Don't look for loopholes. (Ezekiel 18:25)

Ezekiel 18:25

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁵ “Yet you say, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ Listen to me, O people of Israel. Am I the one not doing what’s right, or is it you?

A typical childish response to punishment is to say, "That isn't fair!" In reality, God is fair, but we have broken the rules. It is not God who must live up to our ideas of fairness; instead we must live up to His. Don't spend your time looking for the loopholes in God's law. Instead, live up to God's standards.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

"Secret" sins are never secret from God. (Ezekiel 11:5)

Ezekiel 11:5

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁵ Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and he told me to say, “This is what the Lord says to the people of Israel: I know what you are saying, for I know every thought that comes into your minds.

 

God knew everything about the Israelites, even their thoughts. He also knows everything about us, even the sins we try to hide. Instead of worrying about people noticing how we look or what we do, we should care about what God thinks, for He sees everything. Trying to hide our thoughts from God is futile. "Secret" sins are never secret from God. The only effective way to deal with sin is to confess it and ask God to help us overcome it.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

 

God's message must sink deep into your heart first.... (Ezekiel 3:10-11)

Ezekiel 3:10-11

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁰ Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. ¹¹ Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.

 

Ezekiel needed to take God's words to heart before preaching them to others. God's message must sink deep into your heart and show in your actions before you can effectively help others understand and apply the gospel.

 

Joe

 

 

 

 

 

DO NOT BE AFRAID ! (Ezekiel 2:6-10)

Ezekiel 2:6-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ And you, son of man, DO NOT BE AFRAID of them or their words. DO NOT BE AFRAID, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. DO NOT BE AFRAID of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. ⁷ You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. ⁸ But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, ¹⁰ which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

Three times God told Ezekiel not to be afraid. When God's Spirit is within us, we can lay aside our fears of rejection or ridicule. God's strength is powerful enough to help us live for Him even under the heaviest criticism.

Joe

 

 

 

 

Learn from God's discipline. (Lamentations 3:39-42)

Lamentations 3:39-42

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

³⁹ Then why should we, mere humans, complain
    when we are punished for our sins?

⁴⁰ Instead, let us test and examine our ways.
    Let us turn back to the Lord.
⁴¹ Let us lift our hearts and hands
    to God in heaven and say,
⁴² “We have sinned and rebelled,
    and you have not forgiven us.


Parents discipline children to produce right behavior. God disciplined Judah to produce right living and genuine worship. We must not complain about discipline but learn from it, trusting God and being willing to change. We must allow God's correction to bring about the kind of behavior in our lives that pleases Him.


Joe



 

Worship God wholeheartedly. (Lamentations 2:7)

Lamentations 2:7

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁷ The Lord has rejected his own altar;
    he despises his own sanctuary.
He has given Jerusalem’s palaces
    to her enemies.
They shout in the Lord’s Temple
    as though it were a day of celebration.


Our place of worship is not as important to God as our pattern of worship. A church building may be beautiful, but if its people don't sincerely follow God, the church will decay from within. The people of Judah, despite their beautiful temple, had rejected in their daily lives what they proclaimed in their worship rituals. Thus, their worship had turned into a mocking lie. When you worship, are you saying words that you don't really mean? Do you pray for help you don't really believe will come? Do you express love for God you don't really have? Earnestly seek God and catch a fresh vision of His love and care. Then worship Him wholeheartedly.


Joe





 

Bound by sin's yoke. (Lamentations 1:14)

Lamentations 1:14

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹⁴ “He wove my sins into ropes
    to hitch me to a yoke of captivity.
The Lord sapped my strength and turned me over to my enemies;
    I am helpless in their hands.


At first, sin seems to offer freedom. But liberty to do anything we want gradually becomes a desire to do everything. Then we become captive to sin, bound by its "yoke." Freedom from sin's captivity comes only from God. He gives us freedom, not to do anything we want, but to do what He knows is best for us. Strange as it may seem, true freedom comes in obeying God - following His guidance so that we can receive His best.




