The Line Between Faith And Doubt

Date: Thursday, August 21, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 40-42
Message Title: The Line Between Faith And Doubt

Hello My Friend,

Just this morning I was praising God for the client that was coming, but when she did not arrive on time I began fussing at Him about getting me excited for nothing. Five minutes later she arrived, and let me tell you, I felt horrible for the way I spoke to Him. There is a fine line between faith and doubt, while we truly have faith that, with God all things are possible, quite often we doubt that they are possible for us. I imagine it's really not that we doubt God, it's that any faithful Christian will find it unbelievable that God would really do anything that amazing for them. The truth is, faith is what excites God to do the impossible in us, doubt may not stop Him, but it does slow Him down. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6.

While Jeremiah did have his fair share of questions for God, we never really hear of him doing anything without seeking counsel from Him, but that seems to be what happened when he made the decision to return to Judah. After things quieted down in Jerusalem, Jeremiah, along with several other Jews were on their way to Babylon. Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, sets him free, and advises him to return to Judah. “And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go. Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.” - Jeremiah 40:3-6.

Having faith in God means that you have faith in all of His Word, we cannot pick and choose what to believe, we must believe all of it in order to see Him do amazing things in our lives. The captain was well aware of the prophecies told by Jeremiah, and that God used them to place judgment upon the people for their sins. Knowing this, it is probable that he also knew of the coming fall of Babylon, but there was no indication that he would repent. Many people know of God and even read His Word, but are content to live the sinful lives they live. Sooner or later, they too will face God, even the devil himself will have to face Him for him own judgment. It does not matter who we are, we are all sinners, the same judgment is placed upon all mankind no matter what their sin. “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

No sooner than Jeremiah got back to Judah, Ishmael, who thought he was next in line for the throne took charge, and conspired to kill Gedaliah. A man named Johanan tried to warn Gedaliah, but he would not listen, and he and most of the men with him were killed, except for a small remnant that Johanan rescued. “Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the men of war. And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah, and no man knew it, But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, Then they took all the men, and went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon. Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad. So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.” - Jeremiah 41:2-4,11-14.

We do not know where Jeremiah was during all this, but he obviously avoided it because Johanan and the remnant sought him out to seek counsel from God. “Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest, came near, And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do. Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you; behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.” - Jeremiah 42:1-4.

The people are telling Jeremiah that they want God to give them direction for their lives and their families, but these are the same people who did not listen to him when he warned them before the fall of Jerusalem. God is always willing to accept and forgive any person who comes to Him with a sincere heart, no matter what wrong they have done in the past. However, God calls them out, fully aware of their intension to go to Egypt. “And now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; Then it shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye shall die. So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the evil that I will bring upon them.” - Jeremiah 42:15-17.

God has mercy, grace, and patience on all who seek Him, but He knows whether or not we are sincere in what we are asking of Him. Any doubt in our mind will cause God to wait until we increase our faith. Imagine the power that God has, but we limit Him because of our doubt. Imagine the miracles He has to show us, but we limit Him because we pick and choose what we obey from His Word. We cannot expect to see God do the impossible if we are not willing to do the possible. “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” - James 4:2-4,8-10.
Today's Prayer: God, There are many things that You want to show us, many miraculous things, but we often hinder You with our doubts. Lord, increase our faith, help us to live by faith and not by sight, help us to seek Your counsel in all things, no matter how small they may seem, and help us to look to You and not our circumstances. Give us Your power to learn, trust, and seek Your will for our lives, and open our hearts to accepting all of Your Word as it is. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Dealing With Tough Guys

Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 37-39
Message Title: Dealing With Tough Guys

Hello My Friend,
Did you ever watch a movie where there is a group of tough guys trying to take down the one guy? Each one thinks they are tough enough to stop him? Movies like that are not far from reality, the world is full of rebellious, arrogant, tough guys. As Christians, we face tough guys every day trying to knock us down, but we have a body guard stronger than the strongest person we will ever meet, and that is Jesus. We might get beat up a bit, but in the end, we will win. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” -1 Corinthians 15:57,58.

