Thursday, March 29: Hebrews 2- One-liners of substance.

Verse 1: We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

Verse 8: … In putting everything under him [Jesus], God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.

Verse 17: For this reason he [Jesus] had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

Verse18: Because he [Jesus] himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Even with all the teaching about Jesus, I found my spirit drawn to verse 1 and the commendation to pay careful attention lest we drift away. One of the important themes of Hebrews is constantly calling believers to persevere, to pay attention to their faith, and the trajectory of their faith.

Am I growing closer to Jesus, the Father and the Sprit, or am I drifting away? This question leads to self-examination. I confess that I am a mixed bag, with some areas of growth and some of stagnation.

How about you? Are you sailing toward God or drifting away? This is serious business…

Lord God, I pray with the Father in the Gospel.   I believe, help my unbelief. Oh Lord, I seek to grow to be more like Jesus, to manifest the Fruit of the Spirit, to exude faith in Jesus.  Help me in my areas of weakness and sloth. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 29: Lamentations 3- Great is Thy Faithfulness.

What a powerful chapter! This chapter had so much for me. I had forgotten what amazing truths lie in this one chapter.

The chapter opens with Jeremiah’s continuing lament.  His heart screams out in pain. I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of his wrath (1). It seems like this chapter will continue as the two before, weeping at the destruction of Jerusalem.

But an unexpected curve in the road happens around verse 22. Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD (22-26).

I had to soak in the luxury of these verses for awhile. Rather than me re-writing them, go back and re-read them… once, even multiple times. The hymn Great is thy Faithfulness finds its inspiration from these verses. Dare to read them once more…

God is faithful. His mercies are new each day. I testify to this. Even during the days of greatest pain and testing God’s mercies were evident in abundance. “Oh, Bill, put your hope in the Lord,” became my person admonishment to myself as I read and re-read on these verses this morning…

Then came more from the Lord. In verses 3:36, 38-39 Jeremiah makes sense of the destruction of Jerusalem and the justice of God. [T]o deprive a man of justice-- would not the Lord see such things? …Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come? Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins? The destruction, the death, the horror of what he had witnessed,is not some God run a muck, a rampage of violence like a mob destroying a city. No, it is punishment for sin.

These actions were just –as painful as they appear and feel.  God’s judgments are just. The people are receiving due justice for their sins.

The next thing I knew, Jeremiah was leading me to a time of personal introspection. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: "We have sinned and rebelled … (40-42).

Oh Lord, as I examine my ways, I, too, have sinned. I confess that I have not lived as You would have me live. I have not loved neighbor as I love myself and I have not loved You as You deserve. Forgive me for my general sin-filled ways and for the specific sins I have committed…

I cannot stand in persona righteousness. I come to You only through the name of Jesus, my Savior and Lord, in whose name I pray. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 28: Lamentations 2- A Word to Religious Leaders.

 

The cries and pain continue to pour from Jeremiah. The most dreaded has happened. Emotions flow in torrents. I see videos of 9/11, loop in my mind as I read, people running covered in dust. World Trade towers crumbling, screams, and jumpers… panic everywhere.

Jeremiah’s tears flood as he laments his ‘9/11.’

Verse 14 caught my eye: The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading. Those who should have warned Jerusalem, who should have protected Jerusalem, failed. More so they were a major component of the problem. The prophets should have spoken up.  They should have heard from the Lord and steered Jerusalem to safety. Instead they gave false words and steered Jerusalem into disaster.

Last month a Carnival Cruise captain piloted his ship into the rocks off Italy’s shores. Like the prophets, he disregarded the known maps and took his ship where it should not have gone. Disaster resulted. Dozens died as the captain abandoned ship. A sad but fitting metaphor for what happened in Judah.

When leaders in God’s house do not do their job, when they don’t offer the true word of the Lord and allow (even steer) people to run outside the safety of God’s Word, disaster happens.

Pray for church leaders. Pray that they remain faithful and teach God’s Word. Pray hard.

Lord, my heart breaks for some of the things I see happening in Your church today…

Lord, I pray that I remain faithful to Your Word.  That Your Word would shape and mold me, my thinking and my living. Lord, I pray that Your Word would be the plumb line against which I align my life, my thoughts, my behaviors. Through Jesus, the Living Word, I pray. Amen.

 

Monday, February 27: Lamentations 1- Relationship involves communication .

A word about Lamentations

Jeremiah wrote Lamentations as he mourns the fall of JerusalemJerusalem was not just any city; it was God's holy city - the seat of God's temple.  With the burning of God's city and temple and the deportation of His people, there is more than the destruction of a city.  There is the realization that God has rejected His people because of their faithlessness and sin. Lamentations consists of five poems of mourning.

