Tag: Jeremiah

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

Hope For the Exiles

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based on the Love God Greatly Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land / w6d3

Scripture: God’s Road Map for Our Journey / Jeremiah 29:1-14 (11)

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 is used to congratulate graduates, comfort those whose lives aren’t going the way they hoped, or encourage those who are facing some of life’s big decisions – but it is important to keep in mind that the verse was initially given to God’s people whose world had just been turned upside down. By God’s own hand, they were living as exiles in Babylon, which I can only imagine seemed like the furthest thing from hope and a future of any kind, but that is precisely the message God sent through Jeremiah, one of “hope and a future” and the reminder that God did not plan to harm them. He wanted them to remember “whose” they were and that He was in control, even when it didn’t seem like it.

It may not have seemed to the Israelites that God even remembered them, but He did, and as today’s journal entry points out, “God was working out His plan of salvation amongst all people, in all places, throughout all time. It wasn’t just for those in exile. God was at work to restore and rebuild what was broken when sin entered this world. From the returned exiles, a descendant would come who would be the Savior of the world!”

As we have seen throughout our journey, the faithless Kings and people of Babylon saw evidence of Israel’s true and living God—who protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace and shut the lions’ mouths to protect Daniel. When Israel’s restoration comes, it will be for all nations to know that He is the Sovereign LORD.

We may not always get what we want, and our plans may not work out the way we envisioned, but this promise of hope and a future is for us as well. Today’s journal entry says it best: “God’s plans involve you! His plans are to use you to encourage other believers and be a light to those who don’t yet know Him. You are the carrier of His hope to the world around you, which is often so hopeless.”

Prayer of Response to the Journey

Heavenly Father, you bring hope to me and this whole world. Help me to trust you, Lord, when my days are in turmoil, and I cannot understand. May I know you as the author and perfecter of my faith. Use me to bring You hope to someone in this hopeless world. – Amen

borrowed from Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, p189
Encouragement for the journey –

Friends, this group is not a place for political conversations, but it is a place for encouragement and hope between sisters and brothers in Christ – which is why I am sharing this verse and the story behind it … The day before the election, when my anxiety started rising again, God reminded me of this verse which we recently read in our Daniel study,

“…the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever HE chooses.” — Daniel 5:21

Regardless of how we voted or the outcome of the votes, we all need to remember that our God, the true and living God, is in perfect control! He rules and reigns over Kings and dominions. He is sovereign over all. 💜

The More We Know

For More Insight, be sure to check out today’s LGG Blog

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, God is good, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Living Faithful in a Faithless Land, Quiet Time

A God-Given Desire

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Scripture: Our Roadmap for the Journey: Jeremiah 24:1-8 / SOAP: verse 7 / w1d2

I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.

Jeremiah 24:7. NLT
Observation and Application from today’s journey

The Heart of God for His People is seen in the “I will” statements God gave through Jeremiah. They must have been great words of encouragement to Jeremiah, words of hope for a heartwrenching and seemingly hopeless situation. God had sent His people into exile because of their rebellion, but here, God tells Jeremiah, “I consider them to be good.” He then proclaims that He will look after their “welfare.” He will also restore them to their land, build them up, and not uproot them. He will give them the desire to acknowledge Him as Lord; He will be their God, and they will be His people. Why? Because God loves them with an everlasting love and, from the beginning of time, was working all things out – not to harm them but to give them hope and a future. The LGG journal for today’s portion of our journey explains this so well that I am sharing it with you here. May it help us as we move forward through the lessons of living faithfully in the land of the faithless.

Today’s devotion is borrowed and shared from the pages of the LGG Journal, Living Faithful in the Land of the Faithless, p 45.

Love God Greatly is More Than a Bible Study

The More We Know

For further reading: Daniel 1:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

What is the significance of the baskets of figs in Jeremiah 24?

Posted in Bible study, From Broken to Restored, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Quiet Time

In My Blood

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based on the LGG Study, From Broken to Restored / w4d5

Scripture: Nehemiah 9:38-10:27; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Luke 22:14-20 / SOAP: Luke 22:19-20

Then he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Luke 22:19-20

A covenant was a significant commitment. God used covenants throughout the history of His people to make promises to them, promises He kept regardless of their faithfulness.

