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When God Rebukes You, Don’t Miss the Message!

Have you ever felt that God was giving you a message for something He wanted you to do? Did you ever talk yourself out of it, if it was something you really felt uncomfortable doing on your own?  This message is for you.

After God brought the Babylonians to conquer Judah as punishment for the people worshipping other gods and not following God’s law and instructions… He gathered a remnant together to remain in Judah.

The people became afraid to remain in Judah, fearing Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon would do them harm. They decided in their wisdom to go to Egypt for protection. Yes, the same Egypt they once relied on to prevent Babylon from conquering them in the first place.

Spoiler alert: It did not work the first time. Pharaoh’s  army was beaten by the Babylonians (and God who was using the Babylonians at this time).

The remnant is making a mistake we all are vulnerable to if we are not careful. When we hear from God, sometimes He will call us to to things we are very uncomfortable doing. We need to trust Him and obey.

In the case of Jeremiah 44, the remnant was getting a second chance, after the first judgment God inflicted on them. They missed the message. They made excuses and tied the problems and defeat they faced to their failure to worship the false gods enough, rather than their failure to follow the one true God.

It sure feels like they are about to get a second helping of God’s correction and judgment because they refuse to hear His message and obey.

Jeremiah 44

Conquest of Egypt Predicted

      1The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros, saying, 2“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the calamity that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are in ruins and no one lives in them, 3because of their wickedness which they committed so as to provoke Me to anger by continuing to burn sacrifices and to serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. 4‘Yet I sent you all My servants the prophets, again and again, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate.” 5‘But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their wickedness, so as not to burn sacrifices to other gods. 6‘Therefore My wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a ruin and a desolation as it is this day. 7‘Now then thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you doing great harm to yourselves, so as to cut off from you man and woman, child and infant, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, 8provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, burning sacrifices to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to reside, so that you might be cut off and become a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 9“Have you forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10“But they have not become contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My law or My statutes, which I have set before you and before your fathers.”’

      11“Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to set My face against you for woe, even to cut off all Judah. 12‘And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their mind on entering the land of Egypt to reside there, and they will all meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation and a reproach. 13‘And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine and with pestilence. 14‘So there will be no refugees or survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to reside there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are longing to return and live; for none will return except a few refugees.’”

      15Then all the men who were aware that their wives were burning sacrifices to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, responded to Jeremiah, saying, 16“As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you! 17“But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food and were well off and saw no misfortune. 18“But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19“And,” said the women, “when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

Calamity for the Jews

      20Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were giving him such an answer—saying, 21“As for the smoking sacrifices that you burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your forefathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them and did not all this come into His mind? 22“So the LORD was no longer able to endure it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have committed; thus your land has become a ruin, an object of horror and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23“Because you have burned sacrifices and have sinned against the LORD and not obeyed the voice of the LORD or walked in His law, His statutes or His testimonies, therefore this calamity has befallen you, as it has this day.”

      24Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, 25thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, as follows: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” Go ahead and confirm your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ 26“Nevertheless hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says the LORD, ‘never shall My name be invoked again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As the Lord GOD lives.” 27‘Behold, I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will meet their end by the sword and by famine until they are completely gone. 28‘Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to reside there will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs. 29‘This will be the sign to you,’ declares the LORD, ‘that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for harm.’ 30“Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.’”

When God tells you to do something, even if it is hard, confirm it with His word and then do it. If He rebukes you and gives you a second chance… don’t miss the message again!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

All Powerful / King of All, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Sins of the People Can Lead to Destruction of a Nation

Jeremiah 40:13 through Jeremiah 41 contains an account of events that occurred during a tumultuous time in ancient history. While the context of this passage is specific to the fall of Jerusalem and its aftermath, there is a central themes that can be applied to our lives today.

Consequences of Sin: The events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem were a result of the Israelites’ disobedience and sin. This passage reminds us of the consequences of our actions and the importance of living a righteous life. In our lives today, we should be mindful of the choices we make and their potential consequences.

