Jeremiah 44:24-47:7 ~ 2 Timothy 2:22-3:17 ~ Psalm 94:1-23 ~ Proverbs 26:6-8
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Old Testament - Jeremiah 44:28 stood out to me in today's readings: ""Only a small number will escape death and return to Judah from Egypt." This verse reminds me that God is continuing to preserve the line - the house of David. God will destroy most of the Israelites in Egypt for their unfaithfulness & idol worship, but he will preserve a remnant! We see this over and over in the Bible - even Noah & the flood comes to mind, pre-David of course. Verses 29 and 30 in this chapter continues: "And this is the proof I give you, says the LORD, that all I have threatened will happen to you and that I will punish you here: I will turn Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, over to his enemies who want to kill him, just as I turned King Zedekiah of Judah over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I, the LORD, have spoken!" Based on these verses, below is an image of Pharaoh-Hophra taken prisoner in the war with Amasis:

Jeremiah 45 is a short chapter. Baruch is the person who has basically written this book of Jeremiah. He was Jeremiah's secretary and wrote down everything. However, apparently being secretary for a prophet is a high stress job too. Baruch is sounding a bit burdened in this chapter... To which God gives him words of comfort, along with a brief warning in verse 5 - "Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don't do it!" Are we seeking great things for ourselves? Should we do it.... ? Whom should we be seeking great things for? Why do we seek great things for our own selves? Why do we sometimes even walk over others to try to prove our "greatness".... ? Think God likes to see this type of behavior from us?

Jeremiah chapter 46 starts about 6 chapters of prophecies against various nations. Starting with Egypt in 46 and Philistine in 47 today. In chapter 46 verses 3 through 5 today we read: ""Buckle on your armor and advance into battle! Harness the horses, and prepare to mount them. Put on your helmets, sharpen your spears, and prepare your armor. But look! The Egyptian army flees in terror. The bravest of its fighting men run without a backward glance. They are terrorized at every turn, says the LORD."

New Testament - Second Timothy chapter 2 verse 22 is so very true: "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. " Notice that first word - Run. Flee. Go the other way. U-turn. Don't hang around. Run. Do you run from things that stimulate lust in your life? Do you really Run? How fast?

Verse 22 continues on with some encouraging words - "Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." I like that - pursue faith. Pursue love. Pursue peace. And - "enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." I do pray you have some relationships like this in your life? They can provide you such great rest and rejuvenation. A small group in your church may be a great way to find these types of relationships if you don't have them currently. Community can be messy & tough & scary at times - but it's so worth it! Please pursue community with other believers. And please do continue to have relationships with others who may not be believers in your life too. Be cautious in that sometimes those old relationships can bring us down or pull us back to old habits if we are not careful. That is why we most definitely need to have a community of those who call on the Lord in our lives as well. In community, let us pursue faith! Pursue love! Pursue peace! With pure hearts!

2 Timothy 3:1-5 are 5 powerful verses that deserve to be meditated upon by each of us: "You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that." How do these teachings of Paul resonate with you? Do you see parallels in today's modern world with these teachings? Are there some people in your life today that you should literally stay away from?

Okay, and then verses 16 and 17 just make One Year Bible bloggers like myself smile.... :) "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do." Do you believe these verses to be true? Do you believe that Scripture is inspired by God? And useful to teach us what is true? And make us realize what is wrong in our lives? Is God's Word fully equipping you for every good thing God wants you to do?

Psalms - Psalm 94 verse 14 is fantastic today - "The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his own special possession." I love this thought - that God will not reject us. He will not abandon us. We are his own special possession. Do you believe that you are God's own special possession?

Bible.org has a wonderful commentary on Psalm 94 titled "The Psalmist Speaks When Society Sins" at this link.
Proverbs - Proverbs 26 verse 7 is powerful for us to consider: "In the mouth of a fool, a proverb becomes as limp as a paralyzed leg." This makes me realize that sometimes the messenger can be as important as the message... If we are messengers in some sort of way for God - by how we live our lives, love others, serve others, etc. - how are we doing? Are we worthy messengers? Or are we diluting the message in some ways? Ultimately God's Word and message will proceed forward with or without us. But it's obviously such a blessing for us to be part of God's message - participating in God's process of redeeming the world. Let us pray we are good messengers for God in our lives today!

