Thurs.’s Devo - Prayer For the Nation

Read: Lamentations 4:1-5:22; Hebrews 2:1-18; Psalm 103:1-22; Proverbs 26:23 Jeremiah compares the people to gold and they have lost their luster. The ones who once wore beautiful clothes and ate delicious meals are now in rags scrounging in garbage cans for food. Some have even eaten their own children to stay alive. Again he compares their destruction to that of Sodom and Gomorrah that fell in a day and no one came to their aid. It would be better to be killed in battle than to starve to death. *** No one would have believed Jerusalem could be taken. It all happened because her priests and prophets shed innocent blood to idols. The ones once so revered are hated and disgraced. No one could escape. The king had tried and was caught. They had thought their king could protect them against anything, but no one could protect them against the Lord’s anger. *** Edom rejoiced when they heard Jerusalem had fallen, but they would be next to fall. Jerusalem will be rebuilt, but Edom’s punishment was just beginning. All her sins will be exposed. *** In Chapter 5, Jeremiah cries out to the Lord and describes their condition. They have lost everything and no one can help them. They have run out of food and there is so much violence, they can’t offer safety to their people. The have all become slaves and their hearts were weary and sick. *** But…Jeremiah praises the Lord. God remains the same and his throne is from generation to generation. He prays that God will restore them and bring them back to him. He prays for joy and for God’s favor to return to his people. *** In Hebrews, we learn that if the angels were punished for their disobedience then how much more will we be punished if we ignore the salvation God promises us? God confirmed his promise by giving us signs and wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit. The writer quotes Psalm 22 which is Jesus promising he will proclaim God’s name to his Jewish brother’s and sister’s. He will put his trust in God and so will the children God gives him. *** Because we are flesh and blood, Jesus had to become flesh and blood, so he would defeat the power of death and give us freedom from death. Jesus became our merciful and faithful High Priest. He offered the sacrifice that took our sins away…his own self. He endured testing so that he could empower us to endure testing. *** Lord, thank you for saving us and being our High Priest. We come to your throne of grace and ask for help for our nation and the nations of the world that are in great distress. Deliver us and save our land. You are our only hope. Forgive our sins and set us free from our taskmasters. Return your joy to our nations and may we live to praise you in our streets.

Wed.’s Devo - The Lord is our Inheritance

Read: Lamentations 3:1-66; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 102:1-28; Proverbs 26:21-22 Jeremiah describes his anguish. He feels pinned in by the Lord with no way of receiving grace or mercy. He was not only attacked by an outside enemy, but by his own people. He has lost all his peace and prosperity. He is suffering and homeless. *** Then he remembers the Lord’s great faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning and He is Jeremiah’s inheritance, so he does have something to put his hope in. Salvation comes to those who patiently wait for it. *** God never abandons his people forever. He punishes them when they sin. They reap the consequences of sin when they are treated the same way by people who are also sinners and don’t obey God’s laws. Sin corrupts the land in every way and everyone is affected by it. Jeremiah cries out to God to forgive them and to hear their cries for mercy. Jeremiah is in despair over all the destruction and pain he sees around him. *** He recalls when his enemies put him in the cistern to die. He cried out to the Lord, and He heard him and delivered him out of the cistern. Jeremiah asks God to punish them for what they did to him. He wants God’s curse to fall on them. *** No one knows who wrote Hebrews. He begins by telling how God used to speak in the Old Testament through the prophets but now he speaks through his son, Jesus. Everything the prophets spoke about was manifested in Christ. The Son is the very expression of the character of God. Jesus came and cleansed us of our sins, then sat down at the right hand of the Father in heaven, showing us that He is far greater than the angels. God never called an angel his Son. When he brought him into the world he had all the angels worship him. *** Jesus came proclaiming that God is a good God who hates evil and loves justice. God proclaimed that Jesus was with him in the creation of everything. This world will perish and be changed, but the Lord will remain the same. God told Jesus to sit at his right hand until he humbles his enemies and puts them under his feet. Angels are spirits that are sent out to minister to the saints, those who will inherit salvation. *** In our Psalm, David is reiterating what Jeremiah was feeling about his enemies. He comes to the same conclusion that God never changes and he does reward both the evil for their sins and the righteous for their good deeds. *** Lord, thank you that you never change. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning and we can rest in your faithfulness. All our hope is in you. We have a great future because You are our inheritance.

Tues.’s Devo - Alas!

Read: Lamentations 1:1-2:22; Philemon 1:1-25: Psalm 101:1-8; Proverbs 26:20 Lamentations was named by the Jews “How” or “Alas” but English scholars changed it to Lamentations. Most Biblical scholars agree that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. It makes sense since he chose to stay with the poorest of them in Jerusalem. He sits and looks at all the destruction Jerusalem has experienced and laments. No one comes rejoicing to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts. No one enters the city gates to trade. Her oppressors have become her masters all because of her many sins. *** The children have all been taken or killed. Her priests grown and the young women cry bitterly. Jerusalem fell and her enemy laughed as she fell. She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to the consequence. The army of Babylon was cruel and heartless. Jerusalem had no ally and suffered alone. Her prophets had prophesied of peace and given them false pictures of hope. God’s prophets had told her the truth, that her sins would cause this if they didn’t repent. They refused to listen to the Lord, so he did just what he said he would do. *** Philemon is Paul’s letter to Philemon, a wealthy slave owner, who had a church meeting in his house. Paul him he is praying for them always and commends him for the news he hears about their faith in the Lord. *** The reason for his letter is to ask them to accept Onesimus back and give him another chance to prove himself. Onesimus had once been Philemon’s slave who had been converted under Paul’s ministry. Onesimus had fled to Rome after damaging or stealing something from his master, Philemon. Since Onesimus was his property, Philemon could have him killed or severely punished. *** Paul is asking Philemon to forgive Onesimus and to receive him as a brother in Christ, a new creation. Paul could use Onesimus himself, but is sending him back to Philemon because he belongs to him. He asks Philemon to welcome him as he would welcome Paul. He tells him that if Onesimus owes him anything, Paul will pay for it. Then he asks him to set up a quest room for him because he intends to come and visit when he is released. *** Paul gives us this incredible example of forgiveness and the change a person can experience when they give their lives to the Lord. *** Lord, may we forgive those who wrong us in any way. May we treat others better than what we want them to treat us. May all we do be to honor You.

Mon.’s Devo - Jeremiah’s Last Words

Read: Jeremiah 51:54-52:34; Titus 3:1-15; Psalm 100:1-5; Proverbs 26:18-19 The end of Chapter 51 is the continuation of yesterday. It is the prophecy given against Babylon. It tells of her doom and destruction. Jeremiah gave the message written on a scroll to Neriah, the grandson of a staff officer who was being taken to Babylon with King Zedekiah. He told him when he got to Babylon that he was to read this aloud to the people. He was to tell them that neither people or animals would survive what was coming to Babylon Then he was to tie the scroll to a stone and throw it into the Euphrates River and say, “In this same way, Babylon and her people will sink, never again to rise, because of the disasters I will bring upon her.” *** Chapter 52 tells of Zedekiah’s reign. He was 21 when he became king and reigned in Jerusalem 11 years. He was an evil king who worshipped idols and refused to repent or listen to the prophets. *** Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon and stopped paying him tribute so in his ninth year as king, Nebuchadnezzar sent his army against Jerusalem. They besieged the city for two years before they broke through the wall. The people inside were starving and all the soldiers fled. The king and his officers tried to escape through the gate behind the kings’ garden but the Babylonians overtook them. They made Zedekiah watch as his son’s eyes were killed, then gouged his eyes out, so that was the last thing he saw. He was taken to Babylon where he remained in prison till his death. *** That fall, the captain of the Babylonian army came back to Jerusalem and burned down the Temple of the Lord and the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He destroyed all the buildings in the city and tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. He took most of the people into exile but left some of the poorest people to stay and care for the vineyards and fields. *** They dismantled everything of value in the Temple and carried it to Babylon. The priests were taken to Babylon as well as all the political officers. They took a total of 4,600 people captive. *** After they had been in exile for 37 years, Evil-merodach ascended to the throne of Babylon. He was kind to Jehoiachin who was now 45 years old. He released him from prison and gave him a place of honor. He gave him new clothes and allowed him to eat in his presence the rest of his life. Jehoiachin had been 8 years old when he was taken to Babylon so he had grown up more Babylonian than Jewish. *** In the New Testament, Paul continues his advise to Titus. They should be obedient and always ready to do good, not given to lusts and pleasure and not with envy or hate. *** Jesus washed away our sins and gave us a brand new life and gave us his Holy Spirit to give us power to be his witnesses. We now have confidence that we have eternal life through Christ. *** Paul warns leaders over and over not to get into discussions with people in the world that don’t understand our way of living and are not interested in changing their lives. It is useless to spend time quarreling with them. *** Lord, may we learn from the mistakes of the past and not allow ourselves to come under the bondage of deception and idolatry. May our hearts remain pure and may you be first in all we do.

