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
Showing posts with label new birth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label new birth. Show all posts
Can Our Lives Be Changed? Yes! They Can Be Changed By God.
Jeremiah 24:1-25:14
Can our lives be changed? Yes! They can be changed by God: ‘I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord’. This is no superficial change. This is real change, change which makes a difference. This is a change of heart: ‘they shall return to Me with their whole heart’(7). How are we changed? We are changed by God: ‘I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live’(Ezekiel 37:14). We become new people - ‘alive to God in Christ Jesus’(Romans 6:11). This is the great change, the change that makes all the difference. It’s not just a little change here and there. It’s everywhere. No part of our life remains the same. Every part of life is changed. When there’s a real change of heart, everything changes - ‘all things have become new’(2 Corinthians 5:17). ‘Change my heart, O God...’(Mission Praise, 69).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
Can our lives be changed? Yes! They can be changed by God: ‘I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord’. This is no superficial change. This is real change, change which makes a difference. This is a change of heart: ‘they shall return to Me with their whole heart’(7). How are we changed? We are changed by God: ‘I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live’(Ezekiel 37:14). We become new people - ‘alive to God in Christ Jesus’(Romans 6:11). This is the great change, the change that makes all the difference. It’s not just a little change here and there. It’s everywhere. No part of our life remains the same. Every part of life is changed. When there’s a real change of heart, everything changes - ‘all things have become new’(2 Corinthians 5:17). ‘Change my heart, O God...’(Mission Praise, 69).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
In Ourselves, There Is Sin. In The Lord, There Is Salvation.
Jeremiah 14:1-22
In ourselves, there is sin- ‘O Lord... we have sinned against You’. In the Lord, there is salvation- ‘O Lord our God... our hope is in You’(20,22). In the Lord, there is no sin - ‘You are too pure to look on evil’(Habakkuk 1:13). In ourselves , there is no salvation. We are ‘spiritually dead because of our disobedience and sins’. We need to be ‘made alive’. How can this happen? It is not something we can do for ourselves. The new birth can only be received as a gift from God. We must stop trying to save ourselves. It cannot be done. Salvation cannot be earned. It must be received as a gift from God. It must be received by ‘faith’. We must look away from ourselves to Christ. In Christ, we see ‘God’s great love for us’. Through receiving Christ as Saviour, we are ‘born of God’(Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8; John 1:12-13).
Jeremiah 15:1-21
Some of our problems come from outside of ourselves. Other people cause problems for us - ‘This people will fight against you’(20). Some of our problems come from within our own hearts. Our own sins cause problems for us - ‘Put to death what is earthly in you...’(Colossians 3:5). There are ‘fightings and fears within’. There are ‘fightings and fears without’. We are ‘tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt’. Tell the Lord all about it. Tell Him how it really is. ‘Just as I am’- This is how we must come to the Lord. Our ‘fightings and fears’ do not simply disappear the moment we pray, ‘O Lamb of God, I come’(Church Hymnary, 79). We do, however, have God’s promise: ‘They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you’(20). He will lead us in the way of victory (Colossians 2:8-10).
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Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
In ourselves, there is sin- ‘O Lord... we have sinned against You’. In the Lord, there is salvation- ‘O Lord our God... our hope is in You’(20,22). In the Lord, there is no sin - ‘You are too pure to look on evil’(Habakkuk 1:13). In ourselves , there is no salvation. We are ‘spiritually dead because of our disobedience and sins’. We need to be ‘made alive’. How can this happen? It is not something we can do for ourselves. The new birth can only be received as a gift from God. We must stop trying to save ourselves. It cannot be done. Salvation cannot be earned. It must be received as a gift from God. It must be received by ‘faith’. We must look away from ourselves to Christ. In Christ, we see ‘God’s great love for us’. Through receiving Christ as Saviour, we are ‘born of God’(Ephesians 2:1,4-5,8; John 1:12-13).
Jeremiah 15:1-21
Some of our problems come from outside of ourselves. Other people cause problems for us - ‘This people will fight against you’(20). Some of our problems come from within our own hearts. Our own sins cause problems for us - ‘Put to death what is earthly in you...’(Colossians 3:5). There are ‘fightings and fears within’. There are ‘fightings and fears without’. We are ‘tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt’. Tell the Lord all about it. Tell Him how it really is. ‘Just as I am’- This is how we must come to the Lord. Our ‘fightings and fears’ do not simply disappear the moment we pray, ‘O Lamb of God, I come’(Church Hymnary, 79). We do, however, have God’s promise: ‘They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you’(20). He will lead us in the way of victory (Colossians 2:8-10).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
We Can Be Changed By The Lord: ‘I Will Give You A New Heart.’
Jeremiah 12:1-17
‘“If any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it”, declares the Lord’(17). We must not look out to the world and say, ‘That’s what’s happening “out there”’. We must look into our own hearts. We must ask, ‘What’s happening “in here”?’. We are to pray, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart’(Psalm 139:23). When the searchlight of God’s Word begins to shine on our lives, it becomes clear that ‘all is not as it seems’: ‘They speak well of You with their lips, but their hearts are far from You’(2). Our situation seems hopeless. We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’(13:23). There is a Word of hope. We can be changed by the Lord: ‘I will give you a new heart’(Ezekiel 36:26).
Jeremiah 13:1-27
‘These wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them will be... completely useless’(10). Are you on the way to becoming ‘completely useless’? Each of us must think about what’s been happening in our lives? - ‘Where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view of Jesus and His Word? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void the world can never fill’. We need to pray for real change. We need to pray for ‘a closer walk with God’: ‘Return, O Holy Dove!... The dearest idol I have known... Help me to tear it from Thy throne, and worship only Thee. So shall my walk be close with God...’(Church Hymnary, 663).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
‘“If any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it”, declares the Lord’(17). We must not look out to the world and say, ‘That’s what’s happening “out there”’. We must look into our own hearts. We must ask, ‘What’s happening “in here”?’. We are to pray, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart’(Psalm 139:23). When the searchlight of God’s Word begins to shine on our lives, it becomes clear that ‘all is not as it seems’: ‘They speak well of You with their lips, but their hearts are far from You’(2). Our situation seems hopeless. We cannot change ourselves: ‘Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil’(13:23). There is a Word of hope. We can be changed by the Lord: ‘I will give you a new heart’(Ezekiel 36:26).
Jeremiah 13:1-27
‘These wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them will be... completely useless’(10). Are you on the way to becoming ‘completely useless’? Each of us must think about what’s been happening in our lives? - ‘Where is the blessedness I knew when first I saw the Lord? Where is the soul-refreshing view of Jesus and His Word? What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! How sweet their memory still! But they have left an aching void the world can never fill’. We need to pray for real change. We need to pray for ‘a closer walk with God’: ‘Return, O Holy Dove!... The dearest idol I have known... Help me to tear it from Thy throne, and worship only Thee. So shall my walk be close with God...’(Church Hymnary, 663).
_________________
Blessings in Christ
Christ in all the Scriptures
http://christinallthescriptures.blogspot.com
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