Worship God: Today's readings, and really many of our recent days readings, are reminding me of Chris Tomlin's amazing song "Made to Worship." Related to this song, I heard a recent sermon by Dr. Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City about how the first 2 of the Ten Commandments are so critical for us to fully understand and live out. God is God. Worship God. No false idols. If we really get this and really live it out, well then the rest of the 8 Commandments are a lot easier to actually keep. It's when we mess up on the first two commandments, and when we start worshiping created things rather than our Creator - well, that's when we very easily mess up on the other 8 commandments. If you're worshiping money more than God, then it's a lot easier to lie, cheat and steal! Put God back in his proper place - as your God. And worship God only. And, then, well, why lie, cheat or steal? You wouldn't want to do that while worshiping God. I hope this makes sense? It was stunning to me to really think about it while listening to Dr. Keller's sermon. And Chris in this video talks a bit before the song about how "you and I are made to worship. We're great worshipers!" And I agree with him on this. The question is that who or what are we worshiping? I do think all humans on the planet are great worshipers. However, we're not all worshiping God above all else... And that's where the problems come in! Apologies on this long set up to this video. :) You and I are made to worship God the Father, God the Son, Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit!
Who or what are you worshiping these days? Click here to worship God!
Please join me in memorizing 2 verses of Scripture today:
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17 TNIV
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
Grace, love, peace, and joy!
Mike
Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
I pray to keep this verse in mind today and remember it each time I get tempted to prove I'm right to someone...
10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11persecutions, sufferings....I have to admit there are times I get impatient with my parents and have noticed it more and more in the younger generations....I pray we all realise that God doesn't approve of that and calls us to be gentle in dealing with people no matter how bad it is....patience,love endurance...these were a way of life for Paul and it should be for us too...in today's world these things are truly hard to see.I pray for these things to be a way of life for me too.....
God bless you all
Posted by: Anka | October 23, 2007 at 08:57 PM
Re 2 Timothy 3:1-5 and Mike's question - how do these verses resonate.
It is easy to apply them to society in our time. There are many trends in the world which seem to match this description. But I wonder if people have not always been like that. Are things actually worse now than in times and places in the past?
Posted by: Andrew | October 23, 2007 at 08:57 PM
Re Mike's exhortation and warning arising from 2 Tim 2:22: "And please do continue to have relationships with others who may not be believers in your life too. Be cautious in that sometimes those old relationships can bring us down / pull us back to old habits if we are not careful."
I believe we must maintain active relationships with people who do not believe. Otherwise, how can we ever demonstrate the Gospel to the world if we close ourselves into a community of believers?
However, there is the instruction from Paul at the end 2 Tim 3:5 "Have nothing to do with such people."
So it appears we have to make some choices - cultivating relationships with some and having nothing to do with others.
Posted by: Andrew | October 23, 2007 at 08:58 PM
From Jeremiah 45: It's human nature especially in the work world to seek great things for yourself at the sake of stepping on others. I believe the Christian way would be to do things as Christ would do and see that He loves us all the same. Don't things work out smoothly when participants, players, co-workers etc.. see themselves as part of a team working for the good of all rather than their own individual selfish interests.
2 Timothy: Says run from everything that stimulates youthfull lust. This really speaks volumns to some of us from the baby boomer generation, who have learned many or our life's lessons as my dad would say "from the school of hard knocks" No wonder the youth of today have such a struggle,look at who their role models are.
In chapter 3:1-5 the comment made about the youth of today being resentful of other people, parents and authority figures is very obvious to me and quite an eye opener.
Verse 22 says, enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts and pursue faith. Those folks are getter harder and harder to find and most peoples lives are so over booked and busy that they don't have time for others let alone their own families. And the comment that was made about old relationships, I feel that God is still working on those people and I still want to show them Christian love and be an example of Christ to them. If we gave up on them I don't feel that would be right, but I see your point about how they can drag you down to their level and sin.
The Proverbs verse mentions messengers for God. I feel their is a fine line between assoiciating with sinners so we can be good witnesses and give them the message of to stay in our comfort zones with those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. It puts in you in somewhat of a delimma.
Posted by: Laura | October 23, 2007 at 08:58 PM
Thank you so much for having this site available. I am doing these readings together with my children and we are having a great time. It is also helping us to stay focused by having something specific to read and think about each day. What stood out to me today was the way the people Jerimiah was talking to were acting--just like 2 Timothy 3:1-5 decribes. Prideful, lovers of themselves, scoffing at God, ungrateful. It is amazing how God would give them such clear warnings, and still they refused to change their ways and obey Him. But maybe we are not as different from them as we would like to think.... That is a good wake up call for me to keep in the word, and to use it for doctrine, instruction, reproof. Thanks again, Mike, for putting this site out there. It really is helpful for staying on track with daily reading and for getting some food for thought about each day's readings.