Sun.’s Devo - Babylon’s End

Read: Jeremiah 51:1-53; Titus 2:1-15; Psalm 99:1-9; Proverbs 26:17 God sent the Medes and the Persians to destroy Babylon. God didn’t forget Israel even though they were filled with sin against Him. *** Babylon’s sin was so great it couldn’t be measured and it’s cries reached to heaven. So God inspired the kings of the Medes to march against her. God has declared complete destruction on Babylon. Their idols were ridiculous lies, but God is no lie. He is the Creator of everything. *** King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had destroyed Israel and taken all their wealth. He had taken most of Israel captive and killed many of them. God took Israel’s case in his court and is declaring his sentence against Babylon. Babylon will fall in terror and in shame. God would punish her god, Bel. The priests of Bel would say that he swallowed his sacrifices they offered to him at night. God said he would make him vomit up all he swallowed. No one would worship him again. *** For years prior to these happenings, they will hear rumors of the coming armies. It will cause much violence in the land as the leaders fight against each other. The time of destruction will finally come and they will be disgraced, but the heavens will rejoice. The Babylonians will be killed as she has killed others. *** In Titus, Paul had a word for all types of people. To the older men he told them to exercise self control and live wisely as examples to others. Their faith must be filled with love and peace. *** The older women are to honor God and train the younger women to love their husbands and their children. They are to live wisely and be an example of godliness. *** He told Titus to encourage the young men to live wisely and be an example to them of how to do this since he was a young man himself. He should live what he teaches. *** Slaves must obey their masters and respect their authority, living out the scriptures in their daily lives. *** To everyone, he encouraged them to live godly lives turning away from sin and looking forward to the hope when God’s glory is revealed. Jesus gave his life to free us from every kind of sin and make us his own people, committed to do good works. *** Paul encouraged Titus to be bold in teaching these truths to the people God had put under him. *** Lord, may we be committed to do the good works you set before us. May our lives be an examples to others of godliness and truth.

Sat.’s Devo - Saved By Faith

Read: Jeremiah 49:23-50:46; Titus 1:1-16; Psalm 97:1-98:9; Proverbs 26:13-16 God had a message for Damascus the capital of Syria. Syria had a history of being an enemy of Israel and especially, Judah. Jeremiah gives a vivid description of the capture of Damascus by the Assyrians. *** The people of Kedar were next to be judged. They were descendants of Ishmael who lived in black-haired tents to symbolized their separation from God. They would be scattered to the wind and no one would live there again. Elam which was called Elymais was situated closer to Judea than Persia. It had helped Nebuchadnezzar against Judea, so would now be punished. They were famous for their bowmen. They would be destroyed and their remnant taken into exile. But God would restore their fortunes one day. *** God’s message to Babylon must have been received with rejoicing. Babylon would fall. A nation would attack her from the north and bring such destruction that no one would live there again. Cyrus came first against Babylon, then Darius. Cyrus was the one would set the captives free and the send the exiles back home. *** Jeremiah warns them to leave when they can because a greater threat would be coming through Darius. Babylon who once was the greatest in the nations would be plundered and become the least of the nations. *** Those who return to Israel will be forgiven their sins. They will hear about the vengeance the Lord took out on Babylon because she defied the Lord. God would become her enemy and her day of reckoning had arrived. Her wise counselors would become fools and her mightiest warriors would become panicked. They would be plundered of their wealth because their whole land was full of idols. *** The land of Babylon would be filled with wild animals and no one will inhabit it again. The king of Babylon will faint in fear of what is coming. God would chase its leaders from the land and appoint his leader, Cyrus to rule. He would be the one to let the people of Israel return to their land. *** Paul wrote this next letter to Titus who lived in Crete while he was in prison in Corinth. He had sent Titus to this church to appoint elders. He gives the description of the lives they must be living and his qualifications. *** It seems there were people in the church who were insisting that its members be circumcised in order to be saved. He called them out for just doing this to make money. He called them liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons. He told the people to stop listening to their lies and stand strong in their faith that makes them saved. *** We need to hear that too. Sometimes we put self-imposed laws upon ourselves that defy the truth that we are saved by faith and not by works. *** Lord, help us to stand firm in our faith and the truth of your Word. Thank you for your deliverance and salvation that is freely ours through Christ.

Fri.’s Devo - God’s Judgment on Nations

Read: Jeremiah 48:1-29:22; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 95:1-96:13; Proverbs 26:9-12 Today we have the list of nations God was judging. Moab and Ammon were the sons Lot had by his own daughters. Moab was a city and a mountain. They had joined with the Chaldeans to destroy Judea. Neuchadnezzar attacked the Moabites five years after they destroyed Jerusalem, Egypt and Ammon. All the great cities of the Moabites are mentioned that God was judging and there was no mercy even for the infants. They trusted in their wealth and skill but it would not be enough to keep them from being hauled off into exile and all their towns destroyed. They worshiped the god Chemosh - the destroyer and subduer. It would not save them. *** Verse 20 tells us that not only the mountainous regions mentioned before, but the plaines will also be conquered. A list of towns is given that judgment will be poured out on. *** The major sin of Moab was their pride and arrogance. They had never been in exile and always able to defend themselves. This would all come to an end and instead of joy and feasting there would be mourning and sorrow. Their pride would be turned to shame. But, God promised to restore their fortunes in the days to come. *** Next, God had a message to the Ammonites. They worshipped Molech the child-sacrificing god. Their land was to the east of Gad and Reuben and they grabbed the land when Judah was taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar. They helped him against Judah and Jerusalem and rejoiced when they fell. Then Nebuchadnezzar came and destroyed them also. Their god, Molech was hauled off to Babylon and it could not save them. *** No one would help them, but God said he would restore their fortunes in the days to come. *** The message to Edom was one of destruction also. Edom’s founder was Esau. They would be judged, but God did say he would protect the orphans and widows who depend on Him for help as all the adult males will be killed. They had been deceived by their pride and the fear they put on others. They lived in the rocks of Petra which was an extraordinary fortress. *** Their destruction would be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and God would appoint their leader and he wouldn’t be able to oppose what God wanted. *** Paul also warns of God’s judgment when He comes to set up his kingdom on earth. He spoke of the time when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching but will look for teachers to tell them what they want to hear. *** Paul tells Timothy not to be afraid to suffer for the Lord. A crown of righteousness is awaiting those who fight the good fight of faith. Demas deserted him because he loved the things of this life. He warned Timothy of the coppersmith, Alexander who fought against the cause of the gospel. *** Paul stood alone against many opposers, but it gave him opportunity to preach the truth to the Gentiles. He was grateful for that. *** Lord, you are coming to judge the earth with justice and the nations with truth. May we stand before you in the righteousness and salvation Christ purchased for us. May all the nations recognize your glory and strength.

Thurs.’s Devo - Stand in Truth

Read: Jeremiah 44:24-47:7; 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; Proverbs 26:6-8 Many of the wives of the kings of Judah and Israel came from other countries and brought their idolatry with them. They offered incense and offerings to the Queen of Heaven and their husbands knew it. They did nothing to stop them and many agreed with their wives. Since their hearts were set on idolatry God told them to not use his name in their vows. He was bringing them disaster and not good. They would suffer war and famine and only a small remnant would survive and return to Judah. *** Proof that God was serious would be that the Pharaoh Hophra would be turned over to his enemies just like Zedekiah was turned over to Nebuchadnezzar. *** Chapter 45 goes back in time to 14 years before Jerusalem was taken to the Babylonians. Baruch had been Jeremiah’s scribe who wrote down his prophecies. The words he had to write overwhelmed him and he asked why God continued to bring them trouble upon trouble. God had a word for him. God would uproot what he planted in this nation and bring disaster upon all the people, but he will give him his life as a reward for what he did for him. No matter where Baruch went, his life would be preserved. *** Chapter 46 is written in the same time period as Chapter 45. Pharaoh Nero and Nebuchadnezzar fought at Carchemish and the Babylonians won. The bravest soldiers of Egypt fled in terror. Many couldn’t escape. Egypt had boasted it would take over the whole earth, but was greatly defeated. Egypt had never been under the yoke of another nation but that was about to change. They ran home in shame. Jeremiah told them to pack their bags because they were about to be taken into exile. None of Egypt’s gods would be able to save her. They were all about to be disgraced. *** Jeremiah adds hope to Judah and Israel. They will be brought home again from the distant lands they are taken into. *** The Philistines will also be destroyed along with Tyre and Sidon and all the colonies from the island of Crete. Gaza, Ashkelon and those on the coast will all be destroyed. *** Paul told Timothy to run from all things that tempted his youthful lusts and purse righteousness, faithfulness, love and peace. Make friends with those who have pure hearts toward God. *** Paul warns Timothy over and over not to get into arguments with these people who oppose him but to be gentle and patient with them. Maybe his kindness will sway them over to the truth. *** Paul talks of the difficulty of the last days. People will love themselves and their money and become boastful and proud. They will scoff at God and disobey their parents and be ungrateful. They will live godless lives and reject the power of God that could make them godly. These are the kinds of people Paul warned Timothy to stay away from. Their teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and their faith is not real. *** Paul was the example to Timothy of a godly life. He endured all kinds of persecution for the sake of the gospel. Timothy had been taught the scriptures from an early age which prepared him to receive the truth in Christ Jesus. *** All scripture is given to convict us, and correct us. It prepares us and equips us to do the work we have been called to do. *** Lord, may we walk in godliness and truth. May we recognize the wiles of Satan and not be fooled by his deceit. May we walk in confidence of the things we read in your Word so that we might be able to stand in the days of trouble.

