurts for them, he mourns for what could have been and is astonished at their path they have chosen.
Jeremiah asks if a means of healing was available to them. Was there not a physician and medicine to heal them? Yes, healing was available to them, God wanted to heal and to save them. God wanted to reach out and turn back the invading enemies and draw His people close to Himself. God wanted to rub the balm of forgiveness on their wounds for their healing, to refresh their spirit with His peace. They refused His healing touch, choosing instead to attempt to heal themselves and to rely on sticks and stones to strengthen them. Why was there no recovery of health for Judah? They had turned their backs on the Physician and refused His medicine.
Lord,
Help me today to allow You to heal my broken life. I am tempted to rely upon myself and elevate people or things to an position of prominence above You. Help me to consider Your love and mercy and saving grace for me each moment of today. Help me to accept Your medicine to mend my wounds and Your Spirit to renew me in Your love. Help me to allow You to use me in whatever small way You think is best to tend to those around me who are hurting and sick. Give me sympathy for my fellow travelers in their distress. Thank You for Your healing hands and Your gift of life.
My heart is faint in me.
19 Listen! The voice,
The cry of the daughter of my people
From a far country:
“Is not the LORD in Zion?
Is not her King in her?”
“Why have they provoked Me to anger
With their carved images—
With foreign idols?”
20 “The harvest is past,
The summer is ended,
And we are not saved!”
21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt.
I am mourning;
Astonishment has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead,
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery
For the health of the daughter of my people?
Jeremiah 8:18-22 NKJV
People often try to make others think that they 'can feel your pain'. While this seems to usually be a ploy of pretended sympathy, it is clear that Jeremiah suffers for the sake of the nation of Judah and it's people. He sees their future and he hears their cries of distress from their future captivity. He asks, 'Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?' Where is God while the people suffer? God answers Jeremiah with a defense. The people have chosen. They decided to rely on false gods, carved images made with their own hands, for their salvation. They have chosen to rely upon themselves and their own strength and ignore the words spoken to them by the Lord through His prophets. They refuse to repent, they refuse to obey He who they claim is their God.
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. A sad lament of despair. Jeremiah sees that the doom of Judah is sealed, there is no hope. The time when the people would have been able to reap the harvest of faithfulness to God in peace and prosperity are gone. They have wasted the period of time where repentance and a turning of their hearts to serve God would have allowed the nation of Judah to be saved from the armies coming upon them to destroy and enslave. Now winter is setting in, there will be no reprieve from the fate they have chosen for themselves. Jeremiah hurts for them, he mourns for what could have been and is astonished at their path they have chosen.
Jeremiah asks if a means of healing was available to them. Was there not a physician and medicine to heal them? Yes, healing was available to them, God wanted to heal and to save them. God wanted to reach out and turn back the invading enemies and draw His people close to Himself. God wanted to rub the balm of forgiveness on their wounds for their healing, to refresh their spirit with His peace. They refused His healing touch, choosing instead to attempt to heal themselves and to rely on sticks and stones to strengthen them. Why was there no recovery of health for Judah? They had turned their backs on the Physician and refused His medicine.
Lord,
Help me today to allow You to heal my broken life. I am tempted to rely upon myself and elevate people or things to an position of prominence above You. Help me to consider Your love and mercy and saving grace for me each moment of today. Help me to accept Your medicine to mend my wounds and Your Spirit to renew me in Your love. Help me to allow You to use me in whatever small way You think is best to tend to those around me who are hurting and sick. Give me sympathy for my fellow travelers in their distress. Thank You for Your healing hands and Your gift of life.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Jeremiah 8:11-17
11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’
When there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed,
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
In the time of their punishment
They shall be cast down,” says the LORD.
13 “I will surely consume them,” says the LORD.
“No grapes shall be on the vine,
Nor figs on the fig tree,
And the leaf shall fade;
And the things I have given them shall pass away from them.”’”
14 “Why do we sit still?
Assemble yourselves,
And let us enter the fortified cities,
And let us be silent there.
For the LORD our God has put us to silence
And given us water of gall to drink,
Because we have sinned against the LORD.
