Atone for You

Ezek. 16:62-62

"I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD."

 
At the end of the chapter where the horrendous images of the whoring and prostitution of Jerusalem and the terrible judgment of God on her for these acts, is this profound promise of atonement. Of necessity, God's heart must deal with the sin in punishment and judgment, but at the same time, His heart wants to meet the spiritual need of Jerusalem as well. He states that His judgments were for the express purpose of showing His Lordship, but once that is accomplished, they need never speak of their shame again. It is gone! God has atoned for it! What a glorious thing for Jerusalem and for me! I was horrendously sunk in sin as well, and for that matter, still struggle with it in so many areas. But God in His grace has atoned for my sin through the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. It was there that the power of the gospel intersected the weakness of my life creating my new life in Christ, a life that no longer has to live with shame. All because of Jesus and His atoning gift of life!
 
Father,
Thank You for atoning for my sin and taking away my shame. Help me to live in the power of the gospel with every breath that you grant me.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Not Without Cause

Ezk. 14:21-23

"For thus says the Lord GOD: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four disastrous acts of judgment, sword, famine, wild beasts, and pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast! But behold, some survivors will be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; behold, when they come out to you, and you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord GOD."

Even though I know that I, and many others, have wondered what was God trying to accomplish by allowing certain things to happen, I know that He knows what is best. He wants me to trust His hand in orchestrating all the details of life, but I was encouraged as I read these verses. Ezekiel was seeing horrible images of destruction: sword, famine, beasts,and pestilence. He knew ahead of time what was to happen to his people, his people who had totally rejected their God. What an ache in his heart! There was nothing he could do, but God gave him a consoling word. After he had witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem, he would seen coming out  certain survivors, sons and daughters with godly deeds and ways. God would preserve a remnant of people who truly loved him. God was showing Ezekiel that there was mercy within His hand of judgment. It would only be then that Ezekiel would know that God was not acting without a cause. God has a cause in all that He does!! If it was hard for Ezekiel the prophet who saw so many future things, no wonder it is hard for me. I am wondering if part of the reason for Christians today not understanding events is because ignorance of future events might be more peaceful than knowing what is to come down. Just a thought...

Father,
Help me to trust in the fact that You do all things for a cause whether I understand it or not.
In Jesus name,
Amen

New Heart

Ezk. 10:17-21

"Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.' And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD."

Whatever a man sows that he also reaps! God's justice must be met! But He did gather out a remnant, a remnant of those whose heart was not pursuing detestable things. They saw them as the abominations that they were. Into these people, God will give them a singular heart, a heart united to Him. He will give them a new spirit and removed their heart of stone and give them a living heart. God had a specific purpose in doing this--to walk in His statutes, keep His rules, and obey them. God desires dependent obedience! God gives a new heart for the express purpose of obedience.

Father,
Help me to obey Your words. Help me to honor Your desires for my life.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Jer. 6:13-14

And you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing aroma to all their idols. And I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land desolate and waste, in all their dwelling places, from the wilderness to Riblah. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

Like Israel, people will know that God is God that He is the Lord either in His mercy and love or in His judgment and destruction. Israel's idolatry had created such a stench in His nostrils that He had no recourse but to bring down the heavy on them. It makes me wonder how Israel felt as Ezekiel gave his messages and did the actions that accompanied them. Were they so far gone that they scoffed? Did they think that God had no power? Had they forgotten what God had done for their forbears? What a lesson for hardness of heart! When the heart is hard, the spirit forgets God and the flesh takes over. Self-gratification is the name of the game. They obviously felt a need for some kind of god since Idolatry was huge in their lives, but just not for the one true God. They wanted  a god who was under their control and could bring them personal glory instead of a God who controlled them and who brought glory to Himself. The battle lines were drawn: God or Self.

Father,
Keep any small roots of idolatry out of my life. Teach me to love, serve, and glorify You.
In Jesus name,
Amen 

The Call

Ezk. 2:1-2

"And he said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you." And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard Him speaking to me...."Son of man, I sent you to the people of Israel..."

