Proverbs 1:19 ""Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life."
Solomon warns against greed in Proverbs chapter one. Specifically, we are to not plot with evil men to gain wealth through corrupt actions. We are warned to watch out for sinners who may entice us and trap us in their wicked plans. The bottom line, says Solomon, is that greed for money can rob us of life.
I don't want to be robbed of life! Life is so short as it is, the last thing I want to do is lose one day of it by pursuing something that does not last. Get rich quick schemes seem to never work and earning a quick dollar is rarely "quick." I think Solomon's word for me today is to work hard, plan ahead, save what I can, but never become consumed with my search for wealth. Today I will be content with what I have and live life. I will not be robbed of it by a Ben Franklin or two!
Dear Jesus, help me find my peace and hope in you. Amen.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
For Me
Lamentations 3:22 "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail."
Jeremiah is "lamenting" the fall and destruction of Jerusalem. In the midst of his grieving, he acknowledges that God is full of love for his people and always has compassion for them.
No matter what I am going through or experiencing, God is for me. Even in the deep valleys and dark canyons God is for me! He loves me and has compassion for me. Today I will smile and be at peace because I know the creator of the universe is on my side and loves me.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your love, mercy and compassion! Amen.
Jeremiah is "lamenting" the fall and destruction of Jerusalem. In the midst of his grieving, he acknowledges that God is full of love for his people and always has compassion for them.
No matter what I am going through or experiencing, God is for me. Even in the deep valleys and dark canyons God is for me! He loves me and has compassion for me. Today I will smile and be at peace because I know the creator of the universe is on my side and loves me.
Dear Jesus, thank you for your love, mercy and compassion! Amen.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Bind
Jeremiah 50: 5 "They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten."
The Babylonians are coming! And they are about to destroy and conquer God's people due to their rebellion against God. It is a depressing time, yet the Lord can see a future when his people will "bind" themselves to him and his covenant. And this covenant will never be forgotten!
Am I bound to Christ? Or is he just a casual thing? How do I bind myself to him? Can I even do that or does he do the binding alone? I think I have a say in this. I admit most days I am anything but bound to Jesus. How can my heart and my life become more and more bound to Christ and his covenant? How can I better "bind my wandering heart to thee?"
Dear Jesus, help me to bind myself to you today. Amen.
The Babylonians are coming! And they are about to destroy and conquer God's people due to their rebellion against God. It is a depressing time, yet the Lord can see a future when his people will "bind" themselves to him and his covenant. And this covenant will never be forgotten!
Am I bound to Christ? Or is he just a casual thing? How do I bind myself to him? Can I even do that or does he do the binding alone? I think I have a say in this. I admit most days I am anything but bound to Jesus. How can my heart and my life become more and more bound to Christ and his covenant? How can I better "bind my wandering heart to thee?"
Dear Jesus, help me to bind myself to you today. Amen.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Don't go to Egypt
Jeremiah 42:12 "I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land."
After the fall of Jerusalem, a remnant of Jews come to Jeremiah to ask the Lord what they should do now. They want to go and live in Egypt but God tells them to settle where they are. He assures them things will be fine and he will make sure Nebuchadnezzar is merciful to them. They don't listen.
God offers up a solution to his people. He tells them specifically what to do yet they disobey him. How often does this happen to me? God clearly tells me or shows me what is expected of me and I turn the other way. I feel like God is telling me to manage and prioritize my time better but I am not listening. Tonight I will listen.
Dear Jesus, help me to listen when you speak. Amen.
After the fall of Jerusalem, a remnant of Jews come to Jeremiah to ask the Lord what they should do now. They want to go and live in Egypt but God tells them to settle where they are. He assures them things will be fine and he will make sure Nebuchadnezzar is merciful to them. They don't listen.
God offers up a solution to his people. He tells them specifically what to do yet they disobey him. How often does this happen to me? God clearly tells me or shows me what is expected of me and I turn the other way. I feel like God is telling me to manage and prioritize my time better but I am not listening. Tonight I will listen.
Dear Jesus, help me to listen when you speak. Amen.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Time Suckers
Psalm 90:12 Teach us to make the most of our time, so that
we may grow in wisdom.
I n Psalm 90 Moses describes a very brief and depressing
life. He also describes a God who is
very angry. Much of this short psalm of
Moses is kind of sad. In verse 12, Moses
asks God to show us how to best use our time, and to help us grow in wisdom.
Dear Jesus help me to read your story each day this
week. Amen.
Time management is difficult for me some days. I too often waste time doing things that don’t
matter, like watching Duck Dynasty, updating Facebook, and playing fantasy football! These are time suckers and time wasters. God wants me to make the most of my time-and
what better way to spend my time than reading his word? This week I will strive to read the Bible and
SOAP each day and not miss one! His word
is that important and needs to take that place in my life.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Rad Recabites
Jeremiah 35:18 "Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Recabites, 'This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered...'"
Finally someone does something right! After so many bad kings and rebellious Israelites, Jeremiah finally has someone to brag about and applaud. The Recabites obeyed God, and kept their word so Jeremiah has encouraging words for them. God (speaking through Jeremiah) tells them that due to their faithfulness, they will always have a man serve God.
How good am I at keeping my word. I'm fairly good at it but some days I don't keep my word. I struggle sometimes with making promises I can't keep-particularly to my family. God honors a kept word and a faithful person. Today I will keep my word to my family.