Wed.’s Devo - Follow the Lord

Read: Jeremiah 42:1-44:23; 2 Timothy 2:1-21; Psalm 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 26:3-5 Johanan had rescued all the people and they were preparing to flee to Egypt for fear of what the Babylonians would do to them. Before they left, the military leaders along with Johanan went to Jeremiah to ask him what the Lord would say to them. They promised whatever he told them to do, they would do it, even if it was not what they wanted to hear. *** Jeremiah went to seek the Lord for an answer and ten days later, the Lord answered him. He told them to stay in the land and God would provide for them. The Babylonians would be kind to them and let them stay in their land. But, if they refuse to listen and go to Egypt, then the very thing they were running from will find them there. They will be killed with war, famine and disease. Then he rebuked them and told them that they were not honest with him at the start. They had already made up their minds what they were going to do and had no intention of obeying the Lord. *** Azariah, Johanan and the other men called Jeremiah a liar and took everyone including Jeremiah to Egypt. When they came to Tahpanhes in Egypt, Jeremiah took some large rocks and buried them under the pavement stones at the entrance of Pharoah’s palace. He told the people of Judah that God would certainly bring Nebuchadnezzar to Egypt and he would set his throne over these stones. When he comes he will bring death, captivity, and war. He will set the temples of Egypt’s gods on fire and carry away the idols as plunder. *** Later, Jeremiah gave a message to all the people scattered throughout Egypt and reminded them that God had destroyed Jerusalem for their idolatry and now they were doing the same thing in Egypt. God wanted to know why they were bringing destruction upon themselves by doing this. Because they refused to repent, he would destroy the remnant in Egypt and only a handful will end up returning home. *** The people acknowledged that they worshipped other gods and claimed that when they worshipped the Queen of Heaven in Jerusalem all went well. When they stopped, all hell broke loose. Jeremiah explained that God had put up with their idolatry as long as he could and had to do something about it. The people had rejected God’s laws and refused to obey him so now they were reaping their reward. *** In the second letter to Timothy, Paul gave Timothy some good advise. He told him to think of himself as a soldier who must endure suffering to please his commander. Then he told him to learn to obey God’s laws like an athlete who must follow the rules when competing. Next, he told him that like a farmer he should be the first to enjoy the fruits of his labor. In a nutshell he was saying that it is hard right now to do what is right, but if he continues, he will be rewarded. *** Then Paul reminded him of the resurrection of Christ. We have eternal glory to look forward to. If a person is busy about the Lord’s business, he doesn’t have time to get involved in foolish talk that has turned some people from the faith. *** God’s truth is our foundation stone and God knows which ones are his. If we are his we have to turn from evil. If we deny him, he will deny us; but if we are faithful, he will be faithful to us. Those who keep themselves clean will be ready for the Lord to use us to do good things. *** Lord, may we keep you the number one thing in our lives. We proclaim your unfailing love and faithfulness.

Tues.’s Devo - The Fall of Jerusalem

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar had promised he would come back and destroy Jerusalem. He came back nine years and ten months later to besiege the city. It took them two and a half years to break through the wall and take the city. King Zedekiah and his officials fled through a gate behind the king’s garden and headed towards the Jordan Valley. *** The Babylonian troops captured the king and his officials and pronounced judgment on Zedekiah and made him watch as they killed all his sons. They gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes so the death of his sons would be the last thing he saw. Then he was taken in chains to Babylon. *** They burned Jerusalem and tore down the walls of the city. They took most of the people into exile and left the poorest people to live in Jerusalem. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard had been given orders to find Jeremiah and keep him safe. He found him and offered Jeremiah safety in Babylon or freedom to stay with his people. Jeremiah chose to live with his people in Judah so he was given food and provision and taken to his home and put under the care of Gedaliah, the man appointed by Babylon to govern the people. Jeremiah told Ebed-melech the Ethiopian who had pulled Jeremiah out of the cistern that God said he would be rescued and kept safe. *** That is how God rewards those who trust in him. He prepares a table for them in the presence of their enemies. *** Some of the military who had fled to the countryside came to meet with Gedaliah. These men were Ishmael, Johanna and Jonathan, Serbian, Jezaniah and all of their followers. Gedaliah told them not to fear the rule of the Babylonians, but to serve them and all would go well with them. He would live in Mizpah and meet from time to time with Babylonian ambassadors. He told them to harvest the fruit and store it up. *** When people heard Gedaliah had been put in charge they came back home from places they had fled. They stopped to meet Gedaliah, then went back to harvest the crops. *** Johanan, the brother of Ishmael came and told Gedaliah that his brother, Ishmael had been hired by the king of Ammon to assassinate him. Gedaliah refused to believe him. *** That autumn, Ishmael did come and met with Gedaliah. While they were eating, Ishmael and his ten men jumped up and killed Gedaliah and all the Babylonian soldiers who were suppose to guard him. *** The next day, eighty men arrived from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria to worship at the Temple. Ishmael went out to meet them and acted like he was crying and upset. He told them to come and see what had happened to Gedaliah. Instead he killed all of them but ten who offered to give them provisions in exchange for their lives. *** Ishmael gathered Zedekiah’s daughters and all the people that were under Gedaliah’s care to carry them off to the king of Ammon. But, Johanan, Ishmael’s brother heard about what Ishmael had done and took all his men to stop him. He caught up with the captives at Gibson and all the captives shouted for joy when they saw them. They broke free and began to fight with Johanan. Ishmael fled with eight of his men to the land of Ammon. *** All of the people went to Geruth-kimham near Bethlehem with plans to flee to Egypt because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do to them when they heard all their soldiers had been killed along with the governor they had appointed. *** In Timothy, Paul reminds Timothy of his spiritual heritage that was passed down to him and the gifts that were given to him by the laying on of hands. He told Timothy not to be afraid or timid because God had given him a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. He told him never to be ashamed to tell others of the Lord or to be ashamed of Paul and his chains. *** It was God’s plan to call us to live a holy, set apart lives through the grace of Jesus. He broke the power of death and gave us eternal life. *** Paul was in chains because of this message and encouraged Timothy to follow his example of walking in the truth and faith of Christ Jesus. Many had abandoned Paul but some were not ashamed of him. Onesiphorus was one of them. He looked Paul up to show him kindness and to encourage him. *** Lord, may we remember those in need and encourage and love them. Thank you for the lives you have given us. May we live our lives to bring you glory.

Mon.’s Devo - God’s Warnings

Read: Jeremiah 37:1-38:28; 1 Timothy 6:1-21; Psalm 89:38-52; Proverbs 25:28 Nebuchadnezzar had taken King Jehoiakim to Babylon and had put King Zedekiah in the office of the king of Jerusalem. The Babylonian army had left because they heard the Egyptians were coming to help the people of Jerusalem and went to fight them. Nebuchadnezzar had promised to come back and burn down the city. Jeremiah had been left in Jerusalem but the leaders still refused to listen to his words. *** King Zedekiah summoned Jeremiah to ask him to pray for them. Jeremiah told him that the Egyptians were not coming to help them but would return to Egypt and the Babylonians would return to Jerusalem and burn it to the ground. *** Jeremiah went to see about the property that he had bought but when he tried to leave Jerusalem, he was arrested by Irijah and accused of defecting to the Babylonians. Jeremiah denied it, but was brought before the officials and flogged and imprisoned in the dungeon of the house of Jonathan the secretary. *** King Zedekiah had him brought to him in the palace to see if God had anything to say to him. Jeremiah told him he would be defeated by the Babylonians, Jeremiah begged to be taken out of the dungeon where the conditions were not livable. King Zedekiah had him moved to his palace prison and be fed a fresh loaf of bread every day as long as they had any left in the city. *** From the palace prison, Jeremiah was able to warn the people that the only way they were going to survive was to surrender to the Babylonians. Otherwise, they would die of war, famine or disease when the city was captured by the Babylonians. When the officials heard this, they wanted to kill Jeremiah for treason. Zedekiah agreed to let them put him in a cistern where he couldn’t influence the people anymore. *** When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian heard they had put Jeremiah in the cistern he begged the king on his behalf. So the king told him to take 30 men and pull him out of the cistern with rags. They pulled him out and he was allowed to stay in the palace prison. *** King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah again and asked for a word from the Lord. He promised Jeremiah he wouldn’t kill him for his answer. Jeremiah told him that if he surrendered to the Babylonians, he and his family would live and the city would not be burned down. But if he refused to surrender, he would not escape and the city would be burned to the ground. Zedekiah told Jeremiah he was afraid if he surrendered the Babylonians, they would turn him over to the Judean’s and they would do even worse to him. Jeremiah promised that wouldn't happen if he obeyed the Lord and surrendered. He told him he would live and it would go well for him. If he refused to listen, all his wives and children would be led to Babylon and he would be seized by the king of Babylon and this city would be burned down. *** Zedekiah commanded Jeremiah not to tell anyone about their conversation but to tell them they talked about not sending him back to the dungeon. Jeremiah did what he asked and remained unharmed in the palace courtyard until the day Jerusalem was captured. *** In Timothy, Paul taught that all slaves or, in our case, people who work for a boss should respect their bosses so as not to bring reproach to God’s name, especially if the boss is a believer. *** Paul gave them basic morals about how to live a godly life. The false teachers were teaching to act godly as a way to become wealthy. Paul taught that true godliness with gratefulness was a definition of true wealth. We came to the world penniless and we can’t take anything with us when we die, so to have enough and be content was great wealth. *** When the desire to be rich is the number one desire, it is a trap that can lead to ruin and destruction. The desire to have money has led many astray. *** The true man of God runs from every evil practice. His pursuit is faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight for true faith and God’s commandments. *** Paul told him to teach those that are rich not to be proud or to trust in their money, but to put their trust in God who gives us all we need for our enjoyment. They must use their money to do good and be generous to those in need. By doing this they are storing up treasure for the future. *** Lord, You are the only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. You dwell in unapproachable light and to you all honor and power exists. We trust in your plan for the world and for our lives. We are your children and live to love and serve you.

