What God Says is What Truly Matters -Jeremiah 32:36

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:36 (NIV)

“You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says…”

Jeremiah 32:36 (MSG)

“But there is also this Message from me, the God of Israel, to this city of which you have said, ‘In killing and starvation and disease this city will be delivered up to the king of Babylon’…”

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“Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and by famine and by virulent disease.’” -AMPLIFIED

“God is angry, and yet gracious. The rest of the chapter is full of tenderness and love. It is enough to make our eyes fill with tears as we note how God speaks concerning those who had rebelled against him.” ~Charles Spurgeon

The Lord has not hidden “why” His judgement was coming against Israel and Judah. He tells Jeremiah exactly why it was happening.

“They have built the high places of Baal in Ben Hinnom Valley to sacrifice their sons and daughters in the fire to Molech—something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!” -Jeremiah 32:35 (CSB)

As we look to today’s text, we are reminded that what the Lord says is what really matters. Others may “think” they know what will happen, but ultimately, only the Lord has the final say. What He decrees will come to pass.

“Jeremiah, listen to what the Eternal God of Israel has to say about Jerusalem: you say that by war, famine, and disease this city will fall to the king of Babylon, and you are right.” -(VOICE)

Yes, God would discipline the people of both Israel and Judah, but we now come to a section that reminds Jeremiah, and ultimately the people, that the Lord promises that in time they will be restored.

Adonai instructs Jeremiah to “listen up”, or to “pay attention”. This is what the Lord says will happen (We will dig deeper into these verses over the coming days.):

“Look! I will gather My people from all the countries where I scattered them in My righteous anger, in My great wrath and fury. I will bring them back to this place, Jerusalem, and let them live here safely under My protection. They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will unite them behind a single desire and purpose: to revere and worship Me forever for their own good and for the good of all who will come after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop blessing them with good things, and I will put in them a fear and respect of Me so they will not turn their backs to Me again. It will be My great joy to do good things for them, and you can be sure that I will devote Myself completely to planting them anew in this land.” -Jeremiah 32:37-41 (VOICE)

The thing is, Jeremiah had declared back in verses 23-24 that things were happening just as the Lord had said they would:

“They entered this land and conquered it as You led them. But even as they settled in, they refused to listen to Your voice and live as You instructed. They rebelled against Your entire law. So You caused these disastrous consequences to fall on them. Look! The siege ramps are built against the walls of the city. Soon the Chaldeans will begin the assault. Because of war, famine, and disease, the enemy will soon have control of the city. It is all happening as You said it would.” -Jeremiah 32:23-24 (VOICE)

The Lord reminds Jeremiah that if what He had declared in the past, had come to pass, would not what He is saying now will happen come to pass as well? God will accomplish what He has declared He will accomplish.

“Now therefore the Lord God of Israel says concerning this city that it will fall to the king of Babylon through warfare, famine, and disease…” -(TLB)

“Nevertheless the Lord promised to bring His people back into the land from which He was about to drive them. He would make them dwell securely in the same city He was about to hand over to their enemy-rebuilt.” ~Thomas Constable

Scripture reminds us that we can always take God at His Word, for what He says will happen, will happen. And what God says will happen matters more than what anyone else has to say.

Let us consider a few things that Scripture teaches us about God and His Word:

1.) God is Sovereign and He will accomplish His purposes: “Remember the old days. For I am God; there is no other. I am God; there are no other gods like Me. From the beginning I declare how things will end; from times long past, I tell what is yet to be, saying: “My intentions will come to pass. I will make things happen as I determine they should.” -Isaiah 46:9-10 (VOICE)

2.) God’s Word will be fulfilled: “That’s right. From this know that I am watching over My word until it is accomplished.” -Jeremiah 1:12 (VOICE)

3.) God always keeps His promises: “The time has come for me to die and return to the earth. But I want to leave you with these thoughts: Think back and you will know without a doubt that not one single good thing that the Eternal One, your God, promised you has been left undone. Not a single one.” -Joshua 23:14 (VOICE)

4.) God cannot lie: “God is not a man—He doesn’t lie. God isn’t the son of a man to want to take back what He’s said, or say something and not follow through, or speak and not act on it.” -Numbers 23:19 (VOICE)

5.) We can trust God: “Those who know Your name will rely on You, for You, O Eternal One, have not abandoned those who search for You.” -Psalm 9:10 (VOICE)

6.) Others may fail us, but God never will: “It is better to put your faith in the Eternal for your security than to trust in people.” -Psalm 118:8 (VOICE)

7.) God is working everything out according to His plan: “We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.” -Romans 8:28 (VOICE)

“The reason God knows the future is because he plans and accomplishes the future.” ~John Piper

My friend, what God says He will do, He will do. Do not fret, do not worry. If He has made a promise to you, He will fulfill it. You can trust Him. Nothing is impossible for Him. God has a purpose and a plan, and if you made a promise to you, He will accomplish it, just remember, it will happen in His timing, not yours. Trust Him. Remember this, “Now to the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen.” -Ephesians 3:20-21 (VOICE)

“God never made a promise that was too good to be true.” ~Dwight L. Moody

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, I am reminded once again that if you have made to me a promise, you intend to keep it. Lord, you have promised me many things. And I am holding on to those promises, because I know that you are THE PROMISE-KEEPER. You do not lie. You can be trusted. Whereas others have made promises they did not intend to keep, you are not that way. Every promise you have made, you made because you have a purpose and a plan. Lord, help me to rest in your timing. Help me to trust you to accomplish your plan in your way. When I am discouraged, please remind me that you have never failed to keep your promises, and you are working all things out for good, in your time. Lord, help my faith and trust in you to grow stronger. Thank you.

The Sacredness of Life – Jeremiah 32:35

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:35 (NIV)

“They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind—that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.”

Jeremiah 32:35 (MSG)

 “And then they went out and built shrines to the god Baal in the valley of Hinnom, where they burned their children in sacrifice to the god Molech—I can hardly conceive of such evil!—turning the whole country into one huge act of sin.”

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“They built the high places [for worship] of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom (son of Hinnom) to make their sons and their daughters pass through the fire to [worship and honor] Molech—which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this repulsive thing, to cause Judah to sin.” -AMPLIFIED

“They had defiled the temple precincts by placing images of idols there, and had built places of worship for Baal in the Hinnom Valley. They had even practiced child sacrifice there, something that Yahweh had not even imagined, let alone commanded. The Lord’s disclaimer hints that some of the people may have been claiming that child sacrifice fulfilled His law.” ~Thomas Constable

The Lord has reminded Jeremiah about the flagrant sin of the people of Israel, how they have defiled His holy Temple:

“They have placed their abhorrent things in the house that bears my name and have defiled it.” -Jeremiah 32:34 (CSB)

…and now we find the Lord further describing to Jeremiah how the people have gone so far into their sin that they were now participating in the Canaanite practice of child sacrifice. This was something that the Lord found detestable.

“They built altars to another master in the valley of Ben-hinnom so they’d have a place to sacrifice their own children to Molech! I never demanded they do such a thing—it never even crossed My mind that they would do such a disgusting evil or that Judah would sin like that.” -(VOICE)

NOTE: Molech, also known as Moloch or Molek, was a Phoenician and Canaanite god, a fire god.

“The fire-god Molech was the tutelary deity of the children of Ammon, and essentially identical with the Moabitish Chemosh. Fire-gods appear to have been common to all the Canaanite, Syrian and Arab tribes, who worshipped the destructive element under an outward symbol, with the most inhuman rites. According to Jewish tradition, the image of Molech was of brass, hollow within, and was situated without Jerusalem. “His face was (that) of a calf, and his hands stretched forth like a man who opens his hands to receive (something) of his neighbor. And they kindled it with fire, and the priests took the babe and put it into the hands of Molech, and the babe gave up the ghost.” ~Smith’s Bible Dictionary

Never did Adonai, the God of Israel, ever ask that the people to offer their children as a sacrifice. In fact, the Lord personally told the people NOT to participate in such practices, for He to do so would be to defile His Name.