In the first chapter of Ezekiel, Ezekiel had a vision revealing the glory of God, a vision like nothing that he had ever seen. Ezekiel immediately fell on his face in humility and awe, but God commanded him to stand. He wanted words with Ezekiel, a call for him to be the watchman. What would the watchman do? He would speak the words of God to the people. No doubt, Ezekiel knew exactly how hard this task would be since is people were a hard, stiff-necked, rebellious people. How would he do this? Where was his power? The answer came in the words of God. When God spoke, His Spirit entered Ezekiel! The watchman must be empowered by the Spirit of God. [True for Ezekiel and true for me.] When I became a child of God, his Spirit entered me so that I might be used of God. Without the Spirit's leading, directing, and empowering, I am a noisy gong, useless, and functioning only for my self-glory.

Then God spoke again. "Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and He gave me this scroll  to eat. And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it." Then I ate it and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey." The next essential was the Word of God. As Ezekiel ate the words, so I am to eat His words, to feed my belly and my stomach. Jeremiah said a similar thing, "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord, God of hosts." Not only does the Word needs to be eaten totally, but it needs to be eaten frequently. It is not only my power source, but it is my joy source. After Ezekiel was filled with the Spirit and had feasted on the Word, he was ready to be the watchman God wanted him to be.

Father,

Keep me ever aware of Your Spirit within. Train my heart and ear to listen. Give me a hunger for Your words that nothing that the world offers will ever take its place. Keep me listening, learning, feasting, and serving.

In Jesus name,

Amen

16 And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me:


17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.

The Good and the Bad

Lam. 3:36

"Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?"

What a question? People for centuries have discussed the truth of it, but for sure, God knows. After all, He is sovereign God. All things come from Him, either directly or indirectly. However, that thought staggers the mind! Why would a God who so lovingly sent His Son to die for us so that we might be saved have this other side to His nature? Perhaps, because He is just as just as He is loving. Of course, I can't understand because He has said that my thoughts are not His thoughts. I see only the here and now with a small window of the past, but He sees from infinity to infinity. I see only the human tragedy that affects my small circle, He sees the tragedies that affect the entire course of nations and humanity. But still, even knowing all that, I think the biggest problem is the pride of all men. We think that we are worth something, that our tasks on earth can only be completed by us, and that we fill only this space specifically. But God says, "As for man, he is like the grass. He flourishes like the flower of the field, for the wind passes over it and it is gone. It's place knows it no more."  What can I say to that? Thankfully, God knows our frame and remembers that we are dust. His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. When the terrible comes, I must trust. I must say, "My refuge and my fortress. My God in whom I trust." Do I trust Him in today's tragedy, a tragedy that seems without any redeeming grace? Do I trust Him to work out the future as He sees best? I often think of Ps. 91:1 from my point of view, that is that I am protected and cushioned from all things by the shelter and shadow of the Almighty, but that verse is a little different from God's point of view. He is saying, "Do you trust me enough so that you will be abiding in my shadow?" Perhaps these terrible times are just for that reason. In the dark places and dark times, we see what are trust is really like, but what to say to others? Do we need to defend God and what He has allowed? Maybe it is so hard for us because there is no way in the world that puny man can defend Almighty God. I think I just need to share what is true about God and what He has revealed for me to know. Above that it is a trust issue. Can I trust God to work even in these terrible situation?

Father,

Build my trust through You abundant grace. Let it never falter. When I grieve, fill me up with Your grace. When I am unsure, reassure me. When I am at a loss for words, let Your Spirit speak through me.

In Jesus name,

Amen

I Call to Mind

Lam. 3:22-26

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him."  The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD."

What a beautiful promise right in the midst of so much sorrow! Affliction had not destroyed the man who had seen so much sorrow, but he would never forget it. Not only did his memories include all the wormwood and gall, but his soul was heavy and bowed down within him. Yet in the midst of all this negative came one shining positive. "But this I call to mind..." He refused to focus completely on his circumstances, but instead remembered what he knew to be true about God. He remembered God's steadfast love never ceased, His mercies never ended, and His faithfulness was great. Could a man as afflicted as this experience God's love and mercy? Yes, he could. He cried out in great hope. God was his portion, his life preserver in the midst of flood waters. Once he had crossed over and come to God for what he needed, then he was assured of God's goodness to him and to all who waited on Him. He could wait! He would wait! His deliverer and deliverance was in his very midst!