15 “We looked for peace, but no good came;
And for a time of health, and there was trouble!
16 The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan.
The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones;
For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it,
The city and those who dwell in it.”
17 “For behold, I will send serpents among you,
Vipers which cannot be charmed,
And they shall bite you,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:11-17 NKJV
When their sin is pointed out to them, the Jews were not ashamed. They were not ashamed at all. Too often today that is the case with this world. People are not ashamed at the wicked things they say and do, but seem to be proud that they are wicked. While shame itself does not guarantee repentance, there will be shame and guilt when I recognize that I have failed. David expressed his guilt when he committed adultery and murder and begged God to remove his guilt from Him. David recognized his sin and admitted it and begged the forgiveness of God (Psalm 51.) So should the Jews of Jeremiah's day have admitted their sins and sought God's forgiveness. Then they could have like David called to God for a clean heart and a renewed spirit that they would be in harmony with God's way. (Psalm 51:10) Instead the Jews were unashamed of their evil and continued to walk in the path of their own choosing, doing the things their wicked hearts desired. They were a fruitless people, barren of grape or fig, withering leaves without life. God desired that they would forgo their wickedness, accept His forgiveness and healing, and speak words of hope to the nations around. Instead they proudly matched the evil of the pagan nations with the evil of their own hearts. As the destruction of their choices comes upon them from the north, they look for peace and health. They desire God's gifts to keep them safe from their enemies, but have rejected God and thus rejected His gifts of peace and healing. God is letting their enemies come upon them to destroy them. They have chosen between God and false gods, putting their trust in the false gods. Now their healing will have to be provided from the false gods. I too am tempted to rely upon the false gods of the world in which I live. Instead of trusting in earthly relationships or trusting in men to save me, I need to rely upon the God of heaven to forgive and cleanse me and save me. Jesus offers me every good thing, I must accept Him and His rule in my heart.
Lord,
Help me to truly repent of my wickedness and allow you to cleanse me and create a new heart within me. Wash my life of all sin and free me from the wicked desires of my nature, so that I can walk in harmony with Your love on the path You set before me. Guide my desires so that I will forever choose to act and talk and think as You would have me. I know You force nothing upon me, but there will be a result for each choice I make that will be in harmony with the choice. Help me to chose You and help me to obey Your word, so that my character will become like Your character.
Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’
When there is no peace.
12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed,
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
In the time of their punishment
They shall be cast down,” says the LORD.
13 “I will surely consume them,” says the LORD.
“No grapes shall be on the vine,
Nor figs on the fig tree,
And the leaf shall fade;
And the things I have given them shall pass away from them.”’”
14 “Why do we sit still?
Assemble yourselves,
And let us enter the fortified cities,
And let us be silent there.
For the LORD our God has put us to silence
And given us water of gall to drink,
Because we have sinned against the LORD.
15 “We looked for peace, but no good came;
And for a time of health, and there was trouble!
16 The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan.
The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones;
For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it,
The city and those who dwell in it.”
17 “For behold, I will send serpents among you,
Vipers which cannot be charmed,
And they shall bite you,” says the LORD.
Jeremiah 8:11-17 NKJV
When their sin is pointed out to them, the Jews were not ashamed. They were not ashamed at all. Too often today that is the case with this world. People are not ashamed at the wicked things they say and do, but seem to be proud that they are wicked. While shame itself does not guarantee repentance, there will be shame and guilt when I recognize that I have failed. David expressed his guilt when he committed adultery and murder and begged God to remove his guilt from Him. David recognized his sin and admitted it and begged the forgiveness of God (Psalm 51.) So should the Jews of Jeremiah's day have admitted their sins and sought God's forgiveness. Then they could have like David called to God for a clean heart and a renewed spirit that they would be in harmony with God's way. (Psalm 51:10) Instead the Jews were unashamed of their evil and continued to walk in the path of their own choosing, doing the things their wicked hearts desired. They were a fruitless people, barren of grape or fig, withering leaves without life. God desired that they would forgo their wickedness, accept His forgiveness and healing, and speak words of hope to the nations around. Instead they proudly matched the evil of the pagan nations with the evil of their own hearts. As the destruction of their choices comes upon them from the north, they look for peace and health. They desire God's gifts to keep them safe from their enemies, but have rejected God and thus rejected His gifts of peace and healing. God is letting their enemies come upon them to destroy them. They have chosen between God and false gods, putting their trust in the false gods. Now their healing will have to be provided from the false gods. I too am tempted to rely upon the false gods of the world in which I live. Instead of trusting in earthly relationships or trusting in men to save me, I need to rely upon the God of heaven to forgive and cleanse me and save me. Jesus offers me every good thing, I must accept Him and His rule in my heart.