“Do not sacrifice your children to Molech. Such an unholy sacrifice desecrates your God’s name. I am your God, the Eternal One.” -Leviticus 18:21 (VOICE)

We can find also Moses instructing and warning the people of Israel to never get involved in child sacrifice. He said to them:

“Don’t ever burn any of your sons or daughters alive as a sacrifice! And don’t ever get involved in any divining, such as predicting fortunes, interpreting omens, sorcery, casting spells, or trying to contact ghosts, spirits, or the dead. The Eternal is horrified when anyone does these things. It’s because of these horrible practices that the Eternal your God is driving those nations out ahead of you. You shall be complete in your obedience and devotion to Him.” -Deuteronomy 18:10-13 (VOICE)

Yet we know that there were multiple kings who participated in and led the people in child sacrifice.

• Ahaz – 2 Kings 16:3
• Manasseh – 2 Kings 21:6
• Solomon – 1 Kings 11:7

The point of all of this is that the Lord found these child sacrifices, all human sacrifice, repulsive, and He did not want His people to have any part in this practice.

“And they have built high altars to Baal in the valley of Hinnom. There they have burnt their children as sacrifices to Molech—something I never commanded and cannot imagine suggesting. What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly!” -(TLB)

“The sanctity of life simply means all human life is sacred. This sacredness is not a reflection of the goodness or holiness of man, because we are sinful. It reflects the origin of man because we were all created in the image of God. One of the most precious gifts God has bestowed upon us is the gift of life.” ~Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

The Bible is filled with passages that remind us of the value of a human life, and we are reminded that children are a gift from the Lord.

“Know this: children are a gift from the Eternal; the fruit of the womb is His reward.” -Psalm 127:3 (VOICE)

Scripture reminds us that we are all created in God’s image:

“So God did just that. He created humanity in His image, created them male and female.” -Genesis 1:27

Scripture also tells us that God will hold the taker of a life accountable:

“Whoever sheds the blood of a human, that person’s blood will be shed in return by another for God made humanity in His own image.” -Genesis 9:6 (VOICE)

Scripture reminds us that the Lord took great care to form us and make each of us into the person that we have become:

“For You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul. You see all things; nothing about me was hidden from You as I took shape in secret, carefully crafted in the heart of the earth before I was born from its womb. You see all things; You saw me growing, changing in my mother’s womb; every detail of my life was already written in Your book; You established the length of my life before I ever tasted the sweetness of it.” -Psalm 139:13-16 (VOICE)

Scripture also reminds us that God has a purpose and a plan for every life that He has created:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that.” -Jeremiah 29:11 (VOICE)

” Life is a gift from God created in His own image.” ~John MacArthur

My friend, God has a purpose and a plan for every life. Each life is sacred to Him because each of us has been created in His image. Remember too, children are a gift from the Lord. As such, let us treat them with the love and care that God intends.

“If you’re alive, there’s a purpose for your life.” ~Rick Warren

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, every life is so important to you. Each person that you have created, you created with a purpose and a plan in mind. You look upon each person as a gift. You took the time to lovingly form each of us, and you are appalled when mankind does not treat with respect the children that you have gifted to us. Lord, please forgive our nations, those which have harmed the gifts that you have given to us. So many are guilty of this sin. Life is a gift, and it is sacred. Help us, Lord, to see this truth as you see it.

The Flagrant Sinner – Jeremiah 32:34

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:34 (NIV)

“They set up their vile images in the house that bears my Name and defiled it.”

Jeremiah 32:34 (MSG)

“Why, they even set up obscene god and goddess statues in the Temple built in my honor—an outrageous desecration!”

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“But they put their detestable things (idols) in the house which is called by My Name, to defile it.” -AMPLIFIED

 “The height of the nation’s impiety was reached when the people set up their idols in the temple of God himself. Their obscene symbols had been removed during Josiah’s reforms. But they were reintroduced in the years of apostasy after Josiah’s reign.” ~John Feinberg

The Lord has told Jeremiah that the people of Israel and Judah have been acting like obstinate children, refusing to listen to Him, and refusing to accept His discipline:

“They have turned their backs to me and not their faces. Though I taught them time and time again, they do not listen and receive discipline.” -Jeremiah 32:33 (CSB)

In fact, these people have become flagrant in their sin, thumbing their noses, and disrespecting the Lord God. They have set up their abominations, their idols, right in the Lord’s Temple.

NOTE: To be flagrant is to be intentionally offensive, to be obviously shocking, offensive, blatant, and maliciously scandalous.

“They even put up their detestable idols in My temple, defiling the very place that is supposed to honor Me!” -(VOICE)

The Lord had good reason to take offense with Israel and Judah, for the people had intentionally turned the Temple, His Temple, which bore His Name, into an offensive place, deliberately. They had set up their idols in His Temple, even though they knew that He was a jealous God, and they had been warned:

“You are not to serve any other gods before Me. You are not to make any idol or image of other gods. In fact, you are not to make an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You are not to bow down and serve any image, for I, the Eternal your God, am a jealous God. As for those who are not loyal to Me, their children will endure the consequences of their sins for three or four generations. But for those who love Me and keep My directives, their children will experience My loyal love for a thousand generations.” -Exodus 20:3-6 (VOICE)

We have record that the wicked king, Manasseh, had set up altars to other gods in the Lord’s Temple:

“Manasseh was 12 years old when he inherited the throne. His reign in Jerusalem lasted 55 years. His mother was Hephzibah. He committed evil in the Eternal’s eyes, like the abhorrent practices of those nations driven out by the Eternal before the Israelites settled in Canaan. Manasseh reconstructed the high places his father, Hezekiah, had demolished. He constructed altars for Baal and crafted a sacred pole, just as Ahab the former king of Israel had done. He offered his praise to all the gods of the skies and was in service to them. He constructed altars in the Eternal’s temple to foreign, pagan gods. This was the temple the Eternal had spoken of when He said, “My name will dwell in Jerusalem.” He contaminated the temple by constructing altars for all the gods of the skies in both the courts in the Eternal’s temple. He forced his son to go through the fire as a burnt offering, and he was trained in the dark arts of witchcraft and fortune-telling. He practiced them both. He consulted necromancers and clairvoyants. He committed many wicked acts in the Eternal’s eyes, which caused Him to boil in anger.” -2 Kings 21:1-6 (VOICE)

And, in the book of Ezekiel we find the Lord showing Ezekiel, in a vision, how flagrant and blatant the sin of the people had become:

“Then, late in August of the sixth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, as I was talking with the elders of Judah in my home, the power of the Lord God fell upon me. I saw what appeared to be a Man; from his waist down, he was made of fire; from his waist up, he was all amber-colored brightness. He put out what seemed to be a hand and took me by the hair. And the Spirit lifted me up into the sky and seemed to transport me to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the north gate, where the large idol was that had made the Lord so angry. Suddenly the glory of the God of Israel was there, just as I had seen it before in the valley. He said to me, “Son of dust, look toward the north.” So I looked and, sure enough, north of the altar gate in the entrance stood the idol. And he said: “Son of dust, do you see what they are doing? Do you see what great sins the people of Israel are doing here, to push me from my Temple? But come, and I will show you greater sins than these!” Then he brought me to the door of the Temple court, where I could see an opening in the wall. “Now dig into the wall,” he said. I did and uncovered a door to a hidden room. “Go in,” he said, “and see the wickedness going on in there!” So I went in. The walls were covered with pictures of all kinds of snakes, lizards, and hideous creatures, besides all the various idols worshiped by the people of Israel. Seventy elders of Israel were standing there along with Jaazaniah (son of Shaphan) worshiping the pictures. Each of them held a censer of burning incense, so there was a thick cloud of smoke above their heads. Then the Lord said to me: “Son of dust, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in their minds? For they say, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us; he has gone away!’” Then he added, “Come, and I will show you greater sins than these!” He brought me to the north gate of the Temple, and there sat women weeping for Tammuz, their god. “Have you seen this?” he asked. “But I will show you greater evils than these!” Then he brought me into the inner court of the Temple, and there at the door, between the porch and the bronze altar, were about twenty-five men standing with their backs to the Temple of the Lord, facing east, worshiping the sun!” -Ezekiel 8:1-16 (TLB)

It is no wonder that the Lord was angry. The people had deliberately made the choice to blatantly sin, to do exactly what He had warned them not to do, and they did not care if they disrespected Him or offended Him.