Father,

Help me call to mind all that is true about You. Forgive me for focusing on circumstances instead of waiting and resting in You for my deliverance.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Low Down on Idols

Jer. 51:17-18

"Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. "

Even though Jeremiah knew that idols were the plague of humanity, distracting, captivating, and many times becoming an obsession, he had to convince the people involved. He spoke firmly and clearly about these things that people love. First, the idol worshipper is stupid and without knowledge. By implication an idol worshipper does not use his brain in this choice; instead, he chooses from something primal or visceral, the desires and wants, the hidden things that seek personal gratification. Somehow the worship of this idol gives a perverted fulfillment.
 
Secondly, they are worthless and delusional. They promise great things, but it is all a sham. In reality, they give nothing and are not real. Even though this is true, it doesn't change the reality of them to the person addicted to them. It could be they are like an addiction to drugs, pills, or alcohol. Somehow the one addicted believes those things are bringing him benefit,  making him high, or helping him cope, but in reality they are destroying the person from the inside out. They are stealing the essence of that person and his capacity to know God. Finally, when God says, their end is their doom. They will be destroyed. So these worshippers are betting on a losing proposition.
 
Does this apply to idols in my life? Certainly, anything that I love more than God or in competition with God is worthless and delusional. What I think I am gaining from it is not even reality, and the end result is that my capacity to love and worship God is diminished. Have I taken every thought captive to Jesus? Am I listening to the Holy Spirit as He reveals idols?
 
Father,
Keep my heart from idols. Fix my eyes only on You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Mad for Idols

Jer. 50: 38

"A drought against her waters, that they may be dried up! For it is a land of images, and they are mad over idols."

Great judgment would be the order of the day! There would be swords against diviners to expose their foolishness, against warriors to destroy them, against horses, chariots and foreign troops to make them women, against treasure to plunder it, and a drought against water to dry it up, just to name a few. Terrible times! There would be no escaping. And why? Why was this all coming to pass? Because they were MAD FOR IDOLS! So much is said in that short sentence. It makes me question my heart. Am I mad for idols? Am I led astray easily without being aware? 
 
Father,
Keep me ever free of madness for idols. I want to worship only You. Convict me. Guide me. Lead me in Your path.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Pride's Destruction

Jer. 48:42

"Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people, because he magnified himself against the Lord."

God declared His judgment on this land because they failed to acknowledge His word. Their pride in possession, position, and power had filled their vision. Seeing only themselves, they had no fear of God in their hearts. So God "flew swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against them." Quite a contrasting picture to Ps. 91 where "He who dwells in the shadow of the Most High shall abide in the shelter of the Almighty....He shall cover you with His pinions and in under His wings you will find refuge."  God's offer of redemption comes with an edge. Although freely offered and freely given, if rejected, it brings  ominous consequences. What to choose? His wings of judgment or His wings of cover and refuge.

God's words must be acknowledged and obeyed. He said in Pro 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." The judgments in Jeremiah paint a graphic picture of such a fall. Pride's destruction is all-inclusive. Nothing remains! But God's mercy gives life everlasting!

Father,
Thank You for Your wings of cover and refuge. What a great God You are! Help me to value Your words constantly and graft them into my heart and soul.
In Jesus name,
Amen

The Certainty

Jer. 42:18-20

"For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: As my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt. You shall see this place no more. The LORD has said to you, O remnant of Judah, 'Do not go to Egypt.'Know for a certainty that I have warned you this day that you have gone astray at the cost of your lives. For you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, 'Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says declare to us and we will do it.'

Israel had asked Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord about their journey to Egypt. The answer was simply: do not go to Egypt. If they did, it would mean dire consequences; in fact, it would be at the cost of their lives. God had spelled it out in great detail; They would become an execration, a horror, a curse, and a taunt! How in depth was His wrath! It is mind staggering that Israel didn't believe Jeremiah! They chose to go against the prophet's message. What was God's response? "Behold, I am watching them for disaster and not for good. All the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by sword and famine."
 
God's words are always true and certain. But what was the spiritual condition of His people? They knew enough to ask the prophet to speak to God, but not enough to obey what he said. Perhaps they just wanted God's stamp of approval on their own plans. But what about Jeremiah? Was he collateral damage? God spoke to him saying, "I am bringing disaster upon all flesh...but I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go." What a hard go Jeremiah had! He had to proclaim God's words to a people who refused rejected it completely. Would I be as strong? Would I stand firm speaking out God's word in the face of rebellion?
 