Sun.’s Devo - Fear the Lord

Read: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27 Jehoiakim was king of Judah when God told Jeremiah to go to the tents of the Recabites and invite them to the Lord’s Temple. He brought the son and grandson of Jeremiah along with all his brothers and sons that represented all the families of the Recabites. He took them into the one of the inner rooms where no one would know or see and invited them to have a glass of wine with them. They refused because their ancestor 300 years before had told them they must never drink wine and they must always live in tents. They had obeyed his order all these years. They had moved close to Jerusalem because they feared the Babylonian, and Syrian armies. *** Jeremiah told his leaders to look at the Recabites as an example of how to follow the Lord. He and many prophets had prophesied for them to return to the Lord and do the things God told them years ago to do and they refused to repent. But, he told the Recabites that since they had obeyed their ancestors, they would always have descendants who served Him. *** This is hope for America. It means that a nation can follow the laws and not turn back to sin. I pray that when we get our nation purged of idolatry that we will steadfastly be faithful to the Lord. *** During Jehoiakim’s fourth year of kingship, Jeremiah heard the Lord say to write down all the messages He had given Jeremiah about Jerusalem. He did and asked Baruch to give them to the king since he was banned from the Temple and not in good standing with the king. (Jeremiah was not in prison during his reign.) *** Baruch took his messages to the Temple which was the time when they had proclaimed a fast. This was not the Day of Atonement because that is in the seventh month and it was the ninth month. This was a special fast to pray because Nebuchadnezzar had been there the year before and had promised to return and finish what he started. This is probably a fast like Isaiah wrote about in Isaiah 58. *** Baruch stood up and read to the people all the messages that Jeremiah had given from the first message to the last. Micaiah heard the messages from the Lord and went down to where the officials of the Temple had offices and told them what he was saying. They sent Jehudi to bring Baruch and have him read the messages to them. When they heard them, they were alarmed and knew they needed to get them to the king. They asked Baruch where he had gotten them and he told them that Jeremiah dictated them to him. *** When the king heard of it, he asked for the scrolls to be brought to him. Jehudi read them to the king and each time he finished reading three or four columns the king would take a knife and cut that section off and throw it into the fire, as if that would make the prophecies not come to pass. His attendants showed no fear or repentance but the Temple officials begged him not to burn them. *** The king commanded his son to arrest Jeremiah and Baruch but the Lord had hid them. Instead, the Lord told Jeremiah to write the words down again and say to the king that since he burned the last scroll, he would have no descendants to sit on the throne of David. His dead body would be thrown out to lie unburied and exposed in the heat of the day and the frost of the night. God would punish his family and attendants for their sins. God would pour out on them and the people of Jerusalem all the disasters he had promised. *** In Timothy, Paul warned them to respect their elderly men like their fathers and the elders to speak to the younger men like they were their own brothers. They were to do the same to the women. They were to take care of widows who had no family and to take care of their own parents in their old age. *** He gave the description of a widow. She is one who is alone without family and one who has put her hope in the Lord. She is to be helped by the church if she is at least 60 years old and was faithful to her husband. She must be a godly woman who cared for her own children well and cared for others. *** The younger widow should not be cared for by the church but remarry and have children. *** The elders who preach and teach should be payed by the church. An elder must be confirmed by two or three witnesses in front of the whole church. *** He warned them not to have obvious sins or secret sins because it would all come out in the end. *** Lord, help us to live our lives above reproach and not tarnish your name. May we honor the words of the prophets and heed their warnings.

Sat.’s Devo - Precious Promises

Read: Jeremiah 33:1-34:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Psalm 89:1-13; Proverbs 25:23-24 Jeremiah was still in prison when God told him to ask and He would tell him great secrets that were in the future. The people had torn down their houses to build ramparts against the enemy but it would all be in vain because God had declared the city would be destroyed. *** But the great secret God told Jeremiah was about the future. God would restore the fortunes of Judah and rebuild their towns. He would cleanse them of their sins and forgive their rebellion. This city would again bring him glory and honor. The world will see the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem and be in awe. *** Joy and laughter will be heard on the streets of Jerusalem and songs of praise as people bring their offerings to the Lord. They will be singing about God’s faithful love that endures forever because God did not forget them. *** God’s king, a descendant of David will always sit on the throne of Israel and there will always be Levitical priest to offer burnt offering and grain offering and sacrifices to him. He was speaking of Jesus who would be our king forever and we are the priests and our gifts are the sacrifices. (1 Peter 2:5,9; Revelation 1:6, 5:10) *** The people felt rejected by the Lord, but Jeremiah told them God would never reject Israel, but will one day restore them and have mercy on them. This was just not the time for that. *** King Nebuchadnezzar did come and fight against Jerusalem. Jeremiah told Zedekiah that they would lose and the city would fall to the Babylonians. They would burn it down with fire and take him to meet their king. Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon and he would die peacefully there. The people of Judah would mourn his death. *** Zedekiah proclaimed freedom for all slaves. He had done this before, but the people had enslaved them again. God reminded them through Jeremiah that he had rescued their ancestors from being slaves of Egypt. The law stated that if they had slaves, the slaves were to be released after serving six years. They had disobeyed God in this, so now they would be set free to be destroyed by war, disease, and famine. It didn’t matter how important they were in Jerusalem, since they broke their oath, they would die and their bodies be food for vultures. and wild animals. *** Babylon had left for a short time, but they would return and burn it down. *** In Timothy, Paul reminds them that the Holy Spirit told them in the last days, many would turn from the true faith and follow deceptive spirits and teachings that came from demons. These teachers would have no consciences and be hypocrites and liars. They would teach against marriage and ban certain foods. God created everything food and we can be free to eat what he has created. *** Paul warned Timothy not to get into arguments over godless ideas and old wives’ tales but instead to train himself to be godly. He encouraged Timothy not to be intimidated by those older than him but to let his life prove his position. He told him to focus on reading and teaching the Scriptures to the church. Also, to be sure he was living the Scriptures for the sake of his own salvation and that of those who sat under him. *** Lord, may we hide your Word in our hearts that we not sin against you. We look forward to the day when our fortunes are restored and we can be an example to the world of your love and faithfulness to your children.

Fri.’s Devo - The New Covenant

Read: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22 In the future, God would increase greatly the human population of Israel and Judah and their animals. In the past, God had uprooted them and tore them down with disasters, but then he would plant and build it up. In Jeremiah 1:10, God had told Jeremiah that he had been appointed to uproot, tear down, and destroy some nations and to build up and plant other nations. He would do both of them for his nation. Everyone would be responsible for their own sins. *** In the future, God would make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah and it would not be like the one he made with Moses. They broke that one. In this new covenant God would write his laws in their hearts and everyone would know the Lord. God would forgive their wickedness and never remember their sins again. *** God gave the new boundaries of the new Jerusalem. He mentioned places like Gareb where the lepers lived, and Tophet where evil people were buried and the Kidron Valley where they threw all their idols. In other words God was going to extend his reign over the lowly and the castaways. The unclean will be made clean. *** When Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonians, Jeremiah was imprisoned in the courtyard of the royal place. King Zedekiah put him there because he would not stop prophesying destruction for them. His freedom of speech was canceled. God told Jeremiah that Babylon was about to take the city and carry Zedekiah to Babylon where God would deal with him there. *** God told Jeremiah that his cousin Hanamel would come and offer him the opportunity to buy his field at Anathoth. He was to buy it. Hanamel did come and ask him to buy the field and Jeremiah bought it for 17 pieces of silver. He signed and sealed the deed before witnesses and paid him. He gave the deed to Baruch. Then he told Baruch as people listened, to take this sealed deed and put it in a pottery jar and preserve it because it was God’s promise that they will come back to this land and buy and sell houses once again. *** Jeremiah reminded them of all the things God had done for them in the past. The Babylonians will take the city and burn it to the ground. They will destroy and burn all their altars to Baal. The people refused to turn from their idols so the idols will end up being their ruin. *** God will bring his people back to Jerusalem and give them one heart and one purpose which is to worships Him. God will make an everlasting covenant with them and never stop doing good for them. He will give them a desire to worship him. And this deed that Jeremiah had signed and sealed was a testimony to the fact that they would once again buy and sell land in their land of Israel. *** In Timothy, Paul gives the description of a church leader. He must live an honorable life above reproach. He must have self-control and a good reputation. He must be hospitable and able to teach. He must be gentle and not be tempted with unjust gain. He must be a family man who loves his family and manages it well. He must not be a new believer but one who is tested and true. He must be spoken well of by people outside of the church. *** Their wives must be respected and full of faith and self-control. *** Lord, thank you for godly leaders and thank you for leading us through our trials. We trust in your covenant you have given us. Thank you for giving us hearts to worship and love you.

Thurs.’s Devo - There is Hope in our Future

Read: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 25:18-19 God instructed Jeremiah to write down everything he was giving him because it would be a written decree for them to look back on and testify of God’s faithfulness to them. *** Everywhere Jeremiah looked were people in horror and terror. This would one day end and they will be saved. God would break them out of the yoke of bondage they were under and will return them to a life of peace and quiet where no one is terrorizing them. Then God will completely destroy the nations who destroyed them. Israel’s exile is her punishment for her sins. Then the ones who exiled her will go into exile. *** God will restore the health of Israel and heal her wounds. They will rebuild from their ruins and reconstruct their palaces. They will prosper as a nation and God will punish anyone who hurts them. They will have a ruler who comes from their own people and God will be their God and they will be his people. *** Those who survived Babylon will find blessings in the barren land and God will give them rest. They will play music and dance with joy. They will plant vineyards and eat produce from their own gardens. All will go to worship the Lord together. God will not forget the blind and lame and expectant mothers and women in labor. All will return with tears of joy. *** God who scattered his people will now round them up and bring them home. They will come home singing songs of joy with much wealth. Their mourning will be turned to joy and they will enjoy much abundance and good gifts. They will receive God’s reward. Israel will once again embrace her God. *** In Timothy, Paul urges Timothy to pray for God to help the people everywhere. He prays for the kings and those in authority because they determine whether the people live in freedom or slavery. Jesus is the only mediator between God and man and he wants everyone to be saved. *** In their places of worship he wants men to be able to raise holy hands to God. Holy hands means they are free from anger and controversy. Women should be modest and holy devoted to God and not be a distraction from God. *** Women should learn to listen and to submit to their husbands because they are more likely to be deceived like Eve was. Women will be saved by the birth of a savior if they continue to live a live of faith, love, holiness, and modesty. *** Lord, help us to know our role and be satisfied and prosper in that role. Thank you for hope for the future and for your steadfast love.

