Sun.’s Devo - Death and Resurrection

Read: Lamentations 4:1-5:22; Hebrews 2:1-18; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 26:23 Jeremiah speaks of God’s people as gold that has lost its luster and gemstones scattered in the streets. They are now treated like common pots instead. There is no food because of the siege and everyone is starving. The once rich and healthy are now desolate and dying of hunger. The kindest of women have cooked their own children to eat them. No one would have believed that this could happen to Jerusalem, the light of the world. They realize that this happened because of the sins of the false prophets and the sins of the false priests. They shed innocent blood as they sacrificed babies on their altar of Molech. Now the people want nothing to do with them. Even the nations they ran to don’t want them. They no longer are respected and sought after. They are hated and rejected. Jerusalem had waited for one of her allies to help her like Egypt, but no one came. They had thought that their God would save them but he didn’t either. Jerusalem was about to be destroyed and Edom would be next. Jeremiah cries out to God to remember them. Slaves have become masters, they live in fear of their lives, their women are being raped, their princes hanged. They elders are treated with contempt and their young men given to hard labor. No one judges or dances any more. Everything has changed in Jerusalem, but God has not changed. He is the same forever and his throne continues from generation to generation. He cries out for restoration. Hebrews explains that even the angels that sinned when they left heaven to come to earth and have sex with the women of the earth were punished. So what makes us think we can escape punishment if we ignore God’s salvation through Jesus. God’s salvation was confirmed to us when Jesus came to earth and did signs and wonders and miracles. Psalm 8:4-6 says that while God made mortals a little lower than angels, he crowned them with glory and honor and gave them authority over all things. We saw this happen through Jesus who was made a human (lower than the angels) and raised to sit at the right side of God when he resurrected. When he died, Jesus broke the power of the devil who had the power of death and set us free from the fear of death. Since Jesus went through suffering and testing, he is able to help us go through the same. Lord, thank you for being our advocate and our salvation. Thank you for freeing us from the fear of death.

Sat.’s Devo - The Third Lamentation

Read: Lamentations 3:1-46; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 102:1-28; Proverbs 26:21-22 This song gives us the personal feeling of the Israelites during this time. God had poured out his fury on their land and everyone was hurting. The presence of the Lord could not be felt or found. They felt hopeless and distraught. They were homeless and their suffering was too hard to bear. They tried their loss and swear to never forget this time. Yet, this man (probably Jeremiah) dares to hope because he knows that the faithful love of God never ends. His mercies need cease. He knows that God is good to those who trust in him. He knows that his only hope is in waiting on the Lord to move. He realizes that they are under God’s yoke of discipline. God’s love is merciful and he doesn’t stay mad forever. He takes no pleasure in hurting people or causing sorrow. He knows that their sins caused this and God had to respond and discipline them. This was their fault, not God’s Jeremiah remembers the time when he was thrown into the cistern and left for dead, but God had him drawn out and saved. Israel was in the pit right now, but God would reach down and save her when the time was right. No one knows the written or Hebrews. Some think it is Luke and others think it is Paul. It could have been neither. It was written to argue the superiority of Christianity over Judaism. It begins by telling how God talked to his people during the Old Testament. He spoke through the prophets Now he speaks to us through Jesus. Jesus is the very image of God. He purged us of our sins and now sits on the right hand of God in heaven. Jesus was much higher than the angels who worshipped him at his birth. He was God’s own son, his scepter of righteousness on the earth. He had been with God when he created the earth in the book of Genesis. This earth will one day be done away with but He will remain. Angels are God’s ministering spirits sent to help all who are destined for salvation. They are sent to help us! Lord, thank you for your faithfulness and kindness even when we don’t deserve it. Thank you for sending Jesus to earth to die for our sins and be your presence on the earth. Thank you for angels that minister to us and protect us. You are a wonderful God.

Fri.’s Devo - The First and Second Lamentation

Read: Lamentations 1:1-2:22; Philemon 1:1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 26:20 Lamentations is a group of five songs sung about the downfall of Judah. They all consist of 22 stanzas which begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order except the last song. In the last song they are not in alphabetical order. It is believed that they did this in the first four so it would be easy to memorize. Maybe they didn’t put the last on in order to point out that there was no order in the land. That is my thought. The first lamentation has to do with Jerusalem who was once the greatest city on the earth. It was God’s city where he chose to put his presence. It was not deserted and taken. All of her allies had turned against her. She had trusted in Egypt and they turned on her. Then she trusted in Babylon and they destroyed her. The people of Jerusalem had given no thought to their future as they spent their devotion on other gods and turned from their true God. Now they will remembered what they had done and groaned as they search for bread. There was no future for their children. God withdrew his protection and used his strength against them. It was a sad time. The Second Lamentation mourns the destruction of the Temple. All worship and the celebrations of God’s feasts were stopped. Her law ceased to exist as all the people had been taken into exile and not allowed to worship their God. The prophets received no more words from the Lord. The people hung their heads in shame and cried out for their lives. There was no comfort to be found. They had become a laughingstock to the world. Philemon is a letter Paul wrote from him and Timothy while he was in jail in Rome. Philemon had a house church and Paul wrote to him to encourage him with grace and peace. Paul had received great news about what was going on in his church and wanted him to know that he was praying for him. The way he taught his people to love one another and be generous to each other gave Paul such joy and comfort. This was how the church was suppose to look. Paul asked Philemon to be kind to his spiritual child, Onesimus who had been Onesimus’ escaped slave. He had come to Rome and had been very helpful to Paul. He was sending him back to Philemon as a helper in the church and told him that if Onesimus owed him anything to let him know and he would pay it. He did remind Philemon that he owed Paul is very soul so there was an incentive to do the right thing. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with our spirit today.

Thurs.’s Devo - Babylon’s End

Jeremiah 51:54-52:34; Titus 3:1-15; Psalm 100:1-5; Proverbs 26:18-19 First we have Jeremiah’s last message then we have the history of Zedekiah’s reign. He was the last king of Judah and reigned 11 years. He was evil and it was during his reign that Jerusalem fell. During Zedekiah’s 9th year of reigning Babylon came and besieged the city. By his last year the famine had become so severe that the food was entirely gone. The enemy had broken down a section of the wall and all the soldiers had fled. The king and his soldiers slipped through wall and fled in the night. They were captured by the Babylonian troops and taken to Babylon. Zedekiah had to face Nebuchadnezzar and watch his sons killed. Then his eyes were gouged out. Then he was bound in bronze chains and taken to Babylon where he remained in prison until he died. Babylon’s army burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in Jerusalem and tore down the walls on every side. He took most of the people as exiles to Babylon but left some of the poor who pledged allegiance to Babylon in the land to keep it from the weeds and wild animals. They desecrated all of the utensils and furniture in the Temple and took anything of value. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the Babylon army took all the important leaders of the land and along with them Daniel, Meshack, Abedneggo, and Shadrack. A total of 3,023 people were taken. Jehoiachin who had been in prison in Babylon since he was eight was now 45. Nebuchadnezzar was succeeded by Evil-merodach. Jehoiachin found favor with with him and was released from prison and given new clothes, position and a regular food allowance. Titus was reminded to tell the believers to submit to the government and its officers. a nation is given the government they deserved. If the nation rebels against the Lord then God will give them a ruler who doesn’t follow him and the whole nation will suffer. If the people obey God and follow Him then he will give them a leader who will honor God and things will go well for the people. Paul warned them time a again not to find themselves in arguments and quarrels over things like spiritual pedigrees or the law. These arguments are a waste of time. People that cause division must be given two warnings then have nothing more to do with them. They have shown by their failure to repent that they have made the choice to turn from the truth. Their own sins will condemn them. Paul gave Titus instructions to meet him and Artemas in Nicopolis for the winter. He was to help Zenas and Apollow with their trip and provide what they need to make the trip. He sent his greetings to all the believers. Lord, may our nation turn back to you and may you set up godly leaders to serve us as we serve You.

Wed.’s Devo - God's Battle Cry

Read: Jeremiah 51:1-53; Titus 2:1-15; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 26:17 Jeremiah proclaimed a battle cry against Babylon. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies had not forgotten Israel and was coming with vengeance against Babylon. The people will despair but everyone must return to their own land and not mourn Babylon’s death. The whole human race had been foolish because they worshipped worthless idols. But the God of Israel is no idol. God called forth the armies of Ararat, Minni and Ashchenaz to fight against Babylon. The meanings of these armies read like a sentence. When you look up what they mean in the Hebrew, it reads: “The curse reversed through Me, the Lord.The people will be like a man as sprinkled and a fire as scattered.” God spoke of Babylon as a destroying mountain that would be left a burnt mountain. It would be like a volcano when when it had finished spewing its lava on all the country it would fall into the vacuum and become extinct. The surrounding "rocks" alone would mark where the crater had been. This was the appearance of Babylon after its destruction, and as the pumice stones of the volcano were left in their place, being unfit for building, so Babylon would never rise from its ruins. God told Israel that He was their lawyer and he would plead their case and avenge them. The enemies would not go quietly or peacefully but they would be brought down like lambs to the slaughter. Titus was given instruction for the older men to have self-control and be examples of faith, love and patience to the younger men. The older women should be examples to the younger women of how to love their husbands and their children. Employers should honor their bosses and be trustworthy and good. Lord, may your salvation cause us to want to turn away from godless living and sinful pleasures.

