Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Church / Body of Christ, Grace / Patience, Interceding for Others, Love, Thankfulness

Thank God For Other Believers And Pray For Them

Let us be thankful even for imperfect Christians that are trying to grow in the Lord and live obediently for Him. Pray for them. Encourage them and yes… correct them when needed. But we need not divide over every disagreement. Be gracious.

Philippians 1:1-11

Thanksgiving

     1Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

      3I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

How do you treat other Christians? Do you pray for them? Do you encourage them? Do you rebuke them when needed? Do you show grace through disagreements, but remain loyal to those seeking obedience to God in their lives. Ask God to show you areas in your life where He wants you to change in this regard.

—-

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.

Discipline / Guidance From God, Faithful, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, His Timing Not Ours, Justice / Judgment, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

What God Declares Will Come to Pass

Whether or not we agree with or like what God has declared, He is still in control. In Jeremiah 39, we see the culmination of the fall of Jerusalem which was prophesied by Jeremiah. King Zedekiah and others in Jerusalem did not want or believe this would happen. What God declares, however, will come to pass.

Jeremiah was spared because of his trust in the LORD.

Take time to reflect on how this may apply in your life today. Our city may not be under siege, but we still have things God will pour into our lives. Some we may not want to hear and some may fill us with hope. We should put our trust in God in either case. Repent when called for and call for grace and mercy.

Sometimes, even if what He promises is good, we may struggle because it takes so long to come about. Remain faithful. Hold on to your hope in what the LORD has told you. Be patient, even when it is hard.

Jeremiah 39

Jerusalem Captured

      1Now when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it; 2in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached. 3Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. 4When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward the Arabah. 5But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. 6Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slew all the nobles of Judah. 7He then blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon. 8The Chaldeans also burned with fire the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem. 9As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had gone over to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carried them into exile in Babylon. 10But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.


Jeremiah Spared

      11Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, 12“Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.” 13So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the Rab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon; 14they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.

      15Now the word of the LORD had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, 16“Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day. 17“But I will deliver you on that day,” declares the LORD, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread. 18“For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the LORD.’”

We can be sure that the best course of action is to trust in the LORD, even when it seems hard. Take a moment to praise Him for being so trustworthy! Find your rest in God and keep pursuing what He tells you to do.

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.

Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Slow to Anger

Sometimes and Angry Response Is Appropriate

There is certainly such a thing as righteous anger. Jesus demonstrates it when He comes to the temple and encounters many money changers who are more interested in having a market place than a place of worship. We can further infer from Jesus’ comments, and basic marketing principles, that the prices were high based on the advantage of selling at a good location. Just think about how much a bottle of water cost at a theme park compared to a grocery store. Location of the sale counts.

Jesus was not pleased. In fact, He was downright angry. And He was not wrong to be angry.

Mark 11:15-18

      15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” 18The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Jesus shows us that things that dishonor God should make us angry and that should lead us to taking action. We are not to just accept all manner of sin and rebellion to God with a peaceful attitude. Sometimes we are to confront sin boldly. We can be wise about how we do so, of course, but we should not just keep accepting more and more affront to God in our society.

Let’s think back even on the last few decades.

We used to have stores widely closed on Sunday as people made an effort to honor Sabbath. Greed and convenience have eroded that to where only a few stores still close.

Not too many decades ago, divorce was something to feel perhaps almost ashamed of. Now, many just accept it as part of life.

Abortion used to be recognized as murder… killing a helpless baby inside the mom’s womb. Now it is largely accepted by half the population as just a way of conducting birth control and family planning.

Sex outside marriage was properly identified as sin, but increasingly it is viewed as acceptable behavior.

Look around and you will see many examples of gluttony as we live in an largely overweight society. Yet there is supposed to be no shame or rebuke in it. We are to accept everyone’s behavior no matter what the results or how it compares to God.

Now many even in churches claim that God has changed His mind on homosexuality and it is now ok because some judges said so.

Thou shall not covet… name brand marketing feasts on covetousness and jealousy. People seek status through things even while they can not afford to wisely buy them.