 

 

Jerusalem has fallen to the Babylonians and been destroyed. After killing the army and looting the temple and important buildings the Babylonians destroyed the city. They tore down all the important buildings including the Temple. The ripped apart the protecting walls. Jerusalem lay in ruins…

Jeremiah was overcome with grief. Out of his broken heart comes Lamentations… a poem, a dirge to the destruction of Jerusalem, the city of God.

In his pain –utter pain- Jeremiah gives voice to his anguish. He allows his grief to move his pen. As I read today I tried to feel the pain he was venting…

We cannot all write like Jeremiah, but his model is a healthy model for all of us, expressing to the Lord what’s going on. Write, sing, cry, weep, speak, play music… however you can release your inner pain to the Lord, do it.

God longs for a relationship with us and relationship involves communication… communication at all levels, joy and pain, fear and strength. God can handle what’s happening in your life… so talk with Him. Jeremiah did and we have Lamentations because Jeremiah dared to share the pain of Jerusalem’s demise…

Think about it.

Lord, I bare my soul and thoughts to You. I come to You for You can give me strength and solace, love and peace in every season of my life.

I come to You in Jesus, my Saviors’ name. Amen.

 

Saturday, February 25: Jeremiah 52- A crushing day.

With detail, Jeremiah chronicles the fall and destruction of Jerusalem. As a priest, the heartache from watching the temple be destroyed and the sacred articles carted away was an immense burden to bare. The heart and soul of Jeremiah’s faith was destroyed.  How would sins be atoned for? How would people express their gratitude and thankfulness to the Lord?

Priests, more than anyone, understood that the temple was God’s footstool on earth. God’s presence lived in the temple.  Where would God be now? How would people connect with the Lord? The center of Israel’s faith was destroyed.

I thought about crushing days… days of despair and anguish. This was a national day of despair for all of Israel. Jeremiah witnessed it.

Life has days like this…

Somehow, someway,  God remains present to and with us on those days. God stood with Jeremiah. God’s covenant with His people remained in tact even though the temple was destroyed.

The Lord is there with us in the storms of life. God was with Jeremiah. God was with His people preserving and protecting a remnant. God is with us when pain and heartache and anguish are the stapes of life during those crushing times…

“Hold on,” that’s what I kept hearing. “Hold on!  The Lord is with you during those pain wracked seasons of life. Hold on to the Lord!”

Lord God, as I review my life, I respond ‘Yes, Amen.’ You were there during the dark days. You are there during the dark days and I don’t know how I would survive were it not for You and Your presence during those days.

Thank You for standing beside me. Thank You for providing strength I could not have mustered on my own. Thank You for never leaving nor forsaking me. Praise be to You, Lord God. Through Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Friday, February 24: Jeremiah 51- God cares.

How do you encourage a broken people? What lifts the spirits of the defeated?

Yesterday the Lord reminded Israel (and us) her sins will be forgiven… a search will be made for Israel's guilt … and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare (50:20). The guilt they now feel will be lifted off and taken away. That word lifts spirits!

Today God confirms that judgment will come upon the enemy (Babylon) who inflicted pain upon them. And so through out today’s chapter, God declares His Word against Babylon

Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken. Wail over her! … 'The LORD has vindicated us; come, let us tell in Zion what the LORD our God has done.' … For the time will surely come when I will punish the idols of Babylon; her whole land will be disgraced and her slain will all lie fallen within her (8, 10, 47). Knowing your enemy gets their just desserts can encourage.

And so God speaks. He speaks peace to the guilt wracked psyche of Israel & Judah. He confirms that Babylon, their great enemy, will fall and pay for the pain they inflicted.

Twenty-five centuries later, these can be difficult words to read and ponder but to people in the day, they brought great hope and encouragement.

I thought about what I just typed… that’s it. God cares. God enters our world and offers us what we need.

In the fullness of time God literally entered our world in Jesus and offered broken and defeated humanity what it sorely needed… a Savior. Jesus lifts the sin of all who believe in Him and He will judge God’s enemies and the enemy of His church.

God wins and His people win with Him.

Lord, thank You for the ways You enter my life and speak words of encouragement and hope and peace and forgiveness. Thank You for always being there; for inviting me to rely on You.

Praise be to Your name Lord God.

To You I pledge my life and my all… to share Your name and tell Your story… to be an ambassador for You, wherever I am.

Praise You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

 

Thursday, February 23: Jeremiah 50- .

As I read about the total destruction of Babylon, pictures of modern day Bagdad kept flashing in my thoughts. Babylon of old was somewhere in that vicinity and that area is nothing but barren dessert. God fulfilled His Word…

Maybe a third of the way through the reading, a lone verse, verse 20, surprised me. I made a mental note… this would be my meditation point for the morning.