Tues.’s Devo - God’s Judgment on the Other Nations of the World

Read: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46; Titus 1:1-16; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 26:13-16 God had a message to the city of Damascus, the capital of Syria. In the reign of Solomon, God had raised up an adversary against him because Solomon had gone after other gods. This adversary, Razon had revolted from Hadadezer, his leader and fled to Damascus. Razon settled there where he was made their leader king. There was a long war, with varying success, between the Israelites and Syrians, who at a later time became allies of Israel against Judah. The cities of Syria were hearing rumors of the coming Assyrians and were fainting in fear. Damascus was known for its beauty and fame and would now be destroyed. God warned the ones who were nomads and lived in tents to flee to the desert or they would be destroyed also. Elam was another name for Persia. They had helped Nebuchadnezzar fight against Judah and now it was their time to be punished. But, they would have their fortunes restored in days to come. Concerning Babylon…it would fall. God wanted the whole world to know this. Her gods of Bel and Marduk would be destroyed. Bel and Marduk are other names for Baal, the chief of all false gods. This is the god America and the world is fighting right now. God said that these gods would be utterly disgraced. Babylon would be totally disgraced and no one would live in her again. The people of Israel would return home with the people of Judah. The would come humbly seeking the Lord as their God. They would bind themselves to the Lord with an eternal covenant that would never be forgotten. When the time came to return, they would hear God tell them to flee and leave the land of Babylon. The surrounding nations would attack Babylon and her walls would fall. The Lord would take out his vengeance upon her. What she did to others would turn back on her. The time would come for God to redeem Israel and Judah for all the wrong the Babylonians had done to them. He would defend them and give them rest again in Israel. Jeremiah ends his message with: the earth will shake with the news that Babylon has been taken and their cry of despair will be heard around the world. May this be for the Cabal! Titus, like Timothy was a young convert of Paul’s. He had been put in leadership and under Paul’s mentorship. There are three themes to the letter to Titus: church organization, sound doctrine and holy living. All of these are important to God. He describes the lifestyle of people that should be appointed as leaders: blameless, faithful husbands, not wild or rebellious, not sick-tempered or violent or dishonest. He must be hospitable, wide, use and disciplined in his life. He must have sound teaching. People are known for the way they live their lives. Lord, may we live our lives as examples of how life should be lived as a disciple of Christ. May we allow you to live through us with your grace and love.

Mon.’s Devo - Judgment on the Nations

Read: Jeremiah 48:1-49:22; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 26:9-12 God gave messages to Jeremiah about the other nations He was going to judge for their sins. Moab was what we now know as Jordan. They worshiped the god Chemosh which was the destroyer or subduer. It was a fish-god. The worship of Chemosh was introduced to the Israelites by Solomon and was abolished by Josiah. The Moabites were descendants of Lot. The children of Israel fought the Moabites when they were coming to Canaan. They conquered them and killed their king, Bashan. They had remained enemies of Israel. They would be destroyed according to the word of the Lord. They would be ashamed of their idol Chemosh just as the people of Israel were made ashamed of their golden calf at Bethel. The people would have to flee from their towns and live in caves to live. They would be judged for their sacrifices and incense to their false gods. God does leave them with hope. God promised to restore the fortuned of Moab in the days to come. Next he spoke about the Ammonites. They were descendants of the son of Lot. The Ammonites were the ones whose king was Og and the Israelites conquered on their way to Canaan. The Gadites wanted to live in their land and now God was asking where they were. The land had been taken over by people who worshipped Molech. Molech was the calf god who required human sacrifice and infants specifically. They were passed through the fire to satisfy this god and purify the child. God was bringing his terror upon them but God would one day restore their fortunes also. Edom was next. They were descendants of Esau and they refused to allow the Israelites passage through their land when they were on their way to Canaan. Edom was known for having wise men so God asks if there was no wisdom in Teman. He tells them to flee to the caves. God would strip their land bare and there would be no place to hide. But God would protect the orphans and the widows who depended on Him for help. God gives no hope for Edom’s future. In Second Timothy, Paul encourages them to preach the word of God and give the people sound teaching because the day was coming when the people would not want to hear sound teaching. They will want to follow their own desires and they will look for teachers to tell them what they want to hear. Paul told Timothy to keep his mind clear and to not be afraid to suffer for the Lord. Paul had been deserted by Demas because he loved his own life more than the gospel so Paul asked Timothy to please come as soon as he could and bring Mark with him when he came. He also wanted his book, papers and his coat. He asked him to try to come before the winter. Paul had endured much rejection and opposition and he was calling in for back up. We can relate to that. Even Paul needed help and wasn’t ashamed to ask for it. Lord, may we surround ourselves with people who can be there for us as we are there for them.

Sun.’s Devo - God’s Judgment

Read: Jeremiah 44:24-47:7; 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; Provers 26:6-8 Jeremiah addressed the exiles in Egypt and told them that since they had decided they would not stop worshipping the Queen of Heaven then they would no longer be allowed to speak God’s name and swear “As surely as Adonay (Hebrew for God) lives. Taking the Lord’s name in vain would stop because God was going to bring disaster on them and most of them would die of war or famine. Only a small number would escape to come back. Then they will know whose word would stand theirs or God’s. God would give Pharaoh-hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemy, Nebuchadnezzar. They would watch Egypt fall just as they had seen Jerusalem fall. Jeremiah gave a word to Baruch, his scribe that had been overwhelmed with all he had had to endure. He had sought great things for himself and he wouldn’t see them but, he would not die. God would give him his life. God gave Jeremiah a message to Egypt when Jehoiakim was reigning. Egypt was marching out to meet King Nebuchadnezzar at the Euphrates River. Egypt was proud and strong and thought no one would conquer them. Their army would spread over the region south of Euphrates; but it, like the Nile, would retreat as fast as it advanced. The Lord of Heavens’s Armies would come out and fight Egypt. God would use the Babylonians as his earthly army and fight with them. The Babylonians had spent thirteen years in the siege of Tyre, and had not broken through so God would give them Egypt for his reward in humbling Tyre (Ezekiel 29:17-20; 30:1-31:18). Then God would use the Babylonians to conquer the Philistines also. In Second Timothy Paul warns Timothy to run from anything that entices him to sin. Instead, he must pursue righteousness, life, faith, love and peace. He should seek fellowship with other believers. Over and over Paul tells Timothy not to argue doctrine or opinion with people but instead, choose to love them and gently instruct those who oppose the truth. He told him to avoid people who were only interested in themselves and their money. They are only interested in what they can control, not in submitting to God and letting God control their lives. They want no part of persecution or doing without. Paul’s life was full of persecution and troubles but he explained, if you want to live a godly life it will be full of persecution and trials. Paul encouraged Timothy to stay true to the Scriptures because they inspire us and teach us what is true. They cause us to realize our sins and correct us and teach us what is right. The Word equips us to do every good work. Lord, may your Word do its perfect work in us.

Sat.’s Devo - Jeremiah’s Words to the Remnant

Read: Jeremiah 42:1-44:23; 2 Timothy 2:1-21; Psalm 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 26:3-5 The military leaders came to Jeremiah for some wisdom as to what to do next. Their leader had been assassinated by Ishmael and they had no idea what Nebuchadnezzar would do for them for killing the leader he had set up. They were planning to escape to Egypt. They asked Jeremiah to pray and hear for them and tell them what God said and promised they would obey what the Lord said. Jeremiah went to the Lord and came back 10 days later to give them God’s words. He met with the leaders and all the people and told them that they were to stay right where they were and God would rescue them from Babylon’s power. But if they refuse and go to Egypt for refuge, the war and famine they were hoping to escape would find them there. Babylon would come there and they would go through the same trauma they went through in their land. Also in the land of Egypt, they would be an object of damnation, horror, cursing, and mocking. They would never see their land again. When Jeremiah finished speaking they told Jeremiah that he was lying and had been influenced by Baruch because Baruch wanted them to stay there and be killed by the Babylonians or be carried away to exile. So they refused to listen to what the Lord said through Jeremiah and left for Egypt. Jeremiah went with them and when they came to the city of Tahpanhes, God gave Jeremiah another word. God told Jeremiah to take some large rocks and bury them under the pavement stones at the entrance of Pharaoh’s palace in that city. He said that Nebuchadnezzar would come and set his throne over these stones and when he comes he would destroy the land of Egypt. He would set fire to the temples of Egypts’s gods and burn the temple and carry the idols away as plunder. He would bring death, war and captivity. He rebuked the men of Judah who had come as exiles before now because they worshiped the idols of Egypt and the women offered incense to the Queen of Heaven. The women accused their husbands of agreeing with them. They told Jeremiah that they had done this in Judah and everything went well for them. It was only when they stopped that calamity hit them. Jeremiah explained that they had it upside down. God punished them because they worshipped the Queen of Heaven and offered incense to other gods. In his letter to Timothy, Paul encouraged Timothy to be strong in the power that God gives him to endure the sufferings of this world. Soldiers live to please their officers, not the civilians. Athletes must follow the rules of the game to win. Farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. We as Christians are all three of these people. We are soldiers in God’s army and must listen to our commander, God. We are athletes running a race in our own personal walk with Christ and we must follow the Bible. We are farmers planting seeds of the gospel, kindness, provision, good works, etc. and we will reap a harvest and enjoy it. That is God’s plan. He warned him to not get into arguments over words and foolish things. Walk in the truth and let it be your foundation. It will keep you from evil and you will be a vessel of honor. Lord, may we be vessels of honor in your kingdom.