The challenges and trials Jerusalem and its people endured did not stop with Babylonian conquest. There continued to be further strife and conflict even after Babylon took control. Many people continued to be hurt due to the sin and rebellion of the people against God.

Jeremiah 40:13-16

 13Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah 14and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them. 15Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?” 16But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”

Jeremiah 41

Gedaliah Is Murdered

      1In the seventh month Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the royal family and one of the chief officers of the king, along with ten men, came to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam. While they were eating bread together there in Mizpah, 2Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him arose and struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword and put to death the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land. 3Ishmael also struck down all the Jews who were with him, that is with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

      4Now it happened on the next day after the killing of Gedaliah, when no one knew about it, 5that eighty men came from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria with their beards shaved off and their clothes torn and their bodies gashed, having grain offerings and incense in their hands to bring to the house of the LORD. 6Then Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went; and as he met them, he said to them, “Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam!” 7Yet it turned out that as soon as they came inside the city, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and the men that were with him slaughtered them and cast them into the cistern. 8But ten men who were found among them said to Ishmael, “Do not put us to death; for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil and honey hidden in the field.” So he refrained and did not put them to death along with their companions.

      9Now as for the cistern where Ishmael had cast all the corpses of the men whom he had struck down because of Gedaliah, it was the one that King Asa had made on account of Baasha, king of Israel; Ishmael the son of Nethaniah filled it with the slain. 10Then Ishmael took captive all the remnant of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard had put under the charge of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam; thus Ishmael the son of Nethaniah took them captive and proceeded to cross over to the sons of Ammon.

Johanan Rescues the People

      11But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done. 12So they took all the men and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah and they found him by the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13Now as soon as all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and the commanders of the forces that were with him, they were glad. 14So all the people whom Ishmael had taken captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan the son of Kareah. 15But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men and went to the sons of Ammon. 16Then Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were with him took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, after he had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, that is, the men who were soldiers, the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought back from Gibeon. 17And they went and stayed in Geruth Chimham, which is beside Bethlehem, in order to proceed into Egypt 18because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, since Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had struck down Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed over the land.

We will not likely face an army conquering our cities and towns. However, we are definitely facing a time where the sinful and rebellious attitudes of the people against God are leading our nation down a bad path filled with malice and apathy toward God and His instructions for us.

Seek God’s help to identify areas in your life where you need to make a change and submit to Him again. Where do you need to stand up and join with other followers of Christ to resist the sinful nature of our nation and the path it is on. Do not sit by and accept it as our nation continues to degrade and move farther from God. Stand up. Get involved. Take action. Also, pray for communities, cities, states, and our nation and for the leaders.

Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Trust God’s Faithfulness Even in Hard Times

In Jeremiah 40, the Babylonians have conquered Jerusalem, and many of the Israelites have been taken into exile. Jeremiah, the prophet, is released from prison and given the choice to go to Babylon or stay in Judah. He chooses to stay and live among the remnant of the people left in the land.

Here are some lessons and themes from Jeremiah 40 that can be applied to our lives today:

  1. Trusting in God’s Sovereignty: Despite the difficult circumstances and the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah trusts in God’s sovereignty. He accepts his situation and chooses to stay in the land, trusting that God has a purpose for him there. In our lives, we can learn to trust in God’s plan even when we face adversity.
  2. Making Choices: Jeremiah is given a choice in this chapter, and he carefully considers his options. We, too, often face choices in life, and it’s essential to seek God’s guidance and make choices that align with His will.
  3. Perseverance and Hope: Jeremiah’s decision to stay in Judah demonstrates perseverance and hope. Even in a difficult situation, he continues to fulfill his calling as a prophet. In our lives, we should also persevere in our faith and maintain hope even when facing adversity.

In summary, Jeremiah 40 teaches us about trust in God’s sovereignty, His faithfulness, the importance of making wise choices, and the need for perseverance and hope in challenging circumstances. These themes can provide guidance and encouragement for us in our lives today, reminding us of the enduring truths found in the Bible.