Amid the ravages of destruction, this verse was an oasis of life. In those days, at that time," declares the LORD, "search will be made for Israel's guilt, but there will be none, and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

God never looses sight of His objective. Babylon was to be a hand of discipline against His people. But when their penalty was served -70 years- His people would be restored. They would be called back home, reestablished in the land. Verse 20 adds one additional detail to the picture, their sins will be forgiven.

I love the imagery of verse 20… a search will be made for Israel's guilt … and for the sins of Judah, but none will be found, for I will forgive the remnant I spare. Psalm 103 reminds us that as far as the East is from the West, so far has God removed our sins from us!

Holocaust survivor and devoted Christian, Corrie Ten Boom, used to say, “God takes our sins and throws them into the deepest part of the sea and then puts up a sign, ‘NO Fishin’ Allowed’”

What an amazing picture of forgiveness. Kings would call for a search of the archives to find a decree or a piece of history. You and I can go to a library or Google something but in the case of Israel and Judah’s sin, nothing could be found! That’s God’s forgiveness. Once forgiven, the sin is gone, erased...

The same gift is offered to you, me, and everyone if we will confess our sins and believe in and receive Jesus as Lord. …

Think about it…

Lord Jesus, I confess that I have sinned (spend some time here)…

I am sorry and I repent. Please pour out Your forgiveness that I might be washed clean, so that if a search be made, no sin can be found in me, thanks to You.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, I pray. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 22: Jeremiah 49- The sweeping hand of God.

When my family and I play a board game like Risk, we end up with many pieces spread over the game board. When the game is over and it is time to clean up, someone swipes their hand across the board and gathers all the playing pieces.

Reading this chapter was like watching God sweep the ‘Middle Eastern Board’ of all its pieces. Ammom, Edom, Damascus, Kadar, Hazor and Elam… wiped away in one fell swoop. God is cleaning up.

I sat and thought about that. Who can do this? Who has the right and power to do this? Obviously, the Lord God has to right and power to do this.

I sat in awe.

So much of my understanding of God stems from Jesus making the Father known. So much of my understanding of God grows from the intimacy of relationship that Jesus taught about and through a faith in Jesus we can experience…

Yet today, I see the majesty and the absolute power of God displayed as He sends judgment and alters the landscape of the ancient Middle East.

My heart shudders.  This God who invites me into an intimate relationship displays absolute authority and power that makes me realize how GREAT He is and how puny I am. I tremble at the thought of the Lord…

Who am I to differ with the Lord and His decrees? Who am I to disobey Him? The Lord is awesome and powerful.  Who can stand before Him?

I bow to you Lord God. I lay my arrogance at Your feet. I worship You and praise You for You are All-mighty and All-powerful. You are the one and only God and You have revealed Yourself to me. I am dumb struck!

Praise be to Yo,u Lord God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 21: Jeremiah 48- God keeps His word.

 

Almost 130 years before Jeremiah’s word of woe to Moab, God indicted Moab through the ministry of the prophet Amos. This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Moab, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. Because he burned, as if to lime, the bones of Edom's king, I will send fire upon Moab that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth. Moab will go down in great tumult amid war cries and the blast of the trumpet. I will destroy her ruler and kill all her officials with him," says the LORD (Amos 2:1-3).

We are working our way though the book of Amos at my church, so these words were in my mind as I read Jeremiah this morning.

Two thoughts circled in my musings. One, the Lord is consistent. He is who He is and His Word doesn’t change. And in line with this, God does what He says He will do. God follows through. When it comes to judgment, God offers grace upon grace, inviting people to believe and return, but He always keeps His Word.

I find much comfort in God’s consistency and faithfulness. I can lean on Him, I can trust Him and I can know Him through His Word. What stability that gives to my life.

Lord God, thank You that I can trust You, I can lean on YOU and support my life on Your unshakable foundation. Thank You, Lord, that Your Word is true. Help me to build my life on You and Your Word. You are trustworthy and mighty. I profess my faith in You and my love for You. Through Jesus, I pray. Amen. 

 

Monday, February 20: Jeremiah 47- Due Date.

God lifts His eyes from Israel and begins to speak to the surrounding countries… to the Philistines, judgment.

These are unpleasant words; judgment always is. The rebellion, the sin, the running after false gods, and the sin-filled behaviors of Philistia are reaping their harsh verdict.

When I run up a tab on my credit card, eventually payment is due. When people live opposed to the Lord, eventually payment is due…

Why is the gift of forgiveness through Jesus so wonderful and so great? Because Jesus makes the payment for us, which wipes our slate clean. Forgiveness through Jesus gives us a fresh start. We don’t have to end up like Philistia.