Fri.’s Devo - The Turn of Events

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18;2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalms 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2 In the ninth year of King Zedekiah, Babylon came and besieged Jerusalem. They worked for two and a half years before they broke through a section of the wall. The officers of the Babylonian army marched in the Middle Gate and set up their officers to guard it. King Zedekiah and his officers fled through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley. Just as Jeremiah had prophesied, they were caught and taken to Babylon. There Zedekiah met King Nebechadnezzar face to face and had to watch as they killed all his sons, then his eyes were gouged out and he was put in prison. They burned Jerusalem and many of the people were taken as exiles to Babylon. The poorest were left behind to care for the vineyards and the fields. The captain of the guard had been given strict orders to find Jeremiah and make sure he was not hurt. They took him out of prison and put him under the care of Gedaliah. Gedaliah had been a secretary under Josiah’s rule and was now set as the governor of the land. God told Jeremiah to tell Ebed-melech who had saved him from the cistern that he would be rescued and kept safe. God never forgets those who protect his prophets. The captain of the guard gave Jeremiah the choice of staying with the remnant left in Judah or to go to Babylon where he would be taken good care of. Jeremiah decided to stay in Judah with Gedaiah so the Babylonian gave Jeremiah food and money and set him free. The leaders of Zedekiah’s army all went to see Gedaliah for instructions. He told them not to be afraid to serve under Babylon. He was going to stay at Mizpah and represent them under the Babylonian rule. The people that had fled when the Babylonians came heard about what had happened and came out of hiding and came back to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to meet Gedaliah, their new governor. A while later, some of the men from the army of Judah came to warn Gedaliah that Ishmael was coming to assassinate him but Gedaliah didn’t believe them. Johanan met with Gedaliah and offered to kill Ishmael secretly but Gedaliah still didn’t believe Ismael would kill him. Sure enough, Ishmeal did come to Mizpah with ten men to meet Gedaliah and while they were eating Ishmael and him men killed Gedaliah with their swords. They appointed Ishmael governor in his stead. The next day, 80 men arrived at Mizpah to celebrate to the Lord and offer sacrifices. They had not heard of Gedaliah’s death. Ishmael’s ten men killed them, all but ten. He let them go because they promised to bring him back the wheat, barley, olive oil and honey they had hidden away. Ishmael took the king’s daughters and the other people that had been put under Gedaliah’s care and took off to the land of Ammon. The other military officers found out what Ishmael had done and came after him. They caught up with him and released all the people. (Jeremiah would have been with the group they had taken.) Ishmael and eight of him men escaped into the land of Ammon. Johanan was the leader of the people now and his plan was to take everyone to Egypt because they were afraid of what Nebuchadnezzar would do if he found out the Gedaliah was dead. Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy to talk about the life God had promised to all who put their faith in Jesus. Paul reminisces about Timothy and his faith which he saw in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. He reminded Timothy to fan the flames of the fire inside him to keep his spiritual gift in operation. He reminded Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and a sound mind. Paul encouraged him not to ever be ashamed of the gospel or the fact that Paul was in prison for the truth. God chose that Paul would be a preacher of the gospel of Christ and prison was part of the plan which Paul embraced with grace and joy. Paul was honored to suffer for Christ and he is our example. Lord, may we grow under fire and persecution. May we fan the flames of the spiritual gift you have given us. May we never be ashamed of the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

Thurs.’s Devo - Trust in God

Read: Jeremiah 37:1-38:28; 1 Timothy 6:1-21; Psalm 89:38-52: Proverbs 25:25-28 The last king of Judah was Zedekiah who was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar. He was one of Josiah’s sons counting him as a legitimate king of Judah in the lineage of David. King Zedekiah sent the two priests, Shelemiah and Zephaniah to ask Jeremiah to pray to God for them. Imagine the priest being asked to go ask the prophet to pray. Jeremiah had not been thrown into prison yet and Pharaoh’s army from Egypt had arrived soouth of the border. They were coming to help Judah so the King of Babylon retreated. God told Jeremiah to tell the king that when Pharaoh returns to Egypt, the king of Babylon will return and capture the city of Jerusalem and burn it to the ground. When the Babylonians left, Jeremiah left Jerusalem also to go and look over the property that he had bought from his relative. He was arrested as he tried to leave the Benjamin Gate. He was accused of defecting to the Babylonian army. They flogged and imprisoned Jeremiah in the dungeon of the house of Jonathan the secretary whose house had been turned into a prison. King Zedekiah secretly had Jeremiah come to his palace to ask him what God was saying. He told him shortly that He would be defeated by the Babylonians. Then he asked him what crime he had committed that he was thrown in prison. He begged not to be sent back to prison and he was instead put in the courtyard prison where he was given a loaf of bread everyday. Three of the officials heard what Jeremiah was saying that whoever stayed in Jerusalem would die but the ones who surrendered to the Babylonians would live. They went to King Zedekiah and told him that Jeremiah’s words were undermining the morale of the soldiers and he needed to die a traitor. The king told them to do whatever they wanted with Jeremiah. They put him in a cistern that was full of mud. An Ethiopian official heard what had happened to Jeremiah and he went to court for him. He pled his case saying he would die if left there. The king had Jeremiah drawn from the cistern and returned to the courtyard of the palace prison where he remained. The king secretly met with Jeremiah to find out what God was saying. Jeremiah told him if he told him he would kill him and if he told him advise he wouldn’t listen. The king promised to listen so Jeremiah told him that if he would surrender to the Babylonians officers, him and his family would live and the city would not be burned down. But if he refused then he would not escape, the city would be handed over and burned. Zedekiah told him he was afraid that if he surrendered, they would turn him over to the Judaean who had defected to them. Jeremiah told him that if he surrendered, God would protect him and it would go well with him. If he didn’t his women would be given to the officers and taunt him with words of his betrayal to them. All his women and children would be led to Babylon and ye would not escape. The city would burn. Zedekiah made Jeremiah promise not to tell anyone what they had talked about. Jeremiah kept his promise. Paul talked about slaves and masters. In todays world it would be employees and employers. Employees should honor their bosses. If they are Christians then their actions and the way they led or worked should show that they honor God. The teachings of Christ cause us to live righteously. Faith, love, perseverance and gentleness is what we fight for; it is our testimony that we are Christ’s followers. We do not trust in the riches of this world but in God. Lord, may we be steadfast and unmovable in our faith in You.

Wed.’s Devo - The Example of the Recabites

Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27 God told Jeremiah to go to the settlement of the Recabites and invite their leaders to the Lord’s Temple. They took them into an inner room and offered them wine. They refused to drink the wine because their ancestor Jehonadab had told them that they must never drink wine or build houses or plant crops or vineyards. They were to live in tents. Recab means “rider or charioteers” and they were the riders and charioteers in God’s army. They were to be ready to move and sober at all times. They had kept this promise for generations. God said that these Recabites were faithful to the word of their forefathers and obeyed. Israel was not like them. They had rebelled against God and his plan for their lives. During the fourth year of Jehoiakim king of Judah, God told Jeremiah to write down his message on a scroll. Maybe they would hear the terrible things that God had planned for their city because of their rebellion. They had heard it before, but maybe this time it would cause them to repent. It was the holy Day of Atonement when the priest would pray for the nation. Baruch wrote down everything that Jeremiah told him to and read it to all the people in front of the Temple room of Gemariah. When Gemariah’s son heard it he told his father who told his father, Shaphan and the other officials who were meeting in an inner room in under the Temple. They asked Baruch to come and read the scroll to them. When they heard it they were terrible alarmed. They warned Barach and Jeremiah to hide as they were going to take the scroll and read it to the king. The king sent Jehudi, his official to get the scroll and read it to him. Each time he would finish reading three or four columns, the king would cut it off with his knife and throw it into the fire. His officials begged him not to burn it but his attendants were cold as ice. The king ordered Jeremiah and Baruch arrested but they were not to be found because God hid them. God told Jeremiah to take another scroll and write all the words of the first scrolls and he added much more. In First Timothy, Paul told us to never speak harshly to our elders but to honor them as you would your own father. Talk to younger men as a brother, older women as your mother, and to treat younger women with purity as your own sister. Take care of widows unless they have children of grandchildren. It is their responsibility to take care of them. If they don’t then they are worse than unbelievers. A true widow is a woman who is alone and has placed her hope in God. A widow who lives for pleasure is dead spiritually. The church is not responsible to help dead people. A widow qualifies for being on the list of those being helped by the church if she is at least 60 and was faithful to her husband. She must have a good reputation and have raised her children well. She must have been kind to strangers and served other believers with humility. Younger widows should not be on the list of church help because they can remarry. They are advised to remarry and have children. Responsibility of widows falls first on the family. The elders who teach and preach should be well paid. All our sins will one day be revealed and all our good works will one day be rewarded. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Help us to walk in both.