“They have even defiled my own Temple by worshiping their abominable idols there.” -(TLB)

“Their idols, which were abominable to the Lord, and ought to have been so to them: these they placed in the house (which is called by my name), to defile it.” ~John Gill

Scripture warns us about knowing what the right thing is to do, but instead deliberately choosing to do the wrong:

“So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin.” -James 4:17 (Complete Jewish Bible)

The writer of Hebrews cautions us that judgement is in store for those who deliberately sin.

“For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, of raging fire that will consume the enemies.” -Hebrews 10:26-27 (Complete Jewish Bible)

“What destroys the soul is an eager, deliberate, willing, persistent, settled pattern of sin.” ~John Piper

John wrote in his first epistle about those who willfully and persistently sin against the Lord:

“Everyone who lives a life of habitual sin is living in moral anarchy. That’s what sin is. You realize that He came to eradicate sins, that there is not the slightest bit of sin in Him. The ones who live in an intimate relationship with Him do not persist in sin, but anyone who persists in sin has not seen and does not know the real Jesus. Children, don’t let anyone pull one over on you. The one doing the right thing is just imitating Jesus, the Righteous One. The one persisting in sin belongs to the diabolical one, who has been all about sin from the beginning. That is why the Son of God came into our world: to destroy the plague of destruction inflicted on the world by the diabolical one. Everyone who has been born into God’s family avoids sin as a lifestyle because the genes of God’s children come from God Himself. Therefore, a child of God can’t live a life of persistent sin. So it is not hard to figure out who are the children of God and who are the children of the diabolical one: those who lack right standing and those who don’t show love for one another do not belong to God.” -1 John 4:3-10 (VOICE)

“Jesus said, “Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). We must honestly face the question, “Am I willing to give up a certain practice or habit that is keeping me from holiness?” It is at this point of commitment that most of us fail. We prefer to dally with sin, to try to play with it a little without getting too deeply involved.” ~Jerry Bridges

My friend, I am sure you have heard this quote before, “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.” Sadly, many of us have adopted that mentality with the Lord. This is the wrong attitude, and an incorrect way of thinking. God has called us to a higher standard, we are to be holy as He is holy. And we would do well to remember that we are not of this world: “Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these things you show that you do not really love God; for all these worldly things, these evil desires—the craze for sex, the ambition to buy everything that appeals to you, and the pride that comes from wealth and importance—these are not from God. They are from this evil world itself. And this world is fading away, and these evil, forbidden things will go with it, but whoever keeps doing the will of God will live forever.” -1 John 2:15-17 (TLB) Let us stop any willful, flagrant sin, which is so offensive to the Lord.

“Perhaps you have been ensnared by a sinful habit that you will not abandon, and your guilt is so overwhelming you are ashamed to approach Christ. Whatever the reason for your broken intimacy with God, there is good news. Jesus waits to embrace you now in the arms of unconditional, divine love.” ~Charles Stanley

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, sadly there have been times when I have had the mentality that it was okay to sin because afterwards, I could always ask forgiveness. I realize now that line of thinking is disrespectful towards you, and wrong. Please forgive me. You have called your children to a higher standard. You have told me that I am not of this world, and I am not to live as if I am part of it. I am just a pilgrim passing through, on my way HOME to you. Please, help me to remember this fact. Help me to walk in Your ways, the way of righteousness. So that when I do stand before your Throne, I will hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

When We Act Like the Obstinate Child -Jeremiah 32:33

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:33 (NIV)

“They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.”

Jeremiah 32:33 (MSG)

“They’ve turned their backs on me—won’t even look me in the face!—even though I took great pains to teach them how to live. They refused to listen, refused to be taught.”

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“They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them repeatedly, yet they would not listen and receive instruction.” -AMPLIFIED

“They have behaved themselves against me contemptuously, like men who, when they are spoken to, admonished, or instructed, instead of looking towards those who instruct or admonish them, turn their back upon them. Yet their sin had not been so great and heinous, if I by my prophets had not diligently instructed them, and they as stubbornly refused to be taught or amended by their instruction.” ~Matthew Poole

The Lord has reminded Jeremiah that He is indeed longsuffering, but there comes a time for discipline. The time has arrived:

“…for this city has caused my wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from my presence because of all the evil the Israelites and Judeans have done to anger me—they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem.” -Jeremiah 32:31-31 (CSB)

Israel and Judah had a problem, they were acting like obstinate children, refusing to listen to their Father. The Lord said as much as He described their behavior in this way:

“They have all turned their backs to Me instead of their faces. They have refused to listen and learn from My instruction, even though I tried to teach them again and again.” -(VOICE)

Let us take a moment to address the behavior of the people:

1.) They had turned their backs to the Lord, not their faces.

2.) They refused to return to the Lord.

3.) They refused to listen to the Lord.

4.) They refused to learn from the Lord.

This anecdote paints the picture for us of a small, willful child who refuses to listen to the guidance of their parent. The child turns away from their parent with a pout on their face, with their arms folded tightly against their body, with a stamp of their little foot, and a “humph”.

Stubborn, obstinate, or rebelliousness, call it what you will, but it all boils down to refusing to listen to and obeying the One who is in authority. This was the issue. The Lord had taught the people right from wrong (the Ten Commandments), so they had no excuse, but yet they refused to listen to His guidance or obey His directives.

“They have turned their backs upon me and refused to return; day after day, year after year, I taught them right from wrong, but they would not listen or obey.”

“Like men who wished to insult a king in his very court. It is a great aggravation of an offense against God when he has taught us, and yet we “have not hearkened to receive instruction.” ~Charles Spurgeon

The Lord took issue with Israel for being obstinate in their sin; refusing to listen, learn, or return to Him when they had turned their proverbial backs towards Him. We would be very foolish indeed if we thought that we, in present, contemporary times, could do so. God has not changed, and sin is still sin. His expectations have not changed for those who follow Him. Make note:

The Lord is Righteous: “You are good and just, O Eternal One, and Your rulings are right.” -Psalm 119:137 (VOICE)

The Lord does not change: “Because I am the Eternal One, I never change; as a result, you children of Jacob have not been destroyed though your blessing may have been delayed.” -Malachi 3:6 (VOICE)

The Lord expects obedience: “Be like obedient children as you put aside the desires you used to pursue when you didn’t know better. Since the One who called you is holy, be holy in all you do. For the Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.” -1 Peter 1:14-16 (VOICE)

The Lord expects us to listen: “Those people who are listening to Me, those people who hear what I say and live according to My teachings—you are like a wise man who built his house on a rock, on a firm foundation.” -Matthew 7:24 (VOICE)

“The greatest test of life is obedience to God.” ~Ezra Taft Benson 

The Lord expects us to walk humbly before Him: “He has told you, mortals, what is good in His sight. What else does the Eternal ask of you but to live justly and to love kindness and to walk with your True God in all humility?” -Micah 6:8 (VOICE)

The Lord expects us to submit to Him and to resist the Enemy: “So submit yourselves to the one true God and fight against the devil and his schemes. If you do, he will run away in failure.” -James 4:7 (VOICE)

The Lord expects and deserves our respect for Him: “And now, Israel, what is the Eternal your God asking of you? Only that you fear Him, live as He wants you to, and love Him; serve Him with every part of you, heart and soul; and obey His commands and rules, which I’m giving you today for your good.” -Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (VOICE)

“When obedience to God contradicts what I think will give me pleasure, let me ask myself if I love Him.” ~Elisabeth Elliot

The Lord is waiting on us, so that He can show us His favor: “Meanwhile, the Eternal One yearns to give you grace and boundless compassion; that’s why He waits. For the Eternal is a God of justice. Those inclined toward Him, waiting for His help, will find happiness.” -Isaiah 30:18 (VOICE)

“Obedience to God’s will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight. It is not willingness to know, but willingness to DO (obey) God’s will that brings certainty.” ~Eric Liddell

My friend, God has His expectations. Sadly, we tend to follow the example of Israel, obstinately turning our proverbial back on the Lord, crossing our arms, and stomping our foot, and insisting on having our own way. That sort of attitude is wrong, and it will get us nowhere with the Lord. Keep in mind, obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience shows that we love the Lord, and we are willing to submit to His will and way in our lives. Remember too, choosing the way of obedience will bring with it blessings.

