Jeremiah 50:29-46
‘The arrogant one will stumble and fall’(32). God’s Word warns us - ‘Pride goes before... a fall’; ‘Arrogance will bring your downfall’(Proverbs 16:18; 29:23). We must not trust in ourselves. We must put our trust in the Lord - Our ‘Redeemer is strong. The Lord Almighty is His Name’(34). We must not boast of ourselves. Salvation is ‘not our own doing’. We must ‘boast of the Lord’. Salvation is ‘the gift of God’(1 Corinthians 1:31; Ephesians 2:8-9). When we are tempted to take pride in ourselves - ‘Lord, I thank You that I am not like other men...’(Luke 18:11-12), we must come to the Cross of Christ, praying the sinner’s prayer - ‘Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner’(Luke 18:13) - and boasting only of the Lord - ‘God forbid that I should glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ’(Galatians 6:14).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Be Whole- Hearted In Your Dedication To The Lord.
Jeremiah 50:1-28
‘The people... will go in tears to seek the Lord their God... They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten’(4-5). God is calling us to come to Him. He is calling us to commit ourselves to Him. We are to come to the Lord with ‘tears’: ‘Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation’(2 Corinthians 7:10). Our commitment to the Lord is not to be a half-hearted thing. It is to be a whole-hearted dedication of our lives to Him. God loves us. He has blessed us so much. He has drawn us to Himself. He has heard and answered our prayer for salvation. How are we to respond to such love? We must give ourselves to Him as ‘a living sacrifice’. This is our ‘spiritual worship’. It is ‘holy and pleasing to God’(Romans 12:1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The people... will go in tears to seek the Lord their God... They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten’(4-5). God is calling us to come to Him. He is calling us to commit ourselves to Him. We are to come to the Lord with ‘tears’: ‘Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation’(2 Corinthians 7:10). Our commitment to the Lord is not to be a half-hearted thing. It is to be a whole-hearted dedication of our lives to Him. God loves us. He has blessed us so much. He has drawn us to Himself. He has heard and answered our prayer for salvation. How are we to respond to such love? We must give ourselves to Him as ‘a living sacrifice’. This is our ‘spiritual worship’. It is ‘holy and pleasing to God’(Romans 12:1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Get Ready For Christ’s Return.
Jeremiah 49:23-39
‘I will restore the fortunes... in days to come’(39). God is calling us on to His future, a glorious future, a future full of heavenly and eternal glory. We look ahead to ‘days to come’. We look ahead to the greatest Day of all - the Day of Christ’s Return. It will be a glorious Day - ‘the Day He comes to be glorified... in all who have believed’. What a glorious Day it will be - the Day of ‘the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’, the Day of ‘our being gathered to Him’: ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven... We will be with the Lord for ever’. Get ready for Christ’s Return. Don’t be like those who ‘perish’. They ‘do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus’. They ‘refuse to love the truth and be saved’. Have ‘faith’ in Christ and be ‘saved’(2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:1,10,13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I will restore the fortunes... in days to come’(39). God is calling us on to His future, a glorious future, a future full of heavenly and eternal glory. We look ahead to ‘days to come’. We look ahead to the greatest Day of all - the Day of Christ’s Return. It will be a glorious Day - ‘the Day He comes to be glorified... in all who have believed’. What a glorious Day it will be - the Day of ‘the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ’, the Day of ‘our being gathered to Him’: ‘The Lord Himself will come down from heaven... We will be with the Lord for ever’. Get ready for Christ’s Return. Don’t be like those who ‘perish’. They ‘do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus’. They ‘refuse to love the truth and be saved’. Have ‘faith’ in Christ and be ‘saved’(2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; 2:1,10,13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘God Meant It For Good.’
