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God bless! Mike
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I read Jeremiah chapter 19 today and am reminded again of how tough it can be to be a prophet! Wow. Can you imagine receiving these words from God to deliver to a nation? It's tough duty - getting to the point of Jeremiah being whipped and put in stocks in chapter 20, verse 2. Below is an image of Jeremiah prophesying the doom of Pashur from chapter 20 verse 6:
Jeremiah does get to complaining about his lifestyle as a prophet in chapter 20:7-18. In verse 9 he bursts out with: "And I can't stop! If I say I'll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones!" I really like this! "His word burns in my heart like a fire"! Does God's word burn in your heart like a fire?? Should it? Could it? Will you let it?
In Jeremiah 21 we're getting close to the point of the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. as King Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon are getting close. The prophecies Jeremiah has been preaching in the past 20 chapters are coming to fruition. A verse that encapsulates all of this is 21:10 - "For I have decided to bring disaster and not good upon this city, says the Lord. It will be captured by the king of Babylon, and he will reduce it to ashes.'" Do remember that in our readings over the past few days that God does intend to bring the Israelites back to Jerusalem eventually. There is hope! Even though Nebuchadnezzar (pictured below) is soon to come into Jerusalem... there is still hope in the midst of the despair... there is still redemption to come...
Worship Video: Today's readings in reminded me of Matthew West's song "My Own Little World." Here's a great live version of this song:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
There are a lot of great verses in Jeremiah's readings today! Jeremiah 17:5 stands out: "Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord." I think oftentimes we put more trust in others than the Lord - our spouses, our pastors, our friends, our family, and even ourselves. The risk here is that people are human and are not perfect. They will eventually disappoint at some point. God is the only perfect option to place our ultimate trust in. I do think we can still "trust" others to a degree - marriage of course being a prime example of this trust in another human. But, marriage will really only ultimately work if God is the "third cord" in the marriage (see Ecclesiastes 4:12). Overall, this verse wisely cautions that our highest level of trust should be reserved for God! Who will not fail us. Ever. Who do you trust these days the most? Do you trust God above anything or anyone else? Do you trust God more than you trust yourself?
Jeremiah 17:7-8 has some great imagery! ""But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they go right on producing delicious fruit." These verses remind me a lot of Psalm 1, verses 1 through 3. Is God your hope and confidence? If so, do you feel like a tree planted along a riverbank with roots that reach deep into the water? How deep are your roots in God's living water these days?
Jeremiah 17:19-27 are some powerful verses on the Sabbath! I talk a lot with my friends about taking Sabbaths. I am really bad at it... and I know I need it. And I know my friends need it too. I'll have to remember verse 27 next time I'm having the Sabbath discussions with my friends... :) "`But if you do not listen to me and refuse to keep the Sabbath holy, and if on the Sabbath day you bring loads of merchandise through the gates of Jerusalem just as on other days, then I will set fire to these gates. The fire will spread to the palaces, and no one will be able to put out the roaring flames.'" How are you doing on taking a Sabbath each week? What would your response be to a modern day Jeremiah standing at the gate and telling you to keep one day a week as a holy day unto the Lord?
I like this verse in Jeremiah 18:15 - "They have stumbled off the ancient highways of good, and they walk the muddy paths of sin." I like that metaphor - the ancient highways of good. These sound nice! You want to be on these. And not veering off into the muddy paths of sin...
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of Lincoln Brewster's awesome song "Everlasting God," here it is:
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today:"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray that you are living a pure life. Pray that you are pursuing holiness in your life on a daily basis. Pray that you are repenting and fleeing from anything impure in your life.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
We have powerful readings in Jeremiah today! I love the exchanges between God and Jeremiah. Today in Jeremiah 15:16, we read these words of Jeremiah's to God: “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” What does this verse mean to you? Can you eat God’s words? Can they feed you? Spiritually? Are you being fed by God’s Word through the One Year Bible daily readings? Are God’s words your joy and your heart’s delight? Are you making it a practice to memorize scripture? Would this practice help you in making God’s words your joy and heart’s delight? What does it mean to bear God’s name? Is God’s name written on your heart? How else are you being fed by God, in addition to his Word? Are you being fed by attending and investing in a church each week? Do you think that church, the bride of Christ, can spiritually feed you? Is there any reason to refuse this spiritual food?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the Casting Crowns song "East To West." Here's a fantastic live version of this song!