Jeremiah had to deal with his fair share of tough guys, especially when judgment had finally come to Jerusalem, just as he warned them, the Chaldean's were attacking. Jeremiah tries to get out of there, only to find himself cast into a dungeon because they were blaming him for the invasion. The king has him pulled out and brought to him. “Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon. Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye have put me in prison? Where are now your prophets which prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against you, nor against this land? Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.” - Jeremiah 37:17-19,21.

The king was too ashamed to admit that he wanted to know what God was going to do, so, he asked him in secret, if the news favored him he would accept Him, but if it did not, he would reject Him. This is the very same response the world has with Jesus, oh, they know the He will return, and when He does there will literally be hell to pay. Yet, they continue to ignore the warnings, even though they are right in front of them, and reject Him in hopes that it will not happen. We cannot ignore the warnings, and no matter how many people reject Him, He is still coming. “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” - Matthew 10:32-34.

As the men heard Jeremiah, they became wroth with him, and this time wanted him dead, they cast him into a dungeon they had to use a rope to lower him down into. “Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it. Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of this people, but the hurt. Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you. Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.” - Jeremiah 38:3-6.

I imagine that, at this point Jeremiah was pretty discouraged and saddened about standing in a pit of thick mud?

Sometimes the trials we face feel like they will never end and that God is no where around, but it is through these trials that God works miracles in us. All trials come to pass and, let me tell you, they are a testimony and hope to others as well, which can bring them to know Christ as too. “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” - 2 Timothy 2:9,10.

A brave man, named Ebedmelech, who was not even a Jew, came to Jeremiah's rescue, he, along with several others joined in to help pull Jeremiah out. Shortly after, Zedekiah calls for Jeremiah again. “Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.” - Jeremiah 38:17-20.
Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” - John 15:13. Jesus laid down His life for all so that no one needs to be cast into the pit of hell, but He only saves those who believe that He alone is the one who can save them. We may not never know the outcome of our efforts, but Jesus will return to claim His people, those who are not His will be cast into the fire. It's important that we, who are saved, reach those who are not, we cannot be ashamed of Christ, and we cannot fear those who want to stop us. We are going to face some tough guys, but imagine the blessings that God gives to those who lay down their lives for someone they do not even know. “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” - Revelation 2:10.

Now, everything was coming to pass just as Jeremiah warned, during the judgment not only was Jeremiah sent to safety so was the man that laid down his life to save Jeremiah. The king did, in fact, get carried into Babylon, but not before he had to watch his sons be killed, his eyes gouged out, and his kingdom destroyed. “And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain. But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him. Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon. And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.” - Jeremiah 39:4-8.

We can ignore the warnings or hold them secretly in our hearts, but we cannot escape judgment unless we do what we are told. Many tough guys will revolt, and the one they go after is the one that God sent to warn them in the first place, but we do not have to fear, God will bring us to safety. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,” - 2 Peter 3:9-11.
Today's Prayer: God, You always know what is best for me, and I want to live in Your will, but there are so many people and things trying to get me to doubt You and follow ungodly advice. Lord, give me Your power to walk away and stand by Your Word. Help me to keep my eyes and ears on You to know the warnings and do what You need me to do, even if that means people will be angry or spiteful of my decision to stand by You. Let me not be in fear, but rejoice knowing that You will bring everything to pass and I will be safe with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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It's Not A Curse, It's A Blessing

Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 33-36
Message Title: It's Not A Curse, It's A Blessing

Hello My Friend,

Cruel, mean, control freak, these are the many words used to describe God. Okay, if you have to give an excuse as to why you reject God, it might as well be something that makes Him look like a monster. The world will never see God as the loving, merciful, and forgiving God that He is, for that reason we can expect the world to treat us like monsters. However, do not call it a curse, call it a blessing. “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” - Luke 6:22,23.