Dear Jesus, give me the discipline and faithfulness to keep my word and obey your commands. Amen.
Finally someone does something right! After so many bad kings and rebellious Israelites, Jeremiah finally has someone to brag about and applaud. The Recabites obeyed God, and kept their word so Jeremiah has encouraging words for them. God (speaking through Jeremiah) tells them that due to their faithfulness, they will always have a man serve God.
How good am I at keeping my word. I'm fairly good at it but some days I don't keep my word. I struggle sometimes with making promises I can't keep-particularly to my family. God honors a kept word and a faithful person. Today I will keep my word to my family.
Dear Jesus, give me the discipline and faithfulness to keep my word and obey your commands. Amen.
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
Our God
Jeremiah 30:22 "So you will be my people, and I will be your God."
God is speaking in Jeremiah 30 about the restoration of his people Israel. He tells them that one day, they will finally and completely belong to him and be his people. One day, he will fully be their God.
I think this is the entire aim of God-that we will be his people and he will be our God. Strip all of the religious stuff away including the rules, the traditions, and our Sunday services and this is what God wants. He wants to dwell with us and be our God. I have the opportunity to do this each day. Am I willing to be his "people" and declare him my "God" each day?
Dear Jesus, please be my God and remind me to be yours. Amen.
God is speaking in Jeremiah 30 about the restoration of his people Israel. He tells them that one day, they will finally and completely belong to him and be his people. One day, he will fully be their God.
I think this is the entire aim of God-that we will be his people and he will be our God. Strip all of the religious stuff away including the rules, the traditions, and our Sunday services and this is what God wants. He wants to dwell with us and be our God. I have the opportunity to do this each day. Am I willing to be his "people" and declare him my "God" each day?
Dear Jesus, please be my God and remind me to be yours. Amen.
Monday, October 08, 2012
Hananiah
Jeremiah 28: 15 "Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, 'Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.'"
Hananiah pretends to be a prophet and tries to assure the king and the people that Nebuchadnezzar will not be that big of threat. Hananiah promises the articles taken from the temple, currently in Babylon's possession, will be returned within two years and all will be well. Hananiah tells the people what they want to hear. God doesn't appreciate Hananiah pretending to speak on his behalf and has him killed.
God doesn't like posers. He doesn't like liars. He doesn't like so called "leaders" mis-leading his people. Wow. Am I leading properly? Am I leading people towards God? Am I speaking my truth or his? Am I saying just what people want to hear?
Dear Jesus, please help me to shut up so that only your words are spoken. Amen.
Hananiah pretends to be a prophet and tries to assure the king and the people that Nebuchadnezzar will not be that big of threat. Hananiah promises the articles taken from the temple, currently in Babylon's possession, will be returned within two years and all will be well. Hananiah tells the people what they want to hear. God doesn't appreciate Hananiah pretending to speak on his behalf and has him killed.
God doesn't like posers. He doesn't like liars. He doesn't like so called "leaders" mis-leading his people. Wow. Am I leading properly? Am I leading people towards God? Am I speaking my truth or his? Am I saying just what people want to hear?
Dear Jesus, please help me to shut up so that only your words are spoken. Amen.
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
Never Too Late
Jeremiah 15:19 "Therefore this is what the Lord says; 'If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me...'"
God is prepared to destroy Judah and send her off to live in captivity in Babylon. His mind is almost made up....almost. Here in chapter fifteen, he still leaves the door open a bit. If his people will repent, he will restore them.
It is never too late for me to repent. I am never out of time to get my heart right with God. I may think it is too late or too much time has passed, but it hasn't. That's how awesome our God is. What do I need to repent of today?
Dear Jesus, help me remember my sins today. Amen.
God is prepared to destroy Judah and send her off to live in captivity in Babylon. His mind is almost made up....almost. Here in chapter fifteen, he still leaves the door open a bit. If his people will repent, he will restore them.
It is never too late for me to repent. I am never out of time to get my heart right with God. I may think it is too late or too much time has passed, but it hasn't. That's how awesome our God is. What do I need to repent of today?
Dear Jesus, help me remember my sins today. Amen.
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Useless Belt
Jeremiah 13:11 "'For as a belt is bound around a man's waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,' declares the Lord, 'to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.'"
God instructs Jeremiah to buy a belt and hide it in a crevice in the rocks. After a few days, Jeremiah fetches the belt and sees that it is wrecked, worn and useless. God explains that like this belt, he bound them together to his side, to be his people. But because they have forgotten about God, they too, like this belt are now useless.
I see God's anger show up often in the prophets but here I see a genuine hurt and sadness. God is wounded by how his people have turned their backs on him. God loves us so much and every time I turn my back to him, he feels betrayed and hurt-like a scorned lover. How can I keep from turning away from him this week?
Dear Jesus, help me to not turn my back to you. Amen.
God instructs Jeremiah to buy a belt and hide it in a crevice in the rocks. After a few days, Jeremiah fetches the belt and sees that it is wrecked, worn and useless. God explains that like this belt, he bound them together to his side, to be his people. But because they have forgotten about God, they too, like this belt are now useless.
I see God's anger show up often in the prophets but here I see a genuine hurt and sadness. God is wounded by how his people have turned their backs on him. God loves us so much and every time I turn my back to him, he feels betrayed and hurt-like a scorned lover. How can I keep from turning away from him this week?
Dear Jesus, help me to not turn my back to you. Amen.
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