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.