Jeremiah 7:16-26
(Read the whole passage for more understanding)
(17-19) "Don't you see what they are doing [right] in the towns of Judah and in the [very] streets of Jerusalem? [The whole family gets involved:] The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes (wafers, like Communion wafers) to offer to the Queen of Heaven (a pagan idol). They pour out drink offerings to other gods to arouse My anger. But am I the One they're provoking? Aren't they rather [just] harming themselves, to their own shame?" --
(Some people today who consider themselves to be God's children, are lighting candles and praying to this pagan idol, the Queen of Heaven; they call her Mary. And they also pray to other "saints" instead of to God.)
(22-23) "I didn't just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey Me, and I will be your God and you will be My people. Walk (lifestyle) in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you." --
When we put any other person, thing or idea before or alongside God, then we are disobeying the First Commandment. And that harms ourselves, and it becomes shameful when we realize what we're doing.
But when we live our lives every day in a lifestyle of humility before Him, realizing that He is God and we are not, and in obedience to the principles God revealed to us in His Word, letting Him be the Lord, the Boss, over our thinking processes and actions; that will be to our benefit, the way He designed this World to run. And He gets the credit, the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
When God Relents
Jeremiah 25 & 26
(26:3) "Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done."
(13) "Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster He has pronounced against you.
(18-19) Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. ... Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek His favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that He did not bring the disaster He pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!
(25:6-7) "Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse My anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."
"But you did not listen to Me," declares the Lord, "and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves."
We can never blame God for the troubles and depressions we experience as a Nation. He has told us how He has designed this world to work, and when we decide that we know better, and turn our backs on our Maker and His ways, we bring all these disasters on ourselves.
Wake up, people of God! This applies to any Nation whose people each turns away from their evil ways and seeks the Lord and His ways, Listen! God has planned terrible disasters for us, but He will relent when we turn toward Him. We don't have to be Israel or Judah: even Nineveh, that pagan, wicked, cruel, violent nation, turned from their evil deeds toward the Lord at Jonah's preaching, and God relented, for a generation. It made Jonah angry, too, he knew they deserved the destruction.
And God will relent from inflicting on us the disasters He has planned for all those who turn from His good ways, when each of us examines our own hearts and turns around from the sin that so easily besets us, confess and forsake, and turn to our Almighty Father Who loves us and has already met all our needs.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(26:3) "Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done."
(13) "Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster He has pronounced against you.
(18-19) Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. ... Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek His favor? And did not the Lord relent, so that He did not bring the disaster He pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!
(25:6-7) "Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; do not arouse My anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you."
"But you did not listen to Me," declares the Lord, "and you have aroused my anger with what your hands have made, and you have brought harm to yourselves."
We can never blame God for the troubles and depressions we experience as a Nation. He has told us how He has designed this world to work, and when we decide that we know better, and turn our backs on our Maker and His ways, we bring all these disasters on ourselves.
Wake up, people of God! This applies to any Nation whose people each turns away from their evil ways and seeks the Lord and His ways, Listen! God has planned terrible disasters for us, but He will relent when we turn toward Him. We don't have to be Israel or Judah: even Nineveh, that pagan, wicked, cruel, violent nation, turned from their evil deeds toward the Lord at Jonah's preaching, and God relented, for a generation. It made Jonah angry, too, he knew they deserved the destruction.
And God will relent from inflicting on us the disasters He has planned for all those who turn from His good ways, when each of us examines our own hearts and turns around from the sin that so easily besets us, confess and forsake, and turn to our Almighty Father Who loves us and has already met all our needs.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Love That Fulfills The Law
Romans 13:7-10
(7) Render to all what is due them. --
Pay your bills, pay off your debts.
Tax to whom tax is due; --
This is tribute, an individual assessment on persons or property, a tax.
Custom to whom custom; --
This is a general toll on goods or travel.
Fear to whom fear; --
To be put in fear of, alarm, fright, be afraid; exceeding, fear, terror.
Honor to whom honor. --
Valuables; by analogy, esteem, especially in the highest degree; or the dignity itself.
(8) Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; --
This is God's agape love for us, that we are to love one another with.
For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. --
When we have God's love for one another, we will choose to consider their needs and to do for them whatever it means, no matter what it costs us. We will put the other first, not even thinking about ourselves. That way we will be obeying all the laws: we won't commit adultery, we won't murder, we won't steal, we won't covet their property, we will automatically do good to others and not harm them in any way.
(10) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the Law.