Father,
Give me strength not only to obey Your words but also to stand strong in proclaiming Your words even in the face of rejection.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Yet, still I will rejoice.

Hab. 3:17-19

"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places."

Yet, still I will rejoice! What great words of faith and encouragement! No blossoms on the fig tree or fruit on the vine is intense economic difficulty, but no food from the fields sounds like famine. Survival without crops or food is impossible! Add onto that that there is no herd in the stalls. The flocks and cattle are gone. There is no other recourse for the necessities of life. Instead, life is devastating, but for the believer, rejoicing is possible. Like Habakkuk, I can rejoice in the Lord in the face of overwhelming circumstances. I can take joy in God, my salvation, and my strength. When my path is littered with horrendous obstacles, He makes my feet like the deer's. He takes me up in the high places. What a great God is this! I need to keep my eyes on God and not on my circumstances, to remind myself what is true about God, and to live in His power and grace. He gives me all that I need!

Father,

You are a God worthy of all my rejoicing. Thank You for such glorious promises!

In Jesus name,

Amen

No Remedy

Jer. 36:11-16

"Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the LORD that he had made holy in Jerusalem.

The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, until there was no remedy."

What an example of the steadfast love and mercy of God! In the case of Zedekiah, he was fully evil with a life consumed with pride. Not only did he refuse to humble himself before Jeremiah, God's prophet, but he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar. As if that wasn't enough, his neck was stiff and his heart was hard against God. He willingly chose to have a life abounding in abominations and pollutants. Surely, with all  this God would strike him down. Surely, the stench of His sin would blot out the mercy of God, but no, what was God's response? He persistently sent His messengers to the people because His heart was full of compassion for them even when they were in outright rebellion. Sadly, this did not move their hearts in the least. Instead, they despised the words of God and scoffed at His prophets. What kind of people would despise and scoff at their only hope? People who are slaves to sin and can't break those chains. (That is exactly where I would be if it were not for the grace of God.)  Finally, the wrath of the Lord was inevitable. There was no remedy! How horrible to be in a place where there is no remedy! I am so thankful for God's grace that drew me to Him. 

Father,

Thank You for Your Son Jesus who died for me so that His blood would be my righteousness. Thank You for Your gracious steadfast love and mercy. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, Bless His holy name."

In Jesus name,

Amen 

In the Mud

Jer. 38:6

"So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king's son, which was in the court of he guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. And there was not water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud."

Many times I have felt mired down in mud, but Jeremiah was actually in the mud! Even more than that, his life was in jeopardy. But God intervened through the king's eunuch who went and pleaded for his life. He was lifted out with a rope, old rags, and worn out clothes. The rags and old clothes protected his armpits as they lifted him out of the cistern. 

What was Jeremiah thinking when he was in this horrible place, deserted and alone.  "As the deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God...My tears have been my food day and night." Or "O Lord, make me know the end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am."  I am sure that he was convinced his life was fleeting fast! I am sure he cried out, "Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters."  Then on his way up, I can hear him praising God as he said, "He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure."

Father,
As I go through the mud and mire, help me to focus on You, to remember to cry out for your deliverance, and to praise You for the outcome.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Unbelievable!

Jer. 36:22-26

"It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him. As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them."

 What a hard job Jeremiah had! He had to declare God's words at a time when evil was rampant and hearts were not only stubbornly hard but vindictive. However, he was faithful and spoke God's words to Baruch who transcribed them. Baruch was not only the scribe but also the reader. After he read Jeremiah's words, some of the king's officials were sore afraid and reported the words to the king. ( A wise response!) But when Jehoiakim heard the words, his actions were not wise or prudent.  As he listened to the words of God, he cut them off and burned them. How foolish! How typical of a man puffed up with his own importance and power to think that if he destroyed the words of God, they would become null and void. Man's responses do in no way alter the message of the Word of God! If I rationalize the meaning of His Words, or interpret the words in a way that makes them more palatable, it doesn't change what God has said. His words are unalterable and unchanging since time, culture, or technology have no bearing on them. When I read His words, I can rest in the fact that what He says He will do. "His faithfulness is my shield and buckler." 