“All of God’s expectations in the Scriptures can be summed up in four main expectations which are:
1. We are to acknowledge God for who He is and what He has done.
2. We are to walk obediently in Him.
3. We are to pass on the knowledge of the Holy to the next generation.
4. We are to wait on God to accomplish that which He has promised.
Applying this process takes a life time – for God is working in His people changing lives. ” ~Daniel LeRoy Wagner

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, I admit, too often I have been that obstinate, stubborn child, who refused to listen to or obey your Voice. I am sorry, please forgive me. Help me to remember that in this relationship, you have expectations of me. You expect and deserve my respect, obedience, holiness, and my undivided love. Help me to walk in obedience, to choose to live a life that is wholly submitted to you. I know I cannot do life without you. I also know your way of doing things is the best way. If I insist on doing things my way, I always end up in trouble. Help me to remember what you said to Israel through Isaiah the next time I insist on having my own way: “My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do. My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.” -Isaiah 55:8-9 (VOICE)

Our Longsuffering Lord – Jeremiah 32:31-32

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:31-32 (NIV)

“From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight. The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done—they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem.”

Jeremiah 32:31-32 (MSG)

“This city has made me angry from the day they built it, and now I’ve had my fill. I’m destroying it. I can’t stand to look any longer at the wicked lives of the people of Israel and Judah, deliberately making me angry, the whole lot of them—kings and leaders and priests and preachers, in the country and in the city.”

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“From the day that they built it [during the reign of Solomon], even to this day, this city has been such a provocation of My anger and My wrath, that I must remove it from My sight, because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” -AMPLIFIED

“Jerusalem, which ought to have been a holy city, had been so impure that it had been a standing provocation to God from the day it was built…They seem to have been all alike. With scarcely an exception, from the highest class to the lowest, they were always disobeying God.” ~Charles Spurgeon

The Lord has been speaking to Jeremiah, addressing the fact that the people of both Israel and Judah had fallen into a cycle of sin:

“From their youth, the Israelites and Judeans have done nothing but what is evil in my sight! They have done nothing but anger me by the work of their hands”—this is the Lord’s declaration—…” -Jeremiah 32:30 (CSB)

The Lord explains to Jeremiah how He has been longsuffering with the people, who have chosen to disobey Him from the least to the greatest, they have all tested the patience of the Lord.

NOTE: To be longsuffering is to be slow to anger. Longsuffering is a word often used to describe God’s patience and/or endurance. In Hebrew the word is “arak“, it means to be slow to anger, or patient. In Greek the word is “makrothumia“, it means forbearance, or patience.

“From the day Jerusalem was built until this very moment, the people have stirred My anger and provoked My wrath; so now I am forced to remove this city completely from My sight. The people of Israel and Judah have angered Me with their wickedness—from their kings and their officials to their priests and prophets, from the people of Judah to the citizens of Jerusalem.” -(VOICE)

The Lord God had been extremely longsuffering with the people. He tells Jeremiah that this rebellious spirit had been on-going, since the time of Solomon, who was the builder of His Temple. We can flip over to 1 Kings and find this record of what Solomon did after the Temple was built:

“Solomon abandoned his lifelong integrity and committed evil in the eyes of the Eternal. He did not follow Him completely, as his father David had. Instead Solomon constructed a high place on the mountain east of Jerusalem for Chemosh (Moab’s horrific idol) and for Molech (the Ammonites’ abhorrence). He constructed such sites for all his wives from other countries, so that they would have a place to burn incense and offer sacrifices to their many gods.” -1 Kings 11:6-8 (VOICE)

 “This destruction is brought about by the sins of the people, from the least to the greatest.  People from all social status have turned their hearts to Baal and other idol worship.  In response, God will allow the city to be burned.  Noteworthy is that the sin that provokes God’s wrath has been present since they built Jerusalem.  While David conquered the city, his son Solomon finished building and fortifying the city and it was during his reign that idolatry entered Jerusalem through his many wives.” ~Melissa Beaty

So, we learn that this sin of rebellion against the Lord had been ongoing for a very long time. It was a sin that affected both nations, from the leadership, all the way down. And the Lord had been longsuffering for a very long time, but He could not allow them to continue in their sin forever without disciplining them; He would not be a good Father if He did so.

“From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me; so I am determined to be rid of it. The sins of Israel and Judah—the sins of the people, of their kings, officers, priests, and prophets—stir me up.” -(TLB)

“Even when God deems it necessary to discipline us for persistent disobedience, He always does so out of love to restore us to the way of obedience (see Hebrews 12:4-11).” ~Jerry Bridges

The Lord is longsuffering but there does come a time when He must discipline us if we insist on continuing in our sin and in so doing, rebelling against Him. Afterall, He has set in place boundaries for a reason. Thankfully Scripture tells us that the Lord is slow to anger:

• “The Eternal is compassionate and merciful. When we cross all the lines, He is patient with us. When we struggle against Him, He lovingly stays with us—changing, convicting, prodding; He will not constantly criticize, nor will He hold a grudge forever.” -Psalm 103:8-9 (VOICE)
• “The Eternal is gracious. He shows mercy to His people. For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.” -Psalm 145:8 (VOICE)
  

Moses cautioned the children of Israel that they should never test the patience of the Lord:

“ Don’t put the Eternal, your True God, to the test the way you did back at Massah.” -Deuteronomy 6:16 (VOICE)

Instead, Moses cautioned the people to carefully obey all of God’s commands:

“Carefully obey the commands, rules, and precedents the Eternal, your True God, has given you. ¹⁸ Do the things He considers right and good. Then everything will go well for you, and you’ll go and live in the good land He promised to your ancestors.” -Deuteronomy 6:17-18 (VOICE)

May we never foolishly fall into the line of thinking that the Lord’s longsuffering patience with us is Him giving us permission to sin:

“Do you take the kindness of God for granted? Do you see His patience and tolerance as signs that He is a pushover when it comes to sin? How could you not know that His kindness is guiding our hearts to turn away from distractions and habitual sin to walk a new path?” -Romans 2:4 (VOICE)

“The goal of God’s discipline is to correct, or to set right, or to improve, not to make someone suffer as an act of vengeance or retribution.” ~Bryan Chapell

In the book of Joel, we find the Lord making this plea to the people of Israel, it is a plea that He extends to everyone:

“Even now, turn back your heart and rededicate yourselves to Me; show Me your repentance by fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rip the wickedness out of your hearts; don’t just tear your clothing. Now return to the Eternal, your True God. You already know He is gracious and compassionate. He does not anger easily and maintains faithful love. He is willing to relent and not harm you.” -Joel 2:12-13 (VOICE)

“God is longsuffering. His holiness demands that everything associated with Him also be holy. However, all people are sinners and deserve His judgement and wrath. At the same time, God is longsuffering, waiting in loving patience for each person to come to Him for salvation.” ~https://www.compellingtruth.org/Bible-longsuffering.html

My friend, the Lord is longsuffering, and extremely patient with us, but there will come a time, if we persist in our sin, that He must discipline us. Why? Because of His great love for us. He wants the best for us, and He desires to spend eternity with us. In order for this to happen, He must rein us in from our sin, and has turn our wandering hearts back to Him, so that He can teach us His ways. Instead of fighting against Him, choose to submit. Stop testing the patience of the Lord and accept His guidance. You will never regret that choice.

“Whoever and wherever we are, God’s patience invites our repentance.” ~Scott Hubbard

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, your Word teaches me that you are indeed longsuffering, but I should not be testing your patience. Sadly, I know there have been times that I have tested the limits of your patience. For this, I am sorry. I am reminded of the need for your discipline, that you give it because you love me. Sometimes your discipline may not feel like an act of love, but in the end, I know you discipline me for the simple fact that you want what is best for me. You discipline, not because you seek to hurt or destroy me, but because you care about what happens to me. Your longsuffering love is a blessing, not a curse. Please, help me to remember this truth, Lord.

Stopping the Cycle of Sin – Jeremiah 32:30

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:30 (NIV)

“The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger with what their hands have made, declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah 32:30 (MSG)

“It isn’t as if this were the first time they had provoked me. The people of Israel and Judah have been doing this for a long time—doing what I hate, making me angry by the way they live.” God’s Decree.”

