Read: Jeremiah 37:1-38; 28; 1 Timothy 6:1-21; Psalm 89:38-52; Proverbs 25:28
Jeremiah is not arranged in chronological order for some reason. Yesterday, we read about Jehoiachin who was Josiah’s son. Jehoiachin was the one who cut up the scroll and put it in the fire. His successor was Zedekiah who we are reading about today. Zedekiah’s heart was not as hard as Jehoiachin’s. He actually begged Jeremiah to pray for the country and get a word from the Lord. At the time, Pharoah’s army had left Egypt to come and capture Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar’s army had surrounded Jerusalem and was besieging it until it heard about the Egyptians so it had left.
God told Jeremiah to tell the king that the Egyptians would not stay but that the Babylonians would return and finish the job. They would capture the city and burn it down. This was not what the king wanted to hear.
Jeremiah tried to leave the city to check on some property he had in the land of Benjamin but was arrested at the gate. He was falsely accused of deflecting to the Babylonian army and beaten and put in prison. He would have died there if the king hadn’t let him out to be fed and placed in the courtyard of the guard. There Jeremiah could still prophesy and warn the people to surrender to the Babylonians or they would die. Word came to the king that Jeremiah was bad for the morale of the army and the people who were still fighting to save the city. So, the king had him thrown into a cistern that had nothing but mud in it.
Ebed-Melich, and official in the royal palace beseeched the king on Jeremiah’s behalf and had him drawn out of the cistern with rags and ropes. He was allowed to stay in the courtyard again.
The king sent for Jeremiah privately to ask him what he should do. Jeremiah told him that if he would surrender to the Babylonians he would be spared and so would the city but if he didn’t surrender then he would be handed over to the Babylonians and the city would be burned.
Zedekiah made Jeremiah promise not to tell anyone of their conversation and he sent him back to the yard. Jeremiah told the people what the king had instructed him to say.
In Timothy, Paul urges the people to look higher than this earth. In the earth, riches have to do with what you have, but in the kingdom, riches are measured in what you do and how you love. To serve God with joy is the greatest prosperity you can have.
Lord, help us to seek your kingdom first.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Sat.’s Devo - Obedience to Our Father
Read: Jeremiah 35:1-36:32; 1 Timothy 5:1-25; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 25:25-27
You can not read the prophets without feeling the love of God toward his people. He is patient and slow to get angry and surely slow to bring his judgment. He gave them countless times to repent. I see the picture in my mind of a mother counting to one hundred and fifty waiting for her child to do what she said. That is how I see God’s patience toward Jerusalem.
Today, God told Jeremiah to invite the Recabite family over and offer them wine to drink. They had been instructed by a relative that had lived years before that they were never to drink wine or live in houses. So for years and years they had never drank wine and had lived in tents. Jeremiah used their obedience to their ancestors as a example of what obedience to a father was suppose to look like. Israel had heard the commandments of their father but had failed to listen or follow them.
Then, God told Jeremiah to write down all the words that the prophets had said during the years against Jerusalem. Maybe this would get through to them and they would repent. Jeremiah knew that they would not let him through the gates to the court so he sent Barach, his scribe. Ironically it was the day of atonement and the people were fasting to ask God to forgive the sins of their nation. When Barach read the words to the people, Shaphan knew the king needed to hear them. (Shaphan was the scribe under Josiah that read the words of the law to Josiah and the whole nation repented.)
Sadly, when Barach read the words to the king, the king arrogantly cut them off section by section and had them thrown into the fire. God was relentless and told Jeremiah to write the same words on another scroll and even added some more words to it.
In Timothy, Paul tells the people to treat older people like their own parents and younger men and women as their own brothers and sisters. They were to recognize the needs of widows that had no family of their own. They were to take care of their own parents repaying them for what they had done for them. To neglect ones own family was to deny the faith they confessed.
Paul even gave a description of the widow that they were to help. She had to be over sixty, she had to have been a faithful wife and done good deeds for others. Paul councelled them from becoming idle gossips.
Paul also told them to honor their elders and pay them well for their service. If they were accused of anything, there must be at least two witnesses. He ended by saying that everything, good or bad would be exposed in the end.
Lord, help us to live our lives bearing good fruit that will remain.
You can not read the prophets without feeling the love of God toward his people. He is patient and slow to get angry and surely slow to bring his judgment. He gave them countless times to repent. I see the picture in my mind of a mother counting to one hundred and fifty waiting for her child to do what she said. That is how I see God’s patience toward Jerusalem.
