September 1 Ezekiel 33-36 Not Putting Into Practice

God says, "for they hear your words, but do not put them into practice." They treat the prophecies as entertainment - not for learning. Every time we come to the Bible or listen to it being taught, we should feel conviction where we fall short. We should have godly sorrow, even mourning as James writes, that leads to repentance (a turning from our ways).

Sunday Services for too many people are a time of cultural observation and/or a type of "entertainment.' be that never for us - let it be a time of life transformation. Come to God's Word expecting and wanting to be transformed - and we will be.

August 31 Jeremiah 40-44 Never Learning

Oh...people who never learn...doing the same things over and over again, yet expecting different results. The people of Judah just got over run because of their idolatry and disobedience. Instead of returning to the LORD, they pursue an old idol - the Queen of the Universe (incidentally a Roman Catholic name for Mary, mother of Jesus, who they worship). In addition, their wickedness continues. Of course, God gives them the grace to choose life in the land or death in Egypt. Disbelieving, they chose to go to Egypt, where they will be killed by the sword as promised by God.

When disciplined by God, we need to adjust to God's will to avoid further discipline. We need to learn to repent when chastised - not just continue to sin. I see too many people who never learn - to their own destruction and to those around them.

August 30 Lamentations 3-5 Stay on God's Good Side

The results of ongoing willful rebellion against God are horrific. What we read today is a snippet of what eternity will be like for those who reject Christ as savior. Every time we feel too lazy to share our faith or too scared, remember Lamentations - this is what that person is facing - for all eternity! To reject Jesus has devastating implications.

Somebody(ies) took the time and had the boldness to tell you about Christ. Pay the good deed forward. remember what is at stake.

August 29 Lamentations 1-2 No One to Blame But Themselves

Lamentations laments the destruction of Jerusalem, but at the same time, laments its own responsibility for what has happened. In v. 1:18 "The LORD is righteous, yet I rebelled against His command." Jeremiah blames the prophets, "...they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The oracles they gave you were false and misleading." Although prophets and priests were blamed specifically, all of the people were also blamed for their own sin. The common people had enough information to know that their prophets and priests were wrong. People just lived for the day they were in and did not consider the long term implications of their consequences - "Her filthiness clung to her skirts; she did not consider her future."

We all are held responsible for obeying God and following Him. Pastors, evangelists, teachers, and theologians are supposed to help us, but they are not the final word - the Word of God is - and it is readily available to all of us. We must study the word of God on our own. When we consider how we live day by day, we must consider our futures - there will be a Day of Judgment.

August 28 II Kings 25; II Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 39-40 As He Promised

In Joshua, God said that He kept every promise He made to the Israelites. God made Abraham into a great nation, He redeemed the nation from Egyptian slavery, and God brought them to great victory in the Promised Land. Later, God promised that He would make David's line an everlasting kingship - if his sons obeyed. 

Throughout Israel's history, they disobeyed God. All of the kings of the Northern Kingdom displeased God and too many of those in Judah did as well. God warned them over and over to repent. Some did for a while, but then with Manasseh, the die was cast. False prophets were saying, "Peace, peace." God was warning about pending doom. Finally, Jerusalem falls - and even the unthinkable occurs - Solomon's Temple is destroyed.

God means what He says and says what He means. This should be an everlasting sign for all of us - that God is just - and He will carry out His punishment on those who rebel against Him. But more importantly, He will eternally bless those that honor Him. Even in the midst of punishment, God saves trustworthy Jeremiah. He will save those of us who are faithful when Christ returns to judge an unbelieving world and to gather His own true believers.

August 27 Jeremiah 37-38 Listening and Knowing, But Not Heeding

Zedekiah wants to know the truth from God - he appreciates and fears the ministry of Jeremiah - yet he doesn't listen. Herod did the same with John the Baptist - Herod knew John to be righteous and holy and liked to listen to him, but he did not heed John's godly advice. Why is it that we can be all around the truth, but not want to abide in it.

I believe all men are like this due to our sin nature. it is only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that we can change - after we have been regenerated. I believe that Paul walks us through this in I Corinthians 2. Pray to receive Christ as Savior and receive the Holy Spirit - that's the only cure.

August 23 Jeremiah 30, 31, 33 Proof for the Truth of the Bible: The Jewish People

In Jeremiah 31, God promises - "For the LORD will ransom Jacob (Israel) and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they." God made good on that promise when Cyrus the Persian conquered Babylon and allowed the exiles to return to Israel and Jerusalem. Subsequent rulers even paid for the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem and supported the rebuilding of the Temple.

All of the ancient civilizations around Israel has faded and its peoples have disappeared as nations (Moab, Edom, Phillistia, etc.), but the Jews remain as a people and rebuilt on the land. There is no ancient nation that has been dispossessed of its land and can make that claim. God has promised throughout the Bible that He would keep a remnant of Jews always - and He has. The survival of the Jewish people is a reason that the Bible is true and is a recording of the very words of God Himself.