Fri.’s Devo - Be Courageous!

Read: Jeremiah 12:1-14:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 24:30-34 Jeremiah makes a great claim about the Lord. He says that He always gives us justice when we bring a case to God. We can stand on that one. I can relate to Jeremiah’s frustration about the wicked. He saw how the wicked were doing great and prospering and he was ready for God to judge them. He was tired of their lack of faith in God to tell the future, their hypocrisy and complaining against the Lord. God replied that he had turned them over to their enemies which was about to play out. He certainly saw all that they were doing. They were about to be ashamed. God was going to judge not only Judah, but all the nations that were lusting for her land. All the nations would have a chance to make the Lord their God, but those who didn’t would be destroyed. Jeremiah was directed by the Lord to get another loin cloth that was not washed and put it on and take his own loin cloth down to the Euphrates River and hide it in the hole in the rocks. At a much later, God told him to go and dig it up. It was rotted and falling apart. This was to be a picture of how the Lord was going to rot away the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. Jeremiah pled with the people again to repent and acknowledge the Lord before it is too late. Over and over, he tells the people that the Chaldeans were coming and everything they have would be taken along with themselves. Yet, they refused to be moved. Paul had traveled to Thessalonica after he was let out of prison in Phillipi (Acts 16:13-40). He had preached in the synagogue and started a church there. The church at Thessalonica was comprised of mainly Gentiles but had some Jews also. Thessalonica was a very important Roman city where Paul roused the anger of the church and the government. He called Jesus “Lord” which was a term reserved for the Roman emperor and the religious accused Paul of “turning the world upside down.” Paul and Silas had to flee to Berea for their lives but when the Jews from Thessalonica learned where they were, they followed them and tried to stir up confusion there also. Back in Thessalonica, their host, Jason was arrested. Paul was concerned about the new church in Thessalonica, but because of the danger was not allowed to return. He sent Timothy instead who came back telling him of their faith and growth. Paul commended them for being an example to all the believers in Greece. They were bold in spreading their faith. Paul wanted them to know how proud he was of their walk and how much he loved them. Lord, may we be bold in our faith and examples to those around us of our unwavering courage to follow you.