Joe




 

Put your trust in God, (Jeremiah 51:17-19)

Jeremiah 51:17-19

The Message (MSG)

^15-19 By his power he made earth.
    His wisdom gave shape to the world.
    He crafted the cosmos.
He thunders and rain pours down.
    He sends the clouds soaring.
He embellishes the storm with lightnings,
    launches the wind from his warehouse.
Stick-god worshipers look mighty foolish!
    god-makers embarrassed by their handmade gods!
Their gods are frauds, dead sticks—
    deadwood gods, tasteless jokes.
They’re nothing but stale smoke.
    When the smoke clears, they’re gone.
But the Portion-of-Jacob is the real thing;
    he put the whole universe together,
With special attention to Israel.
    His name? God-of-the-Angel-Armies!

 

It is foolish to trust in man-made images rather than in God. It is easy to think that the things we see and touch will bring us more security than God. But things rust, rot, and decay. Why put your trust in something that will disappear within a few years.

Joe

 

 

 

Learn from your mistakes. (Jeremiah 44:9-10)

Jeremiah 44:9-10

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁹ Have you forgotten the sins of your ancestors, the sins of the kings and queens of Judah, and the sins you and your wives committed in Judah and Jerusalem? ¹⁰ To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you.

When we forget a lesson or refuse to learn it, we risk repeating our mistakes. The people of Judah struggled with this; to forget their former sins was to repeat them. To fail to learn from failure is to assure future failure. Your past is your school of experience. Let your past mistakes point you to God's way.

Joe

 

 

 

 

Keep your promises. (Jeremiah 34:15-16)

Jeremiah 34:15-16

The Message (MSG)

^15-16 “‘And now, you—what have you done? First you turned back to the right way and did the right thing, decreeing freedom for your brothers and sisters—and you made it official in a solemn covenant in my Temple. And then you turned right around and broke your word, making a mockery of both me and the covenant, and made them all slaves again, these men and women you’d just set free. You forced them back into slavery.

The people of Israel had a hard time keeping their promises to God. In the temple they would solemnly promise to obey God, but back in their homes and at work they wouldn't do it. God expressed His great displeasure. If you want to please God, make sure you keep your promises. God wants promises lived out, not piously made.

Joe

What excuses do you use for your sins? (Jeremiah 31:29-30)

Jeremiah 31:29-30

The Message (MSG)

²⁹ “When that time comes you won’t hear the old proverb anymore,

Parents ate the green apples,
their children got the stomachache.

³⁰ “No, each person will pay for his own sin. You eat green apples, you’re the one who gets sick.

The people tried to blame God's judgment on the sins of their fathers. One person's sin does indeed affect other people, but all people are still held personally accountable for the sin in their own lives. What excuses do you use for your sins?

Joe

(Happy Father's Day)

God is drawing you toward Him. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Jeremiah 31:3

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

³ Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.


God reaches toward His people with kindness motivated by deep and everlasting love. He is eager to do the best for them if they only let Him. This reminder of God's magnificent love is a breath of fresh air. Rather than thinking of God with dread, look carefully and see Him lovingly drawing us toward Himself.


Joe







 

Sin is terminal. (Jeremiah 30:12,13 & 17)

Jeremiah 30:12,13 & 17

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹² This is what the Lord says:
“Your injury is incurable—
    a terrible wound.
¹³ There is no one to help you
    or to bind up your injury.
    No medicine can heal you.
...
¹⁷ I will give you back your health
    and heal your wounds,” says the Lord.
“For you are called an outcast—
    ‘Jerusalem for whom no one cares.’'


The medical language here conveys the idea that sin is terminal. Sinful people cannot be cured by being good or being religious. Beware of putting your confidence in useless cures while your sin spreads and causes you pain. God alone can cure the disease of sin, but you must be willing to let Him do it.


Joe



 

God is preparing you. (Jeremiah 29:12-14)

Jeremiah 29:12-14

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹² In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”


God did not forget His people, even though they were captive in Babylon. He planned to give them a new beginning with a new purpose - to turn them into new people. In times of deep trouble, it may appear as though God has forgotten you. But God may be preparing you, as He did the people of Judah, for a new beginning with Him at the center.