Wed.’s Devo - A Public Rebuke

Read: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17 Hananiah, a prophet from Gideon addressed Jeremiah publicly in front of the priests and people. He spoke in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and said that in two years God would bring back all the Temple treasures and Jehoiachin and all the captives to Jerusalem. God would break the yoke that the king of Babylon had put on their necks. *** Jeremiah told him that if a prophet predicts peace, it will be proven true when his predictions come to pass. Then they will know if he was really from the Lord. Hananiah took the yoke that was on Jeremiah and broke it in pieces and told the people again what he had said. Jeremiah left the Temple area. *** God sent Jeremiah to tell Hananiah that he broke a wooden yoke, but God had replaced it with a yoke of iron. All the nations will be put under King Nebuchadnezzar, even the wild animals. *** Jeremiah rebuked Hananiah and told him God had not sent him. Because the people believed what Hananiah had said, he would die that year. Two months later, he died. *** Jeremiah, who was in Jerusalem, sent a letter to the elders, priests and prophets and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon. He sent the letter by one of Babylon’s ambassadors. It told them to build houses and carry on their lives and multiply because they were going to be there for seventy years. He warned them not to listen to the false prophets. *** After the seventy years, the Lord will come and do all the good things he promised. He had good plans for them. Then, he will end their captivity and restore their fortunes. He will gather them and bring them home to their own land again. *** Jeremiah’s letter continued… as for the ones left in Jerusalem, they are the bad figs of Jeremiah’s vision. They will die of famine, war and disease. They will be scattered all over the world and become an object of contempt and mockery. This will be because they didn’t listen. But the ones exiled to Babylon didn’t listen either. Their prophets Ahab and Zedekiah lied to them so they will be burned alive and you will watch. Their names will become a bad proverb because they lied in God’s name. *** Shemaiah, who was in Babylon had sent a letter to Zephaniah, the priest in Jerusalem telling him to arrest any crazy man who claims to be a prophet and named Jeremiah. He told Zephaniah about the letter Jeremiah had sent them saying that they would be in Babylon for 70 years. But when Zephaniah got the letter, he went to Jeremiah and let him read it. *** Jeremiah had an open letter sent to the exiles in Babylon telling them not to listen to the lies Shemaiah was telling them. God would punish him and his family and none of his descendants would live to see the good things God has planned for them. *** Paul had urged Timothy to stay in Ephesus while he went to Macedonia. The people in Ephesus had gotten lost in the Gnostic teaching of genealogies that went back to fallen angels and things that took their attention off Jesus and his teachings. *** He told them instead, to let their hearts be filled with love and to live a life with clear conscience and genuine faith. *** These false teachers wanted to be known as teachers of the law of Moses but the law was given to show sinners their sins. It was not given to cause arguments among those who did right. Paul knows this because he counted himself the chief of all sinners. Christ saved him and now his whole purpose is to honor Christ. *** Paul urged Timothy to keep his conscience clear because some had deliberately violated their conscience which shipwrecked their faith. He gives Hymenaeus and Alexander as examples, who Paul handed over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God. Lord, may we not be drawn away by every wind of doctrine but stand firm in our faith. May we not give in to fear or hopelessness but see the future and the good that you have planned for us.

Tue.’s Devo - God’s Yoke

Read: Jeremiah 26:1-27:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 25:16 Jeremiah’s prophecies are not in order. This one we read today was given during Jehoiakim’s reign. Here is the order of the last five kings of Judah: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedikiah. God sent Jeremiah to stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple and give them God’s word. If they didn’t listen to the prophets that God sent them, he was going to destroy this Temple like he destroyed Shiloh (where the Tabernacle had been.) As soon as he finished speaking, he was mobbed by the priests and leaders and the people. They wanted to have him killed. *** The officials in the palace heard the commotion and ran over to hold court. They listened to what the priests and prophets were saying about Jeremiah. They wanted him to die a traitor. *** Jeremiah spoke and said he was just saying what the Lord told him to say. If they would stop sinning and begin to obey the Lord, he would change his mind about bringing disaster upon the. If they kill him, they will be killing an innocent man and they will be judged accordingly. The officials told the priests and prophets that there was no grounds to kill him. Some of the elders spoke and reminded them of Micah who prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah. He prophecied the same thing about Jerusalem but King Hezekiah didn’t kill him. He led the nation to repent and God changed his mind. *** Around this time, Uriah son of Shemaiah was also prophesying the same thing in Kiriath-jearim. When the king and his army officers heard what he said they sent someone to kill him, but Uriah ran to hide in Egypt. He was found and brought back to King Jehoiakim where he was killed and buried in an unmarked grave. Uriah’s brother, Ahikam stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn Jeremiah over to the mob to be killed. *** Chapter 27 happened early in Jehoiakim’s reign. The Lord told Jeremiah to make a yoke and fasten it on his neck with leather straps. He was to give a message to the ambassadors to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. God was going to give their nations to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. God has given control of the whole earth to Nebuchadnezzar until his time is up. Then, God would send a nation to conquer him and rule over Babylon. They were to put themselves under Babylon’s yoke. He warned them not to listen to their false prophets who told them Babylon would not rule them; they were liars. But, any nation who submitted to the king of Babylon would get to live in their own land. *** Jeremiah also told King Zedekiah this same message and begged him to submit to Babylon’s yoke so they could stay in the land. He told the king and the priests not to listen to their false prophets who told them that Babylon was soon returning the things they stole from the Temple. This was a lie. Instead, they should be praying that the things still in the Temple will stay and not be taken also. As for them, they needed to surrender to the king of Babylon and not die by famine and the sword. All the articles in the Temple will be taken to Babylon and stay there until God sends for them. Then God will bring them back to Jerusalem. *** Paul writes from Corinth where not everyone is a believer. He asks for prayer that their teaching would spread and be honored by those who hear it. He warns them to stay away from people who want to live off everyone else and not work. Idleness is the parent to busybodies. They should stay away from these people. *** Paul ends with our prayer: May the Lord of peace himself give you us peace at all times and in every situation. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all!

Mon.’s Devo - Be Not Deceived

Read: Jeremiah 23:21-25:38; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 25:15 God brings up the false prophets again. They were going around claiming to have dreams from Him. They are not true prophets but prophets of deceit and the dreams they claimed to have were not from the Lord. God called the true prophets to give his words. They were like grain that would bring life, but the false prophet’s words were like straw that caused the people to sin. *** God told Jeremiah if they asked him ‘What prophecy has the Lord burdened you with now?’ He is to respond, ‘You are the burden.’ God was tired of them saying they got their words from the Lord when it was a lie. He warned them, He would expel them from his presence along with Jerusalem. He would make them an object of ridicule and their name would be infamous throughout the ages. *** King Nebuchadnezzar took King Jehoiachin, his officers and all the craftsmen and artisans to Babylon. Jeremiah was left and God gave him a vision of two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple. One was filled with fresh, ripe figs and the other with bad figs, too rotten to eat. God told him that the good figs reprinted the exiles he sent to Babylon. He would watch over them and bring them back again. They would recognize him as the Lord and return to him wholeheartedly. But the bad figs represent King Zedekiah who was left in Jerusalem and those who lived in Egypt. He would make them an object of horror and a symbol of evil to every nation on the earth. He would eventually kill them all off. *** Chapter 25 was written before they went into exile. Jeremiah had prophecied for 23 years that the land was going to be taken by a foreign nation and sent into exile. He begged them to turn from their idols and worship the Lord, but they refused to turn so they would go into exile for 70 years. When the time was over, God would punish Babylon and make it a wasteland. They will become enslaved just as they had enslaved Judah. *** God had a cup of his anger and Jeremiah was sent in the spirit to give it to the Pharaoh in Egypt and all his attendants, officials and people. He was also taken to the land of Uz and the Philistine kings to make them drink from the cup. From there he was taken to the nations of Edom. Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon, Dedan, Tema, Buz, Zimri, Elam and Media…all the kingdoms of the world. Finally, the king of Babylon had to drink from the cup of the Lord’s anger. This would signal the fall of their nations. The Lord of Heavens Armies would accomplish this. *** In Thessalonians, Paul wants to clarify some misconceptions about Jesus’ second coming. Some were saying that the day of the Lord had already began, but Paul told them not to be deceived by this. This day would not come until a great rebellion against God had happened and the man of lawlessness was revealed. This man would bring destruction and exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He would even sit in the temple of God and claim that he is God. *** He can only be revealed when the one who is holding him back steps out of the way. But Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. *** This man of lawlessness will have counterfeit power to do signs and miracles. He will use deceit to fool those on their way to destruction because they refuse to be saved. They will be condemned for choosing evil over truth. *** Thank you, Jesus, for salvation and truth. Help us to stand firm on your Word and in your spirit. Thank you for the comfort you strengthen us with to keep going with confidence. You are our rock.