Tues.’s Devo - Zedekiah’s End

Jeremiah 33:1-34:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Psalm 89:1-13; Proverbs 25:23-24 God told Jeremiah to ask him and he would tell him things that were about to happen that no one knew. They had torn down their houses to fortify the walls against the siege ramps that the Babylonians had set up. They were wasting their time and efforts because God had determined they would not win. Their sins had gotten them into the mess they were in but God did have a plan for their future. He would heal them and cause them to prosper and have peace. They would have their fortunes restored and rebuild their towns. God would cleanse them and forgive all their sins. God would raise up a righteous descendant from the house of Judah who would do what was righteous and just. Judah would be saved and Jerusalem would live in safety. This Savior would sit on the throne of David forever. Israel would multiply like the stars and the sand on the seashore. King Nebuchadnezzar came from Babylon with his army to burn down Jerusalem and take the city. God told Jeremiah to tell King Zedekiah that he would not escape but be captured and taken to Babylon to meet King Nebuchadnezzar face to face. He would not die in war but die peacefully and be honored and mourned. At this time, Nebuchadnezzar was attacking the surrounding cities and Jerusalem. King Zedekiah proclaimed freedom for the slaves in Jerusalem. The people obeyed for a while but then forced them to be slaves again. Jeremiah reminded them of what the law said. Hebrews slaves could work six years for their masters and then they were to be set free unless they chose to stay. Since they had broken their covenant with God, God would set them free to be destroyed by war, disease, and famine. They would be an object of horror to all the nations of the earth. The Babylonians had left besieging Jerusalem for a while, but they would return and do everything Jeremiah had said they would. First Timothy tells us that in the last days many will turn away from the truth and follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons instead. They will be hypocrites and liars and have no conscience. They will tell us it is wrong to marry or to eat certain foods. Paul told Timothy not to spend his time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. but instead teach the people to live in love, faith and purity. Timothy should model this before them and don’t neglect the spiritual gift within you. Live what you teach so others will have a role model to follow. Lord, may we stay strong in our faith and the truth of the Word.

Mon.’s Devo - God’s Plan of Redemption

Read: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22 The day was coming when Israel would multiply and be blessed. Where God tore them down because of their rebellion, he would rebuild them because of his love and faithfulness. He would make a new covenant with them. He will put his laws in their hearts and every man would be responsible for his own sin. God would forgive their sin and remember it no more. Jerusalem would be rebuilt. When Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonians, Jeremiah had been put in the royal prison for prophesying against the city. God gave him a word while he was in prison. He told them that God was about to turn the city over to Nebuchadnezzar and King Zedekiah would be be taken to Babylon to meet the king face to face. Fighting against the Babylonians would prove futile. God gave Jeremiah another message that his cousin Hanamel would come and want him to but his field at Anathoth. Jeremiah had first rights to buy it if he wanted to. God told him to buy it as proof to the people that he believed they would return one day. So Jeremiah bought the field and gave him 17 pieces of silver for it. He took the legal document of the sale to Baruch. There was a sealed deed and a copy of it which was unsealed. Jeremiah told Baruch to take them both and put them in a clay jar to preserve them for a long time. One day the people would own property in this land and buy and sell houses once again. Jeremiah prayed to the Lord reminding himself of the goodness and ways of God. God answered Jeremiah and told him that he was turning their land over to the Babylonians. They would set fire to the city of Jerusalem and burn it down. All of the places of idolatry would burn and be cleansed. God would bring them back to this city and rebuild them as a nation. He would bless them and they would have a heart to know him. He would make an everlasting covenant to never stop doing good for them. Fields would once again be bought and sold there and God would restore prosperity to them. Paul describes a church leader. He must be a man whose life is above reproach: a faithful husband who exibited self-control and wisdom and a good reputation. He must be hospitable and able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or violent but gentle and peaceable, not loving money. He must manage his own home well and care for God’s church. He must be a mature believer, committed to the faith. Their wives must be respected and not gossipers. They must be able to pass the same test of integrity as their husbands. Lord, may we all pass the test of integrity in your kingdom. Thank you that you always have a plan of redemption for us. You are the faithful Father.

Sun.’s Devo God’s Plan for Israel

Read: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 25:18-19 God told Jeremiah to write down and record this prophecy because it had to do with their far future. In 70 years God would bring them back and restore to them their fortunes and they would possess the land once again. But for now, men will double over in pain like women in childbirth because of the travail they are going through. In all history, there has never been a time of trouble like this one. Jeremiah comforted them with the fact that one day it would be over and they would be delivered. They will return to a life of peace and quiet and no longer be terrorized. God will completely destroy the nations that they had been exiled to. God had to punish them because of their sin but God always restores in the end. Their oppressors would pay the price. Israel would be given back their health and their wounds healed. They would have their own ruler from amongst them. God would invite him into his presence and Israel would be God’s people and He would be their God. Jeremiah gave a message to the nations of the world. He told them that his people who had been scattered amongst them would one day come home to their own land. They would come home singing and weeping for joy. God would bless their crops and their cattle. They would be abundantly blessed and their sorrow would be gone. They would dance for joy. Though they were in deep anguish, they would be rewarded. They would live to see their children return to their land. God told them to mark with roadsigns the way back to Jerusalem so they would be able to finds it when the time came to return. Jeremiah woke and realized he had dreamed of this. Paul urges us to pray for all people and to ask God to help them do this. Wey are to intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. We are to pray the same way for kings and all leaders in authority. We should pray that they lead in a way that it would give the people peace and quiet to live godly lives. God wants everyone to be saved and understand the truth. Men should pray with their hands lifted up to God and free of anger and controversy. Women are to be modest in their appearance and let their heart make them attractive. Timothy was the preacher in Ephesus at the time so the letter was written to him. Ephesus was a very sinful city which abounded in idol worship. The Temple of Dianna was there and women were worshiped and esteemed higher than men. It is no wonder that the women were not allowed to talk or teach in Ephesus. They were not ready or clean from their idolatry. They still dressed and adorned themselves like the women who worshiped at the temple of Dianna. Paul taught them the order of their birth. Adam came first and then Eve to be his helpmeet. She was deceived which led to sin being in the world. They will be made whole when they bring life back into the world since they were part of bringing death into the world. Lord, may we pray and intercede for ot

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Yokes

Read: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17 At the beginning of the reign of Zedikiah, the last king of Judah, Hananiah, the false prophet came to speak to the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people. He prophesied that in two years, Nebuchadnezzar would give back all the vessels of the Lord that he had taken and they would come back home. Even Jeremiah ‘Amened’ the fact that it would one day happen. The prophet Hananiah took the yoke of wood that was around Jeremiah’s neck and broke it and said that their yoke of slavery was broken. The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying, Hananiah broke his yoke of wood but he would make one of iron. God had put an iron yoke on all the nations that they would serve Nebuchadnezzar. Because the Lord had not sent Hananiah and he had prophesied a lie, he would die that year. He did die in the seventh month. God told Jeremiah to tell the people to settle in Babylon and plan to stay for a while. They would be there for 70 years. He would be found of those who sought Him with their whole heart. God said again that some would die by sword, some by famine and some by disease. Others would be taken captive to Babylon. The ones that prophesied lies would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar and be slain. Zephaniah had made himself priest and Shemaiah had made himself prophet. God would punish all of Shemiaiah’s seed and none of his sons would live. In First Timothy, Paul is commending Timothy to the church at Ephesus. He warns the people not to preach any other doctrine but the one he taught them about Jesus. Paul explains that he was one a blasphemer, persecutor and brought injury to the church. He did it ignorantly not knowing the truth. He thanks God who saved him and called him into the ministry. Paul spoke of Hymenaeus and Alexander who he delivered over to Satan that they might learn to not blaspheme.