There is no way we can love others this way in our own human nature; we must have God's Spirit living in our spirits, giving us that New Life that comes with the New Birth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(7) Render to all what is due them. --
Pay your bills, pay off your debts.
Tax to whom tax is due; --
This is tribute, an individual assessment on persons or property, a tax.
Custom to whom custom; --
This is a general toll on goods or travel.
Fear to whom fear; --
To be put in fear of, alarm, fright, be afraid; exceeding, fear, terror.
Honor to whom honor. --
Valuables; by analogy, esteem, especially in the highest degree; or the dignity itself.
(8) Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; --
This is God's agape love for us, that we are to love one another with.
For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. --
When we have God's love for one another, we will choose to consider their needs and to do for them whatever it means, no matter what it costs us. We will put the other first, not even thinking about ourselves. That way we will be obeying all the laws: we won't commit adultery, we won't murder, we won't steal, we won't covet their property, we will automatically do good to others and not harm them in any way.
(10) Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the Law.
There is no way we can love others this way in our own human nature; we must have God's Spirit living in our spirits, giving us that New Life that comes with the New Birth.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, August 1, 2016
Our Lifestyle
Ephesians 4:1-3
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, --
Paul is in jail for his preaching the Gospel.
entreat you to walk --
He is begging us in regards to our manner of daily living.
in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, --
Up to the standards of the position we have been invited into in Christ.
with all humility --
This is lowliness of mind, which means we don't even prioritize our own selves, but consider others first.
and gentleness, --
This is meekness; a word that describes a powerful, strong horse which has been tamed and is under the control of the rider.
with patience, --
Longsuffering, suffering long, forbearance or fortitude.
showing forbearance --
"To hold oneself up against:" that is, (figurative) put up with; bear with, endure, suffer.
to one another in love, --
We are to think this way, have this attitude toward each other, considering their needs as having a higher priority over our own. This word love is the Greek word for God's agape love for us.
(Greek is a very precise language, with 5 different words for different kinds of love. God did not need to use all five of these words in His Word; the different phileo love words He used describe brotherly love; parental love for a child; the love of being first, preeminence; and love of silver, of money, avarice. The words used for God's love for us are the phileo love of parent for child, and the agape love that goes beyond the mere emotion of affection, to the decision area of the brain and thought processes that chooses to love unconditionally.)
being diligent --
This is: to use speed: that is, to make the effort, to be prompt or earnest, be diligent (forward), endeavor, labor, study.
to preserve --
This word means: to put a watch on, to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon, to hold fast.
the unity of the Spirit --
This is oneness, unanimity, agreeing fully with one another.
in the bond of peace.
What holds us together; peacefulness, both literally and figuratively; oneness, quietness, rest; set at one again.
So we are to live our daily lives in our relationships with one another loving them as God has loved us, bearing with their faults, giving them the benefit of the doubt every time, giving their needs a higher priority over our own, no matter what the cost, and putting forth the effort to maintain the oneness of mind the Holy Spirit promotes in each of us and all of us.
And to accomplish this will take God's enabling through His Holy Spirit, as we cannot start to approach this kind of living in our own flesh.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, --
Paul is in jail for his preaching the Gospel.
entreat you to walk --
He is begging us in regards to our manner of daily living.
in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, --
Up to the standards of the position we have been invited into in Christ.
with all humility --
This is lowliness of mind, which means we don't even prioritize our own selves, but consider others first.
and gentleness, --
This is meekness; a word that describes a powerful, strong horse which has been tamed and is under the control of the rider.
with patience, --
Longsuffering, suffering long, forbearance or fortitude.
showing forbearance --
"To hold oneself up against:" that is, (figurative) put up with; bear with, endure, suffer.
to one another in love, --
We are to think this way, have this attitude toward each other, considering their needs as having a higher priority over our own. This word love is the Greek word for God's agape love for us.
(Greek is a very precise language, with 5 different words for different kinds of love. God did not need to use all five of these words in His Word; the different phileo love words He used describe brotherly love; parental love for a child; the love of being first, preeminence; and love of silver, of money, avarice. The words used for God's love for us are the phileo love of parent for child, and the agape love that goes beyond the mere emotion of affection, to the decision area of the brain and thought processes that chooses to love unconditionally.)
being diligent --
This is: to use speed: that is, to make the effort, to be prompt or earnest, be diligent (forward), endeavor, labor, study.
to preserve --
This word means: to put a watch on, to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon, to hold fast.
the unity of the Spirit --
This is oneness, unanimity, agreeing fully with one another.
in the bond of peace.
What holds us together; peacefulness, both literally and figuratively; oneness, quietness, rest; set at one again.