Sun.’s Devo - A Righteous King is Coming

Read: Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 25:11-14 Jeremiah was sent to speak to the king face to face. He was to tell King Zedekiah to stop robbing the people, mistreating the poor and murdering the innocent. Josiah had been a good king who gave justice and help to the poor and everything had gone good for him, but the last three kings: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin had done the opposite. *** Jeremiah told them that when Jehoiakim is dragged out of Jerusalem, the people will not mourn for him. His son, Jehoiachin will take his place and God would abandon him also. He would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar and be taken to Babylon where he would die. None of his children would ascend to the throne. All the shepherds who were supposed to care for the people will be taken away. They will be judged for the evil they had done. *** At the appointed time, God will gather a remnant from the countries they are scattered to and bring them back. Then they will be fruitful and increase in number. God will appoint responsible shepherds to care for them. A righteous descendant of David will be their King and he will do what is just and right. His name will be The Lord Is Our Righteousness. *** God rebuked the prophets of Jerusalem because they committed adultery and loved dishonesty. They encouraged evil and would not repent. He likened them to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. God will cause them to drink poison for what they have done. Jeremiah warned the people not to listen to what they said. They didn’t speak for the Lord. In the end, they will understand that Jeremiah spoke the truth. *** In Paul’s second letter to the church in Thessalonica, he commends them again of their faith and love for one another in the midst of all their persecution. He tells them that God will justify them and give them rest. His angels will bring judgment on those that still refuse to obey the Lord. They will receive punishment with eternal destruction and forever be separated from the Lord. Lord we pray with Paul asking for you to enable us to live a life worthy of the call on our lives. May you give us the power to accomplish all the good things our faith prompts us to do and may the name of Jesus be honored because of the way we live.

Sat.’s Devo - The Coming Judgment

Read: Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28: Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 25:9-10 God told Jeremiah to go and buy a clay jar and take it to the place where they sacrificed children to Baal. He told them that this place would become a place of slaughter. They would be slaughtered by foreign armies and Jerusalem would be reduced to ruins making it a monument to their stupidity. They would be besieged and end up eating their own sons, daughters, and friends. *** He was to break the jar and tell them that as this jar scattered when it broke, so their nation would be scattered and shattered beyond repair. There would be so many dead bodies to bury they would run out of room to bury them. *** The priest, Pashhur, who in charge of the Temple heard what Jeremiah was saying and had him arrested, beat and put in stocks at the gate of the Temple. He was released the next day. *** Jeremiah told Pashhur that the Lord had changed his name to “The Man Who Lives in Terror”. God would send terror upon them and his friends and they will watch as they are slaughtered by the swords of the enemy. All their wealth will be taken to Babylon also. He and all his friends will die in Babylon and all will know that his prophecies about how everything was going to be all right will be proven false. *** Jeremiah goes through great internal conflict as he is persecuted for all his words. He feels like he has shamed his family and himself but can not keep the words the Lord gives him to himself. *** When Jeremiah’s prophecies began to come true and Babylon came and attacked Judah, King Zedekiah sent Pashhur to him to ask him what God was saying. Amazing how conflict and fear brings humility. They were hoping for God to deliver them. *** No such luck. Jeremiah told them that their weapons would be useless against the Babylonians and when they fought, they would be fighting against God. King Zedekiah and his staff would be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar and everyone would die of disease, war or famine. There would be no mercy. *** The only hope they would have would be to the ones who surrendered and let them take them to Babylon. They would live while Jerusalem would be reduced to ashes. *** He told the royal family to begin giving justice to the people and help the oppressed. This will help them when they are judged. *** Paul warned his people of judgment also. One day the Lord would come like a thief to the world. It will not be that way for those who are children of the day. They will be protected by their faith. God is not coming to judge the righteous, but the wicked. *** We are to live lives of diligence, love for one another and peace. We are to be bold and tenderly care for those who are weak. We are not to make fun of or treat lightly prophets or their words. We are to avoid all and every kind of evil. *** Lord, may your peace make us holy in every way and may our whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless until Jesus Christ comes again.

Fri.’s Devo - Trust in the Lord

Read: Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16: Proverbs 25:6-8 God was sending out his fishers and hunters to fish the evil people out of their hiding places and hunt them down. At last, they will know that the Lord is powerful and mighty - the only God. God will give all their wealth and treasures to their enemies. They will take the people to a foreign land. *** Those who trusted in people will be greatly disappointed, but those who trust in the Lord will not be bothered during the long months of drought. They will thrive. They will never stop producing fruit. *** God searches the hearts of men and examines all of their secret motives. He gives people their due rewards according to their actions. Those who get rich unjustly will lose it in midlife and end up poor. Those who turn away from the Lord will end up disgraced. God is the fountain of living water. *** God told Jeremiah to go and stand at the gates of Jerusalem and tell the people to stop trading and opening their gates on the Sabbath and instead, make the Sabbath a holy day. If they obeyed, there would always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem. He reminded them that their ancestors had been told the same warning and they didn’t listen. Neither did the ones Jeremiah told. He warned them that if they didn’t listen and obey, God would set fire to their gates and it would spread to the palaces and no one would be able to put the fire out. *** Then the Lord sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house and he watched as the potter was making a pot on his wheel. It didn’t turn out the way he hoped so he crushed it into a lump and started over. That was just what God was going to do to his people. *** When Jeremiah told the people this, they told him to stop talking to them. They choose to live the way they want to…following their own evil desires. *** God said he would turn his back on them and in their time of trouble, he will refuse to help them. *** The people were tired of hearing all the words Jeremiah was telling them. Killing him hadn’t worked the time before, so this time they spread rumors about him. *** Jeremiah cried out to the Lord for help. He told God that he was trying to help the people, but all they want to do is kill him. Jeremiah cursed them and their children. Now, Jeremiah knows how the Lord feels. That is exactly what they did to Him. *** Paul urges the believers in Thessalonica to live their lives to please the Lord. He told them to live in holiness and avoid the sexual sins of the pagans. They are to love the Lord and have love and respect for one another. *** Paul didn’t want them to grieve over loved ones who died as believers. Their bodies will resurrect when Jesus returns. Those who are alive on earth will meet the Lord in the air. His coming will happen when everything is peaceful and secure. It will begin with pains like labor pains and when they start, there is no going back. *** Lord, may we learn from scripture that when You are ready to judge, we need to agree that your judgment is just and fair. Help us to see things through your perspective and work with you.

Thurs.’s Devo - The Coming Destruction

Read: Jeremiah 14:11-16:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 25:1-5 Again, God tells Jeremiah to stop praying for the people who were set on sin and doomed to destruction. Their false prophets told them that all was well and that war will not come. They will become victims of the war and famine they say will not come. *** Jeremiah can’t help praying and mourning over the disaster he sees coming to the people. He sees visions of their dead bodies lying in the streets. He can’t help himself; he confesses the sins of his people for them and prays for God’s mercy. He prays for the sake of God’s reputation for him to save his people. He prays that God would relent and send rain. *** God responds by saying if Moses or Samuel was standing before him, he would not listen to their cry for rain. He gives the people four options: death, war, famine or captivity. That is their fate. He describes four scenarios they would face; the sword to kill, dogs to drag away, vultures to devour and wild animals to finish up what was left. God was done with second chances. *** God would first come to take away the children, then the fathers, then the mothers. Then their wealth will be taken and they will be exiled to a foreign land. *** Jeremiah finally prays for himself. He reminds God how he loved his word and was obedient to say what God had told him to say. He petitioned for his own life. *** God told him if he continued to be faithful to him and not let the people influence him but he became the influencer, God would make Jeremiah secure and he would not fall. God would protect and rescue him. He also told Jeremiah not to get married or have children in this place or they would die of disease. He also told him not to go to funerals or mourn those who do die. Nor was he to go to their parties of celebration. When he’s asked why, he is to tell the people that their ancestors sinned against God and they had done even worse. He ends by saying that one day God would bring them back from the land of the north to their own land. *** The church at Thessalonica was made up of many Gentiles. Paul had encouraged the church in their walk and they had accepted his written teachings as if they were from God. They had received much persecution from the devout Jewish people in their city for following Christ. Paul reminded them of how the Jews killed the prophets and how it was them that crucified Jesus. Those then, were of the same spirit that was persecuting them now. They were only piling up their sins till the judgment day. *** Paul had sent Timothy to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. He had returned and reported about their strong faith in the Lord in spite of the persecution they were facing. Paul was very thankful and proud of their walk. He promised to pray continually for them. Lord, we pray that we would stand strong in persecution and let our joy and faith shine. May we love one another and may our hearts be strong, blameless and holy.

Wed.’s Devo - Godly Boldness

Read: Jeremiah 12:1-14:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 24:30-34 Jeremiah brought his complaint before God. He saw how prosperous and happy the wicked were, or seemed to be. They talked about God, but he was not in their hearts. Their wickedness was affecting nature - the grass and the animals. The people doubted his prophecies. *** God responded by saying, if just seeing the towns people in their rebellion wears him out, how is he going to stand before kings and the officers of the nation. He has no ally among them. They are all his enemy just like they are God’s enemy. But, they are going to be soon surrounded by their enemy and all their beauty is going to turn into barren wilderness. They will not be boasting much longer. *** God was going to uproot them to a foreign land and then after 70 years, bring them back to their own land. They will learn to swear by his name and not Baal’s. *** God told Jeremiah to take a loin cloth and bury it in the ground in a hole by the Euphrates River. When God told him to go and dig it back up, it was rotten and falling apart, good for nothing. God said that that was a picture of how he was going to rot away the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. They had gone into idolatry and were like the loincloth - good for nothing. *** God told Jeremiah to tell them, “may all your jars be filled with wine.” Then he explained that God was going to fill the land with drunkenness and they would stumble and fall in the darkness. They would look for light but find only darkness and gloom. Jeremiah would be the only one lamenting their sins knowing they were going to be led into exile. *** God stopped the rains to get their attention. They blamed God for not taking care of them. It wasn’t God’s fault; it was their own because they refused to make God their Lord and king. *** The church at Thessalonica was started by Paul when he visited their city and went to the synagogue and taught about Jesus. Some of the people who attended the synagogue weekly and responded to Paul’s teaching were “devout Greeks” as well as prominent women. This got the attention of the Roman officials and people who opposed the Jews. They were not pleased with the conversion of the people and their new-found loyalty. They accused Paul of insurrection and Paul had to secretly escape to save his life. *** Paul sent them this letter to encourage them in the faith, love and hope they had in Jesus. They had endured much persecution for their beliefs which made them a good example for others. Many had turned from idols to worship the true God and Lord, Jesus Christ. Their witness was reaching people beyond Macedonia and Achaia. They testified of their faith in the resurrection and the return of Christ. *** Lords may we keep you as our first love always. May we be bold in our witness and may it spread far and wide. May we not be afraid of what man can do to us.

