Sat.’s Devo - The Victory is the Lord’s

Read: Jeremiah 44:24-57:7; 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17; Psalm 94:1-23; Proverbs 26:6-8

Jeremiah told the people and especially the women who refused to stop making offerings to the queen of heaven: “Go ahead and worship your false gods because he will make sure you face the disaster you deserve.” They will be punished in the land of Egypt as a sign that what Jeremiah said was from God. God would give Pharaoh Hophra into the hands of the Babylonians. 

God told Baruch to write down that God was plucking up what he planted and breaking them down. They will see this with their own eyes. 

God spoke a word against Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Necho. When they faced Nebuchadnezzar while Jehoiakim was king of Judah, Egypt fled from him. It was a day of the Lord for them. God poured out his vengeance on them. He would also judge the people of Judah who continued to make offerings to their gods. 

Nebuchadnezzar would come and strike down Egypt and the people of Judah would wish they could return to their own land. Instead, they were to pack for exile. They would not be returning home, but to Babylon if they lived through the battle. 

God would punish the Pharaoh and Amon and deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. But, in the end, Egypt would be inhabited like before. He would also bring his people back to their land where they would live in peace and prosperity. God would destroy all nations who were their enemies after he punished Judah for her sins. 

God gave a word against the Philistines saying that they would also face the day of the Lord’s vengeance. 

In Timothy, God warned them to stop quarreling over the things that were controversial. In the last days there would be times of difficulty. Men would become narcissistic and become proud lovers of money and power. They will love pleasure more than God and have the appearance of godliness but deny its power. Stay away from these people who try to deceive weak people who are isolated. These people are like the ones who came up against Moses and challenged his authority. They will not get far because they will be exposed. 

We who follow the teaching of the Bible are to have faith, patience, love and be steadfast in our trials. We should expect to be persecuted for our stand for Jesus Christ by evil people who are nothing but impostors. We are to remember that all scripture is inspired by God and profits us, reproves us, corrects us and trains us in righteousness that we might be complete and equipped to do the works of Christ.

Lord, may we endure the times we are living in as overcomes and victors, not as weak vessels who fear our enemy. Greater are You who is in us than the one in the world. May we fight the good fight with the power of the Holy Spirit in us to bring about victory. 

Fri.’s Devo - They Refused to Listen -

Read: Jeremiah 42:1-44:23; 2 Timothy 2:1-21; Psalm 92:1-93:5; Proverbs 26:3-5

How long will God put up with these people? This is the remnant who were left in their land. Gedaliah has been murdered along with the military presence of Babylon so their leaders were their own people. 

They came to Jeremiah asking him to beg for God’s mercy and tell them what they should do. They promised that they would do whatever the Lord said. After ten days, the word came to Jeremiah and he gave it to the people. If they would remain in the land, God would build them up and protect them against the king of Babylon. He would give them mercy but, if they disobey his voice and go to Egypt then the very thing they feared would come upon them. The king of Babylon would come and either take them captive or kill them. 

When Jeremiah finished speaking the insolent men told Jeremiah he was a liar and God did not tell him that they shouldn’t go to Egypt. They accused Jeremiah of being a traitor who wanted them to stay there and be killed by the king of Babylon. So they took everyone to Egypt including Jeremiah.

As soon as they got to Tahpanhes in Egypt God told Jeremiah to take some large stones and hide them in the mortar in the pavement by the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace and tell his people that He would send Nebuchadnezzar to set his throne above these stone he had hidden. He would come and destroy this city with its temples to its gods and take captive those who were destined to captivity and kill those destined to die. 

Later, Jeremiah received another word to the Judean’s living in Egypt. He reminded them of the destruction of Jerusalem and told them it was coming to their cities in Egypt. He told them to put away their false gods that they were serving and return to their God who could save them. They refused, saying that these were the gods they worshiped in Jerusalem when everything was going well for them and when they stopped serving them, everything went bad. Jeremiah explained that it was because they worshiped these false gods that everything went bad. 

They blamed God for their own sins. We see this in our lives. People blame God because they got sick or they are facing a bad circumstance when it was their own sins or an attack by the enemy that caused the problem, not God. No one wants to take responsibility for their own sins or put the blame on the devil. God is so merciful, all we have to do is repent and God will deliver us out of our troubles. 

In Timothy, Paul encouraged Timothy to entrust the truth to those who will faithfully spread it to others. Paul told Timothy that as God’s servants we are to be like good soldiers who are only interested in doing the will of our leader. And we are to be like an athlete who can only win if he obeys the rules of the contest. We are to be like the hard-working farmer who is entitled to eat the fruits of his labor.

