October 7th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
Jeremiah 8:8-9:26 ~ Colossians 3:1-17
Psalm 78:32-55 ~ Proverbs 24:27

Old Testament - Jeremiah chapter 9 verses 23 & 24 stood out to me today - "This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man gloat in his wisdom, or the mighty man in his might, or the rich man in his riches. Let them boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who is just and righteous, whose love is unfailing, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!"  Think God is serious when he follows something he says with "I, the LORD, have spoken!"?  Do we ever gloat in our wisdom?  Gloat in our might?  Gloat in our riches?  Instead, have you ever boasted that you truly know God and understand that God is just and righteous?  Do you believe that God's love is unfailing?

I am enjoying watching for the interplay between when God is speaking and when Jeremiah is speaking in our readings.  Basically you typically just have to watch for quotation marks at the beginning of a paragraph to see that God is speaking.  If there are not quotation marks, it is likely Jeremiah speaking.  At the end of chapter 8 and in the beginning of chapter 9 we read these words of Jeremiah's as he weeps for Jerusalem - and we hear from the people and God briefly too.  It is a poetic interplay of dialogue between all three in chapter 8 verse 18 through chapter 9 verse 2 - starting with words from Jeremiah: "My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken. Listen to the weeping of my people; it can be heard all across the land. "Has the LORD abandoned Jerusalem?" the people ask. "Is her King no longer there?" "Oh, why have they angered me with their carved idols and worthless gods?" asks the LORD. "The harvest is finished, and the summer is gone," the people cry, "yet we are not saved!"  I weep for the hurt of my people. I am stunned and silent, mute with grief. Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is there no healing for the wounds of my people? Oh, that my eyes were a fountain of tears; I would weep forever! I would sob day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered. Oh, that I could go away and forget them and live in a shack in the desert, for they are all adulterous and treacherous."

New Testament - Today in Colossians chapter 3, we read about “Rules for Holy Living.” In verses 12 through 14, we read: “Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” How are you doing on each of these virtues in your life today - Compassion? Kindness? Humility? Gentleness? Patience? Forgiveness? Love? Do you think you can do each of these well using just your own will power? Or, do regularly pray to Jesus to give you these virtues within your heart and to bring them to fruition in your life? Can you allow love to lead within you? Will you allow Jesus to lead you?

Psalms - Psalm 78 verses 41 & 42 stood out to me today - "Again and again they tested God's patience and frustrated the Holy One of Israel. They forgot about his power and how he rescued them from their enemies."  I am continually amazed at how similar we are today to the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert.  I am sure that we can on occasion test God's patience and frustrate him.  I would also venture a pretty good guess that many of us forget about God's power.  And forget how God rescued us from our enemies - and continues to rescue us daily.  How about you - do you ever forget about God's power?  Do you ever forget about how he has rescued you?   What can we do to help ourselves remember?  How do we stop testing God's patience and forgetting about Him?

Proverbs - Proverbs 24 verse 27 is quite practical - "Develop your business first before building your house."  I have to admit that I'm getting a bit stumped by our Proverbs lately.  Maybe I'm looking for deeper religious insights in the Proverbs of late, than is really there.  This one may simply mean - don't buy/build a house until you know where your source of income is coming from.  Develop your busines / job first.  Makes sense...  Anyone got anything deeper on this Proverb?  :)

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

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Michael Miller]

Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

[Ramona]

[Put first things first.] Prepare your work outside and get it ready for yourself in the field; and afterward build your house and establish a home.
(Pro 24:27 AMP)

Mike I think this is one of those common sense Proverbs that countless people, Believers and Non-Believers, have no clue regarding its meaning. Some of us would say, “Well, duh-you can’t do it any other way.” Remember, common sense is not so common.

You would be very surprised just how many people don’t get it! I didn’t get this Proverb for a while until about the last year I was in College (89/90) when one day it exploded in my spirit and I realized that it was the clear answer and rebuke to all those who knew me while I was on welfare, family and friends(?), or should I saw acquaintances. They at first mocked me when I began going to school (College), “Look at how old you are why do you want to go to school? How old will you be when you finish?” When my graduation was in sight, maintaining a 3.7 GPA through my journey, they then felt free to tell me how I should spend my money when I became employed which was 99.9% on things that would benefit them.

The Holy Spirit kept this Proverb ever in my thoughts and I did not know why I could not get it out of my head. Although one can mentally assent to certain concepts that make good sense, pressure, especially family and or peer pressure can obscure common sense in such a way that behavior belies one’s thoughts and knowledge. A revelation of this Proverb saved me from serving the dictates of others despite the anger that followed when I rejected their multitude of financial proposals.

Hope this was helpful.

[Vance Brown]

Colossians 3:12 – 14:
“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Notice the choice – action verbs in the verses above: “…CLOTHE yourselves…BEAR WITH each other and FORGIVE WHATEVER grievances…FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU…over all these virtues PUT ON love…”

I am reading a book by Dr. Gary Smalley entitled, “The DNA of Relationships: Discover How You are Designed for Satisfying Relationships”. This is an excellent book. Here is a short quote.

~~~~

1. The external problem is rarely the problem. What we think is the problem—finances, the other person-is not the core problem.
2. The core problem is our fear. The problem in nearly every conflict is that the something touches each person’s core fear. We wrestle with a core fear.
3. Each of us is involved in a Fear Dance. Triggered by a core fear, we get stuck in a destructive Fear Dance that involves our hurts, wants, fears, and reactions.
4. We can break the rhythm of the Fear Dance. By identifying our core fears and by understanding that the other person isn’t the problem, we can begin to learn new dance steps to healthier relationships….

1. Take control of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. You are part of the picture in every relationship, in every Fear Dance. You can choose to do something. Remember that your thoughts determine your feelings and actions.
2. Take responsibility for your buttons. You have a choice about how you react when someone pushes your fear button. No one controls how you react. You alone do that. You are in charge of your buttons.
3. Don’t give others the power to control your feelings. Focus on the right person. Personal responsibility means refusing to focus on what the other person has done. The only person you can change is yourself.
4. Don’t look to others to make you happy.
5. Become the CEO of your life. You can’t force people to meet your needs, but when you express legitimate needs to others, they can choose to step in to assist you.
6. Forgiveness heals relationships. Taking personal responsibility means you confess your wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. You also forgive others.

~~~~

All I have to say, as I work out my salvation with fear and trembling, is AMEN !!

Proverbs 24
27 "Develop your business first before building your house."

It seems that there is a very simple and clear message here—a simple message that is very profound. The message is don’t buy quickly without having the financial foundation to pay for it. People who are “impulse” buyers always buy because it “makes them feel good” so that “all is right with the world” because of their purchase.

Do not do that. Build a strategy to have money and to save money. Then, money can be spent with true wisdom, joy, and freedom. BEST OF ALL THERE IS NO CREDIT CARD DEBT !

Vance