Father,

Keep my heart tender to Your words so that I am not burning them with my apathy or disobedience. Give me Your wisdom to understand, apply, and obey what You want me to do.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Such Peace

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."

In the day of peace, God would restore Israel. He would raise a righteous branch who would bring justice and righteousness; In fact, His name is The Lord our Righteousness. God had promised that the throne of David would never be empty, and the priests would be their to offer sacrifices. But because of the hardness of their hearts and their horrendous idolatry, God brought judgment upon them.

His words now said simply, "Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them.  I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul. "
What a blessing of peace! Israel's part was to call. God did the rest. He gave them the heart and the covenant. He would put within them a fear of Him. What a great example of grace! God does it all!
He has done the same for me. All that I must do is call on Him. My life in God is all of grace and all because of His Son, Jesus the Lord our Righteousness. It is amazing to me that the judgment of God is so harsh, and yet, immediately after is this great grace! What a God I have is so infinitely above all that I can truly understand! I just trust Him and continue to call on Him.

Father,
Thank You for bringing peace into my life, for making me Your child, and for planting within my heart a fear of You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

The New Covenant

Jer. 31:33

"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

How God longed for Israel! "I loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you." Yet Israel's sin was incurable. They had to endure a time of judgment, but soon God would gather them. "He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock." His future promise included great healing. "For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul, I will replenish." God declared openly that the days would come when He would make a new covenant with Israel. "I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." The Old Covenant of external rules and laws would be replaced with an internal one, one that focused on the heart and not the actions, one that would be written permanently on their hearts.

Amazingly and all of grace, this same new covenant is mine. God has changed my heart and transformed my life. He has written the name of His Son in the very core of my being. He satisfies and replenishes me constantly by the power of the Word applied by the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is my God and I am His!

Father,

Thank You for reaching out to me when I was black and heinous. Thank You for covering me with Your grace and the blood of Your Son. I know that in me is no good thing, but in You is every good thing.

In Jesus name,

Amen

He Knows

Jer. 29:11-14

 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

God knows! What an assurance! Sadly, many times I act like I know God's plans for me better than God does. But I can rest in the fact that His plans are for my good. The problem is that sometimes my feet are so firmly planted in the world that His plans look foreign and harsh. So the key is saturation in the Word and spending time communicating with Him. I can count on the faithfulness of His word. It will always be true and is Truth. If He says His plans for me are for my welfare, then they are. If He says they are for my future and my hope, then they are. What a great God I serve!

Father,
Thank You for knowing me from before the foundation of the world. Build my trust in You so that I can rest in all that You do in my life. Keep me seeking You constantly. Thank You for being my sovereign King.
In Jesus name,
Amen

The Potter's Hand

Jer. 18:6

"O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."

God desires a soft, pliable heart. He wants to mold and shape me into what is best for me, into what His sovereign plan has dictated in eternity past. But sadly, Israel resisted, and many times, so do I. Why was Israel, and why am I so resistant to the work of God in my life? Is the pull of the world so strong? Is my heart so divided?

Paul echoes this similar struggle in Rom. 7 where he said he wanted to what was right but he lacked the ability to carry it out. Instead of doing good, he did the evil that he abhorred. Paul found the law to be: evil lies close at hand to block the good. Then he cried out, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Jesus died for this very purpose, to deliver me from the body of death. Like nature, I am groaning in pains of childbirth waiting for my final adoption as a child of God, the redemption of our bodies. Until then, I must wait soaking myself in His word allowing it to keep my heart soft and pliable. I must pray for my heart to be united to His.

Father,

Give me Your strength. Keep my heart united to Yours. Help me learn to be Your clay.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Hammer of the Word

Jer. 23:29

"Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?"

What power in the word of God! "For the Word of God is living and active, shaper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from His sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."  This same word that is powerful today was powerful in the days of Jeremiah, and I am sure that the heart conditions of God's people resemble the hearts of Israel. Are idols rooting in my heart? Am I attracted to and even consumed with worldy things? But how to cleasnse, how to leave those things behind?

God provideds the way. His word is like a hammer. It breaks the rocks in pieces, even the rocky heart. When the heart is broken and contrite, then God says, "I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart." Thank God His word broke up my rocky heart and replaced it with a heart that knows the Lord. I belong to Him, and He is my God!!