1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Lord, thank You for the gift of forgiveness. I confess that I have sinned… in my mind, through my mouth and things I have said and in my actions…

Forgive me please.

And give me the will and strength to change my ways and follow You more faithfully and honorably. Through Jesus, my Savior, I pray. Amen.

 

 

Saturday, February 18: Jeremiah 46- .

I never cease to be amazed that God (the God of the Scriptures, the Holy Bible) declares and exercises authority over all nations. God does this regardless of whether or not they recognize and worship Him as God.

In the ancient Middle East each country had its patron god. When a country won in battle it was often attributed to the strength of their god. But to have your god declare sovereignty over other nations and every other nation… that was unheard of outside of the claims Yahweh –the Lord- makes here and elsewhere in the Scriptures.

Our God is sovereign… make no mistake about this. If He is not sovereign overall, then why listen to and believe the scriptures at all?!

Think about this… its ripples impact every area of life and living.

Oh, Lord God, I bow to You, and honor You as Lord of All; supreme and majestic in Who You are and all You do. Alleluia. Amen.

 

Friday, February 17: Jeremiah 45- God watches over you.

This chapter is a personal word God spoke to Baruch. I thought that’s impressive. Jeremiah’s ministry has been to kings and nations, yet here Jeremiah speaks God’s comfort to his assistant Baruch. With all the BIG things God is doing, with all the important people Jeremiah needs to address, both God and Jeremiah take time to speak to this lone individual.

We are never a number with God. God never loses sight of us as an individual. Jesus reminds us that God knows the number of hairs on our head.

You are known by God intimately and personally…

O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thank You for caring for me… for loving me… Amen.

 

 

Thursday, February 16: Jeremiah 44- Learn from the past.

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins because of the evil they have done. They provoked me to anger by burning incense and by worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your fathers ever knew. Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, 'Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!' But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today.

Now this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant? Why provoke me to anger with what your hands have made, burning incense to other gods in Egypt, where you have come to live?... (2-8).

God appeals to the Hebrews who fled to Egypt to learn from the past. Sadly, as the chapter chronicles, they did not.

Almost immediately the Holy Spirit began whispering to me, “Bill, make sure you learn from the past. I gave you the Scriptures so you can learn from how I have dealt with my people over the centuries. Learn from the past. Do not make the mistakes that these Jews made.”

I began to think through the lessons of Scripture and the lessons from church history.  The more I pay attention to these, the wiser I can live.

Learn from the past… God’s good Word for today.

Lord, make me wise unto salvation… steep me in Your Word that I might not sin against You. Through Jesus, I pray. Amen

 

Wednesday, February 15: Jeremiah 43- Be careful what you promise God.

Yesterday I peeked at this chapter so I knew what was coming. I wondered what conversations and thoughts God might spark in me as I contemplated this text. Slowly the thought brewed “Be careful what you promise God.”

My mind raced back to the bold comments from chapter 42, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God" (5-6). I remembered my initial thoughts…what a fabulous prayer… true, honest and hope-filled. But in the end, the words turned out to be nothing but hot air which in the end made their disobedience seem all the worse. You are lying! (2) they shouted to Jeremiah after they heard what he prophesied.

Words are cheap, I noted that yesterday. Today came the warning, “Be careful what you promise God.” Why?  Because a vow is a vow… and the Lord takes vows seriously.

Consider the judge, Jephthah (Judges 11).  He vows a rash and ill advised vow; keeping his word to God costs him dearly. He does, however, keep his vow to the Lord and is named in Hebrews 11 as one of the faithful saints of the OT.

God takes our vows seriously… “Be careful what you promise God.”

That’s God’s Word to me today.  How about you?

Lord, I am a bit convicted to say too much in my prayer today. Thank You for Your Word, the Bible, and thank You for speaking to me day in and day out as I sit with You during my devotional time and…  thank You for speaking with me throughout the day! Help me to be attentive to You throughout the day so that I may hear Your whispers and nudges even when I least expect them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 15: Jeremiah 43- Be careful what you promise God.

Yesterday I peeked at this chapter so I knew what was coming. I wondered what conversations and thoughts God might spark in me as I contemplated this text. Slowly the thought brewed “Be careful what you promise God.”

My mind raced back to the bold comments from chapter 42, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God" (5-6). I remembered my initial thoughts…what a fabulous prayer… true, honest and hope-filled. But in the end, the words turned out to be nothing but hot air which in the end made their disobedience seem all the worse. You are lying! (2) they shouted to Jeremiah after they heard what he prophesied.

Words are cheap, I noted that yesterday. Today came the warning, “Be careful what you promise God.” Why?  Because a vow is a vow… and the Lord takes vows seriously.