Jeremiah 40:1-12

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

      1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. 2Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The LORD your God promised this calamity against this place; 3and the LORD has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against the LORD and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you. 4“But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will look after you; but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, never mind. Look, the whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.” 5As Jeremiah was still not going back, he said, “Go on back then to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a ration and a gift and let him go. 6Then Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

      7Now all the commanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon. 8So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, both they and their men. 9Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you. 10“Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather in wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.” 11Likewise, also all the Jews who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan. 12Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

Spend some time reflecting and asking God to show you how to apply these lessons in your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

Jeremiah’s Faithful Obedience: Lessons on Sharing God’s Message

There are times when God will show you something that seems obvious and clear. God may even want you to warn those who will be impacted. However, often what God shows us is not what someone else wants to hear about their life and they will reject God’s warning. In fact, they may actually resent you as the messenger for bringing a message they do not like, even if it is one God wanted you to bring.

This is what happened to Jeremiah as the Chaldeans were threatening Jerusalem. Bringing God’s word raised up enemies to come against him and even try to kill him.

While God provided a way for Jeremiah to survive, he did not make everything easy. Jeremiah experienced some very difficult things in his life as a result of obeying God and bringing God’s word to others.  It was still the right thing to do, because that is what God wanted him to do. God does not promise we will have an easy time when we live for Him.

Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah Thrown into the Cistern

      1Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying, 2“Thus says the LORD, ‘He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have his own life as booty and stay alive.’ 3“Thus says the LORD, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’” 4Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.” 5So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands; for the king can do nothing against you.” 6Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud. 7But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, while he was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin; 8and Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and spoke to the king, saying, 9“My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.” 10Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take thirty men from here under your authority and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies.” 11So Ebed-melech took the men under his authority and went into the king’s palace to a place beneath the storeroom and took from there worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by ropes into the cistern to Jeremiah. 12Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these worn-out clothes and rags under your armpits under the ropes”; and Jeremiah did so. 13So they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, and Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse.

      14Then King Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance that is in the house of the LORD; and the king said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something; do not hide anything from me.” 15Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not certainly put me to death? Besides, if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.” 16But King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah in secret saying, “As the LORD lives, who made this life for us, surely I will not put you to death nor will I give you over to the hand of these men who are seeking your life.”

Interview with Zedekiah

      17Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive. 18‘But if you will not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hand.’” 19Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.” 20But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over. Please obey the LORD in what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and you may live. 21“But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the LORD has shown me:

22‘Then behold, all of the women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say,
“Your close friends
Have misled and overpowered you;
While your feet were sunk in the mire,
They turned back.”

23‘They will also bring out all your wives and your sons to the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned with fire.’”

      24Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know about these words and you will not die. 25“But if the officials hear that I have talked with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us now what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hide it from us and we will not put you to death,’ 26then you are to say to them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.’” 27Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. So he reported to them in accordance with all these words which the king had commanded; and they ceased speaking with him, since the conversation had not been overheard. 28So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse until the day that Jerusalem was captured.

Likely, this type of situation will not happen directly to us as it happened to Jeremiah. However, there are times when we can bring God’s truth and perhaps a message He gives us to someone and they will not want to hear it. They may get angry. They may reject us and the message. We can be inspired by Jeremiah to still bring God’s word forward, even to those who do not want to hear it.

We can also be reminded not to assume that every path God leads us on will be pleasant and joyful. Some will be very hard. If God shows you which way to go, do not turn aside just because it is hard or different than you expected. Stick with it. Do it… for Him!

He already knows how it will end and He is perfectly capable of making a way out for you. You may feel like you are in the cistern, but God can send someone to get you out.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Humility, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

Learn to Trust in God Rather than Man

There are times when the LORD has plans for us, whether for good or for bad, and there is nothing we are going to do in our own power to change them. All we can do is turn to the LORD. In Jeremiah 37, King Zedekiah looks to his arrangements with Egypt to spare him God’s judgment through the Chaldeans attacking Jerusalem.