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“For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil in My sight from their youth; for the children of Israel have been provoking Me to anger by the [idols that are the] work of their hands,” says the Lord.” -AMPLIFIED

“He (God) amplifies the sin of the people, that they never departed from their vices.” ~John Calvin

The Lord tells Jeremiah that what He has foretold in the past, about the Babylonians conquering Jerusalem, will come to pass. And it will happen because he people have rebelled against Him, provoking Him. The Lord had given guidelines and boundaries, which the people had refused to obey:

“The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come and set this city on fire. They will burn it, including the houses where incense has been burned to Baal on their rooftops and where drink offerings have been poured out to other gods to anger me.” -Jeremiah 32:29 (CSB)

This sin, idolatry, was no longer just regulated to Israel, but it had spread to Judah as well, and it was an ongoing cycle of sin which offended the Lord.

“The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight since their early days. They have done nothing except kindle My anger with their handmade idols and the way they live their lives.” -(VOICE)

The Lord declares that the sin of idolatry had been a continuing cycle for Israel and Judah. This is the very sin which the Lord had cautioned them about back in Exodus, at the beginning of their journey together.

Eternal One: “I am the Eternal your God. I led you out of Egypt and liberated you from lives of slavery and oppression. You are not to serve any other gods before Me. You are not to make any idol or image of other gods. In fact, you are not to make an image of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. You are not to bow down and serve any image, for I, the Eternal your God, am a jealous God. As for those who are not loyal to Me, their children will endure the consequences of their sins for three or four generations. But for those who love Me and keep My directives, their children will experience My loyal love for a thousand generations.” -Exodus 20:2-6 (VOICE)

And yet, though forewarned, they still fell into a cycle of sin. Though they knew what God’s expectations were, they chose to ignore His instructions and follow the ways of the nations around them. This provoked the Lord, and we will find Him speaking about this more over the coming days.

“For Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days; they have infuriated me with all their evil deeds.” -(TLB)

“If they had offended me only by some particular single acts, or by some few omissions, or but for a small time, I might have been judged too severe upon them; but from the time they first began to be a nation they have made it their business, course, and trade, passing from one idolatry to another, &c.” ~Matthew Poole

Keep in mind, sin is rebelling against the Lord God and refusing to do His will or obeying His law.

 ^“So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin—plain and simple.” -James 4:17 (VOICE)

“Sin is any failure to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, or nature.” ~Wayne Grudem

Guess what, Scripture tells us that we are all sinners.

“You see, all have sinned, and all their futile attempts to reach God in His glory fail.” -Romans 3:23 (VOICE)

We are reminded though that if we confess our sins to the Lord, that He will forgive us.

“But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done.” -1 John 1:9 (VOICE)

If we have confessed that sin to the Lord, it no longer has power over us.

“We know this: whatever we used to be with our old sinful ways has been nailed to His cross. So our entire record of sin has been canceled, and we no longer have to bow down to sin’s power. A dead man, you see, cannot be bound by sin. But if we have died with the Anointed One, we believe that we shall also live together with Him. So we stand firm in the conviction that death holds no power over God’s Anointed, because He was resurrected from the dead never to face death again. When He died, He died to whatever power sin had, once and for all, and now He lives completely to God. So here is how to picture yourself now that you have been initiated into Jesus the Anointed: you are dead to sin’s power and influence, but you are alive to God’s rule.” -Romans 6:6-11 (VOICE)

Once we have been forgiven, should we return to doing that sin? Absolutely not!

“Don’t invite that insufferable tyrant of sin back into your mortal body so you won’t become obedient to its destructive desires. Don’t offer your bodily members to sin’s service as tools of wickedness; instead, offer your body to God as those who are alive from the dead, and devote the parts of your body to God as tools for justice and goodness in this world. For sin is no longer a tyrant over you; indeed you are under grace and not the law.” -Romans 6:12-14 (VOICE)

Do not fall into cycle of continual, habitual sin.

“Everyone who lives a life of habitual sin is living in moral anarchy. That’s what sin is. You realize that He came to eradicate sins, that there is not the slightest bit of sin in Him. The ones who live in an intimate relationship with Him do not persist in sin, but anyone who persists in sin has not seen and does not know the real Jesus. Children, don’t let anyone pull one over on you. The one doing the right thing is just imitating Jesus, the Righteous One.” -1 John 3:4-7 (VOICE)

So, it is time to set aside those sinful desires, time to live a life that is holy and acceptable to the Lord.

“Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.” -Romans 12:1-2 (VOICE)

We must take action on our part. Actively putting aside the old desires, and obediently choosing instead to become like our Savior, holy.

“So get yourselves ready, prepare your minds to act, control yourselves, and look forward in hope as you focus on the grace that comes when Jesus the Anointed returns and is completely revealed to you. Be like obedient children as you put aside the desires you used to pursue when you didn’t know better. Since the One who called you is holy, be holy in all you do. For the Scripture says, “You are to be holy, for I am holy.” -1 Peter 1:13-16 (VOICE)

“Be vigilant; be conscious, so that the temptations don’t take you by surprise. Avoid situations that you know are dangerous. When you acknowledge that you are weak and powerless, then God will be strong on your behalf. All of the incredible power He has – a power so huge that He created the heavens and the earth from nothing – is available to you. Ask God to pour it over you, to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire, so you can stand fast in that moment when sin is standing at the door and knocking. Jesus is right at the throne of God, making intercession for you too. (Romans 8:34) There is no reason in the world that it can’t succeed for you.” ~Ann Steiner

My friend, we all are sinners. We were born into sin. But Jesus paid the price for our sin. Every day we have a choice to make, will we choose to do things God’s way, or will we insist on doing things our own way. Sin stands at the door of our heart, beckoning us, but we do not have to give in to it. We have been set free from the power of sin. Make the choice to yell “NO” to that sin, and choose to live a life that is holy and acceptable to the Lord. It is time to break that cycle of sin.

“Abide in Jesus, the sinless One – which means, give up all of self and its life, and dwell in God’s will and rest in His strength. This is what brings the power that does not commit sin.” ~Andy Murray

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, I am asking for your help today to live a life that is holy and acceptable to you. I have confessed my sin, and you have forgiven me, but each day is a battle. Each day I must make the choice to continually do things your way, not mine. Sometimes I have to make that choice moment by moment and some times are easier than others. I acknowledge that temptation to give into sin is a struggle. But Lord, I want to do things your way. Help me to be obedient. Help me to remember not to entertain things that are not holy and acceptable. Remind me to nip that thought of temptation in the bud by telling the Enemy to leave, by turning my thoughts to you, the Author and Finisher of my faith. Lord, I need your help, thank you for always being there for me.

Do Not Provoke the Lord – Jeremiah 32:29

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:29 (NIV)

“The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down, along with the houses where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.”

Jeremiah 32:29 (MSG)

“The attacking Chaldeans will break through and burn the city down: All those houses whose roofs were used as altars for offerings to Baal and the worship of who knows how many other gods provoked me. It isn’t as if this were the first time they had provoked me.”

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“The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in and set this city on fire and burn it, along with the houses on whose roofs incense has been offered to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods to provoke Me to anger.” -AMPLIFIED

“God reminded Jeremiah of all the sins of Judah and Jerusalem that invited the punishment of God. All these sins – mainly idolatry of different forms – were a provocation of God’s anger.” ~David Guzik

The Lord reminded Jeremiah that what He had decreed, would happen:

“Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the Chaldeans, to Babylon’s king Nebuchadnezzar, and he will capture it.” -Jeremiah 32:28 (CSB)

As we look to today’s text, we find the Lord reiterating many things that He had told Jeremiah in the past, things that “will” happen because of the blatant rebellion and sin of the people. In their rebellion, the people had provoked the Lord:

“The Chaldeans who are now assaulting the city will enter and set everything on fire. They will set houses ablaze where people set up shrines on roofs to burn incense to Baal and pour out drink offerings to other gods. Their offerings have ignited My anger.” -(VOICE)

The Lord is forthright with Jeremiah about what will take place to those in the city of Jerusalem. The Babylonians, who were already outside the city, attacking it, will finally break through the wall, enter it, and set the city on fire. Every house where the inhabitants had made offerings to Baal on their roof, will burn. Every house where incense was burned to Baal will go up in smoke.