Today, God told Jeremiah to invite the Recabite family over and offer them wine to drink. They had been instructed by a relative that had lived years before that they were never to drink wine or live in houses. So for years and years they had never drank wine and had lived in tents. Jeremiah used their obedience to their ancestors as a example of what obedience to a father was suppose to look like. Israel had heard the commandments of their father but had failed to listen or follow them.
Then, God told Jeremiah to write down all the words that the prophets had said during the years against Jerusalem. Maybe this would get through to them and they would repent. Jeremiah knew that they would not let him through the gates to the court so he sent Barach, his scribe. Ironically it was the day of atonement and the people were fasting to ask God to forgive the sins of their nation. When Barach read the words to the people, Shaphan knew the king needed to hear them. (Shaphan was the scribe under Josiah that read the words of the law to Josiah and the whole nation repented.)
Sadly, when Barach read the words to the king, the king arrogantly cut them off section by section and had them thrown into the fire. God was relentless and told Jeremiah to write the same words on another scroll and even added some more words to it.
In Timothy, Paul tells the people to treat older people like their own parents and younger men and women as their own brothers and sisters. They were to recognize the needs of widows that had no family of their own. They were to take care of their own parents repaying them for what they had done for them. To neglect ones own family was to deny the faith they confessed.
Paul even gave a description of the widow that they were to help. She had to be over sixty, she had to have been a faithful wife and done good deeds for others. Paul councelled them from becoming idle gossips.
Paul also told them to honor their elders and pay them well for their service. If they were accused of anything, there must be at least two witnesses. He ended by saying that everything, good or bad would be exposed in the end.
Lord, help us to live our lives bearing good fruit that will remain.
Friday, October 19, 2018
Fri.’s Devo - A Return To Righteousness
Read: Jeremiah 33:1-34:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Psalm 89:1-13; Proverbs 25:23-24
When I happen to look at the clock and it reads 3:33 I am reminded of Jeremiah 33:3…”Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and might things, which you don’t know.” God is always wanting to show us more about him.
God destroyed Jerusalem in his fury and anger because of its great wickedness but he immediately spoke of healing and the cure he would bring when it was over. God promised to bring them back and cleanse them from all their sin. They would have joy and gladness once again. God would have righteous priests and ministers and their seed would be multiplied to fill the earth.
Jerusalem was surrounded by the king of Babylon when Jeremiah told the king, Zedekiah that he would not die by the sword. He would die a natural death and be mourned. This seamed to soften his heart and he started planning for what Jeremiah had told him would happen. The king told all the people to let their servants go free. They obeyed at first, then after a time made them slaves again. Jeremiah reminded them of the law of Moses that said that every seventh year, all slaves were to go free. They were not honoring that commandment. Because of their injustice, God would give them into the hands of their enemies and many would be killed. King Zedekiah and his officials would be handed over to the Babylonians and taken captive.
Paul gives us a description of the mindset of many during the last days. We can see all of them alive in our day. He reminded Timothy that every thing God created is good for food if it is sanctified through the Word and prayer. Developing godliness is more profitable than developing muscles and a healthy body. He told Timothy not to let people judge him according to his age but let his lifestyle show his maturity. He reminded him to remember the words that were spoken over him in prophesy. Develope those gifts and continue in the faith.
Lord, may we do the same thing. Help us to hunger for the things that really matter.
When I happen to look at the clock and it reads 3:33 I am reminded of Jeremiah 33:3…”Call unto me, and I will answer you, and show you great and might things, which you don’t know.” God is always wanting to show us more about him.
God destroyed Jerusalem in his fury and anger because of its great wickedness but he immediately spoke of healing and the cure he would bring when it was over. God promised to bring them back and cleanse them from all their sin. They would have joy and gladness once again. God would have righteous priests and ministers and their seed would be multiplied to fill the earth.
Jerusalem was surrounded by the king of Babylon when Jeremiah told the king, Zedekiah that he would not die by the sword. He would die a natural death and be mourned. This seamed to soften his heart and he started planning for what Jeremiah had told him would happen. The king told all the people to let their servants go free. They obeyed at first, then after a time made them slaves again. Jeremiah reminded them of the law of Moses that said that every seventh year, all slaves were to go free. They were not honoring that commandment. Because of their injustice, God would give them into the hands of their enemies and many would be killed. King Zedekiah and his officials would be handed over to the Babylonians and taken captive.