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today's readings are a bit unique in that the Jeremiah chapters relate to Psalm 79! Psalm 79 is about the post-destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar et. al. It's interesting to see pre- & post- destruction. The Jeremiah readings today may seem to you a bit tough to read. It is certainly sad to read about the coming destruction. As I read through these chapters I think about Jeremiah and how tough it must have been on him to know what was coming. In fact, Jeremiah gives a passionate prayer for the people of Jerusalem in today's readings in chapter 14 verses 7 through 9. The question that I think sometimes can come up for some as they read chapters like this in the Old Testament is: "Is this the same God we read about in the New Testament?" And I of course believe that absolutely yes this is the same God! The life of Jesus on Earth was obviously in between the time of Jeremiah and the time of you and me today. Jesus' life, ministry, suffering, death on the cross, and His resurrection saved us from our sins - and this graceful life of Jesus' had obviously not taken place in Jeremiah's time. However, I do also believe that God is very graceful throughout history including all of the Old Testament. Keep in mind that God is often saying in these chapters in Jeremiah: "come back to me", "repent", "abandon your idols" - and no one listens. God was giving chance after chance after chance of repentance... What about you in your life today? Is God saying to you in any way to "come back to me", "repent", "abandon your idols"? And are you listening? Will you repent? Will you return to the Lord?
Jeremiah 12:16 is fascinating for me today: "And if these nations quickly learn the ways of my people, and if they learn to swear by my name, saying, `As surely as the Lord lives' (just as they taught my people to swear by the name of Baal), then they will be given a place among my people." I think that's powerful that God is saying if these foreign nations (i.e. not Israel / Judah) learn to swear by His name that they will be giving a place among His people. It reminds me of Peter's dream & realization in Acts chapter 10 that the Gospel was not just for the Jews but for the Gentiles too!
Worship Video: Our readings today reminded me of Brooke Ligertwood's song "Honey in the Rock:"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Jeremiah chapter 10 today is a powerful look at "idols." Back in Jeremiah's days we're talking about little chiseled "gods" made out of wood & stone. But today? What are our idols? Perhaps our money, our jobs, our status, our relationships, our technology :), our lust - or perhaps even ourselves? Jeremiah 10:10 reminds us: "But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King." All of our idols are not True, though we often hope they will be. Our idols will deliver us nothing. God and His Son will deliver life to the fullest!
Jeremiah's Prayer is 10:23-24 is such a beautiful prayer : "I know, O Lord , that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, Lord , but only with justice- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing." I like that Jeremiah says in this prayer, "Correct me, Lord". He knows there is correction to be made in his life - even a prophet of God knew his need of correction! This is a nice example of humility to say the least. How often do you pray to God "correct me"? Why might this be a good prayer? Do you need God to correct you? Will you allow God to direct your steps?
Today at the end of Jeremiah chapter 11 we read about the plot to take Jeremiah's life. Every time I read the prophets, I am reminded of how hard it was to be a prophet. Talk about a thankless, high-risk job... Fortunately Jeremiah is on God's side. The only side to be on. In verses 21 through 23 Jeremiah says: "The men of Anathoth wanted me dead. They said they would kill me if I did not stop speaking in the LORD's name. So this is what the LORD Almighty says about them: "I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their little boys and girls will starve. Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes."
Worship Video: Jeremiah 10:10 in today's readings reminded moe of the song "The Glory of It All" by the David Crowder Band. This is a beautiful tune... The David Crowder Band live is a joyful worship extravaganza! :) This video below is from Passion 2007, and it has some slight technical difficulties by the end, but you'll definitely get a great taste for this song and a live Crowder experience with this video:
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Jeremiah chapter 9 verses 23 & 24 definitely stood out to me today: "This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!" Think God is serious when he follows something he says with "I, the LORD, have spoken!"? Do we ever gloat in our wisdom? Gloat in our might? Gloat in our riches? Instead, have you ever boasted that you truly know God and understand that God is just and righteous? Do you believe that God's love is unfailing?
