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.