Lord,
Help me to truly repent of my wickedness and allow you to cleanse me and create a new heart within me. Wash my life of all sin and free me from the wicked desires of my nature, so that I can walk in harmony with Your love on the path You set before me. Guide my desires so that I will forever choose to act and talk and think as You would have me. I know You force nothing upon me, but there will be a result for each choice I make that will be in harmony with the choice. Help me to chose You and help me to obey Your word, so that my character will become like Your character.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Jeremiah 8:10
10 Therefore I will give their wives to others,
And their fields to those who will inherit them;
Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is given to covetousness;
From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 8:10 NKJV
Another look at the spiritual condition of Judah in the days of Jeremiah is given in this text. God justifies His punishment of the people because of their basic dishonesty and covetousness. This is not the only reason God will give through His prophets as justification for the fate of His people, but it is a basic sign of their character and way of life that shows their utter lack of desire to do what is right. Covetousness is a foundation of much evil. I desire the things that someone else has and I kill, lie, cheat, and do anything to acquire them from that person instead of earning them on my own. In the culture of Judah, family and land were two of the things held in highest regard by the people both common and great. God warned that because of their dishonesty in dealings for both their wives and their fields, He would take both away and give them to others. How often do I think I need something that someone else has and plot and scheme and maybe even lie or cheat to try and attain them, only to lose not only the thing I work to get by dishonest means, but also lose things I had before I started. For a time perhaps it will appear that I am getting ahead, then caught by my own traps, I lose all that I hold dear. Truth is God's ideal for me, truth in the things I do and say and even in the things I think. Lies are like the sand of Jesus' story, not a foundation worth building a life on. Lies are always shifting and moving and are unsteady. Often lies only serve to fool oneself more than they fool others around you. It is better to build ones character on the truth of Jesus, rock solid without worries about remembering the last thing you said or did and trying to come up with yet another explanation to avoid the troubles falling on you. God wanted His people to live their lives based on truth and contentment with His blessings, and desires the same for me today.
Lord,
Help me to allow You to take away my covetousness. Help me to have your truth rule my life, to forgo the temptations to lie or deal falsely with others. Give me the integrity of Your law and way, so that I may deal honestly with myself, those around me, and You.
And their fields to those who will inherit them;
Because from the least even to the greatest
Everyone is given to covetousness;
From the prophet even to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 8:10 NKJV
Another look at the spiritual condition of Judah in the days of Jeremiah is given in this text. God justifies His punishment of the people because of their basic dishonesty and covetousness. This is not the only reason God will give through His prophets as justification for the fate of His people, but it is a basic sign of their character and way of life that shows their utter lack of desire to do what is right. Covetousness is a foundation of much evil. I desire the things that someone else has and I kill, lie, cheat, and do anything to acquire them from that person instead of earning them on my own. In the culture of Judah, family and land were two of the things held in highest regard by the people both common and great. God warned that because of their dishonesty in dealings for both their wives and their fields, He would take both away and give them to others. How often do I think I need something that someone else has and plot and scheme and maybe even lie or cheat to try and attain them, only to lose not only the thing I work to get by dishonest means, but also lose things I had before I started. For a time perhaps it will appear that I am getting ahead, then caught by my own traps, I lose all that I hold dear. Truth is God's ideal for me, truth in the things I do and say and even in the things I think. Lies are like the sand of Jesus' story, not a foundation worth building a life on. Lies are always shifting and moving and are unsteady. Often lies only serve to fool oneself more than they fool others around you. It is better to build ones character on the truth of Jesus, rock solid without worries about remembering the last thing you said or did and trying to come up with yet another explanation to avoid the troubles falling on you. God wanted His people to live their lives based on truth and contentment with His blessings, and desires the same for me today.