Jeremiah reminds him vividly that he should not count on those plans to spare him from what God has decided to bring on him.

Jeremiah 37

Jeremiah Warns against Trust in Pharaoh

      1Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim. 2But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

      3Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the LORD our God on our behalf.” 4Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people, for they had not yet put him in the prison. 5Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem.

      6Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 7“Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt. 8“The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.”’ 9“Thus says the LORD, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go. 10‘For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

      11Now it happened when the army of the Chaldeans had lifted the siege from Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army, 12that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin in order to take possession of some property there among the people. 13While he was at the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there; and he arrested Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are going over to the Chaldeans!” 14But Jeremiah said, “A lie! I am not going over to the Chaldeans”; yet he would not listen to him. So Irijah arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. 15Then the officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him, and they put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which they had made into the prison. 16For Jeremiah had come into the dungeon, that is, the vaulted cell; and Jeremiah stayed there many days.

      17Now King Zedekiah sent and took him out; and in his palace the king secretly asked him and said, “Is there a word from the LORD?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!” 18Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “In what way have I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison? 19“Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’? 20“But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there.” 21Then King Zedekiah gave commandment, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guardhouse and gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guardhouse.

I can certainly point to the parable of the talents, and show an example where we, as God’s servants, are to be diligent in taking action to impact good outcomes. In that parable, the servants were called to invest and grow the money with which they were entrusted. They were not simply to sit on it and wait for the master to act.

However, there are times when God is doing something in our lives and we are just not going to avoid it. We should strive to humble ourselves before God and submit to His will. If we have need, repent. In all things, put our trust in Him.

Don’t try to take control of God’s plans. It won’t work.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Focus on What God Can Do Instead of What You Cannot

The beginning of Mark 8 focuses on a miracle we can all too quickly take for granted. Jesus feeds 4,000 people starting with only 7 loaves of bread.

Also, consider what moved Jesus to this miracle. He felt compassion on the people. Why? They had been with Him for days without food. Think about that! That is quite a demonstration of faith on their part.

What did the disciples focus on in this situation? Where Jesus focused on the people and their needs, the disciples focused on their own limitations and not being able to think about how they could meet the need in their own power.

Don’t be too hard on them! How often do we do the same thing in our lives?

Mark 8: 1-10

Four Thousand Fed

      1In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them, 2“I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat. 3“If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” 4And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” 5And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” 6And He directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. 7They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. 8And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. 9About four thousand were there; and He sent them away. 10And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha.

When you see a need or feel called by God to help others or overcome a challenge… don’t focus on what you can or can’t do in your own power, but rather focus on what God can do!

Pray and ask God to show you any areas in your life where you are too focused on what you can’t do to solve a situation and not focused enough on what He can do! Trust in Him to provide. He will make a way.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Embrace Rather than Reject God’s Message Amidst Adversity

There are several themes of which to take note in Jeremiah 32. Consider them as you read the passage below.

  • Jeremiah brought the true word of God, and people did not want to hear it. He was imprisoned because of it. Do not expect everyone to embrace God’s message or messenger, especially when bringing correction. However, we are still called to carry out God’s instructions and deliver His word, even if it is hard.
  • Sometimes what God asks us to do will seem to have no effect on those to whom He sends us. Nevertheless, we are to do as He tells us.
  • It is not good for God’s people to stir up God’s wrath by rejecting Him and His ways. He is a loving father and will pursue them, even if He needs to discipline them harshly to get their attention.
  • Often, when God corrects us, he is doing it for our own benefit, and that of our children who come after us.
  • Even as God plans correction and rebuke, He has in mind reconciliation of His people to Himself.
  • Nothing is too difficult for God.

Jeremiah 32

Jeremiah Imprisoned

      1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the house of the king of Judah, 3because Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it; 4and Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye; 5and he will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” declares the LORD. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed”’?”

