Sat.’s Devo - Boast in the Lord

Read: Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27 The people boasted that their wisdom came from the Lord but they twisted God’s Word in their writings. God said that they would fall into the trap they set for others. They would lose everything because of their greed. The false prophets and the priests were all corrupted by lies. They were frauds. They promised peace instead of telling their people of the judgment that was imminent. They wouldl end up dead along with their wealth and the things they trusted in. *** Jeremiah could see in his spirit the coming enemy armies. His heart was filled with grief for his people. He could hear the sound of crying across the land even before it happened and it made him sick with sadness. Jeremiah knew the sin of his people but his love for them was so deep. He wished they had repented and stopped their impending doom. But there was nothing he could do to stop it even though he cried out to the Lord for help. *** God responded that the people would rather lie than tell the truth. They do not know Him, their God. They refuse to acknowledge Him. He would send them through the fire of refinement and see if there was any good in them. *** God would make Jerusalem a heap of ruins taken over by the wild animals. This would be a testimony to all that these people refused to worship the Lord and stubbornly followed their own desires and worshiped false gods like Baal. *** Jeremiah tried to beg them to lament and repent but they had no knowledge of how to do this. They saw no need because they were proud and didn’t believe what he prophesied. *** The Lord said to let them boast in their wisdom, power, and riches but the truly wise are those who boasted in the fact that they knew Him. The time was coming when he would punish all those who were not circumcised in their hearts. *** In Colossians, Paul reminds us that since we have been given this new life with Christ, we need to think about things of heaven. Our real life is hidden in Christ. Heaven has our future, not earth. We can put to death earthly thoughts and desires and choose to rid ourselves of our past desires. We can choose to put on tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. We can choose to forgive others and allow for their faults as God does for us. We can choose to walk in love and live in peace with people. *** Lord, we choose to walk in your peace, your love and your freedom. Thank you for the blood of Christ that has the power over sin and death. We live in that promise. Our boast is in the fact that we know our God who demonstrates unfailing love and brings justice and righteousness to the earth.