Even though Paul was in chains, the word of God is not bound up. Even though we are restricted because of finances or family obligations, or our circumstances, God’s word is still alive and at work. When we release it through prayer and our devotion to God, it can move mountains. 

Lord, may we rightly handle your word and may our lives be examples of holiness as we honor You in everything we do.  

Thurs.’s Devo - God’s Judgment

ead: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Proverbs 26:1-2

The last two years of Zedekiah’s reign, Babylon besieged Jerusalem. The Babylonians finally made a breach in the wall and the officers of Babylon came into the city and stood in the middle gate of the city. Zedekiah and his men tried to make an escape but were captured in the plains of Jericho. Zedekiah met Nebuchadnezzar face to face just like Jeremiah had said would happen. Zedekiah was made to witness the killing of his sons, then they took out his eyes and took him to Babylon in chains. They burned Zedekiah’s house and tore down the wall. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard left some of the poorest people and took the rest to Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar had commanded Nebuzaradan to take care  not to harm Jeremiah and let him choose whether to stay or go to Babylon. He was to put him under the care of Gedaliah who would be the governor of those left in Jerusalem. He even gave Jeremiah an allowance of food and a present. Then he let him go free. Jeremiah chose to stay with the remnant left in Israel.

Before this happened, Jeremiah had given Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian who had rescued him from the cistern word that he would not be harmed because of his faithfulness to the Lord. 

The people who were nomads and had lived in the fields outside the city came to meet with Gedaliah who Nebuchadnezzar had set over the people to govern. One of the leaders was Ishmael. Gedaliah told them not to be afraid of serving the Chaldeans, they could enjoy the fruits of the land and live in peace. 

One of the leaders of the people was Johanan. He warned Gedaliah that Ishmael was going to assassinate him. Gedaliah didn’t believe him but the next time Ishmael came to visit with him, his men killed Gedaliah and killed all the people who were there including the Chaldean soldiers. 

The next day a group of 80 men came from Shechem, Shiloh an Samaria to bring offerings to the Lord at the temple. Ishmael met them and brought them into the city and killed all but 10 who bribed their way out of death. He threw the 70 bodies into a huge cistern and took all the people in Mizpah captive. 

When Johanan who had warned Gedaliah found out what Ishmael had done, he came with his warriors to fight Ishmael. They met at Gibeon. The people who had been taken captive rejoiced to see Johanan arrive. He rescued the people and brought them to Geruth. His plan was to take them to Egypt because he was afraid of what Nebuchadnezzar would do when he found out they had killed his governor, Gedaliah. 

In the second letter to Timothy, Paul proclaimed his love for Timothy. He reminisced about the faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. He was proud to see that Timothy kept their faith alive in him. He reminded Timothy that God had not given him a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-control. 

Paul encouraged Timothy to stand strong in his faith and walk in the calling God had called him to. Paul commended Onesiphorus who was a great friend and served with Paul in Ephesus.

Lord, may it be said of us that we remained faithful when times were tough. We did not abandon the Lord who is always faithful to us. Thank you, Lord, for your steadfast love that never fails. 

Wed.’s Devo - God Saves Jeremiah

Read: Jeremiah 37:1-38:28; 1 Timothy 6:1-211; Psalm 89:38-52; Proverbs 25:28

Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah the king instead of Coniah, the son of Jehoiakim who he took the first time he came to Jerusalem. Zedekiah was the son of Josiah but was a weak puppet of a king. 

Zedekiah sent the priest Jehucal and Zephaniah to Jeremiah to ask him to pray for them. Jerusalem had paid Egypt to send their army to help them which had discouraged the Chaldeans and sent them home. 

Jeremiah got a word for the king that the army of Egypt was going to return home to Egypt and then the Chaldeans will return and finish what they started. They will capture it and burn it down. 

Jeremiah left Jerusalem to go look at the land he had bought from his uncle but was stopped at the gate of the city and accused of deserting to the Chaldeans. He was beat and imprisoned in the house of Jonathan which had been turned into a prison.

Jeremiah stayed there till the king came secretly and asked him what God was saying would happen. Jeremiah told him he would be delivered over to the king of Babylon, then he asked for mercy for himself. Zedekiah let him out of prison and had him put in the court of the guard and ordered him given a loaf of bread a day till all the bread was gone. This saved Jeremiah’s life.