Jeremiah 49:1-22
‘Afterwards I will restore the fortunes...’(6). Sometimes, when you’re going through a particularly difficult time, you may wonder, ‘Will this ever end?’. God speaks to us His Word of encouragement. There will be an ‘afterwards’. There will be a ‘restoration of our fortunes’. ‘The Lord will not cast us off for ever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion according to His steadfast love. He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone’(Lamentations 3:31-33). There will come a time when we will be able to look back at our most distressing circumstances and say from the heart, ‘God meant it for good’(Genesis 50:20). In our most testing and trying times, God is teaching us to say, with confidence in Him, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him’(Romans 8:28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Afterwards I will restore the fortunes...’(6). Sometimes, when you’re going through a particularly difficult time, you may wonder, ‘Will this ever end?’. God speaks to us His Word of encouragement. There will be an ‘afterwards’. There will be a ‘restoration of our fortunes’. ‘The Lord will not cast us off for ever. Though He brings grief, He will show compassion according to His steadfast love. He does not willingly bring suffering or grief to anyone’(Lamentations 3:31-33). There will come a time when we will be able to look back at our most distressing circumstances and say from the heart, ‘God meant it for good’(Genesis 50:20). In our most testing and trying times, God is teaching us to say, with confidence in Him, ‘We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him’(Romans 8:28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Still Speaking To Us Through His Word.
Jeremiah 47:1-48:17
‘The day has come to destroy all the Philistines... The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines... Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed’(47:4). That seems like ancient history - nothing to do with us! What about this? - ‘A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!’(48:17). The Bible may have been written many centuries ago - but it still has a great deal to do with us! We miss the point if we read the Bible as no more than a book of ancient history. God is still speaking to us through His Word. He is still calling us to sit up and take notice. He is still demanding our attention. We must not be lazy in the work of the Lord. We are to be faithful servants of the Lord. ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... your labour in the Lord is not in vain’(1 Corinthians 15:58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The day has come to destroy all the Philistines... The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines... Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed’(47:4). That seems like ancient history - nothing to do with us! What about this? - ‘A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!’(48:17). The Bible may have been written many centuries ago - but it still has a great deal to do with us! We miss the point if we read the Bible as no more than a book of ancient history. God is still speaking to us through His Word. He is still calling us to sit up and take notice. He is still demanding our attention. We must not be lazy in the work of the Lord. We are to be faithful servants of the Lord. ‘Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord... your labour in the Lord is not in vain’(1 Corinthians 15:58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Hurricane Ike - Prayer For Communities
As I'm sure that you know, many are in the transition that comes forth after a major hurricane and all the damage that a category two / three can create. I have a friend that lives in Houston that has shared with me that the news reports only share portions of the overall devastation that has happened, and in no way do the news reports share the reality of what continues to unfold. That reality is millions of people who's lives are deeply affected by the aftermath and the fact that it will take years and years for many to recover to a normal life style. Please pray for those affected and also consider supporting a worthy organization that helps those in need.
Blessings,
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online
‘Do Not Fear... I Am With You.’
Jeremiah 46:1-28
‘Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, “I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants”’(8). The spirit of rebellion against God is very powerful. Many lives have been destroyed by the attitude of proud unbelief: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). We must take our stand against this attitude. We must stand up for the Lord. We see the world going from bad to worse. We must continue to believe the Word of God. When we are filled with fear, He comes to us with His Word, ‘Do not fear... Do not be dismayed...’. When we feel the spirit of rebellion sweeping over us, God comes to us with His promise: ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place’. He gives us ‘peace and security’- ‘Do not fear... I am with you’(27-28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, “I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants”’(8). The spirit of rebellion against God is very powerful. Many lives have been destroyed by the attitude of proud unbelief: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). We must take our stand against this attitude. We must stand up for the Lord. We see the world going from bad to worse. We must continue to believe the Word of God. When we are filled with fear, He comes to us with His Word, ‘Do not fear... Do not be dismayed...’. When we feel the spirit of rebellion sweeping over us, God comes to us with His promise: ‘I will surely save you out of a distant place’. He gives us ‘peace and security’- ‘Do not fear... I am with you’(27-28).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Search Me, O God ... And Lead Me In The Way Everlasting!’