Fri.’s Devo - Jeremiah’s Defense

Read: Jeremiah 26:1-27:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 25:16 God sent the word through Jeremiah that if the people wouldn’t listen to the prophets they would be destroyed just like Shiloh was. Jeremiah spoke this to all the people in front of the Lord’s Temple. When he finished saying it, the people mobbed him and wanted to kill him. When the officials of Judah heard what was going on they rushed over and took everyone to the New Gate to have court. The priests and false prophets spoke first. They wanted Jeremiah to be killed for prophesying against the city. They called him a traitor. Then Jeremiah spoke and told them that he was only saying exactly what the Lord told him to say. He told them again that if they would stop sinning, God would change his mind about the disaster he had announced against them. He told them that if they killed him they would be killing an innocent man. The official ruled that Jeremiah had done nothing worthy of death. Some of the wise men stood and calmed the people with the story of Micah who prophesied during the reign of Hezekiah about the same thing. They didn’t kill him but they repented instead and God didn’t destroy them. Then Uriah rose up and prophesied the same disaster. The kings sent someone to kill him but Uriah escaped to Egypt. King Jehoiakim sent one of his men to capture Uriah and bring him back where he was killed and buried in an unmarked grave. Lastly, Ahikam stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the people to be killed. In the beginning of Zedikiah’s reign the Lord told Jeremiah to make a yoke and fasten it to his neck with leather straps and sent messages to the king of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon. Their ambassadors were to take word to them that God was in control of the world and He would give all the nations, them included over to Babylon. He would punish any nation that refused to be his lave. They would be punished with war, famine, and disease until Babylon ruled them. Any nation that submitted to Babylon would be allowed to stay in their own country and farm the land as usual. This message was repeated to Judah. Jeremiah begged them to surrender instead of bringing such disaster upon themselves. He spoke to the priests and the people telling them not to listen to their false prophets that said that Babylon was going to return the treasures of the Temple they had stolen. That was a lie. Everything in Jerusalem would be taken to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had left some of the treasures in Jerusalem when he took Jehoiakim prisoner but he would return and take everything of value that he had left. They would stay there until God sent for them to return to Jerusalem. Paul’s prayer was that the message of Christ would spread through the world. He had tried to be an example of how to live as a follower of Christ so that they could see what Christ’s ambassador should look like. He wanted them to be able to follow his lead and lead many to Christ themselves. He encouraged them to work hard and not be idle and to not meddle with others businesses. Never get tired of doing good. He prayed that God’s peace would fill them.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Coming of Christ

Read: Jeremiah 23:21-25:38; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 25:15 God spoke about the false prophets of Israel. He told the people that He didn’t send them. They were not speaking God’s words. If they had been, their words would have caused the people to repent and turn back to him. The prophets deceived the people with their false dreams that were meant to cause the people to forget God. God’s true prophets told His words. God would punish every false prophet that gave the people false hope and took all their responsibility away. They were responsible for the outcome of their nation and it was not good. The people didn’t really want to know what God had to say, they just wanted to know that everything was going to be ok. The king of Babylon came and took Jehoiachin, the king of Judah to Babylon along with the officials and craftsmen of Judah. God showed Jeremiah a vision of two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem. One was filled with fresh ripe figs and the other with bad rotten figs. The good figs represented the exiled that God sent to Babylon, the best of the bunch. He would watch over them and bring them back. God would give them hearts to love and honor Him. The bad figs were king Zedikiah and the officials left in Jerusalem and those who live in Egypt. He would make them an object of horror and a symbol of evil to every nation on the earth. They would be disgraced and mocked wherever they were scattered. They will vanish through suffering death in the land God sent them. When Nebuchadnezzar became king of Babylon, King Jehoiakim had been king of Judah for 4 years and Jeremiah had been prophesying the same thing for 23 years. The people had not listened to Jeremiah’s prophecies but had ignored them. They had refused to turn from their evil ways and continued to worship idols. Because of this, God was gathering an army from Babylon against them and the surrounding nations. Their entire land would become a desolate wasteland. They would serve Babylon for 70 years. Then God would punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins and make Babylon a wasteland. God told Jeremiah to take the cup of God’s anger and cause all the nations to drink from it. He took the cup to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah and told their officials and kings to drink from the cup. He took the cup to Pharaoh in Egypt and had him and his attendants and official and all his people drink from it. He also gave it to all the kings of the land of Uz and the kings of the Philistine cities to drink. He gave it to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon and the kings of Tyre and Sidon and Dedan, Tema and Bus. He gave it to the kings of Arabia and Zimri, Elam and Media and the kings of the norther countries. Finally he had the king of Babylon himself drink from the cup. This is the last cup of God’s judgment on the earth. In Thessalonians, Paul clears up some of their questions about the second coming of Christ. He told them not to believe those who said that the day of the Lord had already begun. Even if they claimed to have a revelation or vision saying it was. That day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed - the Anti-Christ. He will defy god and worship of any god except himself. He will proclaim himself to be God. He can only come when God says it is time for him to come. Jesus will return and slay him by the breath of his mouth and the splendor of his coming. The anti-christ will counterfeit the miracles of Christ and use every kind of deceit to deceive the people into believing he has power. Our comfort comes from Christ who is the true God who gives us eternal comfort and strength to walk through the life he has given us. Lord, thank you that we were called to live in this world at this time. May we do our part to further your Kingdom on the earth.

Wed.’s Devo - The Last Kings

Read: Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 25:11-14 Jeremiah listed the things they were doing that angered the Lord and told them to stopping them. They were not being fair or just to the people; they were not helping those who had been robbed; they mistreated foreigners, orphans and widows; and they murdered the innocent. If they would obey the Lord, then there would always be a king in their gates, but if they refused to obey, then Jerusalem would become a pile of rubble and Judah would be turned into a desert. When people passed by they would ask what happened to the beautiful city of Jerusalem and the answer would be that they broke the covenant they had made with their God. Josiah had been a good king who honored the Lord with all his heart. He gave justice and helped the poor and needy so everything went well for him. His son, Jehoahaz was of another heart. He was greedy and dishonest - a murderer of the innocent and oppressor of the poor. He ruled ruthlessly. He would be taken captive and never return to Jerusalem. Jehoiakim used forced labor to build his palace When he died, the people would not mourn for him like they did his father, Josiah. He would be thrown out of the city gates like a dead donkey. Jehoiachin his son would be handed over to the king of Babylon along with his mother. They would die in Babylon and never return. None of his sons would become king. God pronounced judgment on the leaders and shepherds of the people who were suppose to care for them. Instead they deserted them and drove them to destruction. There would be a remnant who God would save and protect. The would be brought back. God would appoint new shepherds to lead them in righteousness. From them a king would come and his name would be “the Lord Is Our Righteousness.” Judah would be saved and Israel would live in safety. In that day, they would no longer be talking about God delivering them from Egypt, but the talk would be the fact that God brought them back to their land. The false prophets abused their power and desecrated the Temple of the Lord. The prophets of Samaria were terribly evil and prophesied in the name of Baal. They led the people of Israel into sin. The prophets of Judah and Jerusalem did even worse. They committed adultery and loved dishonesty and encouraged others to do the same. He compared them to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The false prophets filled the people’s minds with false hopes saying that no harm would come to them. Jeremiah ended with “In the days to come you will understand all this very clearly.” Paul commended the church in Thessalonica for their endurance and faithfulness in the midst of persecutions and hardships. God would use their persecution to show his justice and make them worthy of his Kingdom. Paul prayed that God would enable them to live a life worthy of his call and that He would give them the power to accomplish all the good things their faith prompted them to do. May You be honored in all we do. Thank you for the grace to accomplish all you have put in our hearts to do.

Tues.’s Devo- Children of the Light

Read: Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28; Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 25:9-10 God told Jeremiah to go buy a clay jar and ask some of the elders and priests to go with you to the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom. “Hinnom” means “to make self-drowsy.” This valley separated Mount Zion from the so-called "Hill of Evil Counsel." In this valley they sacrificed children to Molech and built altars to Baal. They filled the valley with the blood of the innocent. This valley would one day become the valley of slaughter. Judah and Jerusalem would fall by the sword and their bodies would be food for the fowls of heaven and the beasts of the earth. In the end of time this will be the place of the last battle and this feast will be called the Feast of Leviathan. Jeremiah was to take his jar and smash it to pieces in front of the leaders and priests and tell them that the people of Judah would be smashed and scattered like this pot. Their bodies would be buried here in Topheth. Topheth means “an object of contempt.” When Pashur, the priest heard Jeremiah’s words he arrested him and had him whipped and put in stocks. He released him the next day. Jeremiah told Pashur that his name no longer meant “white linen” but now it meant “the man who lives in terror.” He would live and watch his friends slaughtered, his city taken and the enemies take their possessions. He would be taken captive to Babylon where he would die with all his friends, the same ones that he prophesied everything would be all right. Jeremiah cried out to the Lord with all his heart. He had said all these things that were going to happen and no one believed him. They called him “the man who lives in terror.” They mocked him and said that what he was saying would fall on him. But Jeremiah knew that God was standing with him like a great warrior. They would be the ones dishonored. Jeremiah prayed for God’s vengeance to fall on them. King Zedekiah sent Pashhur to speak with Jeremiah and they begged him to ask the Lord to help them. King Nebuchadnezzar was coming to attack Judah and they were hoping that God would do one of his miracles like He had done in the past. Jeremiah told them to tell King Zedekiah that his weapons would be useless against the king of Babylon. They would come into the heart of the city and fight them. God would send a terrible plague and the people and animals would die. Those who survived the war and famine would be taken captive. He advised them to surrender if they wanted to live. God was punishing them for their sins. In Thessalonians, Paul explained that the Christians would not be surprised when the day of the Lord came like a thief. We are children of the light and walk in the light and will be awake when he comes. Until he comes we should encourage each other, honor our leaders in the Lord’s work, work hard, live peacefully with each other. Don’t pay back evil for evil but try to be good to others. Do not stile the Holy Spirit or scoff at prophesies. Lord, may we walk in the light with our spiritual eyes open and our ears attentive to your voice.