Tues.’s Devo - Fear the Lord

Read: Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29 Jeremiah warned them not to try to read the future by looking at the stars or to fear what others read when they studied the heavens. These same people manufacture idols, nail them down so they wont fall over, and think they possess some kind of power. He likened them to scarecrows in a cucumber field. Even the crows are not afraid of the scarecrows, so why should they fear these man-made gods? *** They should fear God, the only one who is full of power, who makes the whole earth tremble when he is angry. *** Jeremiah was told to tell the ones who worshiped these idols that they would vanish from the earth. The Lord made the earth and he preserves it by his wisdom. He speaks through his lightning, thunder, wind and rain, not their silly idols. *** It was time to pack their bags and prepare to leave because the siege was about to begin. In verses 19-22 of chapter 10 Jeremiah speaks of the future he sees. He sees his home gone, his children taken, and the sound of the armies coming from the north. Jeremiah pleads with God to pour out his wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge him, the ones that devoured Israel. *** God reminds Jeremiah of the terms of the covenant the people of Judah made with God. He tells Jeremiah to go remind the people of this covenant and to read it to them. They promised to obey him and honor only him as their god. Israel and Judah both broke this covenant so God will do what he promised in the covenant. Their idolatry would bring their own destruction. God told Jeremiah again to stop praying for these people anymore because he wasn’t going to listen to that prayer. God had given up on them because they rejoiced in doing evil. *** Some of the people were plotting to kill Jeremiah, but God told him of the plot and he was able to avoid it. They thought they could kill him and his words would die with him. God vowed to kill all who had wanted to kill Jeremiah. *** In Colossians, I love how the Living Bible tells husbands to love their wives and never treat them harshly. Obeying our parents, even when they are gone, pleases the Lord. Fathers represent God and God tells them to not aggravate or discourage their children. God would never do that to us. *** If we have a boss, we are to honor him and do our work as if God was our boss and we were working for him. If we are the boss, then we represent God to our workers and we are to treat them like we want God to treat us. *** We live among unbelievers so we should let our conversation glorify God and let God give us the right responses. *** Paul gives greetings to and from his fellow workers. *** Lord may we be strong and fully confident in our walk with you. May our light shine so that your glory can be seen through us.

Mon.’s Devo - Warning to the Teachers, Prophets and Priests

Read: Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27 The people boasted that they had the word of the Lord from their teachers, but Jeremiah argued that their teachers twisted the word of the Lord so they were being taught lies. God would judge the teachers and give their wives and farms to others. The prophets and priests were also frauds. They assured the people everything would be fine, when it was far from the truth. They will be killed along with the teachers. *** When they begin to see that the enemy is coming to devour them, they will try to find refuge in the fortified cities but they will not save them. God will send poisonous snakes to kill them. This is happening all because they provoked God’s anger with their idolatry. *** In spite of the sins of the people, Jeremiah grieves and cries for them. It hurt him to hear their lies and see how they refused to stand for truth. The time was coming when they would not be able to trust their neighbor, their brother, or their friend. They would all lie to save themselves. *** Because of their idolatry and rebellious hearts, God would scatter them around the world and even there, they will be hunted down. *** Jeremiah called for the mourners to cry for the people. He told the mourners to teach their daughters to mourn because it would affect them also. He told the rich that they should not boast in their money because the only thing that will be able to save them is if they know the Lord. God was coming to judge the whole earth and even the house of Judah. *** Paul warned the people of the same thing Jeremiah warned his people. Sin will eventually kill them if they continue walking in it. He warned them they were new creatures in Christ and not to return to their same way they lived before they knew Christ. As new creatures in Christ, we are to put on love, mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience and above all love. Love binds us together as one body. *** Paul gives us practical ways to stay strong: read and meditate about Christ, sing psalms of praise to the Lord, and always be thankful to the Lord. *** Lord, may we always have a heart of love and gratitude for all you have done for us. We are so grateful to be chosen to be your children. Thank you for supplying all our needs and being with us always.

Sun.’s Devo - Call To Repent

Read: Jeremiah 6:16-8:7; Colossians 2:8-23; Psalm 78:2-31; Proverbs 24:26 Jeremiah told them to go back to their roots and follow God’s path but they refused to walk down that road. All along the way, God had sent his warnings from the prophets to get the people to turn from their wicked ways and follow him. *** The time was coming to act. A foreign nation was coming to destroy Jerusalem. The people were terrorized but continued in their evil ways. God sent Jeremiah to the Temple to try to warn the ones who still came to worship him there. He told them not to think they will be saved because the Lord’s Temple was there. They would only be saved if they stopped thinking of evil, started treating others with justice, stopped exploiting foreigners, orphans and widows, stopped murdering, and stopped worshipping idols. *** Jeremiah told them they could go to Shiloh in Israel, where the Tabernacle was and see what happened to it. It was not saved from destruction, and just like God destroyed it, he would destroy Jerusalem. *** God told Jeremiah to stop praying for the people because they were too far gone. They refuse to be taught, disciplined or even listen. They had set up idols in the Temple that bears God’s name. They burned their children to Molech in the valley, and in that very place, they will be buried. Then their bones will be dug up and scattered on the ground. Those who survive the takeover will wish they had died rather than be sent to live where they will be sent. *** Paul warns the Colossians not to be captured by the false doctrine that came from human reasoning and not from Christ. The doctrine of Christ is spiritual. His circumcision was one of the heart, not the flesh. His resurrection was real and ours is spiritual now but will be real one day. His death was real and ours is spiritual but it will be real one day also. The feasts are real but represent something spiritual that will be fulfilled in God’s timing. *** The false doctrines they were being told had to do with pious self-denial and the worship of angels. The false teachers boasted of visions they had which made them proud. These people were not part of Christ’s body. *** Lord, thank you that you are the truth and your truth is balanced and leads to life. May we have discernment to believe the truth and see through the lies. May we worship you in Spirit and in truth.

Sat.’s Devo - Warnings to Repent

Read: Jeremiah 4:19-6:15; Colossians 1:18-2:7; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 24:23-25 It is noteworthy to know that Jeremiah began prophesying the takeover of Jerusalem 40 years before it happened. He began prophesying when Josiah was king. Josiah had implemented great spiritual reform but reform has to happen in the heart and the people didn’t have a heart to be reformed. They continued to worship their idols and reject the Lord. *** Jeremiah described the people as clever at doing wrong and having no idea how to do right. There leaders, priests, and prophets were all corrupt so their was no righteous leadership. *** Jeremiah got vivid pictures of the destruction that was coming and tried to relay those images to the people, but they didn’t want to hear. He went to the leaders but they didn’t want God either. *** They rejected his warnings of the war and famine that was coming, saying that God wouldn’t do this to them. God sent Jeremiah to tell them that a distant nation was coming with deadly weapons to devour their harvest, their sons and daughters and everything they had. They would destroy the cities they thought were so safe. When the people ask why God did all this, they were to say that it was because they rejected him and gave themselves to foreign gods. Then, they would serve foreigners in a foreign land. *** The people oppressed one another. They denied justice to the widow and the orphan. The prophets gave false prophecies and the priests ruled void of mercy or compassion. *** What will happen to them when God brings judgment? They will be destroyed because they are wicked through and through. From the prophets to the priests, they are all frauds. The whole city will fall because they refused to repent. *** In Colossians, Paul continues his letter to the church in Colosse warning them against the false teachers. He explains that Christ is the head of the church, not just another entity created by God. We as the church are his body. Christ is the our beginning and supreme over all who will rise from the dead. Christ was who God lived in to reconcile us to him. Through Christ’s blood, we have peace with God. This gift is for all sinners. This is the great secret that had been kept until now. Now, Christ lives in us. This is how we know that we will one day share in his glory. *** This truth is what drove Paul to continue pouring his heart out to the different churches. He wanted to be able to present them before God spotless and blameless and with the right doctrine of truth. His goal was that they continue to grow stronger and stronger in their walk with Christ. *** Lord, this is our goal. May we continue to grow in you. May we stand strong when all seems to be falling apart. We know that you will continue what you started and the end will be victorious.