So we are to live our daily lives in our relationships with one another loving them as God has loved us, bearing with their faults, giving them the benefit of the doubt every time, giving their needs a higher priority over our own, no matter what the cost, and putting forth the effort to maintain the oneness of mind the Holy Spirit promotes in each of us and all of us.
And to accomplish this will take God's enabling through His Holy Spirit, as we cannot start to approach this kind of living in our own flesh.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Deprived Of Good
Jeremiah 5:24-25
They do not say to themselves, "Let us fear the Lord our God, Who gives autumn and spring rains in season, Who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest." Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. --
So much of the troubles and problems of our lives, our families, our towns and cities and our Nation have been the result of our deliberately ignoring the principles God has devised to run things of this world according to how He designed it to run. So we have instead decided that we're smart, we're our own gods who can decide for ourselves how we want to run things. But it is our Maker Who provides the means for our well-being, according to How He designed it.
When we humble ourselves to listen to His Word and obey His rules of conduct in our attitudes and our relationships, then God will see to it that things run for us according to His order. But when we decide to take matters into our own hands, then the chaos that results makes for brokenness in our relationships, our finances and in our Nation. We need to return to the Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
They do not say to themselves, "Let us fear the Lord our God, Who gives autumn and spring rains in season, Who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest." Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. --
So much of the troubles and problems of our lives, our families, our towns and cities and our Nation have been the result of our deliberately ignoring the principles God has devised to run things of this world according to how He designed it to run. So we have instead decided that we're smart, we're our own gods who can decide for ourselves how we want to run things. But it is our Maker Who provides the means for our well-being, according to How He designed it.
When we humble ourselves to listen to His Word and obey His rules of conduct in our attitudes and our relationships, then God will see to it that things run for us according to His order. But when we decide to take matters into our own hands, then the chaos that results makes for brokenness in our relationships, our finances and in our Nation. We need to return to the Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, July 30, 2016
The Prudent And The Naive
Proverbs 27:12
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty. --
All the preppers and contrarians "see" so much "evil" around us and recommend that we "hide" ourselves by taking care of our families "off the grid," or invest our money in ways that do not conform to the majority of investors.
Some people see demons everywhere, and others contend that everything's okay and what's problematic will take care of itself.
I want to find that middle ground, that sees clearly what evil will harm, and act accordingly, not going overboard either left or right. I am looking to discern what is truth in all the chatter out there.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, the naive proceed and pay the penalty. --
All the preppers and contrarians "see" so much "evil" around us and recommend that we "hide" ourselves by taking care of our families "off the grid," or invest our money in ways that do not conform to the majority of investors.
Some people see demons everywhere, and others contend that everything's okay and what's problematic will take care of itself.
I want to find that middle ground, that sees clearly what evil will harm, and act accordingly, not going overboard either left or right. I am looking to discern what is truth in all the chatter out there.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, July 29, 2016
The Lord Be Magnified
Psalm 35:27-28
Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; --
May the people who are glad that God has caused His Truth to win out on my behalf tell of it out loud.
And let them say continually, "The Lord be magnified" --
May they constantly remember that God is the One Who designed how this world is to run, and makes sure that His order prevails over the chaos.
"Who delights in the prosperity of His servant." --
Prosperity: (Hebrew, shalowm; [total] welfare, in [good] health, [financial] prosperity, and [national/political] peace.)
God smiles when His people do things the way He designed in obedience to His rules, and reap the benefits in this world.
And my tongue shall declare Thy righteousness and Thy praise all day long. --
And whenever I realize that the "good life" I am experiencing here is the result of following God's instructions in my daily life and thinking processes; then I will also say out loud to whoever will listen that God is good, every day, to all He has made and everyone who wants to know Him and His ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; --
May the people who are glad that God has caused His Truth to win out on my behalf tell of it out loud.
And let them say continually, "The Lord be magnified" --
May they constantly remember that God is the One Who designed how this world is to run, and makes sure that His order prevails over the chaos.
"Who delights in the prosperity of His servant." --
Prosperity: (Hebrew, shalowm; [total] welfare, in [good] health, [financial] prosperity, and [national/political] peace.)
God smiles when His people do things the way He designed in obedience to His rules, and reap the benefits in this world.
And my tongue shall declare Thy righteousness and Thy praise all day long. --
And whenever I realize that the "good life" I am experiencing here is the result of following God's instructions in my daily life and thinking processes; then I will also say out loud to whoever will listen that God is good, every day, to all He has made and everyone who wants to know Him and His ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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