      6And Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.”’ 8“Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of the LORD and said to me, ‘Buy my field, please, that is at Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for you have the right of possession and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

      9“I bought the field which was at Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son, and I weighed out the silver for him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10“I signed and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11“Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions and the open copy; 12and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13“And I commanded Baruch in their presence, saying, 14‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, that they may last a long time.” 15‘For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”’

Jeremiah Prays and God Explains

      16“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the LORD, saying, 17‘Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, 18who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; 19great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; 20who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day. 21‘You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror; 22and gave them this land, which You swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23‘They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them. 24‘Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it. 25‘You have said to me, O Lord GOD, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”

      26Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 27“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” 28Therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it. 29“The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger. 30“Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the LORD. 31“Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from before My face, 32because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction. 34“But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35“They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

      36“Now therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’ 37“Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. 38“They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40“I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41“I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. 42“For thus says the LORD, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them. 43‘Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44‘Men will buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the Negev; for I will restore their fortunes,’ declares the LORD.”

Take a few minutes and prayerfully reflect on the themes we highlighted before the scripture passage. Ask God to show you how they apply in your life today.

As you reflect on the discipline God’s people endured as described in this chapter of Jeremiah, consider God’s reasons.

 38“They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40“I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.

God was acting for their own good and the good of their children after them. He was not just being vindictive or mean or getting even. Like a good father with his children, God wants what is best for us.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Remain Hopeful in God’s Redemption, Even When Things Are Not as You Want

The key theme of Jeremiah 29 is the message of hope and encouragement for the exiled Israelites living in Babylon. The chapter contains a letter from the prophet Jeremiah to the Jewish exiles, urging them to settle down, build homes, plant gardens, and seek the welfare of the city they are in. He advises them not to be discouraged by their current situation but to trust in God’s plans for their future. The famous verse in Jeremiah 29:11 emphasizes God’s promise of a hopeful and prosperous future for them: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The overall message is to remain faithful, patiently endure the exile, and have confidence in God’s ultimate plan for restoration and blessings.

There is also a warning against those who falsely prophesy in the Lord’s name and convince people to believe in a lie because it is more along the lines of what they want to believe… such as the message that the exile will not be long.

Jeremiah 29

Message to the Exiles

      1Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, 4“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ 8“For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.

      10“For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14‘I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

      15“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’— 16for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile— 17thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. 18‘I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the LORD, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the LORD. 20“You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

      21“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes. 22‘Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, 23because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness,” declares the LORD.’”

      24To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, 25“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26“The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar, 27now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28“For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’”

      29Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, 31“Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,” 32therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,” declares the LORD, “because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.”’”

We can apply this message to our lives as well. Things will not always go the way we want. We are to remain faithful and patiently endure what God leads us through, and have confidence in God’s ultimate plan for restoration and blessings.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Beyond the Miracle: Insights and Compassion in Yeshua’s Walk on Water

When we read about Yeshua walking on water, we often focus entirely on that miracle alone. We may overlook some other insights that are contained in that same story. Some may leave us with some questions and some may reassure us of our Savior’s compassion for us.

Mark 6:45-52

Jesus Walks on the Water

      45Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He Himself was sending the crowd away. 46After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.

      47When it was evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. 49But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” 51Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, 52for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Yes it was miraculous to walk on water. Don’t miss that. Nothing is beyond our LORD.  There are a few other insights as well.