And on… and on… and on…

Yes… there are times where those who truly follow Christ need to rise up and together and lawfully challenge the moral decay eroding our society. We need to get angry and take action. We need to fight for society to accept and recognize the critical role that Christian values play and have played in establishing the core of our nation.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to not just accept behavior that is offensive to You. Let me feel a righteous anger to help motivate me to action that may help address the situation. Help me also not to have anger at other things that I should not. I do not want to just be angry at everything that upsets me but really at those things that You want me to reject. Amen.

Shalom

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.

Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

Wisdom Excels Folly, But Neither Endures

As we try to find satisfaction and purpose in our own wisdom or accomplishments, we will be disappointed, if we truly are wise enough to reflect on what is lasting instead of what is temporary. If something we do or build lasts even 50 years, it will still be gone at some point and later forgotten. Even if we are remembered by men for a while, does that bring any real meaning?

Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

Wisdom Excels Folly

     12So I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly; for what will the man do who will come after the king except what has already been done? 13And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I know that one fate befalls them both. 15Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” 16For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise man as with the fool, inasmuch as in the coming days all will be forgotten. And how the wise man and the fool alike die! 17So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind.

Indeed wisdom is greater than folly, but only for awhile. They both end in the same way eventually. Only in submission to and pursuit of YHWH and his purpose and his glory will we find true and lasting fulfillment.

—-

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.

Faith / Trusting God, Money / Finances / Wealth, Psalms

In God We Trust Indeed… Not In Money (Psalm 49)

It is far too common that we trust more in our money than in our Creator. Money in the bank helps us feel secure. High salaries help us feel confident and self-sufficient. We must be cautious to use money righteously, as a tool, but to trust only in our Father in heaven.

Psalm 49

The Folly of Trusting in Riches.

For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

     1Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

      2Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.

      3My mouth will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

      4I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will express my riddle on the harp.

      5Why should I fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

      6Even those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?

      7No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him—

      8For the redemption of his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever—

      9That he should live on eternally,
That he should not undergo decay.

      10For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others.

      11Their inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names.

      12But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish.

      13This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who approve their words.

Selah.

      14As sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for Sheol to consume
So that they have no habitation.

      15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me.

Selah.

      16Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased;

      17For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His glory will not descend after him.

      18Though while he lives he congratulates himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—

      19He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see the light.

      20Man in his pomp, yet without understanding,
Is like the beasts that perish.

We all perish. Money will then be worthless, even if we managed to accumulate a bunch of it. Money can not help us enter into the kingdom of heaven. Put your trust in Yahweh. Money is but a tool He can use to bless us or a trap Satan can use to tempt 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Learning To Pray Effectively

Believe You Have Received What You Ask For: The Withered Fig Tree

How to approach prayer can  be simple or we can often overthink it as well and it can seem complicated. There is not some magic formula by which we control God’s power without Him. He is still in control. However, He does encourage us in how to pray.

In Mark 11, Jesus emphasizes the importance of us believing we have received what we pray and ask for. This is important. However, also remember, Jesus prayed for the cup of suffering to be taken from Him in the Garden of Gethsemane and God did not grant Him that prayer. Sometimes the answer may still be “no”.

However, we should still heed the instruction Jesus gives in Mark 11 to believe in what we pray for, that it has been given to us.

Mark 11:11-14 and 19-26

    11Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

      12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

—

      19When evening came, they would go out of the city.

      20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. 25“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26[“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

We don’t have to fully understand everything that may appear to have some contradiction in order to obey God’s instructions. Walk in faith even if you don’t fully understand it. Ask God to help you to believe you have received what you ask for in prayer.

Also, don’t overlook the emphasis Jesus puts on forgiveness when we pray in verses 25-26.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for your hand of blessing and for answering my prayers. Help me in any unbelief I may be struggling. Help me to believe you will deliver those things for which I pray and ask.  Amen. 

Shalom

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.

Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Hypocrisy, Justice / Judgment, Miracles, Miracles, Rebuke Wrong Behavior

Bear Fruit for God’s Kingdom: The Withered Fig Tree

Why did Yeshua wither the fig tree we read about in Mark 11? Is it true He destroyed the tree for not having fruit, even though it was not yet season for figs… didn’t He know? Was He just hungry and did He get angry?

No, He did not destroy the tree out of anger. I believe Yeshua was making a more important point and using the tree as a symbol, or parable.  We must study in the context of what was going on around this activity and understand a bit more about fig trees as well.

For fig trees, the leaves do not precede the fruit. So the fact that the tree was in leaf, meant it should have had fruit.. regardless of the early time in the season (For more, read fruitless fig tree – Ligonier Ministries). The tree represents the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders and nation at large. They give a good appearance from a distance that they are obeying and following God… you can see the leaves from afar. However, when you inspect closer, you find that there was no fruit. It was hypocrisy. A nation that claimed to serve God but failed to produce real fruit of His kingdom at that time. Yeshua destroyed it as an example of what was to come to the Jewish people.

Mark 11:11-14

    11Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

      12On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

Jesus Drives Money Changers from the Temple

      15Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.” 18The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

      19When evening came, they would go out of the city.

      20As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you. 25“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26[“But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”]

There are still many churches and people who claim to follow Christ today, that bear no fruit. They are hypocrites, claiming the name of God, but serving Him not. They look good from afar, but bear no fruit when you inspect closer. Look around not only at others near you or at your church, but also at your own life. Try to look objectively for evidence of the fruit that should be evident in your life. There should be data or evidence of your faith in following Jesus. Pray for God to speak to you and show you with open eyes whether or not you are bearing fruit for His kingdom.

Do not be satisfied to look good but bear no fruit… like the fig tree. Yeshua was not impressed.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to do more than look good from a distance. Help my life bear fruit for You and Your glory that can lead others to You. Help me to live a life pleasing to You. Amen. 

Shalom

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.

Evidence in Scripture, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness

Are You Living Like Jesus Truly Is Immanuel… God With Us!

Yeshua is more than just a good teacher. Many try to dismiss Him or explain Him away as just that. As He entered Jerusalem just a short while before He would be crucified, it was quite an event.

At least two aspects stand out to me in regards to demonstration that He was more than just a teacher. First, Yeshua prophetically anticipates great detail around the mission He sends His disciples on to get a colt on which He is to ride. The second is more subtle. As He enters Jerusalem, many people were gathered to watch Him. He was the center of attention. Not many days later, Jesus would suffer and die publicly by crucifixion. The crowds would certainly have recognized it if anyone other than Jesus, Himself, was crucified in His place. Further, on the third day after that, Jesus would rise from the dead and walk amongst the people again for 40 days. With so many witnesses, and such a public and recognizable figure, and so little time passed between His entry to Jerusalem and His death and resurrection… there is not way to deny that it was Jesus who was crucified and Jesus who rose from the dead afterwards to continue teaching and leading the people. There could have been no substitute made.

Mark 11:1-11

The Triumphal Entry

      1As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, 2and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 3“If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.” 4They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

9Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:
“Hosanna!
BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

      10Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;
Hosanna in the highest!”

      11Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

Even in this one short scripture, there is strong evidence that Jesus was God among us, not just a teacher. He performed miracles and overcame death before large public audiences.  For those who claim He is something else, they neglect or dismiss the evidence routinely.

With that in mind, let us ask ourselves thoughtfully and prayerfully…
“Are we living like we believe Jesus is God? How do we spend our time, money, and talent? How do I treat others?”

If you were to keep track and make a chart of where you spend your time and money, what would it tell you objectively, based on data? If you could honestly characterize your interactions with others, how often would your attention be focused on selfish desires compared to selfless ones focused on others?

It is easy for each of us to say we follow Yeshua, but could you look at the data and actually prove it beyond a reasonable doubt?

James 2:14-26

      14What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

      18But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God. 24You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to fully embrace You as Messiah and live my life as an offering to You. Help my life be a witness to bring others to You and show them Your glory rather than just living for me. Amen. 

Shalom

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.