October 3rd readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Jeremiah 1:1-2:30 ~ Philippians 4:1-23
Psalm 75:1-10 ~ Proverbs 24:17-20

Old Testament - Today we begin the book of the prophet Jeremiah!  Below is a painting from the year 1630 titled "Jeremiah Laments the Devastation of Jerusalem" by the famous artist Rembrandt.  This painting can be viewed in person in Amsterdam at the Rijksmuseum.

~ Jeremiah ~
Author: Jeremiah
Date: Sixth century B.C.
Content: Jeremiah’s life covered the last forty years of Judah’s existence. The burden of his message was for God’s people to accept the judgment of God so that a new beginning could be made. He lived through the invasions by the Babylonian armies, the deportations of his people by the enemy, the slaughter of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the Temple of God. He warned the people concerning these events, pleading with them to turn from their sins, but to no avail. He received only scorn and persecution. Jeremiah’s life is described in some detail, thus making him the best known of the Old Testament prophets.
Theme: In the crisis days during which Jeremiah lived, he had but one message for the people: Repent and turn to God. All false hopes must be abandoned and God must be given his rightful place in the nation. Nothing can save the people – neither their wealth, their armies, their diplomats, nor even their religion – only God can save. The destruction of Jerusalem stands as a memorial for all time that when a nation rejects God, the inevitable result will be ruin. Jeremiah also has a message of hope. Although Judah had abandoned God, God had not abandoned them and would once again show himself mightily on their behalf. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” p. 13)

A great commentary on the book of Jeremiah by Donald Curtis is at this link.  Below is another painting of the prophet Jeremiah.  This one is by Michelangelo from the years 1509-1512 and is in the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Today in Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 26 we read this sad statement - "Like a thief, Israel feels shame only when she gets caught. Kings, officials, priests, and prophets--all are alike in this."  How about us in our lives today?  Do we only feel shame when we get caught?  Do we realize that God knows exactly what we are doing even if we think we might be doing something in "secret"?  Do we realize there are absolutely no secrets with God?

New Testament - Wow... so many great teachings from Paul here today as we close out his letter to the church in Philippi.  Paul's letter to the church in Colosse begins in our readings tomorrow!  I love Philippians chapter 4 verse 4 today - "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice!"  How does this verse speak to you?  Are you full of joy in the Lord right now?  Are you always full of joy in the Lord?  Why or why not?  Do you think Paul's teaching here is correct - should we always be full of joy in the Lord?  Let us rejoice!

Verses 6 & 7 are so very powerful for each of us to truly learn and put into practice in our lives today - "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Do you worry?  Why does Paul tell us not to worry about anything?  What did Jesus say to us about worrying in the Sermon on the Mount?  What does Paul tell us to do instead of worrying?  Pray.  This is a powerful powerful thought!  Think about this the next time you catch yourself worrying.  You know that when you worry you are wasting energy and time.  So, why not follow Paul's simple instructions here - when you catch yourself worrying, start praying.  Really.  Don't give one more minute or one more ounce of your energy to worrying.  When you find yourself worrying, get down on your knees and pray!  Tell God what you need - AND thank him for all he has done.  Sure, it may be tough to thank God at your moment of worrying, but you should do so, in addition to telling him what you need.  We should always thank God.  And then... here's the beauty.... you will experience God's peace!  His peace will guard your heart and mind as you live in Jesus!  Let us each stop worrying and start praying!  Actually... while I'm already down this path, think about this.  Do you think that you spend more time each day worrying or praying?  Really, think about this.  How many minutes a day would you say that you worry?  And how many minutes a day would you say you pray?  My hunch is that worrying takes up far more minutes...  I know this is the case in my life.  Look at how we are wasting precious time on worrying!  We don't have that kind of time folks.  Let us pray!

And finally Philippians chapter 4 verses 8 and 9, below, are so beautiful.   What type of things do you think about typically?  Do you typically think about what is true and honorable and right?  Do you often think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable?  Do you think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise?  Or are you filling your mind with other thoughts?  Thoughts that, like worry, are a complete waste of your precious time here on this earth?  Will you instead put into practice Paul's teachings below - and the teachings you have received this year from the One Year Bible - and allow the peace of God to be with you?

Psalms - Psalm 75 verse 7 is so powerful and so true... I need to hear this over and over again - "It is God alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall."  You and I do not judge.  Well, we might try to judge, but it's all in vain if we attempt to do so.  And we risk turning judgment onto ourselves when we judge others.  God alone judges.  God alones decides who will rise and who will fall.  We do not.  God is God.  We are not.  This is a very good thing to always remember...

Proverbs - Today in Proverbs chapter 24 verses 17 & 18 we read – “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.” This is a powerful Proverb and reminds me that Jesus took this Proverb one step further in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5. This Proverb says “do not gloat when your enemy falls.” This in and of itself may be a hard teaching in our lives. Well, let us also recall Jesus’ teaching in Matthew chapter 5 verses 44 and 45 – “I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” Jesus tells us to actually love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us! How’s that for a hard teaching? But. . . a beautiful teaching. A True teaching. A teaching we must put into practice in our lives. So, yes, let us not gloat or rejoice when our enemy falls. But more than that, let us love and pray for our enemies. Why? Perhaps through love and prayer they will one day not be enemies, but brothers and sisters? How are you doing with these teachings in your life? Do you have any enemies in your life? Are you not gloating or rejoicing when they fall? Are you literally praying for and loving your enemies today? Why would this be a holy thing to put into practice in your life?

What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up in the Comments section below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Vance Brown]

JEREMIAH 1
5
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world."

