Read the Bible in a Year (26AUG19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, August 26’s Bible reading is Jeremiah 49-50.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, August 27’s Bible reading is Jeremiah 51-52. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

JEREMIAH MOMENT – (26AUG19) “…Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like me and who can challenge me? And what shepherd can stand against me?” (Jeremiah 19b). On August 21, 2019, President Trump made national headlines during a press conference when he declared himself to be the “chosen one” to take on China as he looked up towards the heavens. This statement, of course, sent the media into a frenzy as on the same day, he retweeted a blasphemous post from a radio broadcaster Wayne Allen Root. The post likened Trump, in the minds of Israel’s Jews, to the King of Israel and the second coming of God. Trump thanked Root in a response treat for the “very nice words” as he deemed them to be. Both statements were anything but nice. They were blasphemous to say the least. The Lord allowed Trump to be in office, but God hates the proud. When we read about the warnings God gave to Jeremiah concerning the nations, we see that the Lord was on the war path against them because of their pride and arrogance. The Bibles says, “Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? Unfaithful Daughter Ammon, you trust in your riches and say, ‘Who will attack me?’  I will bring terror on you from all those around you,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. “Every one of you will be driven away, and no one will gather the fugitives” (Jeremiah 49:4-5. The Lord hates pride and humbles those who are haughty.

In addition to having a lack of humility, the Lord hates for anyone to set themselves up as being equal or above Him. The Bible says, “You said in your heart,  ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’  But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:13-15). Lucifer’s downfall was his pride, and arrogantly thinking that he could be like God. So, when we see that anyone would label and approve of themselves as being likened to the king of Israel, and the second coming of God, we can see that total destruction is coming. Israel only has one King, even if they do not recognize Him as such, and that is King Jesus. There is only one person who will have a “second coming” to this earth, and that will be Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God.

President Trump is setting himself up for the ultimate fall, and when it happens, evangelicals like Paula White and others, who are in his inner circle, and fail to rebuke him about this, will be responsible for his blood being on their hands when it comes to eternity. This is no joking matter when it comes to God. Every word that we say and every deed that we do is recorded in the books of Heaven. The Bible says, “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12). It is important for Christians to remember one thing, just because you may like, vote, or love someone does not mean that you do not stand against sin when it takes place regardless of who it is or what office they hold. We are all responsible in standing for God’s Truth, and not man’s errors. “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools…Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:21-22, 32). Something to ponder….

QUESTION OF THE DAY - (26AUG19) Is America still the land of the free and the home of the brave? Are we a nation who still lives by the belief in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Are we still a “Christian” nation? America has become a nation whose independence is being lost and many liberties that we once had and enjoyed are being taken away. Many people believe that if we pass more legislation, vote the right politician in, and have more National Days of Prayer that things will change in our nation. We have those fighting for media censorship to end, equal justice of the law, and other injustices that are taking place across the land. Nevertheless, there is little progress being done on these fronts, and more corruption that is being exposed daily within our nation and beyond. 2016 was a year of “drain the swamp,” but what many failed to realize is that swamp creatures produce other swamp creatures when there is no God to stop their production.

We have taken pride as a nation in our military might, politicians, mega church buildings and cathedrals instead of being humble before God. Our National Days of Prayer are not days of the nation confessing, repenting, and turning away from sin, but they have become like something to check off of our bucket list. Our nation is seeing small judgments for our sins, but if we do not repent, we will one day see utter destruction and desolation. The Bible says, “Arise and attack a nation at ease, which lives in confidence,” declares the Lord, “a nation that has neither gates nor bars;  its people live far from danger” (Jeremiah 49:31). The nations that the Lord rebuked felt secure from danger, but there is no peace, security, and tranquility when there is an absence of God. Things are getting worse in America by the day, and before we know it, this country will be unrecognizable. Saints, we must pray, get our houses in order both spiritually and physically, and stay close to God. He is our only protection in the days ahead. No politician, military, or clergy can offer what the Lord is able to give. “A nation from the north will attack her and lay waste her land. No one will live in it; both people and animals will flee away. “In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.  They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten (Jeremiah 50:3-5). Many people have had dreams and visions of America being attacked by China, Russia, and other nations as a combined force to bring down America. These were given as warnings to our defiant nation. Let us take heed because the God who judged nations in the Old Testament is the same God who will and still judges them today. Something to ponder….

JEREMIAH MOMENT – (26AUG19) “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over the mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place” (Jeremiah 50:6). God held Jerusalem and Judah accountable for their idolatry and turning away from Him, but we can see countless time throughout the Bible where the Lord holds the SHEPHERDS responsible for their failure to safeguard His sheep against idolatrous prey. This is a non-ending theme in the Bible, which we will revisit once again as we go through the books of the prophets. When a nation strays from God, the spiritual leaders are held accountable because they are the ones who are supposed to teach the righteous ordinances of the Lord. But when the shepherds stray, so do the people.

We have seen time and time again that when Israel had Godly leaders, they lived righteously, but when they had ungodly leaders, they quickly turned to their idols, sacrificed to Molech and Baal, and did things that were detestable to the Lord. God did have prophets to warn, but a failure of both priests and prophets to instruct the king on down as a unified front was what enabled ungodly leaders to thrive across their land. The same is happening today.

We have an ungodly nation because we have ungodly leaders from the White House to the Church House. We have many leaders who are preaching, teaching, and promoting a compromised water-down gospel rather than teaching God’s whole truth. They teach what tickles the ears and fatten their pockets rather than proclaiming that the Day of the Lord is near, and for people to repent of their sins. The Bible says, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). Our nation is in trouble, and those who are in the 5-fold ministry (evangelists, apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers) are obligated to God and not a political party. For the believers who are not in the 5-fold, you are still responsible to live for Christ and to be a witness to others to do the same regardless of what your leaders do. Something to ponder….