As Jeremiah sits in a jail cell while many of the Jews had already been carried away into Babylon, God sends word to him. He assures him that He has not forsaken Israel, that He has not forgotten His covenant with them, and that they will one day return to the promised land. “Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.” - Jeremiah 33:2,3,14-16.
I will admit that when I first started reading the Bible, especially the books of the law, it seemed as though God did not have much mercy, and He would strike a person in an instant. However, the more I read it the more I understand that God is a just God, meaning His judgments are right, and He always has a very good reason for striking a person down if He does. “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” - Romans 9:14-16.

By the way, no one can never blame God for the judgments that come because God gives them fair warning to stop what they are doing. Before the invasion of Jerusalem, God sent Jeremiah to warn King Zedekiah what was about to take place. God made a covenant with him that he would keep him safe if he set free any servant who served them for seven years, but he broke that covenant, and now, he too will be judged. “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant, which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof, The princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, which passed between the parts of the calf; I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.” - Jeremiah 34:17-20.

Why was God so angry? They used His Word to deceive the people. When we use God's Word in any way, even if it is quoted as God not saying it, it mocks and discredits God, not the person. The word liberty means to set free, when we believe in and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior He gives us liberty from death and hell. That does not mean that we are to take that liberty for granted and continue to live in sin. While our salvation is never based on our works, we do a dishonor to God and make Him angry when we take His liberty for granted. “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” - 1 Peter 15,16.

Have you ever had someone say to you, “I thought you were a Christian.” or “That is not very Christian of you.” when you confront them about something? They often try to quote some form of Scripture about judging them? That is the comments you get from people who barely pick up a Bible, yet expect you to accept and compromise with them over all the garbage they are telling you, disregarding the fact that it is a complete abomination to God. The things that God expects from us are not hard, in fact, they are something most people do for their parents or spouse. To prove this point, God sent Jeremiah to meet with the house of Rechabites, He brought them to the temple and encouraged them to drink wine with them in the house of God. The Rechabites refused, siting that they would not go against their fathers command to drink no wine.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me.” - Jeremiah 35:13-15.

In other words, God says, “You suffer because you will not listen to me.”, this is the very reason why it appears that God is cruel and mean to the world. God does not ask us to do anything that our parents would not ask. God loves us, He died for us, so that we can spend eternity together, that does not mean He will not punish us here on earth for doing wrong, just like a parent would. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” - 1 Peter 1:16-19.
Today's Prayer: God, You truly do give mercy to whom You give it, and I will never understand why Your were so merciful to me. Thank You for Your mercy and grace to not give me what I truly deserve, and thank You for always being there for me no matter how many times I mess up. Lord, I do want to give honor to You by living to please You, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to live in Your will, and to resist the temptation to go against You when people try to confuse me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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An Eternal Agreement

Date: Monday, August 18, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 31-32
Message Title: An Eternal Agreement

Hello My Friend, A covenant is an agreement, a legal contract between two people, it is written down, signed by both parties, and executed just as the contract stated. Should one break the contract, there is a hefty price to pay for breaking it. When God created the world He made a covenant with Adam, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” - Genesis 2:16,17. Of course, we all know that Adam ate of the fruit, and from that moment on the covenant between God and man was broken, that hefty price was death, not a physical death, a spiritual death, and that spiritual death was passed down to all of us. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” - Romans 5:12. God decided to make a way for this contract to be mended, in fact, He made a new contract replace the current, He started with the people of Israel. “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.” - Deuteronomy 11:26-28.

Of all the sins man can do, the most abominable to God are worshiping false gods and idols. Of course, we all know that Israel broke that covenant time and time again, bringing the curse upon them quite often. This time, the curse was the destruction of Jerusalem, but this time, God doesn't pass the curse onto all the people, only the ones who go after other gods. Through Jeremiah God reconfirms His promise to redeem Israel. “And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD. In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” - Jeremiah 31:28-31,33. This agreement was not given to only the believing Jews, but all who seek the one and only God. Jesus Christ is our Shepherd, the one who watches over us, He knows who are His, and He is always watching over us, either keeping us out of harms way, or directing us out of our troubles. With all His great power, even He cannot force a person to believe in Him, that is something we have to do on our own. Those who hear Him will find Him and will be His people. “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” - John 10:14-16.