Consider the judge, Jephthah (Judges 11).  He vows a rash and ill advised vow; keeping his word to God costs him dearly. He does, however, keep his vow to the Lord and is named in Hebrews 11 as one of the faithful saints of the OT.

God takes our vows seriously… “Be careful what you promise God.”

That’s God’s Word to me today.  How about you?

Lord, I am a bit convicted to say too much in my prayer today. Thank You for Your Word, the Bible, and thank You for speaking to me day in and day out as I sit with You during my devotional time and…  thank You for speaking with me throughout the day! Help me to be attentive to You throughout the day so that I may hear Your whispers and nudges even when I least expect them. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 14: Jeremiah 42- Words can be cheap.

The chapter opens with a most wonderful account of humility and faithfulness. The small band of Israelites, remaining in Jerusalem, seek a word from the Lord through Jeremiah, the prophet. The manner with which they come to Jeremiah and what they ask of him display humility and faithfulness. Listen again to what they say...

Then all the army officers … and all the people from the least to the greatest approached Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, "Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do."

"I have heard you," replied Jeremiah the prophet. "I will certainly pray to the LORD your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the LORD says and will keep nothing back from you."

Then they said to Jeremiah, "May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God" (1-6).

As I read this account I thought, “What amazing faith." Their final words declaring that they will obey whether the word is favorable or unfavorable is powerful. I thought, “This is the kind of faith I should display in my prayers.”

And then the word comes… very clear and direct. No interpretation is necessary.

The last couple of verses confused me initially, until I peeked at tomorrow’s reading. "O remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, 'Do not go to Egypt.' Be sure of this: I warn you today that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, 'Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.' I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you. So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle" (19-22).

It sounded like Judah’s response was to disobey. How could this be after the apparent sincerity of the opening conversation with Jeremiah, I wondered. (This is when I peeked)…

God’s Spirit spoke, “Words can be cheap, Bill. It can be relatively easy to profess your love to Me and your willingness to do and follow everything I tell you. However, if you don’t follow through and obey what I tell you, then your words are cheap. They have no value. Faithfulness is showcased in actions not words.”

I was pressed to prayer…

Oh Lord, I, too, speak more faithfully than I live. FORGIVE me. I fall upon Your grace. There is no good thing within me. I live only by Your grace.

Please, Oh Lord, grace me with strength to obey You… so that I can be a Jeremiah rather than like this remnant who would not obey You.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

Monday, February 13: Jeremiah 41- A secular land.

 

Intrigue, assignation, cold-blooded murders, kidnapping, revenge are some of the elements of this chapter, but not one mention of the Lord. The voice of God has disappeared in Jerusalem and Judah. The tale told in this chapter seems more fitting for a soap opera than a chapter in the life of the people of God.

This is what happens when the word of God ceases to be the foundation of life.

I hear a warning in this chapter… a warning to us in the 21st century. It is easy to build a life on our wisdom and our strength, yet have it devoid of God and the wisdom of His Word.  It is called a ‘secular world’ and we see the results of it everyday when we pick up the newspaper or scan the headlines of our web news sources.

You and I may not be able to control our world, but we can control our lives. Are you (am I) building my life on the Word of God? Or are we living unto ourselves, building our lives on our best wisdom devoid of God and the wisdom of His Word?

Thank about it…

Lord, I pray that my mornings with You will help me build my life upon You and Your Word and Your wisdom. Help me to not merely read Your Word but digest it. Grant me the gift of Your Holy Spirit that You might teach me the truth of Your Word and the Spirit’s power to incorporate the Word’s power and wisdom into my life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Saturday, February 11: Jeremiah 40- Guidance.

Chapter 40 ends at an odd place with the account of Gedaliah continuing into chapter 41. So I decided to sit and meditate on the opening portion of chapter 40. After reading through the entire chapter and into 41, I went back and reread verses 1-6…

I was amazed how God used Nebuzaradan, commander of the Babylon army, to speak so specifically to Jeremiah. In a matter of fact manner, Nebuzaradan explains God’s actions and Jeremiah’s options, guiding Jeremiah to his decision.

God uses so many ways to lead and guide us…  His written word, the apt comment of a friend, coworker, or in this case, a relative stranger. God uses a prompting placed in our heart and mind, and human reason. God sometimes speaks directly to us through voice or picture. Examples of all of these are found in scripture.

What amazes me is that God speaks with and to us. God really does have a plan and path for us and I believe if we listen, God will lead and guide us in paths that will bring Him glory and honor and serve others along the way…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the king of creation. O, my soul sings for He is my strength and salvation…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, who leads us in paths of righteousness for His name sake…

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, who gently sustains us…

All you who hear, now to His presence draw near. Yes, draw near to the Lord… through faith in Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

 

Friday, February 10: Jeremiah 39- A sad day.