Father,

Keep my heart ever tender and soft so that Your word can grow and flourish. Unite my heart to Yours.

In Jesus name,

Amen

A Joy and a Delight

Jer. 15:16

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord, God of hosts."

How true! God's words are joyous and bring delight to my heart. It is in these words that I identify with the One who has called me by His name. It is in these words that I find life, healing, guidance, instruction, and correction. It is in these words that I not only find life but that I find out how to live life. God's words are the source of all that I need for every moment of my life. It is amazing to me that God would give man His living words. What a gift! Sadly, many people see God's words as just a book with no power at all, but when He puts the spark of life within a person then these words bring nourishment and growth. Am I feasting on these words every day? Am I going to them for my joy and delight?

Father,

Keep me in Your words every day so that I might have Your joy and take delight in You and in all that You are and say.

In Jesus  name,

Amen

Cling like a Loincloth

Jer. 13:10

"This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing."

What a picture! Jeremiah had to buy a linen loincloth, put it on, dip it in water, and wear it. Then a second time he had to take the loincloth and hide it in the cleft of the rock at the Euphrates River. Then after many days, retrieve it only to find it ruined. It was spoiled, good for nothing! This was a picture of God's people who refused to listen. He designed them to cling to Him like a loincloth clings to a man so that they would be His people, a name, a praise, and a glory for Him, but instead they followed their own hearts worshipping false gods. Sadly, God would spoil the pride of Judah and Jerusalem. The end result: they would be good for nothing. What an interesting object lesson! When God paints a picture, it is like no other. Am I clinging to Him like a loincloth clings to a man?

Father,

Keep my clinging to You at all times. Keep my eyes focused only on You not on the world and its idols. Root out those idols in my heart.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

No Boast

Jer. 9:23-24

"Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord."

God says it clearly. What man normally boasts in, that is his wisdom, strength, and riches, are nothing in God's eyes. After all, where did that wisdom, strength, and riches originate? Wasn't it a gift from God anyway? Instead of God being impressed with man's boasting, it reeks of an ungrateful spirit in his nostrils. Instead of making Him understand and value man's worth, it makes Him heart sick. But on the opposite side of the coin, what He does love is the fact that man knows Him personally, that man knows He is a God of steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. God only desires a personal relationship with man that is based, not in what man has to offer, but in what and who God is.

In Jer. 7:9-10 God asks a heart wrenching question. "Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by my name and say, 'We are delivered! --only to go on doing all these abominations? Has this house which is called by My name become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold I Myself have seen it declares the Lord." What a spiritual state Israel was in! They defiled the house of God by living totally man centered all the while claiming His blessing and protection.  Only a man who trusts in his own wisdom, strength, and riches would attempt such a heinous thing!

How close to home do these words come to believers today! How many times do we come to the House of God with our minds elsewhere, with our hearts lusting after what the world has to offer, or sadly, how many times do we not even come to the House of God because we are too busy elsewhere? Are we fooling God? No, He knows and sees all just like He did so many years ago. Where is my heart? Am I wholeheartedly God's? What is my boast? What idols are hidden away in the dark places of my heart?

Father,

Convict my heart. Reveal to me what is robbing me of my time with You. Give me Your grace and strength to meet You in prayer each day in Your house. Help me to be surrendered and dependent on You so that  You alone are my boast.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Rejected Silver

Jer. 6:30

"Rejected silver they are called, for the Lord has rejected them."

What an indictment! Normally silver would be a thing of quality, beauty, and value, but because Israel rejected God, He has rejected them. What had they done? What caused God to reject them? What did this rejection mean?

First, their rejection was based on the sow/reap principle. God's judgment perfectly matched their rejection of Him. "As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you  shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours."

Secondly, their sin was based on their heart attitudes. "This people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away." They had no fear of God whatsoever. In fact, their sins prevented the goodness of God from being their stay.

Finally, the hearts' attitudes resulted in horrible actions. With faces harder than rock, they refused to take correction and to repent. This was not an accident but a choice. Following their parents' example, the children rejected God. Adultery and prostitution filled the land. In their conversations they spoke falsely of the Lord. Not only that but the prophets prophesied falsely, and the priests followed their lead. Because they refused to pay attention to the Words of God, their burnt offerings and sacrifices were not pleasing to God. God's only recourse: judgment. They would be rejected silver, useless and worthless.