Zedekiah’s handlers were the Judeans: Shephatiah, Jucal and Pashhur. They heard what Jeremiah was prophesying about the city being taken and that they must surrender to the Babylonians. This was hurting the moral of the army so they ordered the king to put Jeremiah to death. King Zedekiah told them to do what they wanted to do to Jeremiah so they put Jeremiah in a cistern filled with mud.

Jeremiah would have died there if Ebed-melech hadn’t heard about it and went to the king to ask permission to take Jeremiah out. The king allowed him to and it took 30 men to pull Jeremiah out of the mud of the cistern. The king came to Jeremiah and asked him what God was saying and promised not to hand him over to those men again. 

Jeremiah told him that if he didn’t surrender to the Babylonians, the city would be burned and he would not escape from them. The king was more afraid of his own men than the Babylonians. Jeremiah told him they would not kill him, but the Babylonians would take all his wives and sons to Babylon. Zedekiah made Jeremiah promise not to tell the Judean’s that he had asked the word of the Lord but to tell them that Jeremiah had asked him to spare his life. Jeremiah told them what the king had asked him and was allowed to live until Jerusalem was taken. 

In Timothy, Paul encouraged the workers to honor their masters especially if they were men of faith. 

If anyone taught a doctrine other than that of Jesus Christ, they were not to be a part of it. To be holy and content was their goal. We came into the world with nothing and we can’t take any of it with us when we leave, so it is to our benefit if we live grateful and not craving the things of this world. We are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. 

If we are blessed with riches then we are to use it to do good and share it with others. We are reminded that the true treasures are not tangible but spiritual. 

Lord, we bless your who is the source of all we have and are. You alone have immortality and you dwell in unapproachable light. We give you honor and eternal dominion. 

Tues.’s Devo - Obedience Vs. Rebellion

Read: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27

God told Jeremiah to invite some Rechabites into the house of the Lord into a private section of the temple. There, he was to offer them a pitcher of wine and offer them to drink it. No one would ever see them drink it. But, they refused because their father had commanded them not to drink wine, build a house, or sow a garden or plant a vineyard because they were to be sojourners all of their generations. They had all obeyed his words and would continue to forever. The only reason they were living in Jerusalem was because of the threats of war from the Chaldeans and the Syrians. 

God told Jeremiah to share this story with the people and tell them that the Rechabites listened to the commandments of their father and obeyed them, but they refused to listen or obey the words of their heavenly Father. Because of this, God would bring upon them all the disaster that he had warned them of. God promised to bless the Rechabites and said they would always have a man that stands before him. 

In Jehoiakim’s fourth year of reigning, he banned Jeremiah from going to the Temple. God gave Jeremiah a word to give so Jeremiah dictated it to Baruch the scribe and he wrote it in a scroll. Then he ordered Baruch to go a give it on the day of Atonement when all the people were fasting and seeking the Lord for the welfare of the next year. So, that next year on the Day of Atonement, Baruch gave the word from the chamber of the Levites. Certain Levites were so concerned about its content that they took the scroll to the leaders of Jerusalem. When they heard it they were afraid and wanted it taken to the king and read to him. They told Baruch and Jeremiah to hide so they could not be found.

They took the scroll to King Jehoiakim and read it to him in his chamber. Every time he had read a few columns, the king would take his knife and cut it out of the scroll and throw it into the fire. He did this untill the whole scroll was destroyed. He commanded them to seize Jeremiah and Baruch, but they could not be found. 

Then the Lord told Jeremiah to rewrite everything he had written the first time and add that because Jehoiakim had burned the first one the king of Babylon would certainly destroy the land and he would have no successors to rule. All the things he prophesied against them would come to pass. He then sent the new scroll to the king.

In Timothy, Paul gave him instructions concerning how to treat others. He was to encourage and not rebuke. Widows were to be honored and taken care of, first by their own family. 

They were to enroll widows in their welfare program who were over 60 and had proved that they honored the Lord in taking care of others during their prime. Younger widows were not to be in the program and should be encouraged to marry and have children. 

The men who had served faithfully as elders were worthy of honor, especially those who preached and taught God’s word. If someone had a charge against an elder, he must have another witness to be heard. Those who persist in sinning must be rebuked in public to put the fear of God in the rest of them. Timothy must not prejudge or have favorites. He must be discerning about who he lays his hands on and he must not take part in sin but keep himself pure. Hidden sins will be revealed at some time and good works done in secret will be revealed also. Which ones do we want the world to know of?

Lord, may we not hide sin but confess it and get rid of it. But, may we do works of righteousness that in the end, your name will be glorified. Remind us that we do not live for ourselves, but for your glory and your kingdom. 