The people had provoked the Lord, pushed Him to the limit. The Lord had set standards, His expectations, and given boundaries that were not to be crossed. And yet the people of both Israel and Judah chose to disregard God’s standards, they chose to cross His boundaries, and in so doing they provoked Him to anger.

“Instead of Israel responding to God, she thumbed her nose at the gracious invitation of God. What Israel specifically did is to continually provoke God to His face. The Hebrew word “provoke” is one that means to irritate and anger God by continually doing things He finds very offensive (William Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon, p. 409). The Hiphil stem of the participle means that this action of angering God has been completely caused by His own people. In other words, they blatantly rebelled right in the face of God.” ~David Thompson

“And the Babylonians outside the walls shall come in and set fire to the city and burn down all these houses, where the roofs have been used to offer incense to Baal and to pour out libations to other gods, causing my fury to rise!” -(TLB)

“Here were people who had done nothing else but evil. God had been very good to them, but they had been very bad to him. From their youth, and without a break, they had continued to rebel.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Scripture tells us that yes, God is slow to anger:

“The Eternal is gracious. He shows mercy to His people. For Him anger does not come easily, but faithful love does—and it is rich and abundant.” -Psalm 145:8 (VOICE)

But Scripture also tells us that the Lord God is righteous and just. He has given to mankind standards, and guidelines to live by, and He cannot, will not, just sit back and allow man to disrespect His rules. These standards, these guidelines were put in place for our own protection. Consider what the Word says on this matter:

“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light. ⁹ God’s laws are pure, eternal, just.” -Psalm 19:7-9 (TLB)

“The Eternal’s law is perfect, turning lives around. His words are reliable and true, instilling wisdom to open minds. The Eternal’s directions are correct, giving satisfaction to the heart. God’s commandments are clear, lending clarity to the eyes. The awe of the Eternal is clean, sustaining for all of eternity. The Eternal’s decisions are sound; they are right through and through.” -Psalm 19:7-9 (VOICE)

The Lord’s expectations have not changed.

“Hear Me you foolish, heartless people. Even with eyes and ears you are still blind and deaf to what is happening. Do you not realize who I am? Do you not fear Me? Do you not shake in the presence of the Eternal, the Creator of all things? It is I who has drawn for all time the boundaries of the sea. The waves may crash and roar against the sand, but the waters do not cross the lines I have drawn. But with stubborn and defiant hearts, this people ignored Me and left Me for another.” -Jeremiah 5:21-23 (VOICE)

The Apostle John reminds us that that if we are living in an intimate relationship with the Lord, then we will not insist on sinning:

“The ones who live in an intimate relationship with Him do not persist in sin, but anyone who persists in sin has not seen and does not know the real Jesus.” -1 John 3:6 (VOICE)

And the writer of Hebrews tells us that we need to be careful that we are not deliberately sinning:

“Now if we willfully persist in sin after receiving such knowledge of the truth, then there is no sacrifice left for those sins—only the fearful prospect of judgment and a fierce fire that will consume God’s adversaries.” -Hebrews 10:26-27 (VOICE)

Jesus used Scripture when faced by the Tempter, declaring:

 ‘Do not put the Lord your God to a foolish test.’” –Luke 4:12 (TLB)

“You will not presume on God; you will not test the Lord, the one True God.” -Luke 4:12 (VOICE)

“God has not changed (Hebrews 13:8). What angered God in Old Testament times, still can provoke God to anger today. He is very patient and loving with us. He gives us many “second, third, etc.” chances to repent and turn from our wicked sin. One day, however, His toleration of sin will cease.” ~Bill Brinkworth

My friend, let us be careful that we too are not provoking the Lord. He has given to us guidelines of life to live by for a reason. He has charged us to be holy as He is holy. He has called us to live intimately with Him, and not to persist in sin. Do not put the Lord God to the test. Do not abuse His grace and mercy. Meditate on and keep this passage in your heart and mind: “If someone claims, “I am in an intimate relationship with Him,” but this big talker doesn’t live out His commands, then this individual is a liar and a stranger to the truth. But if someone responds to and obeys His word, then God’s love has truly taken root and filled him. This is how we know we are in an intimate relationship with Him: anyone who says, “I live in intimacy with Him,” should walk the path Jesus walked.” -1 John 2:4-6 (VOICE)

“God’s patience towards every believer is beyond compare. Through His love and finished work, Jesus made a way for us to be free of the consequence of sin, not so that we would walk in it but that we would grow more and more out of the occurrence of sin. God’s patience for those He loves must never be confused as tolerance for sin.” ~Patrick Maibilog

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, I ask for your forgiveness for those times that I have blatantly sinned against you. That was wrong of me. Your Word teaches that you have given man guidelines, standards, boundaries, for a reason. They are to protect me, to teach me how to live a life that is holy and pleasing to you. Sadly, there have been times that I have thumbed my nose at your way. I have chosen to sin, instead of following your ways. Lord, for this I am sorry. Help me to live a life that is holy and acceptable to you. Help me to keep in mind that your ways are meant to bring blessing, not harm, a hope and a future. But that is only possible if I choose to walk in obedience. Lord, that is what I want to do, help me, I pray.

What God Says Will Happen, Will Happen -Jeremiah 32:28

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:28 (NIV)

 “I tell you this: I am about to hand this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Chaldean army, and they will conquer it.”

Jeremiah 32:28 (MSG)

“So listen to God’s Message: No doubt about it, I’m handing this city over to the Babylonians and Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He’ll take it.”

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“Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.” -AMPLIFIED

“Here the Lord repeats and confirms the first of the two things which seemed contradictory; the destruction of the city by the Chaldeans, who were now besieging it, and into whose hands it would certainly come: “and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;” who was now before it with his army: “and he shall take it;” and become master of it: or, “I will give [it to him], that he may take it” f; which he could not do, notwithstanding his powerful army, had not the Lord delivered it into his hands.” ~John Gill

The Lord’s response to Jeremiah’s prayer began with a reminder that He alone is Head over all. God’s Message:

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “Look, I am the Lord, the God over every creature. Is anything too difficult for me?” -Jeremiah 32:26-27 (CSB)

God reminded Jeremiah that He was Sovereign, and He knew what was best for everyone involved. God had a purpose and a plan, and over the coming days He will further explain His plan to Jeremiah, not only the details, but the reasoning “why” things would happen the way they would happen. As the Lord begins His explanation and response to Jeremiah’s inquiry, we find Him stating unequivocally:

“I tell you this: I am about to hand this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Chaldean army, and they will conquer it.” -(VOICE)

We find the Lord telling Jeremiah that He has not changed His mind. What He has stated in the past, He reiterates once again, “It is true that I am going to let King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia capture Jerusalem.” -(CEV)

Lest we may have forgotten, here are just a few of the warnings that the Lord had given in the past:

• “I will destroy Jerusalem, beautiful and delicate daughter of Zion. As shepherds come and surround her with flocks of hungry sheep, so their enemies will gather their troops around you, set up camp, and feed off your land as they see fit. “Get ready for the battle,” they cry. “Come on, let’s attack. It’s already noon! But look, the day is half over—the shadows are growing longer.” -Jeremiah 6:2-4 (VOICE)
• “I will spoil the plans of Judah and Jerusalem to defend this city against Babylon. I will cause their people to be killed by enemies in battle and by those who hunt them down to take their lives. No one will bury them; I will feed their dead bodies to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the land.” -Jeremiah 19:7 (VOICE)
• “For I have turned My back on this city, purposing evil instead of good. The city will be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon, who will burn it to the ground.” -Jeremiah 21:10 (VOICE)

What God had said in the past would happen, would indeed happen. He had not changed His mind. Remember, God is Sovereign, He will accomplish His purposes, every one of them.