Lord,
Help me to allow You to take away my covetousness. Help me to have your truth rule my life, to forgo the temptations to lie or deal falsely with others. Give me the integrity of Your law and way, so that I may deal honestly with myself, those around me, and You.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Jeremiah 8:7-9
7 “Even the stork in the heavens
Knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming.
But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.
8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,
And the law of the LORD is with us’?
Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
9 The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD;
So what wisdom do they have?
Jeremiah 8:7-9 NKJV
The created migrants know when to make their trips from one area of living to the next. When the correct time comes, they leave their home and go to their other home. Then, when the correct time rolls back around, they switch homes again. God compares us to these creatures. The time of God's judgment is here, but we do not know it. We continue to live our lives the way we want, doing what seems good to ourselves and thinking only of ourselves and how things affect us. We think we are wise and we say that we obey the law of God. Yet, like the young man of Matthew 19:16-22, we hold back the things of ourselves that are most important to us. We refuse to let God have all of us, we put something else before Him, and that becomes our god. When we are clearly presented through God's word that we are putting something in place of God and we refuse to surrender that thing to the control of God, then we, like Judah in the days of Jeremiah, are worshipping false gods. I can think I am so much better than the sinners of Jeremiah's day, but when I cherish something more than I love God, then I am doing exactly as they did and I will fall the same as they fell. I am so thankful that Jesus will release me from this bondage of perverse desires. Freedom is offered to me, I must accept it and glory in His love and forgiveness or my fate will be destruction in separation from God.
Wise men are ashamed in their wisdom, because despite how smart a person is, without the wisdom of God in our hearts, we are foolish. God gives us wisdom in His word, in His written word and in His natural word. The Spirit speaks His word to our hearts. If we reject His word, then what wisdom do we have? It is clear that we have no wisdom. We give up all that is good so that we can wallow in the filth of things that destroy us, all the while telling ourselves we are happy or that we cannot help doing things our own way. We turn to others to give us validation that the wickedness that we love so much is really goodness. God's word gives us the truth and shows us what true goodness and true love are. If we prefer to read the works of the false pens of scribes that write things that sooth our ears and justify our wrongness, then we have fallen for the falsehood that these agents of Satan create. God has given us His word to show us the correct way. We need Him to impart His word to us, and we need to open our hearts to accept His word, repent of our wrongness, and begin to walk on God's path that will lead to our happiness.
Lord,
Help me today to give up my foolishness and take the wisdom You offer to me. Help me to listen to Your words, and help me to look only to You for the knowledge of what is right. There are many things to distract me, help me to absorb the truth that You shower upon me today.
Knows her appointed times;
And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow
Observe the time of their coming.
But My people do not know the judgment of the LORD.
8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,
And the law of the LORD is with us’?
Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.
9 The wise men are ashamed,
They are dismayed and taken.
Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD;
So what wisdom do they have?
Jeremiah 8:7-9 NKJV
The created migrants know when to make their trips from one area of living to the next. When the correct time comes, they leave their home and go to their other home. Then, when the correct time rolls back around, they switch homes again. God compares us to these creatures. The time of God's judgment is here, but we do not know it. We continue to live our lives the way we want, doing what seems good to ourselves and thinking only of ourselves and how things affect us. We think we are wise and we say that we obey the law of God. Yet, like the young man of Matthew 19:16-22, we hold back the things of ourselves that are most important to us. We refuse to let God have all of us, we put something else before Him, and that becomes our god. When we are clearly presented through God's word that we are putting something in place of God and we refuse to surrender that thing to the control of God, then we, like Judah in the days of Jeremiah, are worshipping false gods. I can think I am so much better than the sinners of Jeremiah's day, but when I cherish something more than I love God, then I am doing exactly as they did and I will fall the same as they fell. I am so thankful that Jesus will release me from this bondage of perverse desires. Freedom is offered to me, I must accept it and glory in His love and forgiveness or my fate will be destruction in separation from God.