Excerpt from Into the Text /LGG Journal w4d5 / From Broken to Restored
The Covenants in the Bible

“What are the covenants in the Bible?” The online Bible commentary, Gotquestions.org begins their answer with this opening statement: “The Bible speaks of seven different covenants, four of which (Abrahamic, Palestinian, Mosaic, Davidic) God made with the nation of Israel. Of those four, three are unconditional in nature; that is, regardless of Israel’s obedience or disobedience, God still will fulfill these covenants with Israel. One of the covenants, the Mosaic Covenant, is conditional in nature. That is, this covenant will bring either blessing or cursing depending on Israel’s obedience or disobedience. Three of the covenants (Adamic, Noahic, New) are made between God and mankind in general, and are not limited to the nation of Israel.”

In our three passages today, we see the people of Nehemiah’s day making a covenant to keep the covenant. Interesting concept but this excerpt from “Bible Project” commentary on this passage is quite helpful – “the returning exiles make a covenant to keep a covenant, committing themselves to the Law of Moses and the people of God. They had broken the covenant and received the curses which led them into exile. Now in their return and repentance, they recommit to the old covenant which included faithfulness to God through marrying those who also worshipped God; observance of Sabbath and Sabbaticals; and giving firstfruits and tithes, ensuring the temple and temple worship were maintained.”

The second and third passages deal with the “New Covenant”, first in the Old Testament with the people of Judah and Israel, and then in Luke 22 with New Testament believers via the blood of Christ. This was the ultimate covenant, unbreakable, unchangeable, unbeatable covenant. It was the covenant made “in the blood” of Jesus. As the LGG team points out today in the journal, “We remember the covenant God has given us by participating in the Lord’s Supper. When we take the elements, the bread and wine, we remember the covenant Jesus made with those who believe in Him. We remember that He has done all that is necessary to uphold this covenant and that all we need to do is place our faith in Him.”

New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The New Covenant is a covenant made first with the nation of Israel and, ultimately, with all mankind. In the New Covenant, God promises to forgive sin, and there will be a universal knowledge of the Lord. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and create a new covenant between God and His people. Now that we are under the New Covenant, both Jews and Gentiles can be free from the penalty of the Law. We are now given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Gotquestions.org
Making it Personal – Reflection

Why is it important to regularly partake in the Lord’s Supper with other believers?

If you are not a believer and have never entered into the Covenant that promises forgiveness of sin and freedom from the Law – please send me a message. I would love to share the Gospel with you and help you to understand the gift and reality of God’s free gift of salvation.

Going Further

Don’t forget to check out today’s Love God Greatly blog

More about the covenants: https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-covenants.html

Nehemiah Overview (This is a must-read – simply follow the link below)

  • chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.csmedia1.com/doxa-church.com/nehemiahpart9.pdf
Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Worship Filled Praise

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The Importance of Prayer, w1d3

Read Jeremiah 10:6-7

6Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.
7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations?
That title belongs to you alone!
Among all the wise people of the earth
and in all the kingdoms of the world,
there is no one like you.

Jeremiah 10:6-7

To ‘revere’ is to feel deep respect or admiration for (something or someone). Our prayers are often the way we express our deep respect and admiration for God, which is what Jeremiah was doing here. Read it again, listen as He declares, “There is no one like You … You are great … Your name is full of power.” He questions, “Who would not fear You? He then addresses Him as the “King of the nations” and declares He alone is worthy of the title! Then Jeremiah’s praise crescendos with His final declaration, “Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like You.” What a beautiful prayer for us to borrow from the Scriptures, a wonderful example of ‘revering’ God and attributing the highest of wisdom to Him. – Me from the Insideout 💗

“Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like You.”

Jeremiah 10:7

I believe to fully comprehend and appreciate these two verse, we first need to read the words of God to Israel in verses 1-5, where Israel is warned that idolatry brings destruction:

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O Israel! 2 This is what the Lord says:
“Do not act like the other nations,
    who try to read their future in the stars.
Do not be afraid of their predictions,
    even though other nations are terrified by them.
3 Their ways are futile and foolish.
    They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol.
4 They decorate it with gold and silver
    and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails
    so it won’t fall over.
5 Their gods are like
    helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field!
They cannot speak,
    and they need to be carried because they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of such gods,
    for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”

Jeremiah 10:1-5 NLT

In these five verses you find that the people of the other nations make their own gods, they dress them and prop them up so they will not fall over. Our God, however, not only talked to His people, we’ve also read how He was heard by Adam and Eve walking in the garden in the cool of the evening. — But the gods of the other nations cannot speak and have to be carried because they cannot walk. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” It’s quite easy to boast of our God’s power, might, goodness, love and all the other namable qualities – but our “boasting” means nothing unless we truly understand the truth that there is NO ONE like Him.