Jeremiah 44:15-45:5
‘Egypt’ was to be a place of punishment. To those who remain in the the place of rebellion, God says, ‘I will punish you in this place’. This is His Word of warning. We don’t need to remain in the place of rebellion and punishment. We can ‘return’ to ‘Judah’, the place of obedience and blessing (28-29). This is not about places we will find on a map of the world. It’s a call to look into the secret places of our hearts. We must ask God to search our hearts. What will He find when He looks into our hearts? Will He find rebellion? Will He find obedience? God wants us to leave the place of rebellion and punishment. He wants us to return to the place of obedience and blessing. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart!... See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!’(Psalm 139:23-24).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Egypt’ was to be a place of punishment. To those who remain in the the place of rebellion, God says, ‘I will punish you in this place’. This is His Word of warning. We don’t need to remain in the place of rebellion and punishment. We can ‘return’ to ‘Judah’, the place of obedience and blessing (28-29). This is not about places we will find on a map of the world. It’s a call to look into the secret places of our hearts. We must ask God to search our hearts. What will He find when He looks into our hearts? Will He find rebellion? Will He find obedience? God wants us to leave the place of rebellion and punishment. He wants us to return to the place of obedience and blessing. ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart!... See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!’(Psalm 139:23-24).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
The Lord Speaks His Word To Those Who Are Prepared To Make Time For Listening To Him.
Jeremiah 43:8-44:14
‘The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah’(43:8). The Lord speaks His Word to those who are prepared to make time for listening to Him. Come to God’s Word, praying that it will be ‘a lamp to your feet and a light to your path’. Come with the prayer, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word’. See that you ‘live according to His Word’: ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’(Psalm 119:105,18,9,11). Pray that God will ‘speak’ to you. ‘Listen’ to what He says to you (1 Samuel 3:10). ‘Say to them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says...”’(43:10). Don’t keep God’s Word to yourself. Share His Word. We are not to listen to God without also speaking for Him. We must remember that we cannot really speak for Him unless we are also listening to Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah’(43:8). The Lord speaks His Word to those who are prepared to make time for listening to Him. Come to God’s Word, praying that it will be ‘a lamp to your feet and a light to your path’. Come with the prayer, ‘Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Word’. See that you ‘live according to His Word’: ‘I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You’(Psalm 119:105,18,9,11). Pray that God will ‘speak’ to you. ‘Listen’ to what He says to you (1 Samuel 3:10). ‘Say to them, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says...”’(43:10). Don’t keep God’s Word to yourself. Share His Word. We are not to listen to God without also speaking for Him. We must remember that we cannot really speak for Him unless we are also listening to Him.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Say ‘No’ To The Spirit Of Rebellion Against God.
Jeremiah 42:7-43:7
‘Do not go to Egypt’(19). We may never set foot in the country known as ‘Egypt’- but the spirit of ‘Egypt’ may be in our hearts: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). ‘Egypt’ is an attitude of the heart. It is an attitude of rebellion against God. We must say ‘No’ to ‘Egypt’. We must say ‘No’ to the spirit of rebellion against God. For God’s people, ‘Egypt’ was a place of slavery, a place from which they needed to be set free by God (Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-10). Each of us must choose how we will live. We can remain in the place of slavery - ‘slaves of sin’- , or we can be ‘obedient from the heart’, stepping out from that place into the place of freedom, ‘the new life of the Spirit’- ‘`the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death’(Romans 6:17-18; 7:6; 8:2).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Do not go to Egypt’(19). We may never set foot in the country known as ‘Egypt’- but the spirit of ‘Egypt’ may be in our hearts: ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him...?’(Exodus 5:2). ‘Egypt’ is an attitude of the heart. It is an attitude of rebellion against God. We must say ‘No’ to ‘Egypt’. We must say ‘No’ to the spirit of rebellion against God. For God’s people, ‘Egypt’ was a place of slavery, a place from which they needed to be set free by God (Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-10). Each of us must choose how we will live. We can remain in the place of slavery - ‘slaves of sin’- , or we can be ‘obedient from the heart’, stepping out from that place into the place of freedom, ‘the new life of the Spirit’- ‘`the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death’(Romans 6:17-18; 7:6; 8:2).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Take It To The Lord In Prayer.
