Read the Bible in a Year (28AUG19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, August 28’s Bible reading is Lamentations 1-3:36.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, August 29’s Bible reading is Lamentations 3:37-5. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD. 

Lamentations’ Introduction 

The book of Lamentations is so named because of its subject matter. The author is unknown for certain, but many Jewish and Christian scholars credit Jeremiah with having written the book because of his eyewitness account to the fall of Jerusalem and the burning of the temple. They believe that the book was written after 586 B.C. This is the only book in the Old Testament that is full of laments. The author tells of the judgment that was rendered on Jerusalem by a righteous God where even His house was affected. The author asks the Lord for mercy and forgiveness, but he also tells of the goodness of God even though the judgments had to come.

LAMENTATIONS MOMENT – (28AUG19) “The visions of your prophets were false and worthless; they did not expose your sin to ward off your captivity. The prophecies they gave you were false and misleading” (Lamentations 2:14). Jeremiah and other servants of the Lord had been sent to warn Judah and Jerusalem of their sins against God. The Lord sent countless warnings to tell them of their fate if they failed to repent and turn from their wicked ways. Unfortunately, the people did not listen to the true prophets of the Lord. They preferred to listen to the false prophets who gave them false hopes and made them comfortable in their sin. Their prophets were useless, and their priests had no regard for the things of the Lord. They did not rebuke the people for their wickedness, nor did they give words from the Lord to the wicked kings who ruled their land. Israel did what was right in their own eyes and became fools because of it. They preferred idols of wood over the One who made the wood. They sacrificed their own children rather than sacrifice the animals by whose blood they represented. They took pleasure in their male and female shrine prostitutes over faithful dedication to their own spouses. They preferred partial imitation rather than total dedication to the One True God. The Bible says, “During Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, provoking his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors. For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. There were even male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites (1 Kings 14:22-24). No wonder God’s anger was against His people and especially the prophets and priests who could have steered the nation in the right direction. The same deceiving spirit that was residing in the false prophets during Israel’s time is alive and well in many of today’s pulpits.

There are many people in today’s churches who are being misled by the over inflation of the prosperity gospel. They believe that if they that serving God means they will be rich, wealthy, or at least have a few cars, houses, stock options, and money in the bank. Although the Lord loves to bless His children, His favor on a person’s life is not determined by the size of their bank account as many foolish televangelists, pastors, prophets, and others tell their congregants. The Bible says, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost…” (Luke 14:26-28a). Jesus was explaining to the people that there was a cost to pay for their being a follower of His. That cost would be a sacrificial life, not a large monetary deposit or promises of a trial free life. Therefore, rather one has wealth or not, it has no bearing on their spiritual life other than its appropriation for good or evil, which is taken into account on the day of judgment. God did not promise wealth, but Jesus did promise salvation to all who would receive Him. God’s prophets, in the Old Testament, lived lives that would be viewed as being cursed by God in many of today’s pulpits, and yet, they were favored by God because of it. If the evangelicals, for those which this applies, do not get their appetite for greed under control, and preach the unadulterated gospel of salvation and repentance, they will have an audience in hell where no one will be singing their praises. The Bible says, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19-21). Something to ponder….

QUESTION OF THE DAY - (28AUG19) “My sins have been bound into a yoke; by his hands they were woven together. They have been hung on my neck, and the Lord has sapped my strength. He has given me into the hands of those I cannot withstand (Lamentations 1:14).  Jeremiah had been told by God to place a yoke around his neck prior to Judah and Jerusalem’s captivity. This yoke was to symbolize the yoke that would be place on Israel by King Nebuchadnezzar for all who would not submit to him. Even before they were taken into captivity, Israel had become a captive to sin by their own doing. What they perceived to be as freedom to do whatever they wanted, apart from the laws of God, was actually bondage brought on by the enemy wrapped in the packages of pleasure, self-gratification, selfishness, and wickedness. Sin looked appealing to them at the time, but the end results brought them death, famine, and plagues. The author of Lamentations lamented over the woes of the people and how their sins had brought them to total desolation and despair. The enemy had successfully taken their hearts away from God and now, they were suffering the consequences of allowing themselves to be deceived.

When we do not submit ourselves to God, we are allowing ourselves to be under the yoke of sin. Sin seldom looks like slavery to the person who is committing it, but the end results are devastating to say the least. People who find themselves addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, sex, and other addictions and fetishes never started out thinking that these things would take control of their lives. Unfortunately, what started out as being innocent for some, became monsters to control and let go of. Nevertheless, we do not have to be enslaved to sin. The Bible says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1). Jesus died so that we do not have to be yoked to sin again. We can be free in Him if we submit to His leading and allow the Holy Spirit to deliver us from what has held us bound. Is God able to deliver us from any sin? Yes! Can there be total restoration in Christ? Yes! Can we live a triumphant life? Yes! No Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) program has anything on Jesus although they are good for support. Jesus is the best hope for the world today and permanent deliverance can be done through Him. Something to ponder….

LAMENTATIONS MOMENT – (28AUG19) ^“For no one is abandoned by the Lord forever.  Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love. For he does not enjoy hurting people or causing them sorrow” (Lamentations 3:31-33). Jerusalem and Judah had been punished by the Lord because of their sins. The author of Lamentations also felt the pain that his people were experiencing, but he also understood that even though God was judging them, He was still a loving and merciful God. The Lord took His time in judging Israel because of His love for them. He always warns first and gives the sinner time to repent, but when no repentance is done, then comes the judgment. God could have wiped them totally out, but His love allowed for there to be a remnant left who would be able to testify of His grace and mercy. He is still the same way today.

God is giving the world plenty of time to turn from their wicked ways. Unfortunately, so many people are taking Him for granted. Yet, the Lord loves us and does not desire for anyone to be lost. He is constantly pleading with the lost to come home. One day, the books of Heaven will be closed, and everyone’s final destination will be determined. Until then, let us do all that we can to usher the lost to Him, so that we can help as many as would receive Jesus from the pits of hell. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Something to ponder….