Father,

Keep my heart tender and pliable. Build within me a fear for You and a love for Your word.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Broken Cisterns

Jer. 2:13

"For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

How horrible was Israel's plight! Their religion was merely a form, an ineffective man-made religion that allowed them to commit two heinous evils. First they had forsaken God, the fountain of living water, and for what?? Broken cisterns that could hold no water. What a graphic picture of man-made religion. It replaces the real, living thing with an empty form. What a warning for me! Have I reduced any part of my relationship with God to a waterless, broken cistern? Have I attempted to replace any part of God's living water, His gracious love, and His abundant grace with something of my own works, something that I deem worthy of God's notice, or something that has given me the praise of man? 

Father,

Draw me away from hewing out useless cisterns. Show me my foolish works. Keep me gulping voraciously at Your living fountains. Thank You for such a great gift of living water. 

In Jesus name,

Amen

Quieted by Love

Zech. 3:17

"The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing. I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach."

The aftermath of the judgment was the awareness of the presence of God. They would know that He was their Savior. Instead of judgment would be rejoicing. Instead of anguish and agony would be love supreme. In fact their pain and heartache would be quieted by His love. Just think to be quieted by His love! What a beautiful phrase!

I too can be quieted by His love. My heartache and pain can be gone as I sit and wait in His presence. I can be quiet as my heart seeks Him and His presence and forgets the pressures and stress that the world throws at me. If I step toward Him and step away from the world, I can be quieted by His love. What absolute peace!

Father,

Thank You for such quieting love. Help me to step away from the stresses of the world and to come running to You for Your quieting peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

Tender and Humbled

II Chron. 34:27

"Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before Me and have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord."

Evil was rampant on the scene so much so that God's harsh judgment was their future. Disaster would certainly come upon the nation. But Josiah reigned as a child of eight, and even at that time he began to seek the Lord. By the twelfth year of his reign, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and metal images. But in the 18th year of his reign when he was cleansing and restoring the temple, the Book of the Law was found. As Josiah listened to these words, he tore his clothes and sent men to inquire of the Lord because he knew that the great wrath of God would be poured out without measure. How powerful are God's words!

What was God's answer? Because Josiah's heart was tender, and he had humbled himself before God, God had heard his pleas. He would be gathered to his fathers in peace. He would not have to witness the coming judgment. But for Judah, they had forsaken God and made offering to false gods. They had provoked God to anger, therefore His wrath would not be quenched. 

God looked at Josiah's heart. Even though Josiah was a king of this evil nation, his heart was sincere and true. He responded honestly to the word of the Law. But sadly, it wasn't enough to save the nation. But while he lived, he destroyed the evil and idolatrous worship practices of the people. He commanded the people to keep the Passover, a Passover like had been kept in the days of Samuel.  

Father,

Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Help me my heart sincere and humble before You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Lord is Good

Nah. 1:7

"The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him."

What a picture of judgment! "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; The Lord is avenging and wrathful; The Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries and keeps wrath for His enemies." Then following that "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power..." God is not capricious. He is slow to anger and great in power. But when His cup is full, His judgment pours forth. "His way is in the whirlwind and storm...He rebukes the sea and makes it dry...The mountains quake before Him; the hills melt...Who can stand before His judgment?" No one!! But for those who acknowledge His greatness and come to Him in humility, seeking His face, He is good, a stronghold in trouble. Not only that but this God of such greatness knows individually each one who takes refuge in Him. Truly, the Lord is good!

Father,

Thank you for such goodness and for personally knowing me. You are a great and gracious God!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Trash Talk

II Chron. 32:9

And after this, Sennacherib king of Assyria, who was besieging Lachish with all his forces, sent his servant to Jerusalem to Hezekiah king of Judah and to all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem saying,..."

Sennacherib thought he could weaken Jerusalem and Hezekiah with trash talk. He began by asking the question, "On what are you trusting, that you endure the siege in Jerusalem?" He goes on to say that Hezekiah is misleading them and that if they trust him, they will die of famine and thirst. But Hezekiah said, "The Lord our God will deliver us from the hand of the King of Assyria?"