Jeremiah 41:1-42:6
Terrible things were happening! Things were going from bad to worse. ‘What next?’- The people were wondering where it would all end. What are we to do when everything seems to be getting totally out of control? There is one thing we must never forget. It is the most important thing of all. We must ‘pray to the Lord our God’. We must ask Him to ‘show us the way we should go’. He will ‘show us the thing that we should do’(42:2-3). It’s time to stop complaining and start praying. ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! !What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!... Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer!... Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer!’(Mission Praise, 746).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Terrible things were happening! Things were going from bad to worse. ‘What next?’- The people were wondering where it would all end. What are we to do when everything seems to be getting totally out of control? There is one thing we must never forget. It is the most important thing of all. We must ‘pray to the Lord our God’. We must ask Him to ‘show us the way we should go’. He will ‘show us the thing that we should do’(42:2-3). It’s time to stop complaining and start praying. ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! !What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!... Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer!... Jesus knows our every weakness. Take it to the Lord in prayer!’(Mission Praise, 746).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Word Came To Jeremiah From The Lord.’
Jeremiah 40:1-16
‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’(3). We hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor’. People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves’. There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything’. We must rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for the Word of the Lord. We must ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’. This is what the Word of the Lord says: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’(1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The Lord your God pronounced this evil against this place; the Lord has brought it about, and has done as He said. Because you sinned against the Lord, and did not obey His voice, this thing has come upon you’(3). We hear a great deal today about ‘the feel good factor’. People need to get a good feeling: ‘Give them a pat on the back. Make them feel good about themselves’. There’s not much of a ‘feel good factor’ in Jeremiah’s preaching! The people must have been wondering, ‘Where did they dig him up from? He has nothing good to say about anyone or anything’. We must rise above the sarcasm of those who have no time for the Word of the Lord. We must ask, ‘Where did Jeremiah’s message really come from?’. This is what the Word of the Lord says: ‘The Word came to Jeremiah from the Lord’(1).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We Cannot Change Ourselves. We Can Be Changed By God.
Jeremiah 39:1-18
You can take the man out of Babylon, but you can’t take Babylon out of the man! We may have never set foot in the ancient city of Babylon, but we know all about the spirit of Babylon! ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’(17:9) - This is the spirit of Babylon, ‘the spirit of disobedience’, the spirit which is ‘at work’ in every one of us: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’(Ephesians 2:2; Romans 3:23). Is there any hope for us? We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’(13:23). We can be changed by God. To those who ‘trust’ in Him, the Lord says, ‘I will save you’(18). God wants to bless you. Put your trust in Him. Let His blessing flow into your heart (17:7).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
You can take the man out of Babylon, but you can’t take Babylon out of the man! We may have never set foot in the ancient city of Babylon, but we know all about the spirit of Babylon! ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt’(17:9) - This is the spirit of Babylon, ‘the spirit of disobedience’, the spirit which is ‘at work’ in every one of us: ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’(Ephesians 2:2; Romans 3:23). Is there any hope for us? We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’(13:23). We can be changed by God. To those who ‘trust’ in Him, the Lord says, ‘I will save you’(18). God wants to bless you. Put your trust in Him. Let His blessing flow into your heart (17:7).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘How Shall We Sing The Lord’s Song In A Foreign Land?’
Jeremiah 38:1-28
‘No Surrender’- Was this the way forward for God’s people? ‘No Surrender’- What would happen if God’s people adopted this attitude? Jeremiah speaks God’s Word to the people. He calls them to make their choice. They can ‘surrender’ and ‘live’. They can say, ‘No Surrender’- and face certain death (17-18). Captivity in Babylon would not be easy. They would be heartbroken as they recalled happier times - ‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion’. It would be so difficult to keep on praising the Lord - ‘How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?’(Psalm 137:1,4). Life in Babylon would be difficult - but ‘it would not be the end of the world’! They could still look forward to the fulfilment of God’s ‘gracious promise’: ‘I will come to you and bring you back to this place’(29:10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘No Surrender’- Was this the way forward for God’s people? ‘No Surrender’- What would happen if God’s people adopted this attitude? Jeremiah speaks God’s Word to the people. He calls them to make their choice. They can ‘surrender’ and ‘live’. They can say, ‘No Surrender’- and face certain death (17-18). Captivity in Babylon would not be easy. They would be heartbroken as they recalled happier times - ‘By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion’. It would be so difficult to keep on praising the Lord - ‘How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?’(Psalm 137:1,4). Life in Babylon would be difficult - but ‘it would not be the end of the world’! They could still look forward to the fulfilment of God’s ‘gracious promise’: ‘I will come to you and bring you back to this place’(29:10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Is There Any Word From The Lord?’