Joe




 

God is our Strength, our Fortress, and our Refuge. (Jeremiah 16:19)

Jeremiah 16:19

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁹ Lord, you are my strength and fortress,
    my refuge in the day of trouble!
Nations from around the world
    will come to you and say,
“Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage,
    for they worshiped worthless idols.


In this prayer, Jeremiah approached God with three different descriptive names: Strength, fortress, and refuge. Each name gives a slightly different glimpse of how Jeremiah experienced God's presence, and each is a picture of security and protection. Let God be your strength when you feel weak, your fortress when enemies come against you, and your refuge when you need to retreat from life's pressures.




Joe


 

Be committed to God even when the going gets tough. (Jeremiah 12:5-6)

Jeremiah 12:5-6

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁵ “If racing against mere men makes you tired,
    how will you race against horses?
If you stumble and fall on open ground,
    what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?
⁶ Even your brothers, members of your own family,
    have turned against you.
    They plot and raise complaints against you.
Do not trust them,
    no matter how pleasantly they speak.


Life was extremely hard for Jeremiah despite his love for and obedience to God. When he called to God for relief, God's reply in effect was, "If you think this is bad, how are you going to cope when it get really tough?" Not all of God's answers to prayer are nice or easy to handle. Any Christian who has experienced war, bereavement, or a serious illness knows this. But we are to be committed to God even when the going gets tough and when His answers to our prayers don't bring immediate relief.


Joe





 

Don't worship a chunk of wood. (Jeremiah 10:8)

Jeremiah 10:8

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁸ People who worship idols are stupid and foolish.    The things they worship are made of wood !


Those who put their trust in a chunk of wood, even though it is carved well and clothed beautifully, are foolish. The simplest person who worships God is wiser than the wisest person who worships a worthless substitute, because this person has discerned who God really is. In what or whom do you place your trust?


Joe


 

Don't trust the stars, trust the One who made the stars. (Jeremiah 10:2-3)

Jeremiah 10:2-3

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

² This is what the Lord says:

“Do not learn the ways of the nations
    or be terrified by signs in the heavens,
    though the nations are terrified by them.
³ For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
    they cut a tree out of the forest,
    and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.


Most people would like top know the future. Decisions would be easier, certain failures avoided, and some successes assured. The people of Judah wanted to know the future too, and they tried to discern it through reading the signs in the sky. Jeremiah's response applies today: God made the earth and the heavens, including stars that people consult and worship (See Jeremiah10:12 below). No one will discover the future in made-up charts of God's stars. But God, who promises to guide you, knows your future and will be with you all the way. He may not reveal your future to you, but He will walk with you as the future unfolds. Don't trust the stars, trust the One who made the stars.


Joe

Jeremiah 10:12
New International Version (NIV)

¹² But God made the earth by his power;
    he founded the world by his wisdom
    and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

What do you want people to admire most about you? (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Jeremiah 9:23-24

New International Version (NIV)

²³ This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
²⁴ but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.


People tend to admire 4 qualities in others: human wisdom, power (strength), kindness, and riches. But God puts a higher priority on knowing Him personally and living a life that reflects His justice and righteousness. What do you want people to admire most about you?


Joe

 

Don't cut yourself off from God. (Jeremiah 7:19)

Jeremiah 7:19

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁹ Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord. “Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.”

This verse answers the question, "Who gets hurt when we turn away from God?" We do! Separating ourselves from God is like keeping a green plant from sunlight or water. God is our only source of spiritual strength. Cut yourself off from Him, and you cut off life itself.

Joe

 

 

 

 

Empty Exercises. (Jeremiah 7:2-3)

Jeremiah 7:2-3

New International Version (NIV)

² “Stand at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message:

“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. ³ This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place.

The people followed a worship ritual but maintained a sinful life-style. It was religion without personal commitment to God. We can easily do the same. Attending church, taking communion, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir - all are empty exercises unless we are truly doing them for God. It is good to do these activities, not because we ought to do them for the church, but because we want to do them for God.