Posted by: Laura | October 23, 2007 at 08:59 PM
I just want to leave these thoughts with you, which sparked my desire to delight in and love the Lord. Then, from that place, obey from the spirit/Spirit.
Every situation in your life is about who you are becoming in Jesus.
You need to replace that “victim mindset”. “I am having a horrible time, but I am not a victim!” “I am not!” “I am not!”
“The word of the Lord to you is, ‘You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.’ ”
There is no end to His Goodness! There is no end to it. There is no end to His Kindness! He is relentless.
Commitment is who you are regardless of circumstances. Commitment is Who God is for you regardless of your circumstances! When you get that, it is like the doorway is thrown wide (open) into intimacy.
What is the one thing that stops me [from] being intimate with God? Me! My perception of myself. How I see myself in Jesus. He is not concerned about that. “I put you in Christ. You are acceptable. You are accepted in the Beloved.”
The reality is tough times are your biggest shortcut into the Presence of God. Take it!
Because if you are waiting for something good to happen so you can love Jesus deeply, you are going to walk the long way around.
See, the nature of God is the key to my life and my current dilemma.
The key to my life is not to get the right answer.
The key to my life and my current dilemma is to understand who God is for me now in what I am going through.
My question is,
“What is it You want to be for me—in my stupidity, in my lunacy, in my sin, in my ungraciousness. What is it You want to be for me now that You could not be at any other time?”
Because that is His gift to you.
I have to swap one mindset for another.
Vance
Posted by: Vance | October 23, 2007 at 08:59 PM
I've just this week found this website, so many to choose from and I picked this one. Thanks Mike, may the Lord help me to maintain the discipline and faithfulness I need to read it every day over the next 12 months, and the next, and the.... The videos are fantastic as well, and great, insightful comments from the readers
Posted by: Kevin | October 24, 2007 at 06:04 AM
"Follow anything that makes you want to do right. Pursue faith and love and peace, and enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts."
I 100% agree on having a community! It's important to be around other Christians, especially when you are a "newborn". If you just made your decision to accept Jesus in your heart, you really need direction. And sure, God does direct your steps, but it's good to be around other Christians, they to can help you. They've had the same struggles, they know what you're going through. I've seen it happen around me; people that are on fire for Jesus Christ when they first convert, but sadly they don't look for fellowship, come to church only on Sundaymorning and soon are lukewarm. That's not what God wants! Relationships in church are important, it teaches you how to deal with other personalities. In the world, when people are confronted with other people they don't level with, they will ignore eachother. In God's Kingdom, when people are confronted with other people they don't level with ... you think twice before you will ignore them. You come to learn that ignoring is not the way! In the world it's so easily done: ignore. But in church you are taught to look through the eyes of God, to love with God's love, to do what Jesus did ... which makes it possible for us to love eachother. The longer you're a Christian, the stronger you get and you can take it outside of church. Non-believers will see the difference in you, they will ask you about it ... or they don't and start talking about you ... which is fine, because God changed your heart and you will respond to it differently, in a way they didn't expect from you. My experience is that people won't come up to you and ask you "Hey, how do you get to be so different?". But that's my experience, it never happened to me. I do experience that a lot of people are watching me closely and I know that, if their pride wasn't so big, they would ask me about my life and how it is that I'm different. Same thing with relatives and the people I knew before I found Jesus ... they really see a difference in me, the peace I live in, I don't get upset over things, I smile all day, I'm humble, I have a modest life and yet: I have everything I need!! I know people wonder, I know they want to question me about it ... but their pride is too big. So all I do is live my life, be friendly to everybody (even when I know they talk behind my back), give them my love (God's love) and keep the door open for anyone. So when the time comes, when they can lower themselves for the Lord, they know they can always come to me. I know that they know why I'm different; I'm outspoken when it comes to my lifestyle ... everybody knows I walk in faith, in prayer and with the Word of God. I talk about it, I sent emails with messages and words from the Bible. The thing is; most people are scared to make a decision, they hold on to things from the world. They are bound by: Mammon, nicotine, alcohol etc. But I figure, as long as I keep the door open for everybody and live my life in Christ ... there comes a day that they will get it!!!
Posted by: Mae | October 24, 2007 at 08:04 AM
Made to worship- that's what it is all about. It's not just about the singing though it's a life! I just saw Facing the Giants last night and I saw many Christian messages throughout this film.
."If we win, we praise Him. If we lose, we praise Him."
2. Do everything for God and His glory.
3. Do your best, and leave the rest up to God.
4. God blesses the righteous and those who are in His will.
5. "Never give up. Never back down. Never lose faith."
6. Prayer changes things.
7. God supplies for our needs.
8. With God, all things are possible.
9. "Winning football games is too small a thing to live for."
10."We can't win football games if we don't play as a team."
11. The Bible can be applied to all aspects of life.
This was without a doubt one of neatest films I've ever seen and hope that all of you will try to watch it soon.
Posted by: Jimmy | October 24, 2007 at 08:04 AM
2Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Posted by: Diana | October 24, 2007 at 07:44 PM