Do you view God this way? (Jeremiah 16:19)

Jeremiah 16:19

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁹ Lord, my strength and my fortress,
    my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come
    from the ends of the earth ...



In this prayer, Jeremiah approached God with three 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















 

Where do you place your trust? (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























 

Sin is never removed by denying its existence. (Jeremiah 6:14)

Jeremiah 6:14

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁴ They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.



"Ignore it and maybe it will go away!" Sound familiar? This was Israel's response to Jeremiah's warnings. They kept listening to predictions of peace because they did not like Jeremiah's condemnation of their sin. But denying the truth never changes it; what God says always happens. Sin is never removed by denying its existence. We must confess to God that we have sinned and ask Him to forgive us.



 
Joe




















 

Are your eyes and ears open? (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 ever 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 Israel and Judah 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




















 

Do you go to God with your problems? (Jeremiah 2:36)

Jeremiah 2:36

New International Version



 

³⁶ Why do you go about so much,
    changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
    as you were by Assyria.





God is not against alliances or working partnerships, but He is against people trusting others for the help that should come from Him. This was the problem in Jeremiah's time. After the days of David and Solomon, Israel fell apart because the leaders turned to other nations and gods instead of the true God.


Do you go to men with your problems (or to seek advise), or do you go to God ?



 
Joe

























 

Are you forgetting God? (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?
    Does a bride hide 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 affections 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 and most of all, God himself. Have you been forgetting God lately?





Joe



















 

Don't avoid something you know you should do . (Jeremiah 1:6-8)

Jeremiah 1:6-8

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁶ “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
⁷ The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. ⁸ And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”



 
Often people struggle with new challenges because they lack self-confidence. feeling that they have inadequate ability, training, or experience. Jeremiah thought He was "only a child" - too young and inexperienced to be God's spokesman to the world. But God promised to be with him. We should not allow feelings of inadequacy to keep us from obeying God's call. He will always be with us. When you find yourself avoiding something you know you should do, be careful not to use lack of self-confidence as an excuse. If God gives you a job to do, He will provide all you need to do it.




 
Joe