Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 31 & 32
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
There were people, a remnant of faithful followers of God who would return from captivity. They were carried away at different times. God promised to restore them and bring them back home. The nation would have renewed joy, peace, prosperity and friendship with God. Israel in general and Judah specifically would be restored to the promised land. God had promised King David that he would always retain a portion of the kingdom. Jesus came through the family line of Judah. After assuring them of this return, Jeremiah showed that God would establish a new and better covenant giving people the opportunity to have a personal relationship with God. God’s new way promised to give forgiveness of sin and the spiritual power to live by His commands.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
I must continue to apply the truths and principles of the new covenant that was promised. The Messiah was prophesied and came about 2,000 years ago. Jesus accomplished the Father’s plan through His life, through His public ministry and through His death, burial and resurrection. God’s plan was fulfilled, but it won’t do me any good if I don’t live it and let it make an impact in my life. What can I apply in my life? I can and must apply the whole council of God.
3. How can I help someone?
The world is very confused these days. Life and truth has been turned upside down. The more I can help people see God’s truths and how they apply in their lives, the better they will be.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 29 & 30
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Through Jeremiah, God told the nation that they would be in exile for seventy years. They were to settle in, work, plant gardens and have children. They were to keep things going so there would be descendants to return home in the future. At the end of the time the nation would return to their homeland. There were lying prophets who were telling them the opposite, that they would quickly return home. God said they were liars and that He had not sent them. God had a plan. They were to seek HIM with all they had and they would know God.
God’s righteousness required that He would punish these false and lying prophets. Because of the increase of sin among the people God punished them. That truth must sink in to people. The modern world doesn’t like the thought of punishment. We keep hearing that God is love so anything goes. That is simply not true. It takes a truth: God is love, and then mixes in a lie that we can do anything we want. Many people have found out, too late, that they will be judged and punished for active participation in sin.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Even though everything looked bad at that time, Jeremiah let them know there was hope for the future. It would not always be bad. That is good encouragement. The world is in tough shape now. It will not always be that way. God has a plan for the future when He will take control, bind the forces of evil and the people will rejoice in God’s perfect and eternal rule.
3. How can I help someone?
Look for the Lord to guide you. Listen to Him and obey Him. Ask God to help you see false prophets and reject their message. Don’t give up on life.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 27 & 28
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
False prophets. People who are supposed to be religious leaders we can trust who make up stories that they want to hear, and tell them to people who want to hear what pleases them. Many false prophets seek fame and fortune at the expense of a gullible public. We see this theme of false prophets often in this book. As I have been reading Jeremiah, I am thinking of the modern world. There are countless false prophets disguised as pastors and church leaders who are telling the world what is popular. People don’t want to hear the truth about right and wrong. They want permission to do anything they want (they want permission to sin). We keep hearing the stories of how things that have been sin for millennia are now permissible. To speak against something that the Bible calls sin is now considered an offense. Well, these false prophets will not only bring God’s judgement on themselves, but will destroy anyone who believes them.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
I must keep a proper focus on what is the standard I will follow in life. With the proliferation of sources of information, it can be overwhelming to think of all the things people are saying. Many are very convincing in their presentation. There are many people with fancy educations who tell us things that are the complete opposite of what has been taught in the past. Many compelling arguments that are seemingly based on the Bible are pulling people to the place where the Bible doesn’t mean the same thing any more. I must remember that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Anyone who doesn’t line up with the clear message of the Bible must be rejected.
3. How can I help someone?
Be careful what you fill your mind with. Be a careful thinker, basing your decisions on God’s revealed Word. Remember, there are many false prophets out there looking for a following.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 25 & 26
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
Jeremiah continued to proclaim the truths that God had given to him. He told the people he had faithfully passed on to them God’s word, but they had not listened. The message from God was that they needed to turn from the evil road they were traveling on and obey God. They were warned to not provoke God’s anger by worshiping idols they made with their own hands. God told them that because they had not listened, He would gather the armies of the north to come against them, completely destroying the nation and making it in object of horror. Because of their sin, peaceful meadows would be turned into wasteland by the Lord’s fierce anger.
God told Jeremiah stand in the courtyard of the Temple and announced to those coming to worship. Perhaps they would listen and turn from their evil ways. Unfortunately when Jeremiah was finished with his message, the people mobbed him, shouting to kill him. Jeremiah’s response was that the Lord sent him to prophesy against them and God gave him every word he had spoken. If they would repent and quit sinning, and start obeying the Lord, God would change His mind about the disaster that was coming.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Learning to obey God is the lesson that continues to be repeated over and over again as the Bible is studied. The principle of full obedience is critically important to the Christian life. God’s commands are not subject to debate and they will not change based on the latest opinion poll.