Jeremiah 37:1-21
‘Is there any Word from the Lord?’- ‘Yes! There is a Word from the Lord’. The Word from the Lord wasn’t exactly what the king wanted to hear - ‘You will be handed over to the king of Babylon’(17). God was going to bless His people - but they would have to be patient: Things were going to get an awful lot worse before they would get much better! Before their restoration - “I will bring them back and restore them to this place’- , God’s people faced captivity - ‘They will be taken to Babylon’. There was bad news - a captivity of ‘seventy years’. There was good news - the captivity wouldn’t last forever (27:22; 29:10-11)! God speaks of His blessing - ‘It will certainly come’- , but He also says, ‘Wait for it’(Habakkuk 2:3). Let’s listen to all that He says to us - and not ‘only hear what we want to hear’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Is there any Word from the Lord?’- ‘Yes! There is a Word from the Lord’. The Word from the Lord wasn’t exactly what the king wanted to hear - ‘You will be handed over to the king of Babylon’(17). God was going to bless His people - but they would have to be patient: Things were going to get an awful lot worse before they would get much better! Before their restoration - “I will bring them back and restore them to this place’- , God’s people faced captivity - ‘They will be taken to Babylon’. There was bad news - a captivity of ‘seventy years’. There was good news - the captivity wouldn’t last forever (27:22; 29:10-11)! God speaks of His blessing - ‘It will certainly come’- , but He also says, ‘Wait for it’(Habakkuk 2:3). Let’s listen to all that He says to us - and not ‘only hear what we want to hear’!
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Is Speaking. Are We Listening?
Jeremiah 36:1-32
‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’(23). The king didn’t like God’s Word. He thought he could get rid of God’s Word. What a fool he was! God saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence God was utterly futile. God would not be silenced. He continued to speak His Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from the Lord: ‘You burned that scroll...’(29)! God is still speaking to us today. He calls us to listen to Him. He calls us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’(31). He calls us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’. He calls us to be ‘blessed’. Have faith in the Saviour. Receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’(Matthew 25:41,34).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’(23). The king didn’t like God’s Word. He thought he could get rid of God’s Word. What a fool he was! God saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence God was utterly futile. God would not be silenced. He continued to speak His Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from the Lord: ‘You burned that scroll...’(29)! God is still speaking to us today. He calls us to listen to Him. He calls us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’(31). He calls us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels’. He calls us to be ‘blessed’. Have faith in the Saviour. Receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world’(Matthew 25:41,34).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Obedient And Blessed - That’s What God Wants Us To Be.
Jeremiah 35:1-19
‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey My words?’(13) - ‘Jonadab, son of Rechab, ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept... I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed Me’(14). We are not to say, ‘I will follow You’ and then change our mind (Luke 9:57). We are not to sing, ‘Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee’, and then live a life which contradicts our prayer of commitment to the Lord (Church Hymnary, 462). We are to mean what we say. We are to follow through our words of commitment with a life of obedience, a life that is pleasing to the Lord. The Rechabites were obedient to Jonadaab’s command - and they were blessed by God (18-19). Obedient and blessed - That’s what God wants us to be. Let’s obey the Lord - and look to Him for the blessing.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey My words?’(13) - ‘Jonadab, son of Rechab, ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept... I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed Me’(14). We are not to say, ‘I will follow You’ and then change our mind (Luke 9:57). We are not to sing, ‘Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee’, and then live a life which contradicts our prayer of commitment to the Lord (Church Hymnary, 462). We are to mean what we say. We are to follow through our words of commitment with a life of obedience, a life that is pleasing to the Lord. The Rechabites were obedient to Jonadaab’s command - and they were blessed by God (18-19). Obedient and blessed - That’s what God wants us to be. Let’s obey the Lord - and look to Him for the blessing.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘If The Son Sets You Free, You Will Be Free Indeed.’