Mon.’s Devo - Jesus’ Return

Read: Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 25:6-8 God was sending fishermen and hunters to catch his people who might try to hide from their captors. Punishment was coming because the people defile his land with images of their detestable gods and filled the land with their evil deeds. All of their wealth would be given as plunder to their enemies. The wonderful land and promises God had for them will slip through their hands and they will not get to receive them. Amidst the people who worshipped idols and turned from the Lord were a small remnant of those who trusted in the Lord. They would be like trees planted by the river with deep roots into the Lord. They would not be worried by the heat of trials, the long months of nothing happening and during their trials they would not stop producing fruit. God is the one who searches the hearts of people and gives everyone what they deserve whether it is punishment or reward. Jeremiah prayed for God to defend him against the people who were persecuting him for his words from the Lord about the coming judgement. The Lord told him to go and stand in the gates where the king went in and out and tell them to stop carrying on their that on the Sabbath day. If they would stop, then their kings and officials would go in and out of these gates forever and they would always have a descendant of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. If they refuse to listen and obey then God would burn the gates down with fire. The fire would spread to the palace and no one would be able to put them out. God gave Jeremiah another assignment to go to the potter’s shop and observe him working on the wheel. When the clay didn’t conform like the potter wanted, he would start over. The clay was like them in the hands of the Lord. If he wanted to destroy them, he would and if he wanted to rebuild them he would. God told Jeremiah to tell the people that if the Lord announces that he is going to tear down a nation and that nation repents, He will not tear it down but if the Lord says he is going to build up a certain nation and it turns to evil, God will change his mind and destroy it. God was planning to destroy Israel if they didn’t turn from their evil ways. The people gave their response: we will continue to live like we want to and follow our evil desires. Even God was appalled at their answer. Then the people plotted to stop Jeremiah from being able to continue to tell them the words of the Lord. They decided to spread rumors about him and ignore what he said. Jeremiah told God what they were planing. Jeremiah warned them for their good but he was done protecting them. He was ready to see them reap their sowing. In Thessalonians, Paul drives in the teaching of loving each other. He speaks against sexual sin and cheating and abusive behavior. He told them to make it their goal to live a quiet life minding their own business and working with their hands. Their lifestyles should be an example to the unbelievers causing them to respect them. He explained to them that they didn’t need to grieve like the ones who had no hope. Believers resurrect just like Jesus did. One day, the Lord will return and the ones who have died will meet him ahead of those who have died. Jesus will come with a shout, the angels and the trumpet of God. Then the dead and the living will rise in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. We will be with him forever. This will happen unexpectedly when everything is peaceful and secure. Disaster will come suddenly and there will be no escape for the wicked. Lord, thank you for your Word. May we be like Jeremiah who was not afraid to speak the truth in spite of how he was treated. He trusted in you. We trust in You.

Sun.’s Devo - Their Destiny

Read: Jeremiah 14:11-16:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 25:1-5 Jeremiah’s heart was so broken over the spiritual state of God’s people. He wanted them to repent but God knew they wouldn’t and their time to repent was over. It was judgment time and nothing could reverse it. Even if Moses and Samuel stood before God and plead for them, God would not turn his heart. Those who were destined for death would die, those destined for war would go to war; those destined for famine would starve and those destined for captivity would be taken into captivity. They had four choices. God was sending four kinds of destruction against them: the sword to kill, the dog to drag away, the vulture to devour and the wild animals to finish up what was left. They would be punished for the wicked sins Manasseh brought upon the nation. Even though he repented in the end, his wickedness had spread to the people and they refused to repent. God spoke individually to Jeremiah and told him what would happen to him. God would take care of him. His enemies would treat him well even though he will lose all of his worldly possessions. He would be taken a captive where he will take God’s fire. Jeremiah praised the Lord and told him that His word was the joy and rejoicing of his heart. He was blessed that he was called by His Name. Jeremiah cried out to the Lord for his own sake because he didn’t want to continue suffering for doing what was right. God told him his work was not over. He must go with God’s people to captivity and continue to be a mouth piece for the Lord. God promised to keep him safe. Jeremiah was young and unmarried. God told him not to marry while in Jerusalem or he would suffer seeing them die. He even told him not to go to funerals to mourn or show sympathy because a time was coming when so many would die and no one would be there to give them a funeral or mourn their death. God told him not to go to happy parties because there was nothing to celebrate now. When people asked him why he was not attending these events he was to tell them the truth. But one day they would talk about returning to this land from the countries they would be taken to. In Thessalonians, Paul continues to express his concern for them because he could not return to visit them. He sent Timothy instead and was so relieved to hear his good report about them. They had remained strong in their faith and he was so happy to hear that. He prayed that their love for one another would grow and overflow. Lord, may that be our prayer to grow in love for You and others.

Sat.’s Devo - Jeremiah’s Case

Read: Jeremiah 12:1-14:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 24:30-34 Jeremiah had a case to bring before the Lord that he wanted the Lord to pass judgment on. His question was: why are the wicked so prosperous, established and happy? They even talk about the Lord like they know him but their hearts are far from loving him and honoring him. Jeremiah had kept his heart right, but he was not seeing his blessing. The whole land was dying because of the deeds of the wicked. The people were so hopeless they didn’t think that God had a plan for them. God did have a plan but it was to destroy them because of their hard hearts. God will also destroy the nations who were their enemies and pluck Judah out from them. These that he chose will return to Jerusalem and He will have compassion on them and give them their inheritance in their own land. Any nation who learns from his people about the Lord and turns to him will be saved as a nation. God told Jeremiah to buy a linen loincloth and wear it for a while, then take it and bury it in the rocks by the Euphrates River. A good time later, God told him to go back and dig it up. It was rotting and falling apart, good for nothing. The loincloth was a picture of Israel’s pride that God was going to rot away as they live in another nation under unjust rulers. Jeremiah begged the people to lay down their pride and acknowledge and worship the Lord. It was their only hope. He told the king and his mother to come off their thrones and repent. He told them to open their eyes - their spiritual eyes. He could see the army from the north coming through his spiritual eyes. Their allies were about to become their enemies. Jeremiah begged them to repent while they could because all their sins were about to be exposed for all to see. To get their attention, God stopped the rain. Deuteronomy 28:24 says that “the Lord shall make the rain of your land powder and dust:from heaven it shall come down upon you, until you be destroyed.” They depended on rain for their livelihood. All business came to a stop. This is like what happened to us in 2020. We were so busy with our every day lives and many didn’t stop to consider the Lord. Many didn’t see the enemy was coming for our nation, so God had to get our attention. Our enemy is Socialism and Communism and China. I pray that God has gotten our attention now. When this happened in Israel it did get their attention and they turned to the Lord for help but their hearts were not repentant. They just wanted to be saved from Nebechadnezzar. God told them that since they loved to wander far from him, he was no longer going to think of them as his people. He was going to punish them for their sins. That will be God’s response in the end of the ages when he is done. Paul went to Thessalonica for the first time during his second missionary tour. Thessalonica was the capitol of its district of the Roman province of Macedonia and had a natural harbor. It was located on a major Roman military highway and was ruled by politarchs which were a class of officials. Paul called these men “rulers of the city” in 1:9. Paul’s message was accepted by both Jews and devout Greeks. A number of prominent women in the city responded also. There faith became widely known and got the attention of both the Roman officials and the Jewish opponents who brought charges that Paul and his band had “turned the world upside down.” This was a serious charge which sounded more lie a civil rebellion than a peaceful protest…sound familiar today? The Roman’s though to call Jesus “Lord” was to give him a title only applied to the emperor so they were accused of opposing Caesar. Paul was only able to stay about three weeks so his letter was to encourage them in their faith. Everywhere Paul went he was hearing of their faith in the Lord. Paul had escaped Thessalonica with Silas and gone to Berea where the Jewish enemies follow them to stir up the crowds against him. Since Paul had left Thessalonica in the midst of civil unrest, their work was cut short. Paul wanted them to know that he didn’t look at this visit as a failure because they met persecution and trouble. God had given them courage to declare his Good News boldly inspire of the opposition. Lord, thank you for the reminder that even Paul faced such opposition to the truth. May it make our resolve even greater to stand for truth and your honor.

