Category Archives: Sin

Compassion, Compassionate, Humility, Love, Loving / Kind, Pride, Selfishness

Regard Others as More Important than Yourself, in Humility and Love

Yeshua set a powerful example of humility and love for others. Let us follow in His example. Read and reflect on the words in Phil 2.

Philippians 2:1-11

Be Like Christ

     1Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

As you read and reflect on this scripture, ask yourself the following. How do you measure up? What changes do you need to make?

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.

Submitted / Servant, Unteachable / Foolish, Wise

You Will Not Find Lasting Fulfillment In Work Alone

Ecclesiastes is written with a theme throughout the book of seeking lasting fulfillment. Solomon seeks it in many different areas. Ultimately he concludes that nothing provides this lasting fulfillment except seeking and obeying YHWH.

We may work hard, and accomplish things and accumulate wealth and enjoy it for a time, but it will not last. We will ultimately leave it to another and go to face our Father. Labor may bring happiness and satisfaction for a time, but can not replace the purpose of the Father in our life. This does not mean that hard work is bad in itself. It is not. But do not seek your total fulfillment in it, but rather in YHWH.

Ecclesiastes 2:18-26

The Futility of Labor

     18Thus I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. 20Therefore I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. 21When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. 22For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? 23Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity.

      24There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. 25For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? 26For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

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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.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Father / Yahweh, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Psalms, Salvation

God Is Both Judge and Salvation

God judges those who fail to follow His commands to hold them accountable but shows salvation to those who order their steps according to His ways with thanksgiving!

Prayerfully reflect… which are you?

Psalm 50

God the Judge of the Righteous and the Wicked.

A Psalm of Asaph.

1The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken,
And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.

      2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone forth.

      3May our God come and not keep silence;
Fire devours before Him,
And it is very tempestuous around Him.

      4He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:

      5“Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”

      6And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge.

Selah.

      7“Hear, O My people, and I will speak;
O Israel, I will testify against you;
I am God, your God.

      8“I do not reprove you for your sacrifices,
And your burnt offerings are continually before Me.

      9“I shall take no young bull out of your house
Nor male goats out of your folds.

      10“For every beast of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.

      11“I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

      12“If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the world is Mine, and all it contains.

      13“Shall I eat the flesh of bulls
Or drink the blood of male goats?

      14“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;

      15Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”

      16But to the wicked God says,
“What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth?

      17“For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.

      18“When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.

      19“You let your mouth loose in evil
And your tongue frames deceit.

      20“You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.

      21“These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you;
I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

      22“Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.

      23“He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright
I shall show the salvation of God.”

God judges those who fail to follow His commands to hold them accountable but shows salvation to those who order their steps according to His ways with thanksgiving!

Prayerfully reflect… which are you?

If you don’t like the answer, turn to Him more today! He is always ready to receive us.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, False Prophets / Teachers, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Selfishness, Share the Good News, Strife, Study the Word, Thankfulness

Rejoice When the Gospel Is Preached

Ask the Spirit to help you share with boldness the truth of Christ. Give thanks for those who bring the truth of God’s word to people. Recognize, however, that there are many who teach it from false motives and sadly, many of them do not preach it in truth, but rather tell people what they want to hear.  Test everything you hear against the truth of scripture and keep that which is good and true.

Philippians 1:12-20

The Gospel Is Preached

     12Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will rejoice, 19for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Rejoice that the gospel is preached. Pray for discernment in understanding the truth of the gospel. Do not just accept whatever is said about Christ, but test everything against the Bible. False teaching tickles the ears but leads people away from Christ, all the while they believe they are following Him.  Pray for the Spirit to be with those who share the gospel and give them wisdom and discernment and boldness and courage. Pray for Yeshua to be shared with the world boldly and truthfully, without filtering the message for fear of offending people with truth. Pray that the Lord would use even our personal suffering to His glory and the glory of the gospel of 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.

All Knowing, False Prophets / Teachers, Hypocrisy

You Can’t Fool Jesus By “Looking Good” In Your Faith

Context is very important in understanding scripture properly. We must be careful to understand the context of verses we read and seek to understand in order to properly apply them.