Jeremiah 34:1-22
‘Freedom for the slaves’- What a good idea! ‘Everyone agreed’. The slaves were ‘set free’. So far, so good! Then things went wrong - ‘Afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves... and enslaved them again’(8-11). What did God have to say about this? - ‘You have turned round and dishonoured Me... You took back the slaves... You forced them into slavery again... You have not obeyed Me’(16-17). Jesus Christ isn’t like these slavemasters! He doesn’t only promise us freedom. He gives us our freedom: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. He doesn’t come to us with ‘a pack of lies’- promising this, that and the other, and then breaking every promise. He sets us free with His Word of truth - ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’(John 8:36,32; Psalm 119:45).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Freedom for the slaves’- What a good idea! ‘Everyone agreed’. The slaves were ‘set free’. So far, so good! Then things went wrong - ‘Afterwards they changed their minds and took back the slaves... and enslaved them again’(8-11). What did God have to say about this? - ‘You have turned round and dishonoured Me... You took back the slaves... You forced them into slavery again... You have not obeyed Me’(16-17). Jesus Christ isn’t like these slavemasters! He doesn’t only promise us freedom. He gives us our freedom: ‘If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’. He doesn’t come to us with ‘a pack of lies’- promising this, that and the other, and then breaking every promise. He sets us free with His Word of truth - ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free’(John 8:36,32; Psalm 119:45).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
The Place Of Blessing: Jesus Christ
Jeremiah 33:1-26
‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me... Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and honour before all nations on earth...’(7-9). What great blessing lay ahead of God’s people! God was pointing His people to the place of blessing: Jesus Christ - ‘the righteous Branch from David’s line’(15-16). ‘In Christ’, we have ‘every spiritual blessing’: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’(Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2:9). God has so much blessing to give to us. Come to Him and receive His blessing: ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you; I will show you wonderful and marvellous things that you know nothing about’(3).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me... Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and honour before all nations on earth...’(7-9). What great blessing lay ahead of God’s people! God was pointing His people to the place of blessing: Jesus Christ - ‘the righteous Branch from David’s line’(15-16). ‘In Christ’, we have ‘every spiritual blessing’: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him’(Ephesians 1:3; 1 Corinthians 2:9). God has so much blessing to give to us. Come to Him and receive His blessing: ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you; I will show you wonderful and marvellous things that you know nothing about’(3).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
God Will Lead Us To A Better ‘Place’ - The ‘Place’ Of Obedience And Blessing.
Jeremiah 32:26-44
‘I will bring them back to this place’(37). God is bringing us into His ‘place’. He is bringing us close to Himself: ‘They will be My people, and I will be their God’(38). He is bringing us into the ‘place’ of obedience: ‘I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me’(40). He is leading us to the ‘place’ of blessing: ‘I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them’(39). Sometimes, our life seems like ‘a desolate waste’. We must not lose sight of the purpose of God: ‘I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all My heart and soul’(43,41). God will not leave us in our ‘desolate waste’. He will lead us to a better ‘place’ - the ‘place’ of obedience and blessing.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I will bring them back to this place’(37). God is bringing us into His ‘place’. He is bringing us close to Himself: ‘They will be My people, and I will be their God’(38). He is bringing us into the ‘place’ of obedience: ‘I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me’(40). He is leading us to the ‘place’ of blessing: ‘I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them’(39). Sometimes, our life seems like ‘a desolate waste’. We must not lose sight of the purpose of God: ‘I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all My heart and soul’(43,41). God will not leave us in our ‘desolate waste’. He will lead us to a better ‘place’ - the ‘place’ of obedience and blessing.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Following Jesus
Jeremiah 32:1-25
‘Nothing is too hard for You’(17). We face many difficult situations. What are you to do when you feel you can take no more? Remember the Lord. Nothing is too hard for Him. Remember His promise: ‘The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one’(2 Thessalonians 3:3). Jesus calls us to follow Him. He calls us to follow Him. He warns us - ‘the way is hard’. It is Jesus- our loving Saviour - who calls us to follow Him. He does not leave us to go it alone. He gives us His strength - ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’(Matthew 4:19; 7:14; 11:30). ‘When the road is rough and steep, fix your eyes upon Jesus. He alone has power to keep. Fix your eyes upon Him’. You can ‘depend on ’Jesus. He is your ‘gracious Friend’. ‘He is faithful to the end’(Junior Praise, 279).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Nothing is too hard for You’(17). We face many difficult situations. What are you to do when you feel you can take no more? Remember the Lord. Nothing is too hard for Him. Remember His promise: ‘The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one’(2 Thessalonians 3:3). Jesus calls us to follow Him. He calls us to follow Him. He warns us - ‘the way is hard’. It is Jesus- our loving Saviour - who calls us to follow Him. He does not leave us to go it alone. He gives us His strength - ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’(Matthew 4:19; 7:14; 11:30). ‘When the road is rough and steep, fix your eyes upon Jesus. He alone has power to keep. Fix your eyes upon Him’. You can ‘depend on ’Jesus. He is your ‘gracious Friend’. ‘He is faithful to the end’(Junior Praise, 279).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Jesus Is The Way - The True And Living Way.