JEREMIAH 2
13
For my people have done two evil things: They have forsaken me--the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!
19
Your own wickedness will punish you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to forsake the LORD your God, having no fear of him. I, the Lord, the LORD Almighty, have spoken!
20
Long ago I broke your yoke and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you would not obey me. On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.

PHILIPPIANS 4
4
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again--rejoice! 5Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
13
For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

NOTE:
The way we have THE JOY OF THE LORD is through: INTIMACY AND OBEDIENCE. Obviously, obedience, by itself, is not enough. For if we could be made righteous and pleasing to the Father through our “good works” without Jesus, we would have been.

INTIMACY AND OBEDIENCE are the keys! This verse really jumped out to me yesterday in cell group:

HEBREWS 10 (Amplified)
16
This is the agreement (testament, covenant) that I will set up and conclude with them after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds (on their inmost thoughts and understanding),

This verse quotes from Jeremiah 31:33 and 34.

If we deliberately disobey God, we experience what I quoted above in Jeremiah 1 and 2. Though God imprints within our being a particular calling from birth (like Jeremiah) we are in danger of falling from our calling and we jump into hardness of heart and sinful brokenness. This is different from godly sorrow and brokenness which leads us to repentance, which leaves no regret. Worldly brokenness (because of sin NOT repented of) only brings heartache and sorrow.

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS IN INTIMACY AND OBEDIENCE !

Notice:

“This is the agreement (testament, covenant)… says the Lord:
a. I will imprint My laws upon their hearts
b. I will inscribe them on their minds (on their inmost thoughts and understanding)…”

We need to study God’s Word. But, we need to give ourselves to the Father and the Holy Spirit in the Name Lord Jesus, asking the Spirit to imprint His Word upon our hearts.

Personal relationship with the Lord Jesus in Holy Spirit establishing us in God’s Word.

Then we will know the joy of the Lord—of finding and fulfilling the purpose for our lives—as we discern the voice of the Lord in very personal ways. How? Because we will know the voice of the Lord Jesus because we have yielded ourselves to Him and listened to Him as He taught us His Word!

THANK GOD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TAUGHT BY THE LORD HIMSELF… HIS WORD!

THIS IS confirmed in the next verse in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 31 (Amplified)
34
And they will no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, FOR THEY WILL ALL KNOW ME [RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND, AND BE ACQUAINTED WITH ME]

Vance

[CB]

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

In today's reading, I discovered a hidden gem in Phil. 4:6. I've read this verse many times, but I overlooked one key phrase, "...with thanksgiving." God want us to submit our worries and concerns to him, but he wants us to do it with a heart of thanksgiving. This verse commands us to start thanking him, in advance, knowing he will answer us according to his perfect will. Wow...what a concept!

[Ramona]

Jeremiah 1:1-2:30

Jeremiah is such an intense book and one I can relate too. Here we have a man who loves his country and countrymen but God gives him an assignment to deliver a harsh message to the people he loves, judgment. All truth is confrontational and Jeremiah has been called before the foundation of the world to deliver this confrontational message. If we desire to be used by God according to what He has purposed within us, we will have on-the-job confrontations.

One of the things I have taken note of is the consequence of sin. Reaping and sowing, cause and effect, which is one of the laws God has set in place upon the earth so sin, just like righteousness, has its own rewards.

This is what the Lord says: "What possible fault could your ancestors have found in me that they strayed so far from me? They paid allegiance to worthless idols, and so became worthless to me. .. Your prophets prophesied in the name of the god Baal. All your leaders worshiped idols that could not help them…. "… my people have committed a double wrong: they have left me, the fountain of life-giving water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns which cannot even hold water." … You brought it about by leaving the Lord your God, even while he was leading you along the way.
(Jer 2:5-17 NET.)

We would only be fooling ourselves and in deep deception if we think this Word is only for “those back there in Israel” No, this Word is for us today because God’s Word, like Him has no beginning nor ending. And it would behoove us to remember this Word was given to Jeremiah by God to speak to “Church folk.”

Philippians 4:1-23
6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

In Paul’s letter to Ephesians, in the six chapter, Paul lists the Spiritual Armor we should always cloth ourselves with. Do we really know what the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit, etc, are. Do we know what they are analogous too? Or do we just recite the pieces and say “That’s nice.”

Too often I find myself giving mental assent to what the text is saying, yet I don’t really have a “clue” of what is being said or one iota of understanding of how the text relates to my life, much less understand how to apply the text. But I had the light turned on today in understanding what the “Helmet of Salvation” really is. (Eph 6:17). The soldiers’ helmet protects the head and thus the brain, where our thought processes take place. This spiritual helmet is the Peace of God that guards and blocks every thought that is not of God. It is the peace of God that makes up the helmet and that protects my thoughts and guards all that has been transformed by my renewed mind. (Romans 12:2)

Psalm 75:1-10

2
God says, "At the time I have planned,
I will bring justice against the wicked.

For all of us that try to sneak in our licks against those who have wronged us, this second verse should stop us in our tracks. If it is not God’s time, we will never be successful in extracting our pound of flesh; besides we would be stealing from God. (Rom 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God's wrath, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," says the Lord.)

Proverbs 24:17-20

Enemies and the wicked, God has given us guidelines to follow in dealing with them that are difficult to follow in the flesh. But in the Spirit, all things are possible. The downfall of our enemies and the seemingly prosperity of the wicked should drive us to the throne of God when we are tempted to celebrate our enemies downfall or when we desire the putrid and decaying fruit of the wicked.

Grace and peace,
Ramona