Paul gives us a description of the mindset of many during the last days. We can see all of them alive in our day. He reminded Timothy that every thing God created is good for food if it is sanctified through the Word and prayer. Developing godliness is more profitable than developing muscles and a healthy body. He told Timothy not to let people judge him according to his age but let his lifestyle show his maturity. He reminded him to remember the words that were spoken over him in prophesy. Develope those gifts and continue in the faith.
Lord, may we do the same thing. Help us to hunger for the things that really matter.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
Thurs.’s Devo - Written in Our Hearts
Read: Jeremiah 31:27-32:44; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 88:1-18; Proverbs 25:20-22
Jeremiah gave the people hope for their children. They had a saying that said the fathers eat sour grapes making their children pay the price, but there would come a time when the children will no longer be punished for their parent’s sins. The slate would be erased and they will start over. Then everyone would be accountable for their own sins. This would come with the new covenant that Jesus would bring. Instead of the law of God just being words on a tablet, his word was going to be written in their hearts and their minds. Everyone would have a chance to know the Lord for themselves.
Jerusalem was being besieged by Babylon and Jeremiah had been imprisoned by Zedekiah for his prophecies. Zedekiah didn’t understand why Jeremiah would prophesy against his own city. Zedekiah didn’t understand that Jeremiah wasn’t prophesying his own words or his own desire, but he was only saying what God told him to say. It was the people who chose what they were getting.
God told Jeremiah that his cousin, Hanamel would come to him and want to sell his land and Jeremiah was to buy it. It was to be a sign to the people that one day they would come back to the land and get their inheritance.
God told Jeremiah that the Babylonians would take the city and burn it to the ground because of their sins. After a time, God would bring them back and once again their would be life and prosperity here.
In Timothy, Paul gives the requirement for overseers, deacons and their wives. They are to be examples of Jesus so much was required of them and their walk. They were to help others in their struggles to walk in holiness.
Lord, may we walk as examples for others to follow.
Jeremiah gave the people hope for their children. They had a saying that said the fathers eat sour grapes making their children pay the price, but there would come a time when the children will no longer be punished for their parent’s sins. The slate would be erased and they will start over. Then everyone would be accountable for their own sins. This would come with the new covenant that Jesus would bring. Instead of the law of God just being words on a tablet, his word was going to be written in their hearts and their minds. Everyone would have a chance to know the Lord for themselves.
Jerusalem was being besieged by Babylon and Jeremiah had been imprisoned by Zedekiah for his prophecies. Zedekiah didn’t understand why Jeremiah would prophesy against his own city. Zedekiah didn’t understand that Jeremiah wasn’t prophesying his own words or his own desire, but he was only saying what God told him to say. It was the people who chose what they were getting.
God told Jeremiah that his cousin, Hanamel would come to him and want to sell his land and Jeremiah was to buy it. It was to be a sign to the people that one day they would come back to the land and get their inheritance.
God told Jeremiah that the Babylonians would take the city and burn it to the ground because of their sins. After a time, God would bring them back and once again their would be life and prosperity here.
In Timothy, Paul gives the requirement for overseers, deacons and their wives. They are to be examples of Jesus so much was required of them and their walk. They were to help others in their struggles to walk in holiness.
Lord, may we walk as examples for others to follow.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Wed.’s Devo - Hope for the Future
Read: Jeremiah 30:1-31:26; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Psalm 87:1-7; Proverbs 25:18-19
God told Jeremiah to write down in a book what would happen when their captivity was over. They would be in captivity 70 years which would begin as a time of fear and terror. During this time they would be disciplined for their lack of faithfulness. When the time came to deliver them out, it will also be a time of unrest. God will destroy their enemies and the ones that took them captive. They will be restored to their land and regain everything they lost. Joy and hope will be restored to the land and come home with humble hearts that have learned to trust in the Lord.
God told this prophesy to Jeremiah in a dream but he woke up with the feeling of peace and well being.
Paul gives us the formula for a peaceful and quiet life: pray for those in authority over us. However the head goes, so goes the rest of the world. We need to pray for our political and spiritual leaders daily. We pray to our mediator which is Jesus Christ. He hears our prayers and intercedes to the father in our behalf.
In verses 9-15, Paul addresses the women but we can substitute the “Bride” because that is the real meaning. The Bride must dress herself in good deeds and humility. She should be quite and submit to what the Holy Spirit says and obey. She will be saved and bear fruit if she has become a new creature with childlike faith. Her lifestyle should be one of faith, love, and holiness.
Lord, let us live our lives to bring you honor. Thank you that you always give us hope for the future.