Take time to review the whole context of Mark 11. Jesus had just entered Jerusalem to much fanfare and attention. It was approaching the last week of His earthly ministry. He confronted the hypocrisy at the temple whereby the place of worship had been turned into a “robber’s den”. He turned the tables of the money changers. He used a fig tree to demonstrate to His disciples the hypocrisy of the Jews who claim to serve God and put on a good appearance externally, but who bear no fruit. The punishment for claiming God by name and rejecting Him in action, as demonstrated by Jesus’ treatment of the fig tree, was direct and tangible. He withered the tree.

With that as a backdrop, Jesus and His disciples came again to Jerusalem and received some questions from the chief hypocrites… I mean priests. Their inquiry was not a genuine effort to understand Jesus. Mark 11:18 already indicates they were plotting to destroy Jesus… and Jesus knows it.   

Mark 11:27-33

Jesus’ Authority Questioned

      27They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” 29And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30“Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” 31They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32“But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. 33Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Jesus has little time or empathy for hypocrites who claim God, but reject Him and do their own thing. He knows the people asking the question are just trying to trap Him. He treats them accordingly. He quickly turns the tables on them and sets His own trap. They refuse to answer, and so does He. Checkmate.

What does this mean for you and me? Jesus can see right through us when we claim to honor Him with our lips but reject Him with our attitudes and actions. He is not fooled as we can sometimes fool other people or even ourselves. Instead of trying to “look good” in our faith and still live how we want to, let us seek to genuinely and wholeheartedly sacrifice our desires to the service of our Lord and Creator. Let us ask for His help and then genuinely turn away from our plans and yield ourselves to the walk that Jesus calls us to live in following Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me not to try to fool You. I may fool myself, but never You. Help me to be fully honest and transparent with You. You know everything already anyway. Help me to embrace Your authority and accept Your rebuke without challenging it. Let it guide me to draw closer to You. Amen. 

 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.

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.

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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.

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.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God

Refusing to Listen to God Does Not Change the Truth About What He Is Telling Us

Sometimes we want to reject what God is telling us because we don’t like the message. It does not fit with what we want or what we believe. We have a tendency to look away from, mock, or dismiss the instructions and guidance from God for our lives.

As we see in Jeremiah, ignoring or rejecting God’s word does not change the truth of the message! If we reject what God is calling us to do or how He is calling us to live, it is a bit like a small child who does not want to hear something. Sticking our fingers in our ears to block out the sound will not change the reality of what will happen or what instructions we receive. It only keeps us from listening to and heeding the instructions that may help us stay out of trouble!

Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

      1In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2“Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. 3“Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

      4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which He had spoken to him. 5Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the LORD. 6“So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation the words of the LORD to the people in the LORD’S house on a fast day. And also you shall read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities. 7“Perhaps their supplication will come before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.” 8Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’S house.

      9Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD. 10Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’S house, to all the people.

      11Now when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the LORD from the book, 12he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. 14Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them. 15They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them. 16When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely report all these words to the king.” 17And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?” 18Then Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

The Scroll Is Burned

      20So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. 21Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. 22Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments. 25Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

      27Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28“Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29“And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’” 30‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31“I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.”’”

      32Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

We will not all be so dramatic and obvious as burning a scroll written by a prophet. However, ask God to show you where you are rejecting his instruction in your life. Are there any areas or any specific direction you are not submitting to Him? Ask for His help to yield completely to Him in all areas and all instruction He provides, even when it is something you don’t want to hear!

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.

Blessed, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Obeying God

Obedience or Disobedience (to God), Which Will You Choose?

God is pleased when we obey Him. He is not pleased when He repeatedly sends messengers that are ignored or rejected. He wants us as His people to obey His instructions and draw near to Him.

There are consequences both for obedience and for disobedience. Which will you choose?

Jeremiah 35

The Rechabites’ Obedience

      1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2“Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” 6But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7‘You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ 8“We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, 9nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. 10“We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11“But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

      12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 13“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the LORD. 14“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. 15“Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16‘Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17“Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

      18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”’”

We each have a choice to make about how completely we will submit to and pursue God and live according to His ways. Often we may not realize it, but there is farther He wants us to go in obeying Him. Keep a humble heart and a willing mind and a teachable spirit. Study His word and apply it in your life. Ask God to show you where there is more for you to do in pursuing Him.

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.