Jer. 46, 47 [The Message]
People groups can form a city or a nation. They answer to God for their conduct and how they respond to His messengers.
The book of Revelation has much to say about God dealing with the nations and their response to Christ. We must keep praying for the nation we find ourselves in. Christ wept over the condition of the nations.
Jer. 45, 46 [The Message]
Jeremiah addresses the conflict when the Babylonian army invaded Egypt. He describes the terror the Egyptians experienced when an innumerable enemy army attacked them … fear, cowardice, humiliation. He had predicted this slaughter. The unwise Judeans who had fled to Egypt should have heeded his advice to stay in Israel.
The terror and horror of combat is something we hope our boys never experience. I was trained for combat but fortunately never experienced it. I lost friends in the Vietnam war. Dodging bullets and incoming mortar rounds is a frightful thought. I’d rather have Ukrainian soldiers dodging Putin’s bullets than our boys.
Jer. 40-44 [The Message]
To Jeremiah was given the difficult task of relaying stiff warnings from God to the remnant in Judah. They all wanted to flee to Egypt, thinking they would be safe from the wars and tragedies befallen Israel during the Babylonian captivity. However God warned them through Jeremiah that they would all meet their doom. It was true.
Sometimes relaying God’s message is difficult. Sometimes there are hard words that need to be shared. God will speak through whomever is truly listening to Him. A hard message needs to be shared in love.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. [Pr. 27:6]
Jer. 39 [The Message]
Of note is what God said to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem … “Yes, I’ll most certainly save you. You won’t be killed. You’ll walk out of there safe and sound because you trusted me.”
Destruction can be happening all around, but we who trust the Lord will be safe. God has myriads of angels who do His bidding. They look out for us, the heirs of salvation. We can face the future with confidence, no matter what the threat.
Jer. 37, 38 [The Message]
Jeremiah suffered greatly because he gave prophecies that were not popular. Prison, a mud-bottom cistern, courtyard detainment etc. He paid a painful price for being faithful to God.
Life does that sometimes. We get in trouble for doing what God wants us to. Jeremiah will no doubt have received a glorious reward in Heaven.
James tells us to count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
Jesus said, “ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” [Matt. 5:11, 12]
Jer. 36 [The Message]
Baruch wrote down what Jeremiah had heard from the Lord. Because of it, we have the Book of Jeremiah.
Write down what God says to you. If you pay attention to Him and take good care of what He says, you will get more. Maybe you need to start a journal. For me, this devotional has accomplished that. In essence, I have a record of over 8 years of daily inspirations. God has ALWAYS been faithful to give me inspiration to live by.
Jer. 35 [The Message]
Jeremiah commended the Rechabite clan because they had honored their father’s commands for generations. They refused to drink strong drink and lived in tents as their forefather had encouraged.
Joshua made this statement … “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” No doubt, his example and statement of faith impacted his descendants. In Galatians 5, Paul made reference to the “Household of faith.”
As a Christian school leader, I quickly saw how the students would bring the culture of their home to school with them. They generally rooted for the same football team that daddy rooted for etc.
Parents, teach your children well how to live and conduct themselves. Your influence will shape the rest of their life.
Jer. 34 [The Message]
Jeremiah stiffly rebuked the Jews that had made covenant with God, then went back on their word. They had sworn to not take their Jewish brothers into slavery, but they reneged.
Our word is vitally linked to our integrity. You may not have much money, but don’t tarnish your integrity. Sadly, many wealthy people have none. Better to be poor and have honor than rich and corrupt.
“Keep your word even when it costs you,” [Ps. 15:5]
Jer. 33 [The Message]
The Lord promised Jeremiah that there would be a perpetual priesthood to serve the Lord, all descendants of David who would offer the continual sacrifice (of praise) to the Lord.
Peter says it best … Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. [1 Pet. 2:5]
It’s so thrilling to read the prophecies of God’s men of the Old Testament and see how The Church finds its place in God’s economy. You and I are the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prediction.
Jer. 32 [The Message]
The value of a restored automobile usually eclipses the original value of the car. Valued oil paintings by the masters are of far greater value than the original. A lot depends on the skill of the restorer. God is the GREAT RESTORER.
When the cleansing blood of Christ is applied to a broken and destroyed life, a RESTORATION happens.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. [2 Cor. 5:17]
TCS Daily Devotional 