3. How can I help someone?
Since God is the creator of all, He knows what is best for us. His purpose in giving us His commands is to help us know and learn what will make our life and eternity the best that it can be. It is up to each individual to listen and obey.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 23 & 24
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God declared through Jeremiah that great sorrow was ahead for the leaders, the shepherds of the people. They had destroyed and scattered the ones they were supposed to care for. Instead of caring for the flock and providing them with safety, they deserted them. So God declared judgment would come for the evil they had done. There would come a time when God would gather those that had been faithful and appoint responsible shepherds to care for them. God promised that there would be righteous descendants who would serve Him. A very sad statement is that God’s heart was broken because of the false prophets. These people who claimed to speak for God were only telling lies they had made up. The land was full of adultery and under a curse. So many of the leaders were filled with evil and abusing their power. They love dishonesty and did not turn anyone away from their sins.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
God spoke to Jeremiah through a vision. There were some exiles who were in the land of Babylon that God promised to watch over and care for. He said He would bring them back and their hearts would recognize God and they would be His people. The other part of the vision showed the judgments that was coming to the King and the officials that had promoted so much evil and disobeyed God. God said He would make them an object of horror and they will be disgraced and marked. I see here another lesson of God’s righteousness and His refusal to cover over sin. Unrepentant sin always brings God’s judgment. I must always remember that.
3. How can I help someone?
It is easy to think that God’s greatest focus is on judgment and punishment. But we also see His mercy and forgiveness and desire to help all who are submissive to Him. We don’t have to be afraid when we are living in obedience to God.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 21 & 22
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
King Zedekiah sent the priest to Jeremiah and begged for help. He pleaded for Jeremiah to pray that God would help them because King Nebuchadnezzar was attacking Judah. They hoped that God would be gracious and miraculously deliver them as He had done in the past. Jeremiah’s straightforward reply to the King was that God told him his weapons would be useless against the king of Babylon. Babylon was going to conquer them in there would be a great slaughter. As I was reading this, I was thinking that many in our modern world would be highly offended at God’s judgment. They think that God is just some soft pushover who can be easily manipulated. They refused to believe that God is a righteous judge who will clearly tell the truth and punish those who actively participate in sin.
We also see here that God called for the leaders to be fair-minded and just. He told them to do what was right by helping those who have been oppressed. God told them to quit their evil deeds and quit mistreating the orphans and widows.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
I think of this thing that is called political correctness that is trying to pressure people to do and say only nice things, while rejecting the concept of judgment and calling out sin. This philosophy says that people should be allowed to do anything they want without any accountability. Jeremiah told the people the truth as God had revealed it to him. One of the words that our modern world needs to hear is the word judgment. They may be laughing and thinking that they have gained the political power to make things as they want them to be, but they are neglecting the truths that Jeremiah and many others have revealed from God. Obedience to God’s ways is the key.
3. How can I help someone?
Every person needs to ask themselves the question, “who am I listening to?” Each person must analyze the source of guidance in their lives. If the guidance for decisions in life and the foundation of life is not God and His word, then they are setting themselves up for ultimate eternal failure and punishment because of God’s righteous judgment.
Bible Chapter: Jeremiah 19 & 20
Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.
1. Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
God used the technique of a parable to teach Judah and Jerusalem a very important lesson. Devastating judgment was coming that would destroy them. The pottery, the nation, would be smashed. This was because they had forsaken God and burned sacrifices to false idols. They even practiced the despicable “worship” of sacrificing their sons as burnt offerings. Their sinful practices brought them to the place where some even practiced cannibalism.
Jeremiah was faithful to tell the people the truths God had revealed to him. Some responded with such hatred and violence that they had him beaten, imprisoned and put in stocks. They did all they could to keep Jeremiah quiet, but it didn’t work. He had harsh messages to deliver from God and he faithfully gave them.
2. What can I apply in my life from the reading?
Jeremiah experienced many horrible punishments and tortures. This was even to the point where he rued the day that he was born. The pressure was immense. The good news is that he stayed faithful to God and obeyed His commands. In the book of Job, we also see this sorrow at what had been happening in his life. In chapter three Job lamented the day of his birth. With both of these illustrations, we see that eventually they knew God’s power and presence and were glad they were faithful to serve and obey the Lord. This is a very good lesson for all. There are hard times. There will be even more hard times. I don’t like that thought, but it is true. We must continue to trust God. We must be faithful and know that God will never abandon us.
3. How can I help someone?
Don’t fall prey to any temptation that looks so great, but you know violates God’s commands. It always starts out small and very attractive. But, it always ends up costing much more than it is worth. God is a righteous judge who will hold everyone accountable for their actions.