Wise men are ashamed in their wisdom, because despite how smart a person is, without the wisdom of God in our hearts, we are foolish. God gives us wisdom in His word, in His written word and in His natural word. The Spirit speaks His word to our hearts. If we reject His word, then what wisdom do we have? It is clear that we have no wisdom. We give up all that is good so that we can wallow in the filth of things that destroy us, all the while telling ourselves we are happy or that we cannot help doing things our own way. We turn to others to give us validation that the wickedness that we love so much is really goodness. God's word gives us the truth and shows us what true goodness and true love are. If we prefer to read the works of the false pens of scribes that write things that sooth our ears and justify our wrongness, then we have fallen for the falsehood that these agents of Satan create. God has given us His word to show us the correct way. We need Him to impart His word to us, and we need to open our hearts to accept His word, repent of our wrongness, and begin to walk on God's path that will lead to our happiness.
Lord,
Help me today to give up my foolishness and take the wisdom You offer to me. Help me to listen to Your words, and help me to look only to You for the knowledge of what is right. There are many things to distract me, help me to absorb the truth that You shower upon me today.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Jeremiah 8:4-6
4 “Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD:
“Will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away and not return?
5 Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return.
6 I listened and heard,
But they do not speak aright.
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
As the horse rushes into the battle.
Jeremiah 8:4-6 NKJV
God's people have fallen, but they do not try to get up. They have turned away from God, but they do not try to turn back to Him. God asks why they are in a perpetual backsliding. The lies that the people want to believe, they hold fast to. They choose to stay away from God, refusing the call of the Lord to come to Him and be healed. God says He listens, but they do not speak rightly. They do not repent of their sins and wickedness, but each continues on his own course, letting nothing stop them as they rush to their destruction. God continuously warns them and calls them, and He likewise calls me and warns me. When I stubbornly hold onto my sin, I am also like the horse rushing to battle. My fate is certain unless I return and repent and follow the way the Lord sets before me. I cannot hold onto my sin and have the relationship with God that will allow me to accept the gifts that Jesus wants to give me. I cannot turn my back on Him and walk with Him. When I fall, I need to get up. Like the young one learning to walk, I have to struggle to my feet when I find I have lost my balance and fallen. If I am content to lay on the ground, I will never be able to walk or run. I have to get up. It is the same in my spiritual life. When I fall, I have to get up. I can put my hand in the hand of Jesus and steady myself as I walk along with Him, using His strength to balance myself as temptations and trials push and buffet me. When I think I am strong and let go of His hand, I fall. Jesus holds His hand down towards me. He will not force me to take His hand, but His voice encourages me. If I like being on the ground or if I get discouraged and refuse His help, I struggle to get up, but I fail. When I take His hand again in mine and use His strength, I struggle and pull and I am on my feet again. I am growing and getting stronger. I learn to walk and perhaps I learn to run. Yet I always need to hold your hand, for the winds of temptation are strong and the obstacles in my path seem to be many. I seem to be continuously wanting to go my own way, and end up falling or being knocked down. Jesus is always there, hand held towards me and with an encouraging word for me. I take His hand and I can stand again and once more walk with Him.
Lord,
Help me today to take Your hand and struggle to my feet whenever I fall. I am weak and unsteady. I need You to be with me so I can hold onto you. Help me to accept Your forgiveness and help me to not allow discouragement to cause me to stay down and not try to get up. You promise me growth when I trust in You to walk with You. Help me today to walk with You as You lead me in the paths before me. Help me to allow Your peace to come into my heart and drive away the discouragement. I can stand with You, help me to hold onto You.
“Will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away and not return?
5 Why has this people slidden back,
Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
They refuse to return.
6 I listened and heard,
But they do not speak aright.
No man repented of his wickedness,
Saying, ‘What have I done?’
Everyone turned to his own course,
As the horse rushes into the battle.