God told Jeremiah to write down in a book what would happen when their captivity was over. They would be in captivity 70 years which would begin as a time of fear and terror. During this time they would be disciplined for their lack of faithfulness. When the time came to deliver them out, it will also be a time of unrest. God will destroy their enemies and the ones that took them captive. They will be restored to their land and regain everything they lost. Joy and hope will be restored to the land and come home with humble hearts that have learned to trust in the Lord.
God told this prophesy to Jeremiah in a dream but he woke up with the feeling of peace and well being.
Paul gives us the formula for a peaceful and quiet life: pray for those in authority over us. However the head goes, so goes the rest of the world. We need to pray for our political and spiritual leaders daily. We pray to our mediator which is Jesus Christ. He hears our prayers and intercedes to the father in our behalf.
In verses 9-15, Paul addresses the women but we can substitute the “Bride” because that is the real meaning. The Bride must dress herself in good deeds and humility. She should be quite and submit to what the Holy Spirit says and obey. She will be saved and bear fruit if she has become a new creature with childlike faith. Her lifestyle should be one of faith, love, and holiness.
Lord, let us live our lives to bring you honor. Thank you that you always give us hope for the future.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Tues.’s Devo - Exposing the Truth
Read: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17
Yesterday, we read that Jeremiah put a yoke on his neck to be a living picture of the yoke of the king of Babylon that Jerusalem would come under. Today, the false prophet Hananiah took the yoke from his neck and broke it saying that after two years, God was going to bring all the vessels back to Jerusalem and break the yoke of Babylon off of them.
After Hananiah spoke, Jeremiah prophesied the truth. He said that it was true that God would bring the vessels back to Jerusalem, but instead of a yoke of wood, Babylon would be a yoke of iron to them. He accused Hananiah of making the people believe a lie and since he lied to the people, he would die that year. He did die that year, in the seventh month.
Then Jeremiah spoke to the ones who had been taken captive to Babylon and told them to settle down and plan to stay for a while. He told them to marry and multiply and to pray for the peace of the place they were sent to. They would be there for seventy years no matter what the other prophets told them.
After seventy years, God would visit them and let them know the wonderful plans that he had for them. They will seek him and be found of him once more and he would gather them from wherever they were sent and bring them back to Jerusalem to their own land once more.
Paul wrote his young prodigy this letter encouraging him stay true to the things that are important like faith and love. The law is good for the righteous because it keeps us safe.
Timothy had received prophesies about his life and Paul encouraged him to remember them so that when the devil came to steal them he would war against it. Paul had to commit two of his followers to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme. Sometimes we have to do this with people who turn so far from God. After a few years of living for the devil, they will learn that he is merciless and a mean taskmaster. Then, they will come to their senses and return to the Lord.
Lord, we do pray for truth to be heard in the ears of your people. Thank you for prophets today who prophesy the truth.
Yesterday, we read that Jeremiah put a yoke on his neck to be a living picture of the yoke of the king of Babylon that Jerusalem would come under. Today, the false prophet Hananiah took the yoke from his neck and broke it saying that after two years, God was going to bring all the vessels back to Jerusalem and break the yoke of Babylon off of them.
After Hananiah spoke, Jeremiah prophesied the truth. He said that it was true that God would bring the vessels back to Jerusalem, but instead of a yoke of wood, Babylon would be a yoke of iron to them. He accused Hananiah of making the people believe a lie and since he lied to the people, he would die that year. He did die that year, in the seventh month.
Then Jeremiah spoke to the ones who had been taken captive to Babylon and told them to settle down and plan to stay for a while. He told them to marry and multiply and to pray for the peace of the place they were sent to. They would be there for seventy years no matter what the other prophets told them.
After seventy years, God would visit them and let them know the wonderful plans that he had for them. They will seek him and be found of him once more and he would gather them from wherever they were sent and bring them back to Jerusalem to their own land once more.
Paul wrote his young prodigy this letter encouraging him stay true to the things that are important like faith and love. The law is good for the righteous because it keeps us safe.
Timothy had received prophesies about his life and Paul encouraged him to remember them so that when the devil came to steal them he would war against it. Paul had to commit two of his followers to Satan so that they would learn not to blaspheme. Sometimes we have to do this with people who turn so far from God. After a few years of living for the devil, they will learn that he is merciless and a mean taskmaster. Then, they will come to their senses and return to the Lord.