“Yes, I will give this city to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon; he shall conquer it.” -(TLB)

“God affirmed again the promise made many times before. Jerusalem and Judah would fall to the Babylonians. God did not tell Jeremiah to buy the land because Jerusalem wouldn’t be conquered.” ~David Guzik

When God declares that something will happen, it will happen. Consider this Message given to us in the book of Isaiah:

“Remember that—and don’t be tempted to conform! Think about it, you rebels. Remember the old days. For I am God; there is no other. I am God; there are no other gods like Me. From the beginning I declare how things will end; from times long past, I tell what is yet to be, saying: “My intentions will come to pass. I will make things happen as I determine they should.” I am the one who called Cyrus, the bird of prey from the east; from a land far away I summoned him to do what I intend. My word went out, and I will see it done. My plan has been made, and I will see it through.” -Isaiah 46:8-11 (VOICE)

Remember, God’s thoughts and ways are not necessarily our thoughts or ways. God is in control of every detail of our lives, He is Sovereign, and His way is best:

“My intentions are not always yours, and I do not go about things as you do. My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you, just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth. For as rain and snow can’t go back once they’ve fallen, but soak into the ground and nourish the plants that grow, providing seed to the farmer and bread for the hungry, so it is when I declare something. My word will go out and not return to Me empty, but it will do what I wanted; it will accomplish what I determined.” -Isaiah 55:8-11 (VOICE)

In Ezekiel we are reminded that the Lord’s Word will be fulfilled:

“I, the Eternal One, will speak, and what I speak will be fulfilled without delay.” -Ezekiel 12:25a (VOICE)

And Jesus declared to His followers that His Word would never pass away:

“My words are always true and always here with you. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” -Matthew 24:35 (VOICE)

We need to remember that God is ultimately working everything out for our good, not just for this moment, but for the long term, for our future.

“We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. From the distant past, His eternal love reached into the future. You see, He knew those who would be His one day, and He chose them beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of a new family of believers, all brothers and sisters. As for those He chose beforehand, He called them to a different destiny so that they would experience what it means to be made right with God and share in His glory.” -Romans 8:28-30 (VOICE)

“God can see things you can’t. He can see the past and the present and the future all at the same time. He created time, so he is not subject to time. God is good to you even when you’re cranky. You may have been going the opposite direction from God, and he still covers you with shade. God cares about your comfort because that’s the kind of God he is. He loves you even when you’re unlovable. God is in control of every detail of your life. Your plans don’t fail randomly. God has a purpose in everything in your life. Jonah shows us that God uses both the big (a large fish) and the small (a worm) to direct our lives, but he is in control of it all.  God wants you to focus on what will last. Most of what worries you won’t be around tomorrow. God wanted Jonah to care about the salvation of the people of Nineveh, not a plant that would die the next day. Above all else, focus on getting God’s Word into your heart and bringing people into his family. Just because your plans aren’t turning out the way you want doesn’t mean God isn’t intimately involved in every step.” ~Rick Warren

My friend, will you trust the Sovereign Lord who sees all things, knows all things, and is able to accomplish everything that He has declared? What God says will happen, will happen. He is ABLE! Take Him at His WORD.

“Let us stand in awe of the sovereign authority and freedom and wisdom and power of God.” ~John Piper

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, your intentions and plans will come to pass. You have declared it in your Word, and I know that your Word is reliable and true. When I am in doubt, when I am afraid, when I am confused, Lord, remind me of who you are, and what you are able to do. Nothing is impossible with you. You see the Beginning and the End of everything, and you know what needs to be accomplished to fulfill your plan. Lord, I may not always understand “why” things are happening but help me to trust your wisdom and your plan, for You are God, and I am not.

The Lord is Head Over All-Jeremiah 32:26-27

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:26-27 (NIV)

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:26-27 (MSG)

“Then God’s Message came again to Jeremiah: “Stay alert! I am God, the God of everything living. Is there anything I can’t do?”

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“Then came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too difficult for Me?”” -AMPLIFIED

“The Lord beginneth this revelation, for the prophet’s satisfaction, with the preface expressive of his power and universal dominion, from which Jeremiah might understand that he could do whatsoever he pleased, and man, that was but flesh, could not hinder his effecting what he designed to do.” ~Matthew Poole

Jeremiah, in his prayer, was honest with the Lord. He had doubts, just as we all do from time to time. Jeremiah struggled with understanding “why” God had asked him to buy the field from his cousin.

“Yet you, Lord God, have said to me, ‘Purchase the field and call in witnesses’—even though the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans!” -Jeremiah 32:25 (CSB)

“For almost two years the Babylonians have tightened their grip: food supplies are dwindling, disease is rampant, and there is little hope supplies or relief might get through to besieged Jerusalem.” ~VOICE footnote

The Lord’s response to Jeremiah’s prayer begins in verse 27 and goes through the end of the chapter. As the Lord responds to Jeremiah’s inquiries, He seeks to bring peace to Jeremiah’s troubled heart and mind. He reminds Jeremiah that He, Adonai the God of Israel, the Eternal One, The Lord over all mankind, will bring about justice and restoration. God’s Message begins with an affirmation of His power and ability:

“Then the Eternal spoke to Jeremiah. Eternal One: “Look! I am the Eternal, the God of all living things. Is anything too difficult for Me?” -(VOICE)

It is good for us to read how the Lord spoke to and comforted Jeremiah in his time of doubt. The Lord did not get angry with him, berate him, turn His back on him or shame him. Instead, we find the Lord speaking quietly to Jeremiah, (remember, that still, small Voice). And the Lord’s response to Jeremiah’s prayer began with the Lord stating that He was the God of every living thing. He maintained control. He was/is Sovereign over all. He attests to the fact that He is lekhol lero’sh, Hebrew for the “Head over all.” We find this truth, of God’s Universal rule, given to us back in 1 Chronicles:

“Yours, Adonai, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. The kingdom is yours, Adonai; and you are exalted as head over all.” -1 Chronicles 29:11 (Complete Jewish Bible)

We also find the Lord repeating Jeremiah’s question verbatim back to him: “Is there anything too hard for me?” -(Complete Jewish Bible)

If Adonai is the Creator, Sovereign, Lekhol lero’sh, is anything too difficult for Him? If the Lord, the Eternal One, is who He says He is, does He not deserve our obedience? Of course He does! He, who is faithful and true, who keeps all of His promises, is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!

“Then this message came to Jeremiah: I am the Lord, the God of all mankind; is there anything too hard for me?” -(TLB)

“The Lord began His reply by affirming His universal deity and the fact that indeed nothing is too difficult for Him. By restating Jeremiah’s statement back to him as a question, the Lord was asking if he really believed it.” ~Thomas Constable

Scripture reminds us that the Lord is Sovereign, Head over all, in both the Old Testament and the New.

Old Testament:

“The Eternal has established His throne up in the heavens. He rules over every seen and unseen realm and creature.” -Psalm 103 :19 (VOICE)

“I form light and create darkness; I make what is good, happy, and healthy, and I create woe. I, the Eternal One, make them one and all. Skies above, open up and let the clouds rain down righteousness! Let the earth below sprout triumph and justice. For I, the Eternal, have created them. How bad it will be for anyone who disputes with the very One who created him! After all, a human being is nothing more than one clay pot among many. Imagine the clay saying to the potter, “What do you think you’re doing?” or “You don’t have the hands for this.” -Isaiah 45:7-9 (VOICE)

“From the beginning I declare how things will end; from times long past, I tell what is yet to be, saying: “My intentions will come to pass. I will make things happen as I determine they should.” -Isaiah 46:10 (VOICE)

New Testament:

“For all that exists originates in Him, comes through Him, and is moving toward Him; so give Him the glory forever. Amen.” -Romans 11:36 (VOICE)

“It was by Him that everything was created: the heavens, the earth, all things within and upon them, all things seen and unseen, thrones and dominions, spiritual powers and authorities. Every detail was crafted through His design, by His own hands, and for His purposes. He has always been! It is His hand that holds everything together.” -Colossians 1:16-17 (VOICE)

“Worthy are You, O Lord; worthy are You, O God, to receive glory and honor and power. You alone created all things, and through Your will and by Your design, they exist and were created.” -Revelation 4:11 (VOICE)

“And I heard what seemed to be an immense crowd speaking with one voice—it was like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like the sound of clashing thunder. Multitude (in unison): “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the All Powerful, reigns supreme. Now is the time for joy and happiness. He deserves all the glory we can give Him. For the wedding feast has begun; the marriage of the Lamb to His bride has commenced, and His bride has prepared herself for this glorious day.” -Revelation 19:6-7 (VOICE)

“Although the sovereignty of God is universal and absolute, it is not the sovereignty of blind power. It is coupled with infinite wisdom, holiness and love. And this doctrine, when properly understood, is a most comforting and reassuring one. Who would not prefer to have his affairs in the hands of a God of infinite power, wisdom, holiness and love, rather than to have them left to fate, or chance, or irrevocable natural law, or to short-sighted and perverted self? Those who reject God’s sovereignty should consider what alternatives they have left.” ~Loraine Boettner

My friend, the Lord is Head over all, Sovereign. He is in control of everything. Nothing happens by accident in our lives. And nothing is too difficult for Him. Just as His still, small Voice whispered to Jeremiah, “Is there anything too hard for me?”, He whispers the same to us. Will you take Him at His Word? Will you trust Him? God says to us: “For I know what plans I have in mind for you,’ says Adonai,‘ plans for well-being, not for bad things; so that you can have hope and a future.” -(CJB) He deserves not only our obedience, but all glory, honor and praise.