For years God has been warning Judah that Jerusalem will fall if Judah does not repent and return to worshipping the Lord. God’s Words are not idle threats (or idle promises). God’s Words are true and they are fulfilled in God’s timing. The time for Judah and Jerusalem has come. The invitation to repent and return has reached its deadline.  Judgment descends in the strong hand of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon.

This is a sad day.  People who disregarded God’s warnings paid dearly. Jeremiah weeps at the destruction of Jerusalem (the next book in the Bible, Lamentations, is the lament Jeremiah writes as he witnesses the destruction of Jerusalem.)

The chapter speaks a warning to me and to all people. God fulfills His Word.  You can bank on that.

When God offers eternal life through faith in Jesus, God’s offer is good. However, there will come a day when the offer runs out and God’s judgment on those who do not believe in Jesus will come. Have you accepted God’s offer of righteousness in Jesus and eternal life? Or are you still in rebellion? My advice… don’t mess with God. You don’t know when He will call you to account.

You don’t want to suffer God’s judgment.  Faith in Jesus Christ is your only hope for avoiding it.

Think about it…

Father, thank You for Jesus and His offer to give us His righteousness and remove the stain of guilt for all the sinful things we have done. Lord Jesus, I accept Your offer of grace and forgiveness. Save me. Give me a new heart, one that loves You, the Father and the Holy Spirit, unconditionally. I ask this through Jesus Christ, my Lord. Amen.

 

Thursday, February 9: Jeremiah 38- Being true to God and self.

For years now Jeremiah has been speaking words from the Lord that were unpopular with the leaders and officials of Judah. By some calculations Jeremiah’s words could be considered treasonous. Jeremiah was advocating surrender to the Babylonians, corporately and individually. This is the report of Jeremiah’s prophetic words: "This is what the LORD says: 'Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague, but whoever goes over to the Babylonians will live. He will escape with his life; he will live.' And this is what the LORD says: 'This city will certainly be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon, who will capture it'" (2-3).

Picture the situation, Jeremiah is telling soldiers and citizens they will live only if they surrender or defect… your choice of description.

For this leading, court officials throw Jeremiah into a cistern with the full knowledge and blessing of the king. Can we really blame the officials who did this?

Sometime later, the king comes to Jeremiah to ask him personally what God says.

Consider Jeremiah’s situation.  The king who controls his fate is asking him about what he should do. The man, ultimately if not personally responsible for his imprisonment, is seeking Jeremiah’s advice. The internal temptations to tell the king what he wants to hear must have been enormous yet Jeremiah will not cave. He remains true to himself and the Word the Lord gave him to speak.

I admire this quality of Jeremiah. His faithfulness to the Lord, irrespective of personal cost, is tremendous!

The Spirit whispers, “Bill, the same should be true of you…”

Pow! God’s Word this morning drives me to introspection. Am I a man of integrity? Do I sing different songs depending upon who my audience is? Am I true to God’s Word and God’s leading irrespective of personal cost?

How about you?...

Lord, to be a Jeremiah; this is my heart’s desire. But the human heart, my heart, is easily deceived and corrupted by original and personal sin. Cleanse my heart and fill me with Your Holy Spirit, so that I may be a man of faith, man of integrity and man of strength in times of plenty and want, smooth sailing and adversity.

O, God, I pray this with all the strength I have and I pray this in the name of Jesus, my Savior, Lord and God. Amen.

 

Wednesday, February 8: Jeremiah 37- Our often limited view.

Jeremiah’s imprisonment really stinks. I mean, come on, he spoke faithfully what God had given him and this is the thanks he gets, imprisoned in an underground dungeon. Coyly, the text simply says he was imprisoned there a long time (16). It must have been horrible because Jeremiah eventually petitions the king, “But now, my lord the king, please listen. Let me bring my petition before you: Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the secretary, or I will die there” (20). Jeremiah feared for his life… conditions were so horrible, he feared for his life.

His ensuing imprisonment was no picnic but at least he lived.

As I was envisioning the desperate nature of Jeremiah’s plight and realizing how woeful his life was, the understanding hit me that we have such a very limited view of life. We see and measure everything from an earthly perspective. Hardship, pain, imprisonment, etc., is something to be avoided and “Surely God wouldn’t want us to experience these things. After all, God only wants the best for us. Right?”

I am not so sure.

So many of the OT and NT saints showed their metal and faithfulness by enduring such things for God. The litany of faith-heroes whose lives were anything but cushy is long. More Bible heroes are on the list of ‘suffering for God’ than on the ‘it’s a wonderful earthly life serving God.’

