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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Saturday, 12 August 2023:
Jeremiah 36:3 – It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that everyone may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.
God wanted Jeremiah to preach the truth about Israel’s sin in order to give them a chance to repent. The truth was to be proclaimed for the sake of love. God sovereignly gives us the freedom to choose. Our choices do not alter His perfect plan, but we still bear the burden of choice.
Jeremiah 36:5 – And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am banned from going to the house of the Lord, so you are to go.”
There came a time when God’s word was not allowed to be proclaimed in the ‘church,’ only what suited the government. Religious and political leaders may prevent true followers of Christ from speaking the truth because the leaders reject the truth and are threatened by the truth. Nevertheless, we should look for opportunities to speak the truth anyway.
Jeremiah 36:23, 24 – As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.
Ignoring God’s word or refusing to accept it doesn’t change God’s word, it only changes the one who rejects it, further hardening the heart and sealing the hearer/reader’s fate.
Powerful leaders can show complete contempt for God and think nothing of it, demonstrating incredible arrogance and bringing great judgment upon themselves and those who would follow them.
Jeremiah 36:26 – …but the Lord hid them.
The officials warned Baruch and Jeremiah to hide, which they did, but the Bible says also that “the Lord hid them.” Success comes from the Lord, not from our actions, but we must first be willing to do our part, and we must be responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 37:3 – King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray for us to the Lord our God.”
Ironically, king Zedekiah defied God’s word yet hoped that God would still show mercy to him and bless him. One cannot expect God to bless sin.
Jeremiah 37:15 – And the officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of Jonathan the secretary, for it had been made a prison.
Jeremiah’s faithfulness to God and his refusal to keep God’s word to himself earned him a beating from the king. He was a successful prophet. How do you measure success?
Psalm 91:2 – I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Whoever trusts the LORD will take refuge in Him, obeying Him in faith regardless what human wisdom says. Your decisions and actions will reveal in whom you really place your trust. Trust is revealed in selfless, wholehearted obedience to God, regardless of the apparent situation at hand.
Psalm 91:11, 12 — For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
Satan quoted Psalm 91 when he sought to tempt Jesus in the desert – “Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” (Matthew 4:5, 6) Jesus responded to Satan by quoting from Deuteronomy (the book most quoted by Jesus) — “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” His quote came from Deuteronomy 6:16, a verse which refers back to Exodus 17 where the thirsty Israelites on the verge of stoning Moses asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?” For further context, Deuteronomy 6 is also the “Greatest Commandment” chapter which commands, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might…. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.”
Satan accurately quoted from God’s word, but with evil intent and out of context. He wanted Jesus to fall into the common trap of approaching God’s word from a self-centered perspective that places the interests of man over the will of God; that places God in the position of being man’s servant rather than the other way around; that transfers glory from God to man. Of course, Jesus would not fall into that trap, and in one simple quote, proclaims that God is LORD, “Him you shall serve.” We must be VERY careful not to approach God’s word with a self-centered focus – “What will God do for me?…. How does this apply to my life and what I want out of life?” In that position, we can quote from God’s word inappropriately and drift away from the true will of God. Similarly, we must be careful not to place ourselves in the seat of God (The Judge) when dealing with others. This is what Job’s friends did. Job’s friends quoted great spiritual truths but inappropriately, placing themselves in the position of the Judge – “You Deserve Worse.” What makes us judgmental is not when we reveal sin to others out of love but when we attempt to be the Judge as if we were the Righteous One, the deliverer of the sentence. Placing ourselves in this position is an affront to God. Key to understanding and rightly applying God’s word is denying self, picking up our cross daily, and following Jesus from the heart as His ambassador.
- John 5:19 — So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Psalm 91:14 – Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.
Again, holding fast to Jesus involves denying self, taking up your cross daily, and following Him no matter what. The words, “holding fast” reveal that this will be challenging. As the worries of the world work to pull you away from Jesus – hold fast!
Proverbs 12:1, 5, 15 – Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid…. The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful…. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
The Christian life is a team sport. God’s word is clear: you need advice and help from other fellow Christians.
Proverbs 12:2 – A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns.
You cannot partner with God and expect blessings from Him while you are in disobedience to His word.
Proverbs 12:3 – No one is established by wickedness, but the root of the righteous will never be moved.
God cannot support and bless wickedness. If you are asking for blessings from God while continuing to live in sin, you are going to be disappointed. Obey God that He may bless you.
Proverbs 12:1 — Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.
Don’t resent the Lord’s discipline.
Proverbs 12:4 — An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.
An ungodly spouse can have a detrimental effect on your health.
Relationship problems cause health problems.
Proverbs 12:9 – Better to be lowly and have a servant than to play the great man and lack bread.
Don’t seek honor; seek to be honorable.
Proverbs 12:10 — “Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.” The righteous treat animals better than the wicked treat people.
Proverbs 12:11 — Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.
Christians should not just be employees but should focus on ownership and production capacity.
Proverbs 12:15 – The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
Wise people get advice from other wise people.
Proverbs 12:16 – The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an insult.
Wise people are not easily annoyed or angered.
Proverbs 19:20 – Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.
Sin is based on lies.
Proverbs 12:24, 27 – The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor…. Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.
The Bible continuously repeats God’s expectation for us to work hard and avoid laziness.
Proverbs 12:26 — One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Compare this verse to Jeremiah 23:1 above. Do you guide your neighbors towards Jesus or away from Jesus? Do you give them ‘good ideas’ or the Gospel? Do you encourage them to rely on their own abilities or Jesus? Do you tell them to have a positive mental attitude or to humbly repent and surrender to Jesus? Do you quote popular gurus of the day or Jesus?
Proverbs 12:26 — One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
A good leader knows where people need to go and leads the way to get there. If you aren’t leading people straight to Jesus, you are leading them astray and are a false teacher.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 12 August 2023: If you feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit today concerning a particular sin in your life, repent. Don’t delay. Don’t rob yourself of the blessings God has intended for you any further. Pour into God’s word every day and abide in it, not simply to receive the blessing of God, but to truly know and be one with Jesus who is the Word, the Way, The Truth, the Life, and the Light. Eternal life is knowing Him. (John 17:3)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 