Jeremiah 8:4-6 NKJV
God's people have fallen, but they do not try to get up. They have turned away from God, but they do not try to turn back to Him. God asks why they are in a perpetual backsliding. The lies that the people want to believe, they hold fast to. They choose to stay away from God, refusing the call of the Lord to come to Him and be healed. God says He listens, but they do not speak rightly. They do not repent of their sins and wickedness, but each continues on his own course, letting nothing stop them as they rush to their destruction. God continuously warns them and calls them, and He likewise calls me and warns me. When I stubbornly hold onto my sin, I am also like the horse rushing to battle. My fate is certain unless I return and repent and follow the way the Lord sets before me. I cannot hold onto my sin and have the relationship with God that will allow me to accept the gifts that Jesus wants to give me. I cannot turn my back on Him and walk with Him. When I fall, I need to get up. Like the young one learning to walk, I have to struggle to my feet when I find I have lost my balance and fallen. If I am content to lay on the ground, I will never be able to walk or run. I have to get up. It is the same in my spiritual life. When I fall, I have to get up. I can put my hand in the hand of Jesus and steady myself as I walk along with Him, using His strength to balance myself as temptations and trials push and buffet me. When I think I am strong and let go of His hand, I fall. Jesus holds His hand down towards me. He will not force me to take His hand, but His voice encourages me. If I like being on the ground or if I get discouraged and refuse His help, I struggle to get up, but I fail. When I take His hand again in mine and use His strength, I struggle and pull and I am on my feet again. I am growing and getting stronger. I learn to walk and perhaps I learn to run. Yet I always need to hold your hand, for the winds of temptation are strong and the obstacles in my path seem to be many. I seem to be continuously wanting to go my own way, and end up falling or being knocked down. Jesus is always there, hand held towards me and with an encouraging word for me. I take His hand and I can stand again and once more walk with Him.
Lord,
Help me today to take Your hand and struggle to my feet whenever I fall. I am weak and unsteady. I need You to be with me so I can hold onto you. Help me to accept Your forgiveness and help me to not allow discouragement to cause me to stay down and not try to get up. You promise me growth when I trust in You to walk with You. Help me today to walk with You as You lead me in the paths before me. Help me to allow Your peace to come into my heart and drive away the discouragement. I can stand with You, help me to hold onto You.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Jeremiah 8:1-3
1 “At that time,” says the LORD, “they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves. 2 They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth. 3 Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the LORD of hosts.
Jeremiah 8:1-3 NKJV
Why would anyone take the bones of the people out of their graves? It is perhaps symbolic of the futility of the false worship of nature. Worship of the sun, moon, and other heavenly objects was evidently widespread and engaged in by the leaders, both national and religious. By desecrating the remains of those who worshipped these natural objects, the inability of the sun or moon or planets or stars to offer any help or saving would be shown. The people of Judah served and walked after and sought after and worshipped these natural objects, things made by God for their blessing and enjoyment. Instead of thanking their God for His creation, they thanked the creation and worshipped it. How often do I look to the blessings that God gives me and hold the blessing in higher esteem than my God who gives it to me? Do I look at my wife and her beauty and do things to win her favor and neglect to serve God? Do I look at my nice home and acreage and think about and plan and pour in all my resources to improve it for my honor, or do I look for ways to honor God and things I can do to serve Him? God gives me many blessings, do I accept them as somehow something I deserve and bring about through my intelligence and wisdom, or do I thank God and serve Him in love for what He does for me?
There is a choice before each of us. Death or life, which will we choose? God said that the residue of those taken captive would chose death over life. Literally we know that those who remained in the land chose death over life when God presents them with a clear choice in Chapters 42 and 43. I am also given a clear choice. I can look back through history and see the choices others have made and know that God offers us all the choice of life or death. I can read His word and it tells me clearly that we have a choice between life in Jesus and death in my sins. This is more than just a physical death, we are choosing between eternal life and eternal death. How often do we think we will compromise God's will so that we can save our physical life, but take a step toward eternal death by rejecting God's love and salvation?