I am wondering how we have missed this in the church today. Why don’t we talk about this? I am wondering why sacrifice for God’s sake isn’t in our (my) vocabulary.  It is not in our Sunday School curricula and small group studies…

Lord, these thoughts frighten me. Are You preparing me for something? Often Your lessons are not merely mental exercises but preparations for action. Lord, I pray that no matter what You ask or require of me, I am up to Your task. Please endow me with Your Holy Spirit that I may hear Your voice and have Your power both to listen and execute all You ask of me. This I pray in the name of and for the sake of Jesus, my Savior and Lord. Amen.

 

Tuesday, February 7: Jeremiah 36- Something to think about.

Some times it is the oddest or smallest details that set my mind into meditation mode. I had two such moments as I read today.

First, God gave every opportunity to repent and return. Verses 2-3 "Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now. Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin." Another wake up call… God goes above and beyond in reaching out to Jerusalem and Judah. Time and again, God offers a way back and each time they ignore God and effectually respond, “No… I will not!”

My starting point for contemplation… “Am I listening to the voice of God, especially His invitation to repent and return after I have strayed? Am I…???”

My second mediation point was the concept of personal responsibility and sovereign action. Jeremiah dictates the scroll of God’s Words and sends His scribe Baruch to read them to the religious officials. Upon hearing the words and realizing that they must give them to the king, the officials said to Baruch, "You and Jeremiah, go and hide. Don't let anyone know where you are (19). Then a few verses later when the king commanded his son to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah, the text simply says, But the LORD had hidden them (26).

People race to extremes when it comes to these issues. Some say God is sovereign, therefore He will do what He will do, so I really don’t have to worry or don’t have to do anything. Others cut God out of the equation and rest everything on human ingenuity. In the text I see the tension of these two positions, not explained per se, but described.

Baruch and Jeremiah took the initiative to hide.  They knew the king would be upset and prepared for his response by hiding. And when the king goes to find them, the text simply says, LORD had hidden them.

Baruch and Jeremiah did the humanly responsible thing and hid… personal responsibility. God ensured that they were not found… sovereignty.

Scripture presents both… not either/or but both.

How does this play out in life? Well, I need to be responsible and then trust God in my endeavors. Contemplating this… there are so many arenas of application… personal finances, health, ministry endeavors.

I believe God has called me to ministry in Jos, Nigeria so I travel and teach each summer. Jos is not the safest city in the world, however, believing God has called me I go. I live wisely in missionary compounds. I watch what I eat and especially what I drink but ultimately I trust God for my protection and care. He is in control and if He bids me to go then as His servant I go…

Think about it …

Lord, thank you for these two ‘life-touches’ this morning in Your Word. You are constantly inviting people to come home.  Oh, that they listen better than Israel in the days of Jehoiakim, king of Judah. And, Lord, as it comes to me, give me strength to be obedient, faithful and responsible to live to Your glory and honor. Amen.

 

Monday, February 6: Jeremiah 35- Community.

An incredible story of obedience, the entire Recabite family followed their father’s command to the letter. I noticed something interesting in verse 6. But they replied, "We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jonadab son of Recab gave us this command: 'Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. The entire clan determined not to drink wine.

There is strength in numbers. This was not one lone man or woman bucking the trend of society. It was a group, a clan, a family!

When Daniel resolved not to eat the king’s food, he did so with three other Hebrew friends.

There is a power, a strength, with community that is far greater than the strength of an individual or even an equal number of separate individuals. For millennia monks and sisters have lived in convents and monasteries, keeping vows of chastity, simplicity and poverty. The brotherhood and sisterhood gives individuals strength.

My musing today is more a wondering, wondering why the church isn’t such a community, helping one another live up to the call of the Lord? I think it is supposed to be. We are supposed to encourage one another, love one another, and bear with one another. The church, the faith community, is God’s gift to help one another live faithfully with the Lord.

Why then, is there so little difference between the people of the church and people of society when it comes to following and obeying the Lord?

I wonder…

Maybe we cannot leave our support to a generic group, i.e. the church? Maybe we need a group with in the larger group, i.e. a small group of friends and companions with whom we agree to be there for one another like the Recabites were for one another- one family within the family of the Hebrews.

I am not sure… I am still musing. But it makes me appreciate my small group of guys who meet regularly and encourage one another.

Lord, thank You for guys who will come along side of me and stand with me as I work to stand with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Saturday, February 4: Jeremiah 34- Guidance.

This entire chapter is God speaking to King Zedekiah and the people of Jerusalem. In this case God used Jeremiah as His prophet to Zedekiah.

What caught my eye was the fact that God spoke and directed Zedekiah. God gave him a promise about the days to come and God corrected sins the people had committed under Zedekiah’s watch. God was engaged in the life of His people.