Through Jeremiah, God continues to assure the remnant of Jews that God has not forsaken them, that He has not forgotten His covenant with them, and that they will one day return to the promised land, but not the one they have come to know, a new Jerusalem. “And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:” - Jeremiah 32:36-39.

A new agreement was made when Jesus died a sinless death, was buried, and arose three days later, eternal life for all who believe. Those who have one heart believe Jesus alone saves them from breaking that death curse, and that He is the only way to God, they are the ones that are God's people. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” - Romans 5:8-10. Praise God!

One has to admit, none of us follow through with the agreement we made with God when we accepted Christ as our Savior. I am not talking about works, we should all know that obeying or disobeying God's commandments does not determine our salvation, I am talking about trusting Him with our lives outside of our salvation. We may not realize it, but when we seek other means to get the things we need we are not putting our trust in the one who saved our souls. Of course, God does not want us sitting in a corner expecting things to happen, we do have to make an effort to get things done, but without faith in Him we will never see His great power in our lives. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” - James 2:18-20,26. 

Today's Prayer: God, Thank You for the covenant that You made with me for believing in Your Son and accepting Him in my life. It is sad to learn that a large majority of people build their hopes and dreams on things that are not eternal, but we who believe in Your Son build our lives on the better covenant which will be completely fulfilled as we cross over into the Promised Land. How wonderful to know that You save to the uttermost and no one will be denied a place in heaven who comes to You through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank You Jesus for laying down Your life for me and saving me from my sins. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
ChristinaAre You 100% Sure That You Are Going To Heaven? Visit: God's PriceLike Us On Facebook: I'm Following Jesus
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Unleash The Power Of Christ In You

Date: Sunday, August 17, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 28-30
Message Title: Unleash The Power Of Christ In You 

Hello My Friend,

A yoke is a device that joins two similar sized animals together in an attempt to create a stronger force. Now, the thing about yokes is that there can be some opposition between the two animals, as long as they are opposing each other that force is weak. However, once they work together as one, that force is powerful. Another word for yoke is to be joined together, the second that a soul receives the Lord, Jesus Christ, it becomes joined with Him. Imagine the power that we can have with Christ as we work together with Him, but just like two animals weaken the force when they oppose each other, so do we when we do not work with Him. “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.” - 2 Corinthians 13:5-7.
God's judgment had finally come to Jerusalem, it was under siege, and many of the Jews are being taken away from their homes, lives, and everything they had. The news of Judah having to live under the command of Nebuchadnezzar did not go very well, it did not take long for some rebellious people to cause trouble. A false prophet named Hananiah jumped in and began filling the peoples heads with all kinds of lies.
“And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.” - Jeremiah 28:1-3,15-17.
Some people will never learn that they cannot fight God nor play God, rebellion does nothing, but get innocent people hurt and death upon themselves. Look at the fate of the devil for his causing all of mankind to fall, which is the fate of every person that tries to fight or play God. The only way we can ever get God to repent of His judgment toward us is by knowing Christ personally as our Savior. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 20:10, 21:7,8.

Now, the Jews in Judah are being carried into Babylon, where they will likely remain the rest of their lives until die or seventy years passes and the judgment is lifted. God instructed Jeremiah to write a letter to the Jews. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.” - Jeremiah 29:4-8.
God wanted them to know that even though He sent them away from their homes and lives as they knew them, He was still with them, and would always be with them. What the Jews imagined as seventy years of slavery was promised as seventy years of peace, even though they were in captivity. “For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey. For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.” - Jeremiah 30:11,15-17.
What God is saying here that no sin goes unpunished, even those who are saved must face the consequences of their sins, but God promises that all who are saved remain saved, we cannot lose our salvation if we are living in sin. Never let a person, even a priest or pastor, convince you that you can lose your salvation. Once saved, always saved. Jesus died on the cross one time, that means we only have to ask Him once to save us. “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” -Romans 6:8-12.