Joe

 

 

 

The people closed their ears. (Jeremiah 6:10)

Jeremiah 6:10

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹⁰ To whom can I give warning?
    Who will listen when I speak?
Their ears are closed,
    and they cannot hear.
They scorn the word of the Lord.
    They don’t want to listen at all.


The people became angry and closed their ears. They wanted no part of God's commands because living for God did not appear very exciting. As in Jeremiah's day, people today dislike God's demand for disciplined living. As unsettling as people's responses might be, we must continue to share God's word; their responsibility is to except it. We must not let what people want to hear determine what we say.


Joe

Don't be foolishly deaf. (Jeremiah 5:21)

Jeremiah 5:21

New Living Translation (NLT)

²¹ Listen, you foolish and senseless people,
    with eyes that do not see
    and ears that do not hear.


Have you spoken to someone, only to realize that the person hasn't heard a word you were saying? Jeremiah told the people that their eyes and ears did them no good because they refused to see or hear God's message. The people of Judah and Israel were foolishly deaf when God promised blessings for obedience and destruction for disobedience. When God speaks through His Word or His messengers, we harm ourselves if we fail to listen. God's message will never change us unless we listen to it.


Joe




 

Don't lead your children astray. (Jeremiah 5:7)

Jeremiah 5:7

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ “How can I pardon you?
    For even your children have turned from me.
They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all!
    I fed my people until they were full.
But they thanked me by committing adultery    and lining up at the brothels.




God held these people responsible for the sins of their children because the children had followed their parents' example. The sin of leading others, especially our children, astray by our example is one for which God will hold us accountable.




Joe



 

Have you been forgetting God lately? (Jeremiah 2:31-32)

Jeremiah 2:31-32

New Living Translation (NLT)

³¹ “O my people, listen to the words of the Lord!
    Have I been like a desert to Israel?
    Have I been to them a land of darkness?
Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God!
    We don’t need him anymore!’
³² Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
    or a bride her wedding dress?
Yet for years on end
    my people have forgotten me.


Forgetting can be dangerous, whether it is intentional or an oversight. Israel forgot God by focusing its affection on the allurements of the world. The more we focus on the pleasures of the world, the easier it becomes to forget God's care, His love, His dependability, His guidance, and most of all, God Himself. What pleases you most? Have you been forgetting God lately?


Joe





 

God rescues us. (Jeremiah 1:8)

Jeremiah 1:8

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

God promised to "rescue" Jeremiah from trouble, not to keep trouble from coming. God did not insulate him from jailings, deportation, or insults. God does not keep us from encountering life's storms, but He will see us through them. In fact, God walks through these storms with us and rescues us.

Joe

 

 

 

 

God knew you before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:5)

Jeremiah 1:5

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁵ “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
    Before you were born I set you apart..."
    


God knew you, as He knew Jeremiah, long before you were born or even conceived. He thought about you and planned for you. When you feel discouraged or inadequate, remember that God has always thought of you as valuable and that He has a purpose in mind for you.


Joe



 

God's blessings are for all people. (Isaiah 56:3)

Isaiah 56:3

New International Version (NIV)

³ Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say,
    “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”
And let no eunuch complain,
    “I am only a dry tree.”


Isaiah clearly proclaims the radical message that God's blessings are for all people, even foreigners and eunuchs, who were often excluded from worship and not even considered citizens in Israel. Whatever your race, social position, work, or financial situation, God's blessings are as much for you as for anyone else. No one must exclude in any way those God chooses to include.


Joe

Strive to fit into God's plan. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Isaiah 55:8-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁸ “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.


The people of Israel were foolish to act as if they knew what God was thinking and planning. His knowledge and wisdom are far greater than man's. We are foolish to try to fit God into our mold - to make His plans and purposes conform to ours. Instead, we must strive to fit into His plans.


Joe




 

"Beautiful Feet" (Isaiah 52:7)

Isaiah 52:7

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁷ How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation,
    the news that the God of Israel reigns!


God says the feet of those who bring good news are "beautiful." It is a wonderful privilege to be able to share God's Good News with others, His news of redemption, salvation, and peace. To whom do you need to give the Good News?


Joe