Fri.’s Devo - Do Not Be Deceived

Read: Jeremiah 2:31-4:18; Colossians 1:1-17; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 24:21-22 God asks the people of Judah if he has been oppressive or invisible to them. How could they just forget him and be glad they don’t need him anymore? *** Judah had flirted with the gods of other nations and when they got in trouble, they just hired the army of another nation to help them. They had forgotten who they were as a nation and who their god was. So, they would lose their nation and be taken to another in exile. *** When this happens, will they turn back to the Lord? They wanted the Lord to deliver them but they don’t want to serve him with all their hearts. King Josiah had tried to bring spiritual reform to Judah, but she continued to worship her false gods. He looked at what had happened to Israel. She had not returned to the Lord. *** Jeremiah proclaimed that though Israel had sinned, Judah was much worse. Judah pretended to be sorry when she had no intention of turning back. Jeremiah pleaded with Israel to return to the Lord and confess her sins; He would have mercy and forgive her. He would bring her back to her homeland and give her shepherds after his own heart. *** When they return home, there will be no reason to rebuild the old way of worship because the temple will be in their hearts. *** In the third Chapter starting with the 19th verse, God laments how he longed to treat the people as his children. He was so excited to give them the land of Israel and have them never turn from him again. But they left him like a faithless wife and went after many lovers. God calls them back and promises to heal their hearts. *** Israel responds that they are coming. She acknowledges that the idols she has worshiped are only a delusion. She had watched her fathers build their whole lives on a delusion. *** God tells them that they can trade their delusions for truth. They can choose to become a blessing to the nations of the world like they were created to be. But, they must begin with a total change in their hearts. *** Jeremiah sounds the alarm to warn them of the enemy that is coming from the north to destroy them. The only hope they have of saving their lives is to repent. They could not stop what was coming but they could save their souls. *** In our reading in the New Testament we are beginning Colossians. The church of Colosse was probably an outgrowth of the church in Ephesians. It was believed to be started by Epaphras who was its leader. They met in the home of Philemon. Paul had never been to this church but was asked by Epaphras to help him deal with the false teaching which was trying to lead the people astray. This false teaching was a mixture of pagan-occultism, Jewish legalism and Christianity. It was like Gnosticism which taught that Jesus was not fully God and fully man, but a one of the semi divine beings sent from God to bridge the gap between God and man. He lacked in the authority and ability to meet their needs, so the believer could achieve spiritual fullness through special knowledge and rigorous self-discipline. What a lie! *** Paul begins his letter by praising them for their faith in Jesus and their love for people. He reminds them that they have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and transferred into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son who purchased their freedom. *** Then, Paul gets to the crux of the matter. He declares that Christ is the visible image of God and is supreme over all creation both earthly and heavenly. He made everything we can see and what we cannot see. He made thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. He existed before anything made and is supreme over it all. *** Lord, in this world of information over-load, sometimes the truth can get distorted. May we return to the elemental truths of who Christ is and who we are. We are created to worship the one and only God who sent his son to die for our sins. If we choose to die with him to our sins then we are raised with him to live an abundant, set-apart life. May our lives be filled with his Spirit and bring him glory and honor.

Thurs.’s Devo - Jeremiah

Read: Jeremiah 1:1-2:30; Philippians 4:1-23; Psalm 75:1-10; Procures 24:17-20 Jeremiah lived during the reigns of Josiah, Jehoiakim until the 11th year of King Zedekiah, Judah’s last king of Judah. He was set apart from the womb to be a prophet to the nations. When he was called by God, he complained that he was too young to be a prophet. God told him not to say that; he was to say what ever God told him to say and to go wherever God sent him. God promised to protect him. *** He would stand up against nations and kingdoms. To some he was to uproot and tear down and others he was to build up and plant. *** God showed him a branch from an almond tree which was to say that God was watching Israel and was about to move there. *** Then God showed him a pot of boiling water, spilling from the north. It was the terror of the northern armies coming to Jerusalem. They were coming to judge Judah for all her idolatry. Jeremiah was to go and tell the people this was coming and why it was coming. Jeremiah would stand before the kings, officials, priests, and the people and declare this. God would protect his life. *** Jeremiah was given a message to go and tell Judah how they had gone from a young bride who wanted to please the Lord to an older nation who worshiped worthless idols. Judah had chosen to forget the Lord who had brought them there and blessed them with every blessing. *** No other nation traded their gods in for new ones, even though they were not even gods. Judah had the one true God who was glorious and had exchanged him for worthless idols who couldn’t do a thing. *** Israel had already been taken into captivity for the same reason and now Judah was bringing the same outcome on herselves. Israel had aligned with Egypt to help them, but Egypt was no help. Abandoning the Lord was the most self-imposing harm they could have done to themselves. *** Judah was even worse that Israel because she hid the fact that she turned from the Lord. She only felt shame because she was caught and her sin was pointed out to her. The people only turned to the Lord when they were in so much trouble and they realized their gods weren’t working. *** In Philippians, Paul encouraged Euodia and Syntyche to settle their disagreement because they belonged to the Lord. These were two women who had worked with Paul in evangelism. *** Paul encourages God’s Body to always be full of joy in the Lord and to rejoice in Him and what He is doing. Tell God about all your concerns and then leave it to him and choose to live in peace. *** Fix your mind on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. Think about the things that are worthy of praise. Live out what you have learned from the Lord. *** Paul knows that they have been concerned about him and couldn’t do anything about it. He tells them that he had learned how to be content no mater what his situation was because it is Christ that strengthens him. It is this same God what will meet all of our needs from his glorious supply. All Glory to God our Father! *** Lord, we praise you for being our abundant and loving Father. You are the one who gives us peace and joy and cares for all our needs. We put all our affection and trust in your hands.

Wed.’s Devo -Israel Will Be Born in a Day

Read: Isaiah 66:1-24; Philippians 3:5-21; Psalm 74:1-23; Proverbs 74:1-23 The Lord declares that he built his own resting place. He made his throne in heaven and his footstool on the earth. How could we build him a temple better than that? Everything in the heaven and the earth his his. *** Then, the Lord moves to the individual. He will bless the person who is humble and has a contrite heart and who trembles when they read his Word. But, to the one who goes their own way, and who delights in sinning he will not accept their offerings. Their attempts to please him will be offensive to him. He will send them their greatest fears because they had chosen to do what they knew God hated. They oppressed those who did honor God’s name but they would hear the voice of the Lord taking vengeance against his enemies. *** God says that when it comes time for Israel to be born again it will happen so quickly it will be a miraculous. Jerusalem will be a conduit of peace and prosperity and the wealth of the nations will flow to her. She will be comforted by the Lord himself. Everyone will see the Lord’s hand of blessing on her and the righteous will be glad to see it. The Lord will punish the world with his fire of fury. Many will be killed by the Lord. *** Those who survive God’s judgement will become missionaries to other lands. They will tell of the things the Lord did in Israel and they will cause the remnant of God’s people to come home. Many of them will be anointed priests and Levites to the Lord. *** All humanity will come to worship the Lord and they will see the dead bodies of those who rebelled agains the Lord and look with horror at their end. *** In Philippians, Paul gives his resume which is very impressive as a zealous follower of the law. But he discarded all of it for Christ. He came to see that being all the right things and doing all the right things meant nothing. The way to righteousness was through having faith in Christ, alone. It was to know Christ and experience the power that raised him from the dead. It was to suffer with him and share in his death so that he could experience the resurrection from death. *** Paul learned that it was a day by day walk of forgetting the past and looking forward to the future. It was about living as citizens of heaven while we are living on earth. *** Lord, may we do that very thing: live as citizens of heaven while we walk on this earth. May we live for the future that we have been given in Christ. May we honor what Christ did on the cross by walking in the power he gained in the resurrection. All to your Glory, Lord.

Tues.’s Devo - Great Things Are Coming

Read: Isaiah 62:6-65:25; Philippians 2:19-3:4; Psalm 73:1-28; Proverbs 24:13-14 God calls all his intercessors, prophets and followers to pray for the restoration of Israel and to not stop till God has completed it. He tells them to prepare the way for the Lord to bring his people home. This is just like he told John the Baptist to do for him to come, but this is talking about preparing the way for the people to come. It is also to prepare him to come to his people again. *** Isaiah was seeing the return of God’s people from Babylon. God promises that the land of Israel will never be turned over to their enemies again. God would send them a Savior and they will be called “The Holy People” and “The People Redeemed by the Lord.” Israel would be known as “The Desirable Place” and “The City No Longer Forsaken.” *** Isaiah asks who this blood stained man is who is coming from Edom, their most formidable enemy. He is marching in royal robes in great strength. It is Christ our redeemer bringing salvation with him. He had trampled our enemies and caused our enemies. Isaiah praised the Lord for what he saw. He saw that it was God’s great love and mercy that saved Israel. It was God that had saved them through all their years. *** Israel rebelled and God had to become their enemy but when they woke up, they remembered what God had done for Moses and prayed for Gods’ mercy. *** God reminded them that he was ready to help long before, but no one had asked for his help. They kept going their own way and worshipping their idols not giving him any thought or honor. They would have to pay for their wickedness. So God destroyed them, but not all of them. He kept a remnant to preserve for himself. They will possess his land and inherit it. Those who were faithful will receive the blessing of his inheritance. They will have food and drink, joy and blessings. *** God will create new heavens and a new earth to be a place of happiness and a source of joy. People will live as long as trees - hundreds of years and only the cursed will die young. People will enjoy the fruit of their labor and it will not be taken from them. They will have time to enjoy their blessings and will not fall into misfortune. God will answer their prayers as soon as they pray. Peace will be in the land even among the animals and no one will be hurt or destroyed in God’s kingdom. *** In Philippians, Paul tells them he is sending Timothy and Epaphroditus who both love them and long to see them. Paul hopes to one day come also. He warns them once again of the false teachers who try to bring them back under the law. *** Lord, thank you for your faithful love for us. May we always depend on you and your Spirit to help us in all we do. Thank you for the promises of what is coming. We expectantly look forward to what is coming with great joy and anticipation.