Lord,
Help me today to chose life over death. You have not promised me ease or comfort or constant happiness in this life. You have offered me peace in my heart in this life and eternal joy in Your love. Help me to see past the desires of my sinfulness to the gift of life You offer me. Help me to chose Your life and to walk with You in the path You have set me on.
Jeremiah 8:1-3 NKJV
Why would anyone take the bones of the people out of their graves? It is perhaps symbolic of the futility of the false worship of nature. Worship of the sun, moon, and other heavenly objects was evidently widespread and engaged in by the leaders, both national and religious. By desecrating the remains of those who worshipped these natural objects, the inability of the sun or moon or planets or stars to offer any help or saving would be shown. The people of Judah served and walked after and sought after and worshipped these natural objects, things made by God for their blessing and enjoyment. Instead of thanking their God for His creation, they thanked the creation and worshipped it. How often do I look to the blessings that God gives me and hold the blessing in higher esteem than my God who gives it to me? Do I look at my wife and her beauty and do things to win her favor and neglect to serve God? Do I look at my nice home and acreage and think about and plan and pour in all my resources to improve it for my honor, or do I look for ways to honor God and things I can do to serve Him? God gives me many blessings, do I accept them as somehow something I deserve and bring about through my intelligence and wisdom, or do I thank God and serve Him in love for what He does for me?
There is a choice before each of us. Death or life, which will we choose? God said that the residue of those taken captive would chose death over life. Literally we know that those who remained in the land chose death over life when God presents them with a clear choice in Chapters 42 and 43. I am also given a clear choice. I can look back through history and see the choices others have made and know that God offers us all the choice of life or death. I can read His word and it tells me clearly that we have a choice between life in Jesus and death in my sins. This is more than just a physical death, we are choosing between eternal life and eternal death. How often do we think we will compromise God's will so that we can save our physical life, but take a step toward eternal death by rejecting God's love and salvation?
Lord,
Help me today to chose life over death. You have not promised me ease or comfort or constant happiness in this life. You have offered me peace in my heart in this life and eternal joy in Your love. Help me to see past the desires of my sinfulness to the gift of life You offer me. Help me to chose Your life and to walk with You in the path You have set me on.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Jeremiah 7:28-34
28 “So you shall say to them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD their God nor receive correction. Truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth. 29 Cut off your hair and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the desolate heights; for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.’ 30 For the children of Judah have done evil in My sight,” says the LORD. “They have set their abominations in the house which is called by My name, to pollute it. 31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart. 32 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “when it will no more be called Tophet, or the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter; for they will bury in Tophet until there is no room. 33 The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the heaven and for the beasts of the earth. And no one will frighten them away. 34 Then I will cause to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. For the land shall be desolate.
Jeremiah 7:28-34 NKJV
Sorrow was to come upon the nation of Judah. The people refused to obey the voice of God and they refused to receive correction. God wanted them to have truth and to live in His truth. Truth, however, was not part of their lives. They would rather live a lie and speak a lie than to accept the truth of reality. They thought that they could have religion on their terms and God would accept them and their worship. They claimed they worshipped the true God, but they set up abominations in the very house of the Lord and worshipped false gods there. They built high places in Tophet and burned their sons and daughters as sacrifices. God not only had not commanded the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice, He had put the penalty of death upon anyone who committed such a crime. (Leviticus 20:1-5) When His people became so depraved and wicked that they offered their own children to the gods of Molech and Baal, God considered that it was time to end their relationship as his protected people. They refused His gentle corrections, now their correction would be more severe. Many were to die in the invasion of the Babylonians and the happiness of all would be removed as the majority of those left alive were to be taken into captivity. The land of promise would have rest as it is left desolate, just as the world will have rest after Jesus comes again and the wicked are dead and the righteous are in heaven with Him. I can learn from the history of the last days before the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. I can embrace the truth and accept the life Jesus offers me, or I can choose to live my life according to my desires. I can let Jesus rule my heart, or I can give myself over to the rule of Satan. One choice leads to life, the other to eternal death.
Lord,
Help me today to choose to have You rule in my life. Help me to accept the truth and to search for the truth. Forgive my sin, cleanse me, and restore me to a right relationship with You. I am weak, You promise strength. Help me to walk with You this day, serving You in love for You.