Fri.’s Devo - The Turn of Events

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18;2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalms 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2 In the ninth year of King Zedekiah, Babylon came and besieged Jerusalem. They worked for two and a half years before they broke through a section of the wall. The officers of the Babylonian army marched in the Middle Gate and set up their officers to guard it. King Zedekiah and his officers fled through the gate between the two walls behind the king’s garden and headed toward the Jordan Valley. Just as Jeremiah had prophesied, they were caught and taken to Babylon. There Zedekiah met King Nebechadnezzar face to face and had to watch as they killed all his sons, then his eyes were gouged out and he was put in prison. They burned Jerusalem and many of the people were taken as exiles to Babylon. The poorest were left behind to care for the vineyards and the fields. The captain of the guard had been given strict orders to find Jeremiah and make sure he was not hurt. They took him out of prison and put him under the care of Gedaliah. Gedaliah had been a secretary under Josiah’s rule and was now set as the governor of the land. God told Jeremiah to tell Ebed-melech who had saved him from the cistern that he would be rescued and kept safe. God never forgets those who protect his prophets. The captain of the guard gave Jeremiah the choice of staying with the remnant left in Judah or to go to Babylon where he would be taken good care of. Jeremiah decided to stay in Judah with Gedaiah so the Babylonian gave Jeremiah food and money and set him free. The leaders of Zedekiah’s army all went to see Gedaliah for instructions. He told them not to be afraid to serve under Babylon. He was going to stay at Mizpah and represent them under the Babylonian rule. The people that had fled when the Babylonians came heard about what had happened and came out of hiding and came back to Judah. They stopped at Mizpah to meet Gedaliah, their new governor. A while later, some of the men from the army of Judah came to warn Gedaliah that Ishmael was coming to assassinate him but Gedaliah didn’t believe them. Johanan met with Gedaliah and offered to kill Ishmael secretly but Gedaliah still didn’t believe Ismael would kill him. Sure enough, Ishmeal did come to Mizpah with ten men to meet Gedaliah and while they were eating Ishmael and him men killed Gedaliah with their swords. They appointed Ishmael governor in his stead. The next day, 80 men arrived at Mizpah to celebrate to the Lord and offer sacrifices. They had not heard of Gedaliah’s death. Ishmael’s ten men killed them, all but ten. He let them go because they promised to bring him back the wheat, barley, olive oil and honey they had hidden away. Ishmael took the king’s daughters and the other people that had been put under Gedaliah’s care and took off to the land of Ammon. The other military officers found out what Ishmael had done and came after him. They caught up with him and released all the people. (Jeremiah would have been with the group they had taken.) Ishmael and eight of him men escaped into the land of Ammon. Johanan was the leader of the people now and his plan was to take everyone to Egypt because they were afraid of what Nebuchadnezzar would do if he found out the Gedaliah was dead. Paul wrote a second letter to Timothy to talk about the life God had promised to all who put their faith in Jesus. Paul reminisces about Timothy and his faith which he saw in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. He reminded Timothy to fan the flames of the fire inside him to keep his spiritual gift in operation. He reminded Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and a sound mind. Paul encouraged him not to ever be ashamed of the gospel or the fact that Paul was in prison for the truth. God chose that Paul would be a preacher of the gospel of Christ and prison was part of the plan which Paul embraced with grace and joy. Paul was honored to suffer for Christ and he is our example. Lord, may we grow under fire and persecution. May we fan the flames of the spiritual gift you have given us. May we never be ashamed of the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

Fri.’s Devo - The Only True God

Read: Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29 God begged Israel to not be like the other nations who tried to read their future in their horoscopes and made idols out of wood and stone. Their gods were like ‘helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field.’ (That is what my NLT translation says. LOL!) There is nothing to fear in an idol you have to prop up to stand, or that you make with your own hands. It is ridiculous to worship such things. These gods had no power yet they traded the one and only God who made the heavens and the earth for these worthless idols. God is not an idol. He is the Creator of everything. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name. God told them to pack their bags because they were about to have to leave the land that God gave them. Jeremiah pled with God to pour out his wrath on the people that did not call on his name. God told Jeremiah to remind the people about the consequences of not following his covenant - his laws. He told them what would happen to them if they refused to obey. The blessings and the curses are found in Deuteronomy chapters 1, 27, and 28. Jeremiah was told not to pray for these people anymore because God would not answer them. They had gone too far to be rescued. God also told Jeremiah that his people were plotting to kill him. God had his back. He said that he would punish them. None of them our survive God’s punishment. Their young men would die in battle and the boys and girls would starve to death. In Colossians everyone has to learn submission. Men must learn to submit to God, women to their husbands, children to their parents, and slaves to their masters. The ones being submitted to were also held to a standard. They were to be just and fair and to remember that God was their Master who saw everything from heaven. Paul instructed them to be prayerful and thankful all the time. Live wisely among the unbelievers and let their conversation be godly to be examples to the world. Paul gave a report of the people who had been a help to him in his ministry and who he commended to them. He sent greetings to those he knew in Colossians. Lord, help us to be submissive yet powerful, thankful and prayerful. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us.

Thurs.’s Devo - Our New Nature

Read: Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27 The people of Judah had a false sense of security just because they had God’s laws. They thought that just having them would save them; they cared nothing about following them. They had twisted the law so that it fit their conscience and made sin legal and acceptable. The ones who were supposed to be the teachers of God’s laws would be judged for their foolishness. Their wives and their farms would be given to strangers. Their lives had been ruled by greed and false lies of peace. God was going to consume them and all they had. There was such lawlessness in Jerusalem and Judah that no one could trust anyone, not even their neighbor or their brother. They would be friendly to their faces while scheming to kill them in their hearts. They had been so stubborn and determined to worship Baal that God said he would feed them bitterness and give them poison to drink. They boasted in their wisdom and power and riches but God said that those who wish to boast, should only boast in the fact that they truly know Him and understand that He is the only God. He is the one who demonstrates unfailing love and brings justice and righteousness to the earth. Many nations circumcised their men: Egypt, Edom, Ammon. Moab and Israel. God wasn’t interested in who was circumcised in their flesh but who was circumcised in their heart. Circumcision was a picture of blood covenant with God. Paul explained circumcision like cutting off the old sinful nature. When we experience salvation it is a new life with Christ and our old life and who we used to be is dead and gone. We still have a sin nature which is our responsibility to cut off as an act of our will. The old nature was full of anger, malice, slander and idolatry. But we must put on our new nature which is tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. When have to allow others to make mistakes and have fault and forgive them when they offend us. The good news of Christ should fill our lives and give us wisdom to share with others. We build up our faith by singing praises to God from a grateful heart. Lord, we are truly grateful of all you do for us. May we strip off our sinful nature and put on Christ. May we be your glory on the earth.

Wed.’s Devo - The Wrong Path

Jeremiah 6:16-8:7; Colossians 2:8-23; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 24:26 God told the people of Judah that they were at a crossroads and they needed to choose the godly road. It was the road that would lead to peace and rest. They chose the other road instead. God posted a watchman to sound the alarm but they chose not to hear it. They wanted to keep offering incense on God’s altar and also worship on their pagan altars. God told them he wasn’t interested in their sacrifices for him. Because of their rebellion, God was putting obstacles in his people’s path and they would trip over them and many would die. God was sending an army from the north who were cruel and merciless. God told them to repent. Jeremiah was sent to test the hard heartiness of their hearts. Their hearts were like bronze and iron. They were full of slander, corruption and wickedness. God’s fire did not purify them so God labeled them ‘Rejected Silver.’ God offered to let them stay in the land if they repented but he didn’t want them to think that just because they lived in Jerusalem that God would save them. They would need to prove their repentance by stopping their evil thoughts and deeds, and treat each other justly. They needed to stop murdering, exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows and stop worshipping idols. God told Jeremiah to go to Shiloh and look at the destruction of Shiloh. Shiloh was the place where they had set the ark when they conquered Jericho. The people went there to worship the Lord up until the time when the ark was taken by the Philistines. It had been destroyed 500 years before Jeremiah’s day. Just as God destroyed this place where he put his name, he was going to destroy Jerusalem. God told Jeremiah to stop praying for them because they weren’t going to listen and their fate was set. God had watched how the father taught his son to gather the wood for the fire he would make to idols while his wife made cakes to the false gods. God was tired of reaching out to a people who would not respond to Him. Their human sacrifices were done in the Valley of Hinnon which reminds me of the tunnels of our day. The ones who sacrificed would become the sacrifice. Glory! Their day of feasting was over. God asked why these people stay on their self-destructive path and refuse to turn back. They were not using common sense but running toward their demise. Paul warned this congregation of the same thing. He told them to not let themselves be desceive with empty philosophies and high-sounding non-sense that comes from human thinking and spiritual wicked powers rather than Christs. Paul addressed the deception of their day and reminded them that all their holy days pointed to Christ. He was the one who died and canceled our record of sin against us and set us free from it’s penalty. We died with Christ and are set free from the spiritual powers of this word. We are no longer bound by rituals to make us clean. We are clean because of what Christ did for us on the cross. Lord, help us to walk in our resurrected power.

