Jeremiah 30-31

In chapter 30 we see God telling Jeremiah to write down the things that He is speaking to him. He sees God's people in anguish and suffering the consequences of their actions. Then we see God taking the yoke of bondage from them, and restoring them to their land. What did God see about their condition? The reason God delivered them into the hands of the Babylonians is that they were already in bondage in their sins and had not followed His ways. He allowed them to suffer in order to free them. Many times when we are free, we take that as being free to do whatever we want. I have done that as I was healed from a six year sickness as a child. I was then free to do what normal kids do. Sometimes we forget who really makes us free. We use that freedom and choose to run into another kind of entanglement. The Lord frees us to run to Him and be free indeed! We should write down what God tells us so that others entangled in the agony of their suffering will be able to use that to become spiritually free so when they are freed from this condition, they can be truly free and stay free. The Lord knows who will need your words to stay on track, to give them hope for the future.

In chapter 31 the Lord describes restoration. He will restore their land, cities and stop their oppression. He does that so we can truly know Him and appreciate true deliverance. He does that so we can build holy families to worship in spirit and in truth. As we are freed spiritually we will be freed in our present condition. Part of the promise of freedom was to write His words, laws and ways in our hearts and be a people of God. Seek the father to free yourself, family and friends spiritually and they will enjoy true the freedom God has for them. He will speak to you. Write down what He tells you. Meditate on it and get to know Him more through His word and spending time with Him. Religious activity is good, but He wants you to spend time with him first and then choose the path that leads to true freedom.

Jeremiah 26-29

In Jeremiah 26 we see the Lord having mercy on the cities of Judah. He sent Jeremiah to tell them if they repent He would not bring the judgment He had announced earlier. God wants us to turn to Him and He gives us more chances to do that than we realize. He wants us to listen to Him so we may be able to interpret what He is telling us, and and see how He is working in and through His people to accomplish His plan. God used Jeremiah just that way. He was willing to even give His life to follow the Lord's instruction. Even the religious leaders were not listening. We must listen to that still small voice within us and make sure it is the Lord's voice to be able to be considered a follower of Christ. Christ says "draw near to me and I will draw near to you." Many have paid the ultimate price to follow God's will. Urijah was one that the put to death for speaking the words of the Lord. That is still an accepted practice in many countries. There were more people martyred for being Christians than in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries combined. Please remember to pray for the persecuted church.

In chapter 27 we see Jeremiah telling them to serve the King of Babylon. This was once again contrary to what they were being told by the priests and other prophets. Jeremiah again was listening and followed the Lord when others were trying to get them to resist the consequences the Lord had brought. We can interpret the times in which we live as we pray and ask for discernment. Those who forecast doom and gloom will either be justified by what happens next or shown to be a false prophet. When we go through trying times we should ask the Lord to help us endure.

Then in Chapter 29 we see the Lord telling the people to have peace in their tribulation, to have children and build houses. The captivity will be long and the Lord has plans to deliver them from their current situation. There may be a time of consequences for our actions. He will deliver us when we call on His name.

Jeremiah 18-22

In Jeremiah 18 we God comparing Himself to the potter. We see him say He will raise up nations and tear them back down as the potter reshapes clay that has defects. The Lord tells Jeremiah to prophesy unpopular words to his kinsmen. He was put in stocks and ridiculed and made fun of for his obedience to the point that He wished He was never born. Still the truth burned within Him and He could not be silent.

The same king sent for Jeremiah to inquire of Him and again the message was not pleasant because they had built their house on unrighteousness. They were in nice paneled houses yet their house (nation) was to be destroyed because of being a stiff necked nation.

What are we building our house on today? What is He telling you today? The Lord has plans to prosper us and bless us exceedingly, abundantly above anything we can ever imagine. Will we be able to enjoy His blessing, or is there still work that He must do first?

Dan Holley

Jeremiah 23-25

We see the Lord speaking to Jeremiah about the priests, prophets and God's people. Shepherds have an awesome responsibility not to scatter God's people. Our job is to bring unity and not let them wander out into the world and out of the safety of God's care. We are also to bring them into God's presence through hearing from Him. We are all to stay in the word so we may do just that. When we refuse to do so we do not hear from the Lord. When we do not spend time in prayer we do not hear from him. How long has it been since you have heard from the Lord? We are able to have a personal relationship with Him that will solve all things that would trouble us or weigh us down. Many times we may turn to the wrong source for counsel. That really troubles our Lord and He will quit speaking to us personally. When we do not hear from and someone needs to know something about Him, you may give them your words instead. You are in danger of doing that when we cease to spend time with him and let our troubles (cares of this world) take His place in your life. This greatly troubles our Lord and there will be consequences for our sin. Leaning into our own understanding is not trusting Him.

