Read the Bible in a Year (15AUG19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, August 15’s Bible reading is Jeremiah 10-13.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, August 16’s Bible reading is Jeremiah 14-17. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

JEREMIAH MOMENT – (15AUG19) “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not act like the other nations, who try to read their future in the stars. Do not be afraid of their predictions, even though other nations are terrified by them. Their ways are futile and foolish. They cut down a tree, and a craftsman carves an idol. They decorate it with gold and silver and then fasten it securely with hammer and nails so it won’t fall over’ ” (Jeremiah 10:2-4). Israel, in their rebellion, cut trees from the woods, adorned them with gold and silver, and worshiped them. They used what God created to adorn the earth for their detestable rebellious practices against Him. They made wooden idols that were unfunctional to place above the God of the Universe. They had no fear of the Lord, but bowed to worthless gods that could not think, make decisions, or respond to their prayers. This stirred the Lord’s anger, and He vowed that they would meet their destruction at the hands of their northern enemies.

Every year, around the holiday season, many Christians get into the debate of rather we should or should not celebrate Christmas. The debates on social media are oftentimes so heated that one could feel the tension coming through the screen as they call each other names, spew out criticisms, issue harsh rebukes towards those of contrary views, and condemn them to hell. This, however, is very ungodly to behave in such a manner regardless of which side of the debate one is on.

The modern-day Christmas tree is what some believe to be similar to what the Lord is describing in Jeremiah’s book. The cutting down, chiseling, adorning, and even securing the tree in place to prevent it from falling, has led many Christians to abandon the practice and celebration altogether. Some researchers, who have studied the history of Christmas and its origin, have come to the conclusion that it is founded in paganism. They do not believe that Jesus was born in December, but more like late August or September, and that many of the images portrayed do not accurately describe the setting of how His birth was according to their research. The stable was not nice and clean, but a smelly place where animals were kept and even relieved themselves. Also, some researchers are of the view that by the time the Wise Men visited Jesus, he was not still at the stable in a manger as many nativity scenes portray. Rather these things are true or not, there is a much larger picture at hand.

The Lord does not want us to place ANYTHING above Him. Idols can come in the form of a person’s job, house, car, bank account, entertainment, people, computers, and even cell phones – just to name a few. If you spend more time on your device than with God, that has become your idol. If you lift up your pastor over God, that person has become your idol. If your loved ones come before God, they have become your idol. There is only One GOD and He is the only One worthy of our worship. When we fall prey to the enemy, due to idolatry, we are turning our backs in rebellion against the only One who came to save us. The Lord wanted Israel to learn this truth, and He is even telling us the same message today. Therefore, we are to serve the Gift Giver and not idolize the gift. “Their gods are like helpless scarecrows in a cucumber field! They cannot speak, and they need to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.” Lord, there is no one like you!” (Jeremiah 10:5-6). Something to ponder….

     

QUESTION OF THE DAY - (15AUG19) Have you ever complained to God regarding the state of the wicked who seem to be living prosperously, while the righteous constantly face trials, tribulations, and struggle to remain afloat? Jeremiah had a similar complaint as did God’s servant Job. Jeremiah did not understand God’s justice where the wicked seemed to flourish, while he suffered for being obedient. He was being mocked, ridiculed, laughed at, and shunned. Yet, God had a remarkable response to Jeremiah’s complaint to help him understand the reason for his situation and to give him hope. “If racing against mere men makes you tired,  how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground,  what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5). In the Lord’s reply, He was letting Jeremiah know that He was training him for what He would have to endure later. Things were not going to get any easier for the prophet. The Lord was building Jeremiah’s faith and endurance so that he would be unscathed regardless of what he would face later. This was practically nothing compared to what was coming. Yet, the Lord understood and told him to beware of his family members, and to not trust them. Although they may have spoken well of him to his face, they were betraying him behind his back. They were not for him, but against him. God wanted Jeremiah to know that He was the only One who had his back, and that He had not forsaken him. Judgment was coming to the wicked, but even then, the Lord’s goal was to save those He could, and turn them from their evil ways.

Sometimes, we can make the mistake of looking at others, who are not saved and seemingly living the high life, as being blessed and highly favored. They may be doing all the wrong things, while thriving in prosperity – or so it seems. Nevertheless, what they have today, may be gone tomorrow, and where will their joy come from then? Faithfulness to God outweighs any temporary happiness that the devil may bestow on his followers. Obedience to God is rewarding in the end, and even though it may seem to be challenging right now, a mansion awaits for His children. The Bible says, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John  14:1-3). Something to ponder….

JEREMIAH MOMENT – (15AUG19) “This is what the Lord said to me: ‘Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it on, but do not wash it.’ So I bought the loincloth as the Lord directed me, and I put it on’ (Jeremiah 13:1-2). The Lord had Jeremiah to purchase a belt to go around His waste because He had an important lesson to teach Israel. After Jeremiah obeyed the Lord’s instructions, the Lord told him to not wash the belt, but to go to Pereth, a river in the East Euphrates, and hide it in the corner of a rock. After some days of it being there, the Lord told Jeremiah to return to get it. Upon retrieving the belt, Jeremiah saw that the belt was in total ruins. It could no longer be used for its original intended purpose. The Lord explained to Jeremiah that just like the belt, He wore Israel and had them near Him, but He was going to bring them to their ruin because of their sinful pride. They were no longer of any use to Him just as that belt was of no more use to Jeremiah.

We too were bought with a price just as Jeremiah had to purchase that linen belt. The Bible says, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Jesus paid the price for our sins through the shedding of His blood. Many people, however, have become ruined due to the pride of life, and have chosen to be in rebellion against God. They are useless to the Lord in their present condition because sin separates us from God. Nevertheless, the Lord aims to restore the lost through the work that He already did at the cross. No one has to be lost, but it is a choice many have chosen. The Bible says, “Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). No garment is too stained where God cannot restore. No sin is too much where God cannot forgive. All we have to do is reach out to God because His hands are always reaching out to us. Something to ponder….