I am enjoying watching for the interplay between when God is speaking and when Jeremiah is speaking in our readings. Basically you typically just have to watch for quotation marks at the beginning of a paragraph to see that God is speaking. If there are not quotation marks, it is likely Jeremiah speaking. At the end of chapter 8 and in the beginning of chapter 9 we read these words of Jeremiah's as he weeps for Jerusalem - and we hear from the people and God briefly too. It is a poetic interplay of dialogue between all three in chapter 8 verse 18 through chapter 9 verse 2 - starting with words from Jeremiah: "My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. "Has the LORD abandoned Jerusalem?" the people ask. "Is her King no longer there?" "Oh, why have they angered me with their carved idols and worthless gods?" asks the LORD. "The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone," the people cry, "yet we are not saved!" I weep for the hurt of my people. I am stunned and silent, mute with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people? Oh, that my eyes were a fountain of tears; I would weep forever! I would sob day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered. Oh, that I could go away and forget them and live in a shack in the desert, for they are all adulterous and treacherous."
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the Rush of Fools' song "Undo." This is one of my favorite songs! "Jesus, you are the only one who can undo what I've become..."
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Today in Jeremiah chapter 6 verse 16 we read - "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” I love these verses! It reminds me that on a daily basis each of us is standing at a crossroads. A crossroads of where the world would have us go and where God would have us go. Too often I am afraid we take the worldly path and not the ancient path. "Ask where the good way is" - Do you do this in your life? How often? I think we can best do this through prayer. "Ask, and you shall receive" we have learned from Jesus. Do we ask Jesus in prayer where the good way is? Then, do we walk in it? And the reward for walking in it is - "you will find rest for your souls." I like this a lot! Who doesn't want rest for our souls? Is your soul at rest today? Why or why not? If your soul is not at rest, is it possible that you are walking along the wrong path? The worldly path? Will you seek instead the ancient paths? The good Way? Will you find rest for your soul?
Did you catch the 3 "If's" in Jeremiah 7:5-7? If, If, If... Here are the verses in this beautiful image below. Do you think there is any application on these 3 "If's" from these 3 verses in our lives today? How are we doing on these "If's" in our world today?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the Jeremy Camp song "Jesus Saves." Here is a great video KLOVE radio and its listeners put together, with signs sharing what Jesus saved them from. What has Jesus saved you from?
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
Old Testament - Today in Jeremiah chapter 5 verses 14 through 17 we read God's words to Israel about the coming of the armies of Babylon! "Therefore, this is what the LORD God Almighty says: "Because the people are talking like this, I will give you messages that will burn them up as if they were kindling wood. O Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you," says the LORD. "It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you cannot understand. Their weapons are deadly; their warriors are mighty. They will eat your harvests and your children's bread, your flocks of sheep and your herds of cattle. Yes, they will eat your grapes and figs. And they will destroy your fortified cities, which you think are so safe."
Per Tyndale's One Year Bible Companion today - "Babylon was indeed an ancient nation. The old Babylonian empire had lasted from about 1900 B.C. to 1550 B.C., and earlier kingdoms had been on her soil as early as 3000 B.C. Babylon in Jeremiah's day would shortly rebel against Assyrian domination, form its own army, conquer Assyria, and become the next dominant world power."
It is very interesting to see the rise of Babylon in history and how God foretold Israel that Babylon was coming. God gave Israel so many chances to repent, but Israel wouldn't. Jeremiah in chapter 6 verses 10 & 11 today tells us - "To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the LORD. They don't want to listen at all. So now I am filled with the LORD's fury. Yes, I am weary of holding it in!" What about us today - do we listen when God speaks? It is amazing that Israel would not listen to words like these from God in verses 6 through 8 (though... maybe not so amazing... perhaps we can do a good job of ignoring God's words & warnings in our lives today as well...?) - "This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through. She spouts evil like a fountain! Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. Her sickness and sores are ever before me. This is your last warning, Jerusalem! If you do not listen, I will empty the land."