“I generally say that there are four ways that God is sovereign. He is sovereign over nature. He is sovereign over history and human affairs. And He is sovereign in His inherent right to impose obligations on His creatures, to say to them, “Thou shalt not do this” and “Thou shalt do that.” Do we believe that He has that sovereignty, that right to command obedience from us and impose obligations on us?” ~R. C. Sproul

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, you alone are Sovereign, Head over all. There are times that this Truth slips my mind, especially when I am surrounded by a storm. Forgive me, Lord. I know who you are. You have demonstrated your power and abilities to me in the past. I know that nothing is too difficult for you, but there are times that I give a foothold to the doubts. Help me to be confident in who you are. Help my trust and faith to grow stronger. Remind me to keep my eyes on you and not on the storm that rages around me. You are my Hope and my Salvation, and you deserve my obedience, and all glory, honor and praise. Thank you for being who you are, Lord, I pledge my allegiance to you.

When in Doubt – Jeremiah 32:25

Growing with God: A daily devotional with Tonia Slimm.

Jeremiah 32:25 (NIV)

 “And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed.’”

Jeremiah 32:25 (MSG)

“And yet you, God, the Master, even though it is certain that the city will be turned over to the Babylonians, also told me, Buy the field. Pay for it in cash. And make sure there are witnesses.’”

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“Yet, O Lord God, You said to me, “Buy the field with money and get witnesses,” even though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.’” -(AMP)

“Observe, it is hardly a prayer that Jeremiah utters; it is just a statement of his condition, and yet that is real prayer. When you do not know what to ask of God, state your difficulty; for that is the very best thing you can do. When you cannot see any way out of the maze, never mind; it is for God to show you the clue. There is often much sanctified common sense in laying the difficulty before the Lord, spreading the letter before him, and leaving it there. When you cannot ask for deliverance in this way or that, it will be sufficient just to state the case as Jeremiah did.” ~Charles Spurgeon

Jeremiah recognized the fact that everything was happening just as the Lord had predicted it would:

“Look! Siege ramps have come against the city to capture it, and the city, as a result of the sword, famine, and plague, has been handed over to the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you have spoken has happened. Look, you can see it!” -Jeremiah 32:24 (CSB)

And yet…even Jeremiah had his doubts. We find Jeremiah wondering why the Lord had instructed him to buy his cousin’s field.

“But You, Eternal Lord, tell me, “Buy Hanamel’s field with your own money in the presence of witnesses”—even as You hand over the city of Jerusalem to the Chaldeans.” -(VOICE)

Even though Jeremiah had been obedient to the Lord, here we find him expressing his doubts. We find him asking the Lord: “Have I done the right thing? Was this a wise investment? Did I really hear you Lord?” (We will find the Lord’s answer to Jeremiah beginning in the next verse.)

“It was hard for Jeremiah to understand why God told him to make the property purchase from prison. The Chaldeans were certainly going to conquer the city and the region. Even if God could restore His people to the land, they didn’t deserve it. This didn’t make much sense to Jeremiah, but he did the right thing: he looked to God and prayed for understanding.” ~David Guzik

Even Jeremiah, a prophet of God, struggled with doubts.

“And yet you say to buy the field—paying good money for it before these witnesses—even though the city will belong to our enemies.” -(TLB)

“Jeremiah adores the Lord and his infinite perfections. When at any time we are perplexed about the methods of Providence, it is good for us to look to first principles. Let us consider that God is the fountain of all being, power, and life; that with him no difficulty is such as cannot be overcome; that he is a God of boundless mercy; that he is a God of strict justice; and that he directs every thing for the best. Jeremiah owns that God was righteous in causing evil to come upon them. Whatever trouble we are in, personal or public, we may comfort ourselves that the Lord sees it, and knows how to remedy it. We must not dispute God’s will, but we may seek to know what it means.” ~Matthew Henry

We too often struggle with doubts. Doubts are common, we all have them. What we do when we begin to doubt is what matters. When in Doubt:

Listen and obey the Lord, despite the doubts: “Pay attention to my guidance, dare to be wise, and don’t disregard my teachings.” -Proverbs 8:33 (VOICE)

Trust the Lord, even though you have doubts: “Place your trust in the Eternal; rely on Him completely; never depend upon your own ideas and inventions. Give Him the credit for everything you accomplish, and He will smooth out and straighten the road that lies ahead.” -Proverbs 3:5-6 (VOICE)

Pray, regardless of the fact that you are experiencing doubts: “My God, my God, why have You turned Your back on me? Your ears are deaf to my groans. O my God, I cry all day and You are silent; my tears in the night bring no relief. Still, You are holy; You make Your home on the praises of Israel. Our mothers and fathers trusted in You; they trusted, and You rescued them. They cried out to You for help and were spared; they trusted in You and were vindicated.” -Psalm 22:1-5 (VOICE)

Ask the Lord for wisdom: “If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking. The key is that your request be anchored by your single-minded commitment to God. Those who depend only on their own judgment are like those lost on the seas, carried away by any wave or picked up by any wind. Those adrift on their own wisdom shouldn’t assume the Lord will rescue them or bring them anything. The splinter of divided loyalty shatters your compass and leaves you dizzy and confused.” -James 1:5-8 (VOICE)

“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is can’t believe. Unbelief is won’t believe. Doubt is honesty. Unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light. Unbelief is content with darkness.” ~Henry Drummond

Remind yourself that God is All-Knowing, and nothing is impossible for Him: “Our Lord is great. Nothing is impossible with His overwhelming power. He is loving, compassionate, and wise beyond all measure.” -Psalm 147:5 (VOICE)

Keep in mind that God is Sovereign over all things: “We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.” -Romans 8:28 (VOICE)

“Doubt can actually be a good thing, if we continue to trust God, because it forces us to nail down why we believe what we believe. This doubt can actually cause our faith to be strengthened as we work through the issues that simply are not as clear as we would like them to be. By spending time understanding the deeper things of God, our faith and our relationship with Him is deepened.” ~Robert Driskell

My friend, we all have doubts from time to time. What we choose to do with those doubts though is what matters. They can help our faith grow, or they can drive us away from the Lord. The choice is ours. I encourage you to use those doubts to grow in your faith. Explore “why” you have doubts. Speak to the Lord about those doubts, He knows them already anyhow. Continue to walk in obedience to Him. Ask for wisdom. And keep in mind, we may not understand everything this side of Heaven, but our God, who is able to do the impossible, is working all things out for good. Trust Him.

“Doubting does not prove that a man has no faith, but only that his faith is small. And even when our faith is small, the Lord is ready to help us.” ~J. C. Ryle

My Prayer:

Adonai Elohim, my Great Lord, I admit, there are times that I do have doubts. I don’t understand why you ask me to do certain things, or why things happen the way that they do. There are times that I am confused, frustrated, and even fearful at how things will pan out. In my doubts, Lord, remind me that you are Sovereign, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Nothing gets by you by accident, and there are no surprises for you. You are always in complete control. I may not understand “why” things happen, but you have a plan, and that plan is good. Lord, I give you my doubts, my fears, my frustration. Help my faith and trust in you to grow stronger. Lord, I am counting on you.