“Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.” Jeremiah 28:13 Many of the people from Judah had already been taken captive to Babylon and messengers had come from some of the surrounding countries to visit the king. The Lord told Jeremiah to make a wooden yoke and to go to these men with the following message: “The nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land. Jeremiah…
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it. I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 Have you ever had a thought pop into your mind that surprised you? You wonder where did that come from? It may be something that you experienced or heard many years ago, but suddenly it comes back when you least expected it. It may be a feeling of resentment against someone, or a memory of something that hurt you. When the Bible speaks about the heart, it is not referring to that physical organ that circulates the blood within our bodies and keeps us alive. It refers to our innermost being, the very centre of our emotions. In Proverbs 4:23, it says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” In other words, all our actions, reactions, our relationships with God, and with other people all spring from our hearts. The word “diligence” used in this scripture, suggests something that requires effort on our part. It speaks of a consistent,…
“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.” Jeremiah 10:23-24 Throughout the book of Jeremiah, we see God’s long suffering and patience with His people. Time after time, the prophet pleads with them to turn from their sins and serve God. Instead of listening they turned to idols hoping they would help them. Now Jeremiah reminds them that by doing so they were only increasing their sin. His heart is torn with the message that he has been entrusted with. One of the first words that a child learns is “no.” Before they are of an age to understand life, they desire to do things their way. They need direction and training until they are old enough to make the right decisions on their own. As parents, we realize the necessity of teaching them what is right and what is wrong. We do this because we love them and want them to grow up to be good citizens. If they are not guided as children, by the…
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” Jeremiah 6:16 More than any other prophet, Jeremiah preached a message of repentance, calling upon the people to turn from their wickedness and return to the God of their fathers. He reminded them of how God had delivered them in the past and blessed them when they served Him with all their hearts. Now they were facing the consequences…
“For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13 Daily Bible reading this month has been in the Book of Jeremiah. This book is filled with prophecies of doom and destruction, because of Judah’s rebellion against God. But as we read it there are nuggets of truth that we can apply to our lives today. The nation of Israel had already been taken into captivity because of their rebellion and disobedience, and now Judah was facing the same situation. Jeremiah was a young man when the Lord gave him a great responsibility, which he did not want to accept. Jeremiah 1:16-17 “Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” He has been called the Weeping Prophet because his heart was tender. His message was one of warning and hope. God showed him that Judah had not only forsaken the God of their…
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8–9. When Things Don’t Turn Out How You Expect Have you ever prayed and felt like God was going to give you exactly what you wanted? Yeah, me too. I have cried out to God and asked, “Why me?” “Why now?” I am learning that asking questions can be very different than seeking answers. Asking questions can sometimes, not always, come from a place of desperation but seeking answers can lead us to a deep understanding of why God is doing something in our life. I want the motive of every question I ask God to lead me to understand His plan and purpose in my life. We may not understand everything that happens in our life, but we can gain understanding. Speak Faith Maybe you are facing a serious situation in your life and you are not receiving the answers you desire. It can be difficult to put our worries, needs, marriage, children, jobs, etc., in God’s hands because we do not know what He is…