In Jeremiah 24 we see the Lord sending a vision and then interpreting it. We see where those faithful to God will be carried through and kept safe no matter what you are going through. We then the consequences of sin - those who have not been faithful.

In chapter 25 we see the Seventy years of desolation and God's judgment through prophecy. The Lords warning did come to pass. He is always true to Hid word. God gives us warning signs along the way. Do you see them? Are you listening for the word of the Lord? What is He telling you today? He says taste for I am good. Dive into His word. He has rivers of living water for those who spend time with Him. Will you spend time with Him today? He is patiently waiting.

Jeremiah 14-17

In Jeremiah we see how the Lord feels about us when we wander from Him. His mercy keeps us from getting what we deserve. When we wander long enough He then tells us there will be a time when He will not hear those who would try to intercede for us. He lets natural consequences kick in, then He interjects His consequences (discipline) on us to keep us from destroying ourselves and wandering too far. Their biggest sin was listening to each other and not to God. That's what causes us to wander. They had wandered into idolatry. They also made a mockery out of God by consoling each other with their own ideas saying it was from God, instead of really consulting God. This causes us to misinterpret the signs God is giving us. We may frustrate the father - even to the point that He must show us His power so we will see the importance of showing restraint. God understands the consequences of casting off restraint (staying on the narrow path that leads to life). He sees the consequences of sin every day and wants what’s best for us.

I love these verses from chapter 17:
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
And whose hope is the Lord.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit. NKJ

Will we be able to interpret the signs the Lord is giving? Will we wait or will we respond?
The Lord wants to be your source of strength. Will put you trust and hope in Him today?

Posted by Dan Holley at 10:29 AM

Jeremiah 1-3

Today we get to see the Lord calling Jeremiah to be a prophet and to speak His words to Israel. He knew Him before He formed him in his mother's womb, set Him apart then and called Him to be a prophet before Jeremiah was even born. Then God had to show him not to fear being young or inexperienced. Later He said: "Do not be terrified by them or I will terrify you before them." One of our biggest challenges is to step out courageously in spite of the battle we may see. One of the biggest problems we create is not to walk into the battle with that trust and confidence that the Lord will see us through. He told Jeremiah He would make Him a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against Kings, officials, priests and inhabitants of the land. "They will not overcome you for I am with you." I hope these words will encourage you today.

In chapter 2 we see the sin of digging our own cisterns for water. Jesus is the living water, when we rely on secular education or the ways of the world to conduct or lives. The other sin is losing our awe of God. He says we bring our troubles on ourselves when that happens. He goes on to say that it disgraces our whole house.

In chapter 3 we see that the Lord views their spiritual unfaithfulness as adultery and prompts them to return to Him. He says "I will cure you of your backsliding. Sometimes we try to do that under our own strength. I thank the Lord that Jeremiah was able to be faithful in proclaiming the words of the Lord. What a blessing we may have missed if these things were not revealed to us. What is the Lord prompting you to do today? Be strong and take courage and you will be a blessing for generations.

2 Kings 22-23; 2 Chronicles 34-35

Today we see King Josiah taking the throne of Judah at the age of eight. They found the book of the law after He had reigned for eight years. He was deeply moved, repented and turned the people of Judah back to the Lord. They sought words from from the prophetess Huldah and she reported that the Lord's judgment would still come down on Israel, but since the King had repented, He would not have to personally go through God's discipline. We see that God was faithful to His word.

God is a just God and will not let the sentence be lifted for sins against Him or His people. He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. There are still consequences for our thoughts and actions. Only He can choose to take those away. Since He is wise and just He knows what is best. We sometimes think that there is no consequence for sin when we ask forgiveness. That is just not true. We are always forgiven when we are genuine. God knows what we must go through to be truly sanctified. The consequences are part of that process of restoration.

The wages of sin is death, that's what we deserve. God gives us eternal life as a gift and asks us to go sin no more. His word also tells us that if we continue in sin, there is no more forgiveness of sins. It is always best to walk in His ways. That is what the people of Judah had failed to do and did not teach their families the ways of the Lord. We must turn to the Lord before the consequences of our actions take their toll on us and those whom we are given to be an example.
Let's commit to turn to Him. Now is the time to give your heart fully to Him. We all need the Lord and we may be the one He has put to show them His ways.