I thought about my last sentence. God was engaged in the life of His people. The God revealed in the Bible is engaged in the life of His people. He cares about how they live and what they do. He watches over them (see Psalm 121) and looks out for them. He corrects them when they stray and encourages them when encouragement is needed.

The God of the Scriptures is not some distant, detached God! No, He is intimately connected with His people.

And God still is. God still speaks, through His Word, through the Spirit, through spiritual gifts bestowed upon the church (1Corinthians 12). God watches over his people and cares for His people…

I sat and marveled at the God I (we) serve, His might and power and the intimate relationship He longs to have with us…

God is good and His love endures for ever, His faithfulness to all generations.

Thank You, Lord, for caring about me. To most in the world I am unknown. To my country and my back I am a number, but to You, O Lord, I am known deeply and intimately. You know my name, the hairs on my head and You hold my days from beginning to end in Your hands.

I am safe and secure in You.

And so my heart sings Your praises… Alleluia. Amen.

 

Friday, February 3: Jeremiah 33- ALL.

I was captured by God’s promise of restoration and forgiveness for Israel and Judah through Jeremiah. Verse 6-9 capture the sentiments and promises of God wonderfully. …I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.

The three letter word ALL stood out as I read these words. I will cleanse them from ALL the sin they have committed against me and will forgive ALL their sins of rebellion against me. All, every one, each and every one, every single one… that is a compelling statement and promise. God will wipe the slate perfectly clean… cleansing and forgiving all their sins.

And then even better news is that in the NT God extends that same promise to everyone who admits and confesses their sins to God.

In 1John 1:9 we read: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. There is that 3 letter word again… he [God] … will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness.

I love it!  We confess and God forgives everything and wipes the slate of our life clean.

Today’s reading invites me to sit with the Lord and confess, knowing that when I do, He forgives me totally and completely for ALL my sins… a pretty amazing promise and offer, if you ask me…

Oh, Lord God, thank You. I make my confession now. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. please forgive me for    (fill in your sins )   …

Lord, I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Friday, February 3: Jeremiah 33- ALL.

I was captured by God’s promise of restoration and forgiveness for Israel and Judah through Jeremiah. Verse 6-9 capture the sentiments and promises of God wonderfully. …I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.

The three letter word ALL stood out as I read these words. I will cleanse them from ALL the sin they have committed against me and will forgive ALL their sins of rebellion against me. All, every one, each and every one, every single one… that is a compelling statement and promise. God will wipe the slate perfectly clean… cleansing and forgiving all their sins.

And then even better news is that in the NT God extends that same promise to everyone who admits and confesses their sins to God.

In 1John 1:9 we read: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. There is that 3 letter word again… he [God] … will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness.

I love it!  We confess and God forgives everything and wipes the slate of our life clean.

Today’s reading invites me to sit with the Lord and confess, knowing that when I do, He forgives me totally and completely for ALL my sins… a pretty amazing promise and offer, if you ask me…

Oh, Lord God, thank You. I make my confession now. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. please forgive me for    (fill in your sins )   …

Lord, I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Thursday, February 2: Jeremiah 32- In God's hands.

As I began to meditate on this chapter, a 60’s song popped into my mind and I began humming it. Then singing it as I typed in the lyrics…

He’s got the whole world in His hands,

He’s got the whole world in His hands,

He’s got the whole world in His hands,

He’s got the whole world in His hands.

He’s got you and me sister in His hands,

He’s got you and me sister in His hands…

This chapter reminded me that God does have my life (your life) in His hands. God is telling Jeremiah and Israel through Him that He has them in His hands. Also, that God will restore them to life in the land after their time of punishment in captivity in Babylon.

I mused on God having my life in His hands.

Clearly I have responsibility for my actions. Jeremiah was told to buy the piece of property from his cousin, and God expected him to do it. God was punishing Israel for faithless living. Yes, we are responsible for our actions.

But God also has a plan and a purpose. And in Israel’s case, God will restore them to the land.

I can’t say that I fully understand how both of these rest together. Yet I trust and believe both. This is what I refer to as my guitar string theology. Guitar strings are pegged at two points and it is the right tension between both pegs that allows the string to make the right note. Scripture often teaches what seems to be two points on an issue and it is keeping the right tension between the two that allows me (us) to sing the beautiful message of God.

And so I live with personal responsibility on the one hand and God has a plan and purpose on the other…

Lord Jesus, Father, and Holy Spirit… I trust my life to Your hands… I trust and will follow to the best of my ability Your plan and purpose.

Thank You for saving me, for showing Yourself to me, for opening my eyes to Your Word and for planting a love for You in my heart and soul. I bless You and thank You and I will follow and be obedient to You all the days of my life. And Lord, when I fail at this, I beg Your forgiveness. In and through Jesus, my Lord, I pray. Amen.