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the John Mark McMillansong called "How He Loves." Beautiful song!
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
We read some harsh words today from God to Israel in Jeremiah chapters 2 & 3 - calling the nation a prostitute and an adulteress. These are not words a person wants to hear from God - much less an entire nation hearing these words! Jeremiah wrote this book during the last 40 years of Judah's existence, which is not surprising to consider when we read this in chapter 3 verses 8 through 10 - "But now Judah, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution. Israel treated it all so lightly--she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been greatly defiled. But in spite of all this, her faithless sister Judah has never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry," says the LORD." Again, not words you want to hear from God. Can you imagine a much worse insult from God? A prostitute? An adulteress? As harsh as these words are - I almost hesitate to ask this - But I think I should - Today, are we ourselves ever a "prostitute" or an "adulteress" to God? Do we give ourselves over to sins and lusts and false loves that break God's heart because of his love for us? Well, when we act in such a bad way, we are fortunate that God says things like he did in verse 1 of chapter 3 of Jeremiah today - "But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, says the LORD. Yet I am still calling you to come back to me." Even though we may sin gravely against God, he still calls us to come back to Him! Through Jesus today we can come back to Him! Do you need to come back to Him in any way in your life? Will you? Will you leave behind any and all "adulteress" or "prostitute" behaviors, and return to Him simply as the child of God that you were always made to be?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the fantastic worship song "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?" by Delirious. For some reason every time I hear the lyric "open up the doors and let the music play, let the streets resound with singing" I am reminded of a trip to the Dominican Republic I took several years ago to work on houses with Habitat for Humanity. Walking down the dusty streets of a tiny village in the DR I distinctly remember the doors being open, the music playing and the streets resounding with the singing of children playing. God's presence was so real and tangible to me on that dusty little village in the DR. I pray you've had or will have a similar experience with God walking down "a street that has no name!"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
We read some harsh words today from God to Israel in Jeremiah chapters 2 & 3 - calling the nation a prostitute and an adulteress. These are not words a person wants to hear from God - much less an entire nation hearing these words! Jeremiah wrote this book during the last 40 years of Judah's existence, which is not surprising to consider when we read this in chapter 3 verses 8 through 10 - "But now Judah, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution. Israel treated it all so lightly--she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been greatly defiled. But in spite of all this, her faithless sister Judah has never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry," says the LORD." Again, not words you want to hear from God. Can you imagine a much worse insult from God? A prostitute? An adulteress? As harsh as these words are - I almost hesitate to ask this - But I think I should - Today, are we ourselves ever a "prostitute" or an "adulteress" to God? Do we give ourselves over to sins and lusts and false loves that break God's heart because of his love for us? Well, when we act in such a bad way, we are fortunate that God says things like he did in verse 1 of chapter 3 of Jeremiah today - "But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, says the LORD. Yet I am still calling you to come back to me." Even though we may sin gravely against God, he still calls us to come back to Him! Through Jesus today we can come back to Him! Do you need to come back to Him in any way in your life? Will you? Will you leave behind any and all "adulteress" or "prostitute" behaviors, and return to Him simply as the child of God that you were always made to be?
Worship Video: Today's readings reminded me of the fantastic worship song "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble?" by Delirious. For some reason every time I hear the lyric "open up the doors and let the music play, let the streets resound with singing" I am reminded of a trip to the Dominican Republic I took several years ago to work on houses with Habitat for Humanity. Walking down the dusty streets of a tiny village in the DR I distinctly remember the doors being open, the music playing and the streets resounding with the singing of children playing. God's presence was so real and tangible to me on that dusty little village in the DR. I pray you've had or will have a similar experience with God walking down "a street that has no name!"
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy! Mike
p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this Bible Blog ministry today! Please also consider partnering with us by financially supporting this ministry. Thank you!