Mon.’s Devo - A Better Future

Read: Jeremiah 33:1-34:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Psalm 89:1-13; Proverbs 25:23-24

Jeremiah had been put in prison by King Zedekiah for prophesying he would be taken to Babylon. The army had torn down the houses of those taken to Babylon already and made fortifications to keep the enemy out, but these houses would soon be filled with dead bodies. 

God told Jeremiah to ask him and he would show him great things for the future. He did ask and God showed him that God would bring them health and healing and an abundance of peace and truth…all the while, they were facing war and death. God said that the ones that got captured would return and rebuild what was being destroyed. God would cleanse them from their sins and he would pardon their iniquities. They would be a joy to him and he would greatly prosper them. In this city that would stand desolate for so many years, there would one day be sounds of life and joy and praise to him. The fields would once again be filled with cattle. God would bring Israel a king of righteousness and Jerusalem would be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. David’s posterity will reign as their king. God will multiply his descendants and those who worship him. 

God sent Jeremiah to speak to King Zedekiah and tell him that Jerusalem would fall to Babylon and be burned with fire but Zedekiah would not die in the siege. He would die in peace and be honored by the people. 

Jeremiah had warned the king to have the people set their Hebrew slaves free like the law said. The law commanded that they were only to keep them for six years then set them free. Zedekiah and the people promised to do this and did for a while. Then many took their slaves back and broke their covenant with the Lord. The ones who did this would die in the battle and not be buried. The birds and beasts would eat their bodies. The people would be taken captive to Babylon, but they will return. Jerusalem would go down in flames and the rest of the cities of Judah would lie desolate.

In Timothy, Paul’s letter was to expose the false doctrines of demons and man-made laws of abstinence from certain foods. These were foods that God created for them to eat. 

Paul urged Timothy to preach this to the people and not participate in their silly myths, but to teach godliness which will prosper them in their lives and in eternity. Paul told Timothy not to be intimidated because he was so young because he was to be an example to them in his conduct, his love and faith and his pure living. Paul encouraged him in his gift that they had given him through the Holy Spirit when they prayed for him and laid their hands on him.  It was important that he keep his people grounded in truth.

Lord, thank you that there are some battles that we don’t have to fight. You fight them for us. May we be diligent to obey what you tell us to do and let you do what you want to do. Thank you that the victory is yours! Thank you that you have planned a better future for us and our world.

 

Sun.’s Devo - God’s Plan of Restoration

Read: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22

Many would die during God’s judgment but then he would cause them to multiply once again. He would punish them for their sins then he would give them a new covenant where he would write his laws on their hearts and he would be their God. He would forgive their sin and they would know him as their God. 

Jerusalem would be destroyed and then at the right time, it will be rebuilt much bigger than before. Zedekiah would not escape, but be taken to face the king of Babylon. There he will stay until the Lord visits his people. Even if they try to fight the Babylonians they will not succeed. 

God told Jeremiah that his uncle would come and visit him in prison where Zedekiah had put him for prophesying against him and Jerusalem. His uncle will offer to sell him their family land and he was to buy it to prove that one day they will return to Jerusalem and live once again. This land was in Anathoth which means “afflictions” and “answers”. This was to be the answer to their affliction - they would surely return and prosper.

When Jeremiah’s uncle came to him and offered him his land for sale, Jeremiah bought it for 17 shekels of silver. Seventeen means a test is over. When their time of testing was completed, he would return to this land.

God told Jeremiah that he was giving Jerusalem over to the Chaldeans and Nebuchadnezzar would capture it and set in on fire. All the altars of Baal would be destroyed. They would be punished for their idolatry and all their child sacrifices. All the people would be given to the king of Babylon to do as he pleased. But, one day, God would gather all his children and bring them back to him and make an everlasting covenant with them. They will come to him and be faithful to him with all their heart and soul. Business will once again thrive in the land of Israel and God will restore their fortunes.

In Timothy, Paul wanted them to know that positions of power in his church would require great character and self-control. They must be honorable at home as well as in their public life. They were to behave so that the world could see the household of God as an example of Him. The church was to be built on the truth that God came down in flesh, was confirmed by the Holy Spirit and by angels, proclaimed his gospel to the nations and was believed in by the world and then taken up to glory. 

Lord, may we stand on your gospel and live our lives as examples of your kingdom in heaven. Thank you, Holy Spirit for enabling us to hear and know you. Thank you, Jesus for giving up your life that we might live eternally. Thank you God for being such a gracious and loving Father. We trust in your plan.