Tues.’s Devo - Seeing Through Jeremiah’s Eyes

Read: Jeremiah 4:19-6:15; Colossians 1:18-2:7; Psalm 77:1-20; Provers 24:23-25 Jeremiah saw the destruction that was coming long before it came and tried to warn the people but they could not hear his warnings and didn’t have a heart to repent. They only knew how to do wrong. Jeremiah saw the land lying in desolation and ruins though it was a thriving city oblivious to what was coming. God told Jeremiah to run through the city and cry out for one just and honest person. If he could find one, God would not destroy the city. (Sounds like Sodom and Gomorrah.) All of God’s correction and warnings from the prophets could not change the hearts of the people. Even the leaders had rebelled against God and his laws. The people mocked the prophets and called them windbags. They didn’t believe destruction was coming. God would prove them wrong. He would send a distant nation against them who didn’t speak their language but had deadly weapons and mighty warriors. They would destroy and devour everything. They would come from the north and attack at night. God would save a remnant and with them he would rebuild the nation. In Colossians, Paul continued to tell them who Jesus was since they were hearing that Jesus was not God’s son sent to earth with all power and authority. Paul made it clear that Christ is the head of the church and the church is his body. Christ is supreme over all who rise from the dead because he was the first to resurrect. God lived through Christ on earth and reconciled us to God. Through his blood, God made peace with everything in heaven and on hearth. This includes us who were sinners. Through Christ’s blood we can now approach God and be brought into his presence. Now Christ lives in us. Lord, thank you for the blood of Jesus. Lead us through the Red Sea of our day. Lead us down a pathway that no one knows is there (Psalm 77:19).

Mon.’s Devo - God’s Heart

Read: Jeremiah 2:31-4:18; Colossians 1:1-17; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 24:21-22 Judah had forgotten their God. They trusted in Assyria and Assyria had let them down. Then they made alliances with Egypt. God told them that Egypt would also let them down. They had trusted in their idols and false gods who could not do anything to help them either. They had watched Israel prostitute herself with idols and yet it didn’t stop Judah from following in her path. God sent Jeremiah to Israel to offer one more appeal to turn from their idolatry and serve Him. He told them that He was merciful and would forgive their sins if they would repent and come to him. God said that when Israel was once more filled with people, they wouldn’t have to rebuild the Ark of the Covenant because the city would be known as “The Throne of the Lord.” One day, they would all come back home. God shared his heart as a Father starting at verse 19 of chapter 3. You can hear his broken heart as he talks about how he wanted so badly to treat them as his children and bless them with the finest land in the world. He wanted them to call him “Father” but instead they rebelled and turned away. He continued to call them back promising to heal their hearts but they refused to repent. Finally, God told Jeremiah to sound the alarm because the enemy was coming and they would be destroyed or taken into exile. It would be too late to repent. The church at Colossi was believed to meet in the home of Philemon. Paul had never visited this church but was considered its apostle. Epaphras who was a native of the town, illicited Paul to help him with the false teaching that was permeating their society and their meetings. This heresy was a blend of pagan/occultism, Jewish legalism and Christianity. It looked like Gnosticism which taught that Jesus was not fully God and fully man but one of the semi-divine beings that bridged the gap between God and man. They believed that ‘enlightened’ believers could reach spiritual fullness through special knowledge and rigorous self-discipline. This letter was Paul’s response to their need of truth. Paul began by complementing them on their faith in Jesus and their love for all people. He prayed that they would continue in this and endure through joy. He reminded them that Jesus is the visible image of God and through Jesus, God created everything in the heavenly and the earthly realm. Everything was created through and for Him. He holds all creation together. Lord, to You be all the glory and may your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. May we not break your heart but humbly call you our “Father.”

Sun.’s Devo - Jeremiah’s Commission to Judah

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-2:30; Philippians 4:1-23; Psalm 75:1-10; Proverbs 24:17-20 Jeremiah prophesied during the lives of the last four kings of Judah. Jeremiah was a priest who was called at a young age to speak to Judah and warn them of the judgement that was coming because of their rebellion against God. He began prophesying during the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign. Five years later, Josiah’s men who he had commissioned to repair the Temple of the Lord found a copy of the law. When it was read to Josiah, he began a huge move of repentance for the nation. They reestablished Passover and did a sweeping cleaning out of the idolatrous priests and the idols in the nation. Josiah could legislate morality but he couldn’t cleanse their hearts or take from them the desire to worship other gods. Jeremiah was sent to deal with this issue of their hearts. Judah had made alliances with both Egypt and Assyria but they should have kept that gold and made their alliance with the Lord because he was the only one who could save them. God said that they exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. The heavens were shocked at such a thing and shrunk back in horror and dismay. He said they had done two evils. They had abandoned the fountain of living water and dug their own cisterns that are cracked and couldn’t hold a thing. In other words they had lost the Holy Spirit in their lives. They had abandoned God’s presence and invoked the presence of empty gods. God had done so much for them yet they refused to serve him or honor him. God said that Israel was like a thief who only felt shame when he was caught. They blamed God for their calamity when they had brought it upon themselves. They killed God’s prophets because they didn’t want to hear their messages to repent. No wonder Jeremiah was afraid to become a voice to these people. God promised him He would take care of him and protect him. In Philippians, Paul thanks the Church in Philippi again for the financial gift he sent them. It did bless him and help meet his needs but his greatest joy came from knowing them were walking with the Lord and prospering in their soul. Paul had learned through all his trials that Jesus was all he really needed. He had learned how to be joyful no matter what his circumstance was. Paul gave them the secret to his joy. He told them to fix their thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Practice training your minds to think of the good instead of the evil and it will strengthen you to face whatever you have to face. Lord, we pray for a movement of the Holy Spirit across our land. May the hearts of people be touched and changed. You promised to pour out your Spirit on all flesh in the last days. We pray for this!

Sat.’s Devo - God’s Temple

Read: Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:5-21; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 24:15-16 Israel was bent on building God a Temple because all the other gods had temples. God explained that he was the God of the whole earth and all creation was his Temple. Who could outdo what God has created. Yet man continues to try. God said He would bless those who have humble hearts and fear Him and his Word. Their lives are the sacrifice that pleases Him. The rebellious can bring all the sacrifices they want to to the Lord and if their hearts are not right, they mean nothing to God. He hates their offerings. Israel would be birthed as a nation so quickly and come to maturity so quickly that it would be unnatural. Great wealth and prosperity would flow to her from the other nations. When Israel comes to her fulfillment of prosperity, God will punish the other nations with the fire of his rebuke. All who worship other gods will be judged. Survivors of God’s wrath will become missionaries to other lands to tell them of God’s great glory. They will bring God’s people back to Israel to be the priests and Levites in God’s Temple. All humanity will come to worship the Lord at his appointed times of worship. Paul explained how he grew up under the strict training of the law and followed it to the tee. It did not satisfy his soul. Only when he met Jesus and became a follower of him did his life become alive and joyful. He admonishes his followers to choose Jesus and live for Him because it is the only thing that really matters. The things of the world are meaningless compared to Christ. Lord, you are better than anything this earth can give us. We choose to follow you and live for you. Manifest your glory through your Church. Thank you that your Temple is within us and we can always access your presence.

Fri.’s Devo - Remove the Stones

Read: Isaiah 62:6-65:25; Philippians 2:19-3:4; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 24:13-14 God posted intercessors on his walls to see the enemy coming so they could pray. They were to pray until they saw the desired result. God promised that Israel would never again be taken over by foreigners and that has remained true though many have tried. He told the people to prepare the roads for the people to return to Jerusalem. They physically went and removed huge stones so the roads would be clear for the great exodus of exiles to return. John the Baptist, hundreds of years later was told to do the same thing only he was to remove the stones in the hearts of the people - the stumbling stones that kept them from receiving the Messiah. What was happening in Isaiah’s time was the physical precursor to the days of John the Baptist and to the days of now. First the physical or natural and then the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46) Isaiah announced that their Savior was coming. They would be then called “The Redeemed of the Lord” and their city would be called “The City No Longer Forsaken.” God went through Israel’s history reminding them of what he did when he parted the Red Sea and brought them through on dry ground. He brought them out of slavery into their promised land and he would do it again. This made the Lord famous forever and he gained a magnificent reputation. Isaiah was overcome by their sin but kept reminding the Lord that He was their Father. He begged God to forgive them and save them. God’s response was that He had always been there to save them but no one had asked him to. The people were rebellious and bent on worshipping false idols insulting God’s love. God must discipline and judge them but he promised to leave a remnant became there were some good people who didn’t bow down to idols. The sinners would die by the sword. There would be a distinction between the good and the evil. God promised to create new heavens and a new earth and no one would even think back to the old one. It would be a place of happiness and joy. Babies would not die as infants and adults will live out their full life. People would eat the fruit of their own hands and not work in vain. Their children would not be doomed to misfortune. Prayers would be answered before they were prayed. This is heaven coming to earth. I used to think that this was talking about the millennium but this is talking about what we are about to walk into after we win this war we are in. And we will win because God says we will. God will protect his great name for his own sake. In Paul’s letter it is clear that he relies heavily on his co-workers Timothy and Epaphroditus. Paul longs to come to see them but he is in house arrest in Rome. He sends his friends he can trust instead. This is just what Jesus does with us. He is in heaven so he sends us to encourage the body and share his words. Paul shares that rejoicing in the Lord will safeguard our faith. How can you rejoice when everything is hard except by faith. He warned them not to fall into the trap of doing works to please God. That takes all the joy out of serving the Lord. When we love the Lord, we don’t want to sin - it is easy to say no to sin. We can take no credit for this, it is a work of the Holy Spirit in us. Lord, we have so much to look forward to. Help us not to grow weary in the waiting and in the war. You are our help and strong tower.