  • After feeding the 5000 and teaching, Yeshua still wanted to take time to go up the mountain to be alone in prayer with the Father. This was a priority for Him and it should be for us also. Ask yourself if you are setting aside enough time to be alone with Father. Most of us are not. This is different than studying scripture.
  • I find it intriguing that Yeshua saw His disciples straining at the oars, with the wind against them, and intended to pass them up. This does not fit what many of us expect from the LORD. We don’t expect Him to leave us in a difficult situation and let us work out of it. We expect Him to swoop in and rescue us and make things easy. Yeshua knew this was a situation they could overcome on their own, though it was difficult. He was going to let them do so. Recognize that just because you may be in a difficult situation, and the LORD is leaving you to work out of it, does not mean He is unaware of your situation or does not care. He may see value in letting you work out of it on your own.
  • When Yeshua saw they were afraid of Him as if He were a ghost, He adjusted His plans and got in the boat. He had compassion on them.  Compassion is not just pity. Compassion drives us to action. It changes our plans.
  • I think the storm calming as Yeshua gets in the boat speaks largely for itself. He is in control of all things. Nothing is beyond Him.  This aspect is typically not overlooked as it is so attention grabbing.
  • They had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened. The comparison here suggests we should look for parallel between this incident and the loaves. I would say that an obvious connection is for us to have faith that the LORD can provide and can rescue us from difficult situations that are beyond our control. We need not panic or look only to ourselves for the path forward. It is so easy to continue to see things through our own eyes and how we can control or fix a situation, or how we can not. It is beautiful to start to rely more on the LORD and have our faith grow stronger in leaning on Him.
  • Do not overlook that scripture says their hearts were hardened and that is why they did not gain insight from the incident with the loaves and the feeding of the 5000. This does not mean they are rebellious toward Yahweh or against Yeshua. We can see here that even loyal followers of Yeshua can harden their hearts. It speaks to seeing things only through our own perspective of what we can see and touch and do instead of seeing things through the eyes of faith and what God can do. If we harden our hearts, we will miss a lot that the LORD is doing in our lives and we will dismiss it, recognizing only the natural and not the supernatural around us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your compassion for me. Thank You that You do step in and calm the storms at times when I call on You and I am overwhelmed. Please strengthen my faith and soften my heart towards You. Help me to see the world more through Your eyes. Help me not to focus only on what I can control but also on Your power to deliver us and provide for us. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Yield to God’s Will Even When It Means Embracing Humility, Submission, and Serving

Sometimes God’s will for us involves humility, submission, and serving. It may involve us yielding control of a situation or major area of our life, like a job or relationship. To resist only creates more difficulty. There are consequences of disobedience to God’s plan. It is important to humbly accept the circumstances as part of God’s divine will.

This is laid out in dramatic fashion in Jeremiah 27. We can still apply this message today.

Jeremiah 27

The Nations to Submit to Nebuchadnezzar

      1In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying— 2thus says the LORD to me—“Make for yourself bonds and yokes and put them on your neck, 3and send word to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the sons of Ammon, to the king of Tyre and to the king of Sidon by the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4“Command them to go to their masters, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, thus you shall say to your masters, 5“I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. 6“Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and I have given him also the wild animals of the field to serve him. 7“All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings will make him their servant.

      8“It will be, that the nation or the kingdom which will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine and with pestilence,” declares the LORD, “until I have destroyed it by his hand. 9“But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10“For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out and you will perish. 11“But the nation which will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let remain on its land,” declares the LORD, “and they will till it and dwell in it.”’”

      12I spoke words like all these to Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him and his people, and live! 13“Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, famine and pestilence, as the LORD has spoken to that nation which will not serve the king of Babylon? 14“So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you; 15for I have not sent them,” declares the LORD, “but they prophesy falsely in My name, in order that I may drive you out and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.”

      16Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the LORD’S house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon’; for they are prophesying a lie to you. 17“Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city become a ruin? 18“But if they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, let them now entreat the LORD of hosts that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. 19“For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take when he carried into exile Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. 21“Yes, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the LORD and in the house of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem, 22‘They will be carried to Babylon and they will be there until the day I visit them,’ declares the LORD. ‘Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.’”

In what areas of your life are you trying to fight something that is hard that God has chosen you to go through? Is it financial? Job related? relationships? Ask the Spirit to lead and guide you. Be willing to yield and accept a situation you don’t want. Whether it is discipline or God growing you (or both), don’t fight what God is doing. It only makes things harder.

Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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