It seemed that Ezekiel’s message spoke commendation to those who carried an anguish over the sin of Judah. These were marked in their foreheads and escaped pain and judgement God poured out.

This can apply to saints today. We can carry the burden to see righteousness restored, not being judgmental over the sinners, but compassionately concerned about the rampant sin of our society. We can make it a matter of prayer for our nation and those duped by sin around us.

What can we do? Pray. Evangelize. Support missions. Be faithful in church attendance. Be salt and light to a lost world. Care. Trust God.

READ/HEAR: Ezek. 7-9

The inhabitants of Jerusalem, primarily from the tribe of Judah, incurred God’s judgements because of their stubborn refusal to cast off their sin. Ezekiel called them “headstrong.”

It’s a sad thing to see people selfishly consider their personal intelligence and preferences to be superior to God’s. God had granted the Jews the perfect culture in a city at the center of the whole world, but they hardened their hearts and shut Him out.  (Sound like anyone you know?)

We are wise to place God’s Word at the pinnacle of our thinking, put God’s values and instructions for life at the core of our values, and live by the faith and provision He grants gratefully. We then become an active witness of His blessing to all who meet us.

God always knows best!

READ/HEAR: Exek. 4-6

Ezekiel heard and saw many profound things, but he was primarily a voice to the nation of Israel. God gave him warnings for the people. It was his responsibility to give the warnings but up to the people to heed them.

As we read or hear the admonitions of scripture, we can either obey or resist. So often we choose to go our own way and miss God’s promptings, but there is grace to recover yourself and make things right again. Confess your sin, receive His cleansing, and go on in faith. God’s grace and power is greater than any shortcoming we have.

As we heed God’s counsel for living, we are a good example for those younger who are beginning their earthly journey. We can maybe spare them from some pitfalls that have caused us to stumble.

READ/HEAR: Ezekiel 1-3

This was Jeremiah’s plea as a result of seeing the punishment of the Jews. The devastation they experienced was demoralizing. Their once proud culture stripped of their dignity. He placed much blame on the elders and religious leaders who had abused the privilege of the office they held. As a result, the people brought reproach upon God Who could not leave their sin unpunished.

We mess up all the time. But, we have an Advocate, a perfect High Priest, a Leader Who walked this life in a perfect way. When we give our lives to Him, we experience His love, His forgiveness, and His “Fresh Start.”

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? [Heb. 2:3]

READ/HEAR: Lam. 4,5

Note: I am so excited to hear one of TCS’s grads, Kaley Grace, preach at Palmetto Baptist Church this morning at both 9:00 and 11:00 services. She has been a solo missionary in Uganda recently. So proud!

Jeremiah at times felt like God’s punching bag, like a target God was shooting arrows into. He experienced the depths of suffering as expressed in his book, Lamentations. Much of his anguish occurred because of the way God’s people suffered in the destruction of Jerusalem. The pinnacle seemed to be when he was cast into a muddy pit and the waters flooded over his head.

He cried out to God and was rescued. He always found hope in God. He found new mercies every morning. He found God to be faithful to him even in his suffering.

God doesn’t always instantly remove us from our pain, but He’s always with us and gives us the strength to endure and come out victorious.

Through Christ Jesus, we are more than conquerors. [Phil. 4:13]

READ/HEAR: Lamentations 1-3

Unbelievable devastation came upon Babylon and Jerusalem, all because they resisted God. Wealth, resources, art, and historical worship articles were hauled off by spoilers because of the reprobate ideologies that prevailed.

God has no regard for the things men accumulate nor is He impressed by their station in life. He is looking for souls who want Him and His way of living. To them He will give all they really need to survive and live in health.

Christ is ALL we need.

No Jesus, no life. Know Jesus, know life.

READ/HEAR: Jer. 51.52

God uses Jeremiah’s pen to speak doom to nations that have sinned against Him, nations such as Babylon who have abused His people. “Babylon the great has fallen.”

God’s enemies will all assume the posture of worship, falling down before Him. They stand in their false strength for only a time. Then, when God’s cup is full against them, He arranges other nations and the elements to bring about their demise.

Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. [Nahum 1:6,7]

READ/HEAR: Jer. 49,50

Jeremiah predicted that the nation of Moab would be destroyed because of their defiant arrogance against the Lord.  Little did they know that God would not let it continue against Him. His judgement was to come with swiftness and horror. Their end came at the hand of southern tribes during the Persian period.

The point is that defiance and arrogance against God WILL be punished. They build a case against themselves, those who adopt a similar posture. If it goes unconfessed and unpardoned, God will retaliate.

Everyday we see persons on TV who display utter contempt for God. He sees it and will repay. Our wisest posture would be to pray for them rather than despising them.

READ/HEAR: Jer. 45-48

A substantial group of leftover Jews who had been through a coup and unsettling instability in the Holy Land sought to find their solace in Egypt. They wanted to run and hide. They asked Jeremiah to seek the Lord to confirm their plan … but God said, “No. Don’t go.”

Sadly, their disobedient resistance resulted in their massacre and starvation. Going against God NEVER turns out good.

Jesus brought grace and truth to us, along with His teachings and warnings. Gratefully, His Holy Spirit lives within us and provides that always-right inner voice that guides us through life. When we begin going our own way, against the grain of His leading, He gently but firmly guides us into truth and blessing.

Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” [Jn. 15:5b]

READ/HEAR: Jer. 41-44

King Zedekiah was instructed by Jeremiah to surrender himself to the King of Babylon. “You will be preserved if you do,” was Jeremiah’s advice to him. He couldn’t see it. He chose rather to hunker down and try to preserve his own life in his own way. Mistake! Because of his disobedience to God’s prophet, he was tortured to see all his sons slaughtered in front of him. Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and carried away in chains to be a prisoner the rest of his life.

We think we have a better plan for our lives than God does. If we do, we’re like Zedekiah who forsook the mercy God extended to him.

“Whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”  [Matt. 7:24,25]

READ/HEAR: Jer. 39,40