Jeremiah 7:28-34 NKJV
Sorrow was to come upon the nation of Judah. The people refused to obey the voice of God and they refused to receive correction. God wanted them to have truth and to live in His truth. Truth, however, was not part of their lives. They would rather live a lie and speak a lie than to accept the truth of reality. They thought that they could have religion on their terms and God would accept them and their worship. They claimed they worshipped the true God, but they set up abominations in the very house of the Lord and worshipped false gods there. They built high places in Tophet and burned their sons and daughters as sacrifices. God not only had not commanded the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice, He had put the penalty of death upon anyone who committed such a crime. (Leviticus 20:1-5) When His people became so depraved and wicked that they offered their own children to the gods of Molech and Baal, God considered that it was time to end their relationship as his protected people. They refused His gentle corrections, now their correction would be more severe. Many were to die in the invasion of the Babylonians and the happiness of all would be removed as the majority of those left alive were to be taken into captivity. The land of promise would have rest as it is left desolate, just as the world will have rest after Jesus comes again and the wicked are dead and the righteous are in heaven with Him. I can learn from the history of the last days before the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. I can embrace the truth and accept the life Jesus offers me, or I can choose to live my life according to my desires. I can let Jesus rule my heart, or I can give myself over to the rule of Satan. One choice leads to life, the other to eternal death.
Lord,
Help me today to choose to have You rule in my life. Help me to accept the truth and to search for the truth. Forgive my sin, cleanse me, and restore me to a right relationship with You. I am weak, You promise strength. Help me to walk with You this day, serving You in love for You.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Jeremiah 7:21-27
21 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. 22 For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices. 23 But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.’ 24 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. 25 Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. 26 Yet they did not obey Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. 27 “Therefore you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you.
Jeremiah 7:21-27 NKJV
Jeremiah 7:21-27 NKJV
Verses 21 and 22 are hard to understand. The Lord seems to be saying that He did not instruct their fathers concerning the sacrificial system, when Exodus makes it clear He very specifically did. According to the SDA Bible Commentary this is a literary device that is used elsewhere (such as Genesis 45:8 or Luke 14:26) where two opposing ideas are presented with one being shown its importance with the denial of the other. In other words, compared to the sacrificial system, the idea of God requiring obedience and requiring them to walk in the ways put before them is more important the mere offering of sacrifices. This is what Samuel told Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22 when Saul did not obey God but offered sacrifices. It seems that verses 21 and 22 could also mean that while God told them about the offerings and sacrifices of the sacrificial system, those were to be used to lead the people to true worship in their hearts and to point them to the salvation they were to get when Jesus died for them. In that sense, the offerings and sacrifices were not what would save them or even mark them as His people. By obeying the Lord and walking in the ways He set before them, they would show that He was their God and they were His people. Their days would be well with them, not because they kept the rules of the sacrificial system, but because the meaning of the system would become part of them and they would walk with their God and learn from Him. At the time Jeremiah was telling the people what God wanted them to do, they thought that by keeping the rules would be what saved them. Just as by offering offerings to the rocks and sticks that they liked to worship, they expected god to save them based on the offerings they made to Him. They would not listen as God called them to true repentance. God made it as clear as possible that it was not following the rules and making offerings that made them His people, but obedience to Him through a relationship with Him. God had been telling them since He brought them from the land of Egypt through His prophets and messengers that obedience to Him through love was what saved them. Jeremiah was to speak God's words to them, but God warned that they would not listen and warned that the people would not answer when called. Their sin had closed their eyes to seeing the truth and blocked their ears from hearing God's messages.Their hearts were hardened to God's voice and to His love. They could not see or hear God because they chose not to.
Lord,
Help me today to open my heart to you. Help me to allow You to come into my heart and rule there, so that I will walk in the paths You set before me. Help me to not think that by merely keeping the rules I decide to keep in the way that I am willing to keep them that I will be saved. Help me to understand that by obeying You in all that I do and by allowing You to cleanse the sin from my heart is what will save me.
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