Then Sennacherib pointed out that Hezekiah had taken away the high places and altars commanding them to worship and burn sacrifices only at one altar, as if that was a bad thing. He followed this with a series of questions: Do you know what my people have done to the people of other lands? Had any god delivered any of those other nations? Why would Judah think that Hezekiah's God would deliver them now? So consequently, you are being deceived by Hezekiah. Strong words! Would these cast doubts into the minds and hearts of the people? Would it make them fear even more? After all, Sennacherib was a formidable enemy.

As if this wasn't enough Sennacherib's servants said even more of the same, spreading the venom wherever they were. Then came a letter writing campaign for the purpose of casting contempt on God. What did these letters say? More of the same: The God of Hezekiah will not deliver you. Then they shouted these same words in the language of the Judeans to frighten and terrify those people who were on the wall. What powerful tactics to bring down the people, to sow the seeds of fear and distrust, and to belittle their God. If they would have stopped with bringing down the people and spreading fear, they might have succeeded, but they couldn't belittle God!

Hezekiah fell on his face before God and prayed. What to do?? The answer came quickly. God sent the angel of the Lord to cut off the warriors, commanders, and officers in their very camp. There was no battle. Sennacherib went home shamefaced and was killed by his own sons.

The moral of the story: God does not respond to trash talk! His name is not to be mocked or demeaned! As long as Hezekiah prayed and did not succumb to fear or believe the lies, God was his strength and deliverance. The world is proficient at trash talk, and sadly, many times believers are taken it by it. But I need never fear, God will be my strength and deliverer. He will protect His own name and His own children.

Father,

Help me to keep my eyes on You when the words of the world come in like fiery darts seeking to destroy my faith. Thank You for being my strength!

In Jesus name,

Amen

Evil to the Max

II Kings 21:2

"And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel."

Manasseh outdid even the heathen nations in his thirst for evil and achieved the reputation of the very worst of the Judean kings by not only reversing the reforms of his father but plunging on into new avenues of evil. He made this reputation by:

• rebuilding the previously destroyed high places
• erecting altars for Baal
• making an Asherah and putting it in the house of the Lord
• worshiping and serving the host of heaven
• building altars for the host of heaven in the House of the Lord, the house where God put His name
• burning his own son as an offering
• using fortune tellers, mediums, and necromancers
• leading his own nation more astray than any of the nations God had previously destroyed
• leading Judah to sin with idols
• shedding innocent blood til he filled Jerusalem

What was God's response to all this? He would bring on Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that it would make the ears of everyone tingle. He would wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. He would forsake the remnant of His heritage and give them to the hand of their enemies.

Certainly, this account illustrates the principle that what you sow you will reap. But what I don't understand is why he would do this? Why would he feel the need to pursue so much evil? Did it have anything to do with Hezekiah's attitude about only desiring peace for himself in his final years and not caring about those to come after? Or was he a throwback to his grandfather? One thing it really demonstrates is that family culture doesn't become ingrained in the children. In fact, Manasseh rejected all that his father had done. Truly, loving and worshiping God must come from the heart not from the environment.

Father,

Keep me strong in Your ways. Strengthen my heart to follow You diligently and carefully.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Humble and Contrite

Is. 66:1-2

"Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool, what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord, but this is the one to whom I will look; he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word."

God has stated it so clearly and succinctly. What can man do for Me? Nothing. Nothing that I make for Him or offer to Him is of any significance since He  was the Creator of all. His splendor far outweighs anything that I could conceive or make. Yet, He does desire something from me: humility, contrition of heart, and trembling at His word.  He desires me to live like I know and recognize Him as the God that He is, a God of holiness, righteousness, and majesty. He desires me to be soft and pliable so that He might make me into something that honors Him. "But now O Lord, You are my Father, I am the clay, and You are my potter, I am totally the work of Your hands." He desires my dependence and submission. Sounds simple, but not so! Even though I make messes and things go awry, I have a penchant for my own way. Human nature and sin rooted in my heart deceives me into believing that I know better. But in truth, I know nothing. My best option is to be His clay, moved and shaped by Him and Him alone. No one else or world system should shape my clay, only God the Creator of my clay. It is then that I am humble, contrite, and feasting on His Word.

Father,

Keep my heart soft to You. Mold me into a contrite and humble servant one that constantly is feasting and focusing on Your words.

In Jesus name,

Amen