Lord, we do pray for truth to be heard in the ears of your people. Thank you for prophets today who prophesy the truth.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Mon.’s Devo - Truth in Love
Read: Jeremiah 26:1-27:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 25:16
God sent Jeremiah to stand in the court of the king and tell them one more time to turn from their evil ways and follow him. He was giving them one last warning. It reminds me of a mother giving her toddler one last chance to choose to obey before she spanks him. You can fell the compassion and pain in God’s heart. He doesn’t want to bring destruction on them; he wants them to make the right choice.
Instead of making the right choice, the priests and prophets asked the officials and the people to sentence Jeremiah to death. Jeremiah argued that God had sent him and if they would repent maybe God would relent on his punishment but if they didn’t and killed him they would be adding innocent blood to their list of offenses. The officials and the people wanted to listen to Jeremiah and save his life. So did the elders.
Jeremiah gave his testimony and said that God had sent him to prophesy against that house and that city. He told them that if they repented, God would repent of what he was going to do. The officials didn’t think there was evidence to kill him since he was speaking for God. Some of the elders reminded the people of Micah who had prophesied the same thing years ago during Hezekiah’s reign. Hezekiah humbled himself and God didn’t bring the destruction. Uriah also prophesied against Jerusalem under Jehoiakim’s rule and when the king tried to kill Uriah, he fled to Egypt. Jehoiakim sent his men to fetch Uriah, brought him back and killed him and threw his body in in the burial place of the common people. This added to Jerusalem’s sins.
The scribe Ahikim supported Jeremiah who helped keep him from not being put to death.
God told Jeremiah to wear a yoke made from straps and crossbars and told him to put it on his neck and prophesy. They would be put under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon for a time, then many nations and kings would conquer him.
Anyone who refused to serve Nebechadnezzar during this time of his rule would be punished with sword, famine or plague. So he warned the people not to listen to their false prophets who prophesied peace because peace would not come. All the vessels in the temple would be carried to Egypt along with the people. But, one day, God would bring them back to their land.
Paul told his followers to to stay away from believers who sinned and didn’t walk the Christian walk. They were to not to associate with him to make him feel ashamed. He was not to be regarded as an enemy but warned out of love.
It has been believed that we are not to judge, but we are to judge others actions in love. In the Bible, God was always raising up people to point out the sins of the people so that they could repent and be restored. We are to do the same with love.
Lord, help us to speak truth in love.
God sent Jeremiah to stand in the court of the king and tell them one more time to turn from their evil ways and follow him. He was giving them one last warning. It reminds me of a mother giving her toddler one last chance to choose to obey before she spanks him. You can fell the compassion and pain in God’s heart. He doesn’t want to bring destruction on them; he wants them to make the right choice.
Instead of making the right choice, the priests and prophets asked the officials and the people to sentence Jeremiah to death. Jeremiah argued that God had sent him and if they would repent maybe God would relent on his punishment but if they didn’t and killed him they would be adding innocent blood to their list of offenses. The officials and the people wanted to listen to Jeremiah and save his life. So did the elders.
Jeremiah gave his testimony and said that God had sent him to prophesy against that house and that city. He told them that if they repented, God would repent of what he was going to do. The officials didn’t think there was evidence to kill him since he was speaking for God. Some of the elders reminded the people of Micah who had prophesied the same thing years ago during Hezekiah’s reign. Hezekiah humbled himself and God didn’t bring the destruction. Uriah also prophesied against Jerusalem under Jehoiakim’s rule and when the king tried to kill Uriah, he fled to Egypt. Jehoiakim sent his men to fetch Uriah, brought him back and killed him and threw his body in in the burial place of the common people. This added to Jerusalem’s sins.
The scribe Ahikim supported Jeremiah who helped keep him from not being put to death.
God told Jeremiah to wear a yoke made from straps and crossbars and told him to put it on his neck and prophesy. They would be put under the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon for a time, then many nations and kings would conquer him.
Anyone who refused to serve Nebechadnezzar during this time of his rule would be punished with sword, famine or plague. So he warned the people not to listen to their false prophets who prophesied peace because peace would not come. All the vessels in the temple would be carried to Egypt along with the people. But, one day, God would bring them back to their land.
Paul told his followers to to stay away from believers who sinned and didn’t walk the Christian walk. They were to not to associate with him to make him feel ashamed. He was not to be regarded as an enemy but warned out of love.
It has been believed that we are not to judge, but we are to judge others actions in love. In the Bible, God was always raising up people to point out the sins of the people so that they could repent and be restored. We are to do the same with love.
Lord, help us to speak truth in love.
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