As long as we work together with Jesus we will see God do great and powerful things in our lives, but if we keep trying to do things on our own, we are going to weaken His power. We can do all things with Him, but we must work with Him. We can find peace through all our circumstances and when we do, we will unleash His power in us. “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:11-13.

Today's Prayer: God, I know that with every struggle you have a reason and a purpose for it, all I do when I try to handle them on my own is fight with You as You try to walk with me and help me. Give me Your power, wisdom, and strength, help me to stop fighting and just cooperate with You. Although You may have me in captivity, I can still have peace and everything I desire as long as I keep walking with Jesus. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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Live The Best Life

Date: Saturday, August 16, 2014
Today's Chapters: Jeremiah 25-27
Message Title: Live The Best Life

Hello My Friend,

So many people reject Christ, making the assumption that they have to give up their lives for Him. The truth is, Jesus wants us to give our lives to Him, to be a living sacrifice. Giving our lives to Him does not keep us from living, it gives us the best life. “And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” - Matthew 10:36-39.

God's ways may seem strange sometimes, but He knows what He is doing, if there is something wicked that He is allowing to happen it is for a reason. For twenty-three years God sent Jeremiah to the kings, priest, of elders, of Judah and warned them of the judgment placed upon them for turning it into a wicked and vile nation. Now, the prophecies are unfolding, God sends Jeremiah to give them yet another chance to return to Him to avoid the judgment. “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened. And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear. They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.” - Jeremiah 25:3-6.
So many people want to blame God for all the evil that is taking place all over the world, but it's not God, it's not even the devil, it's people, rebellious people, working the works of their own hands, causing their own hurt. We cannot blame anyone, but ourselves for the consequences we face for immoral, wicked, and vile acts. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” - Romans 1:18,21.
Unfortunately, we who do follow God often get caught up in the crossfire, but even then He provides an escape.
God's escape route for Judah, he was about to send them to live as captives to Babylon for seventy years. God sends Jeremiah to the temple, and one more time, urges them to repent. “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;” - Jeremiah 26:2-5.

The people were disgruntled and wanted to kill Jeremiah, but Jeremiah had something to say to them before that happened. “Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die. Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard. Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you. As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.” - Jeremiah 26:8,12-15.
The people did come to their senses and realized that Jeremiah was telling the truth. Sometimes being linked with Jesus can seem like we get more burdens, people constantly accusing us of things and persecuting us for doing what God wants us to do. Can I tell you that it will never stop, if they accused Jesus they are going to accuse us of the same things. We are going to face some burdens in life just for remaining faithful to God, but after the burdens always come blessings. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 55:22.
God orders all the nations, Israel included, to be under the hand of Babylon, it may have sounded odd, and quite a waste of time for God to do this, but for seventy years Babylon would be a great and powerful nation above all the others. “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him. And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.” - Jeremiah 27:5-8.
Let me tell you, if God sent the faithful Jews into a wicked nation for safety can you imagine how wicked the city of God was? It must have been pretty wicked if God was willing to destroy the promised land before another corrupt nation. Sometimes it may seem strange and unfair what God allows us to go through, but He really knows what is best for us. While we may not understand at the time, He works all burdens and suffering into something for our own good. “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:27,28.
Today's Prayer: God, I know I am not perfect, I know I am going to make lots of mistakes, even when following You. Lord, give me Your power to follow You faithfully and let me not be tempted to turn to the right or left, but keep my eyes on You. Help me heed and listen for the warnings as I serve You, knowing that no matter where You take me, it will lead me to where You want me to be. In Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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