Making it personal

We must get to know God for who He is in order to worship Him as He deserves. Likewise we must be aware that all other gods pale in comparison to Him. I believe when we do this our prayers will flow with worship-filled praises like we read here by Jeremiah.

Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, there is no god like You. There is no one like you in heaven or on earth. For, as the prophet wrote, You are great, and Your name is full of power. Who is there that would not fear You, O King of nations? That title belongs only to You! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, we can not say it enough – there is no on like You! Help us to spend so much time with You that we realize, like Jeremiah, that all else pales in comparison to You – and may our lips flow with the praise that You alone are due. – In the powerful name of Jesus! – Amen –

Don’t forget to visit https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/ for today’s LGG Blog Post

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study
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Weeping and Destruction

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 2:1-22 (SOAP 2:11)

My eyes are worn out from weeping;
I am churning within.
My heart is poured out in grief

because of the destruction of my dear people,
because children and infants faint
in the streets of the city.

Lamentations 2:11
Destruction Takes a Toll

Jeremiah weeps at the destruction but he isn’t simply crying. He is physically and emotionally impacted because of the destruction of his people. This is personal and Jeremiah is greatly affected.

Applying the Word

Like Jeremiah, we should be greatly affected when God’s people or His work are impacted by suffering, regardless of where the suffering comes from. We should mourn and experience great emotional and even physical unease. Jesus taught in Matthew that those who mourn like this over sin will be blessed, Matthew 5:4. Whether it is over our own sin or the sin of others we should be broken by anything that breaks the heart of God. When we mourn like this we will find ourselves caught up in the lament and we will be moved, like Jeremiah, to pray or to call on others to pray.

Prayer Prompt

Father, break our hearts for what breaks Yours! May we not fail to pour ourselves out before You – for only You can heal and make right ! We believe this in Jesus Name, Amen!’

Posted in Bible study, God is good

We Can Deceive Ourselves

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Read: Jeremiah 17:9-10; 1 Corinthians 3:18; Ezekiel 36:26

SOAP: Jeremiah 17:9-10

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”

Jeremiah 17:9
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
  • Why is it dangerous to follow our hearts?

Our hearts, left to themselves, can quickly deceive us. –

Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Faithful Love: Week 6, Wednesday Pleading our Cause

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Read: Hosea 13:15-16 and Jeremiah 4:11-12 and 51:36; SOAP: Jeremiah 51:36

Hosea 13:15-16

Ephraim was the most fruitful of all his brothers, but the east wind—a blast from the Lord— will arise in the desert. All their flowing springs will run dry, and all their wells will disappear. Every precious thing they own will be plundered and carried away. 16 The people of Samaria must bear the consequences of their guilt because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed by an invading army, their little ones dashed to death against the ground, their pregnant women ripped open by swords.”

Jeremiah 4:11-12

The time is coming when the Lord will say
    to the people of Jerusalem,
“My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert,
    and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain.
12 It is a roaring blast sent by me!
    Now I will pronounce your destruction!”Read full chapter

Jeremiah 51:36 – The Lord’s Vengeance on Babylon

This is what the Lord says to Jerusalem: “I will be your lawyer to plead your case,
    and I will avenge you. I will dry up her river, as well as her springs,

We blame God for all our problems and struggles, but actually, we are the ones to blame

Read the Full LGG Devotional
Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Shame Breaker, Wk2-Monday The Shame of Past Decisions

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Today’s Scripture – Ruth 1; Jeremiah 31:3-4 (S.O.A.P. Jeremiah 31:3-4)

Elimelech Moves His Family to Moab

1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.

3 Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 4 The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.

Naomi and Ruth Return

6 Then Naomi heard in Moab that the Lord had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah.

8 But on the way, … Read More

Jeremiah 31:3-4

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.
4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.
    You will again be happy
    and dance merrily with your tambourines.

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