Jeremiah 31:21-40
‘Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take’(21). It’s so easy to take a wrong turning. You lose your sense of direction. You get confused. You’re not sure which way to go. You are lost. You are getting more and more lost all the time. You can’t find your way back home again. You need someone who knows the way to come and be your guide. Is there someone who can get us on the right road again? Is there someone who can guide us safely home? Yes! Jesus is ‘the Way, the True Way, the Living Way’. ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. That’s what Jesus said. Without the Way, there is no going, Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living’(John 14:6; Junior Praise, 89). Let Jesus be your Guide. Let Him be your Saviour.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘Set up road signs; put up guideposts. Take note of the highway, the road that you take’(21). It’s so easy to take a wrong turning. You lose your sense of direction. You get confused. You’re not sure which way to go. You are lost. You are getting more and more lost all the time. You can’t find your way back home again. You need someone who knows the way to come and be your guide. Is there someone who can get us on the right road again? Is there someone who can guide us safely home? Yes! Jesus is ‘the Way, the True Way, the Living Way’. ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. That’s what Jesus said. Without the Way, there is no going, Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living’(John 14:6; Junior Praise, 89). Let Jesus be your Guide. Let Him be your Saviour.
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
"I Have Loved You With An Everlasting Love."
Jeremiah 31:1-20
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’ (3). So often, we have been like ‘the prodigal son’ (Luke 15:11-24). We have walked away from our Father’s House. We have wandered off into ‘the far country.’ We feel that we are far from God, yet still He draws near to us. The Lord is at work in our hearts. He is bringing us ‘to our senses’. He is reminding us of His love. He is drawing us back to Himself. In love, He is calling us home again. He is speaking to our hearts. He is saying to us, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.’ As His love reaches our hearts, ‘the prodigal son’ becomes ‘the returning son’: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. ‘Bring me back, let me come back, for you are the Lord my God!’ (18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’ (3). So often, we have been like ‘the prodigal son’ (Luke 15:11-24). We have walked away from our Father’s House. We have wandered off into ‘the far country.’ We feel that we are far from God, yet still He draws near to us. The Lord is at work in our hearts. He is bringing us ‘to our senses’. He is reminding us of His love. He is drawing us back to Himself. In love, He is calling us home again. He is speaking to our hearts. He is saying to us, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love.’ As His love reaches our hearts, ‘the prodigal son’ becomes ‘the returning son’: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son’. ‘Bring me back, let me come back, for you are the Lord my God!’ (18).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Looking Forward To Our Glorious Future
Jeremiah 30:1-24
‘I am with you to save you.' This was God’s Word to His people. Their ‘captivity’ in Babylon would not last forever. God had given His promise: ‘I will restore the fortunes of My people... I will bring them back to the land which I gave to their fathers’(10-11,3). ‘I am with you to save you’. This is still God’s Word to us. Our ‘captivity’ will not last forever. Christ has died to ‘free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death’. We look beyond our earthly life. We see our glorious future. ‘Death’ will be ‘swallowed up in victory’. ‘Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Let us ‘be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, our labour is not in vain’(Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:54,57-58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘I am with you to save you.' This was God’s Word to His people. Their ‘captivity’ in Babylon would not last forever. God had given His promise: ‘I will restore the fortunes of My people... I will bring them back to the land which I gave to their fathers’(10-11,3). ‘I am with you to save you’. This is still God’s Word to us. Our ‘captivity’ will not last forever. Christ has died to ‘free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death’. We look beyond our earthly life. We see our glorious future. ‘Death’ will be ‘swallowed up in victory’. ‘Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’. Let us ‘be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord, our labour is not in vain’(Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:54,57-58).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
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