Shame Covered by God's Atonement

Ezekiel 16:62-63
62 “And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, 63 that you may remember and be ashamed, and never open your mouth anymore because of your shame, when I provide you an atonement for all you have done,” says the Lord God.”

When God makes a new covenant by means of the blood of Christ for us and we enter our part in that covenant, we are as His bride who can never have that covenant broken by divorce as people do.  He takes away our shame of sin because Jesus completely and utterly paid the price in our place.  This is what the New Testament is - the reconciliation with God for our rebellious disobedience against His law by Christ paying the debt in our place.  No more shame or punishment.  He promised this to His people long ago, brought it to reality in Christ, and offers to the all children of Abraham now, who are every nation on this earth. 

Righteous Judgment is Not Skin Deep

John 7:23-24  
23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Many believe that if you do good in ways that do not fit religious tradition that you are doing wrong.  Even in the way we are "supposed to" dress to truly honor God.  Jesus for for instance healed on the Jewish Sabbath to do good, but hypocrites tried to say He was evil.  In Hebrews 4 we are told to rest (Sabbath) in Him every day, doing His work and not ours.  Also, the Scriptures never say Jesus had pomegranates on long pharisaical robes in the synagogue either.  So righteous judgment sees the difference between imposed "laws" of religion and God's word cut rightly in love for Him and others. 

Those He Calls will be Brought Out

Ezekiel 14:22-23  
22 Yet behold, there shall be left in it a remnant who will be brought out, both sons and daughters; surely they will come out to you, and you will see their ways and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the disaster that I have brought upon Jerusalem, all that I have brought upon it. 23 And they will comfort you, when you see their ways and their doings; and you shall know that I have done nothing without cause that I have done in it,” says the Lord God.

Before the new covenant in Jesus Christ, prophets warned God's people of continual sin and worshiping idols until a day was set to take action to punish them.  But even then, a way was given for those who came through by living God's way - morally and obediently - to give a future and hope.  He has a purpose in all He does.  It is never without a cause.  So now we all have a choice to repent, believe, and receive Jesus Christ, and those who do not believe God in Him will face the justice of Hell.  He has just cause, and we have a choice.  Those He calls will be brought out. 

God's People Depart from Iniquity

Ezekiel 13:22-23   

22 “Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life. 23 Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

When false teachers and prophets catch the ears of those in churches - both believers who do not know God's word well, and the religious unbelievers attending - then the lies can sadden true believers when faith is shattered when healing does not happen that a man (not God) claimed must happen.  Also, those who use grace and peace to hide sin are encouraged to sin more by the misleading ones.  God will deliver those who are His, so "let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."  He will deal with the liars; we must deal with the truth, speaking it in love. 

A Word of the Lord

Ezekiel 13:3-10   
6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.  8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God.  10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace—and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar—

As in the times of Israel's demise, so now false prophets come into the church to claim a word of The Lord, yet only hope it will come true to prove themselves.  God calls this nonsense and lies, and so should we.  So many now only talk of peace, love, and making ourselves improve along with the world - yet Jesus told us there will be wars and difficult times, not as these ear tickling tales would mislead us into believing.  There IS hope in Christ for eternity, but in this world we will have trouble.  False prophecies against God's word only delude and keep us from true happiness.  A word of the Lord is only so if the scriptures say so! 

His Word and Will Be Done

Ezekiel 12:2, 28.  
2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, which has eyes to see but does not see, and ears to hear but does not hear; for they are a rebellious house.  28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord God.’ ”

As Jesus told the Pharisees, religious people do not use their eyes and ears for God's words and work to perceive.  They rebelled against Christ as their Lord and God.  There will come a time when there is swift judgment on the world for our sin of rebellion against God, and then time to choose will be gone.  As God draws a man to Himself, he must allow both eyes and ears to seek Him and respond in repentance and faith. 

His Spirit an Heart of Flesh for Stone

Ezekiel 11:19-21.  
19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts follow the desire for their detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God.

God calls, seals, and guides His people in Christ to live alongside Him with both the desire and ability to obey.  He makes us His very own people, adopting us as sons and daughters!  Ah, but those who live for themselves and seek the things God says are detestable, sinful, and offensive by His standards - they only get what justice deserves.  Oh that they would listen and turn to be made new. 

Judged or Saved?

Ezekiel 7:13, 17, 27

13 No one will strengthen himself Who lives in iniquity.  17 Every hand will be feeble, And every knee will be as weak as water.  27 I will do to them according to their way, And according to what they deserve I will judge them; Then they shall know that I am the Lord!’ ”

Isaiah 35:3-5

3 Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.  4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”  5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Are we to be judged or saved? Rebellion and sin against God leads to certain judgment with God's anger, and we truly get what we deserve.  But when we see this coming, our weak and shaking knees find strength in God's vengeance on sin through the cross, and He opens blind eyes and deaf ears to hear good news of forgiveness and reconciliation in Jesus Christ! 

Gospel's Warning and Responsibility

Ezekiel 3:19-27  
19 Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul... 21 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man that the righteous should not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; also you will have delivered your soul.”… 27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

We are to tell the good news, to bear witness to all God has said and done in Jesus Christ.  Like Ezekiel, all we can do is plead that they turn from sin to Him to believe and receive life from here to eternity.  If unrighteous people hear and do not turn, they face Hell; but if they turn, they find forgiveness.  If those who know Christ and want to do right fall into sin, we must exhort to correct in love; we must warn them also.  We must always be ready to give a defense of what we believe from God's word, and He will enable the words we speak, remembering the sin nature is rebellion against what God says. 

Hear With the Ears of the Heart

Ezekiel 3:10-12 
10 Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”  12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place!”

Do I really listen to all things God says in His word, or just what I think is "most" important?  I must be ready to speak the truth of the gospel, in love, even when many will not hear what He says.  But to listen and obey brings awareness of His presence and glory; may I bring Him glory as it must be, thundering greater than a thundercloud pouring down overhead. 

Eat and Speak His Word

Ezekiel 2:2, 7, 3:1  
2 Then the Spirit entered me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.  7 You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious.   3:1 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”

God gives His Spirit to all who are His now, not just to certain prophets like Ezekiel as in the past.  So when we are told to stand up and speak the good news from what we find in the Bible, the issue of whether or not they will listen is not our responsibility.  They will listen if called, rebel if opposed, or consider for the future as a seed is planted.  As for us, we must daily eat of His word to be ready to clearly give that message of hope so as many as are appointed to eternal life may believe. 

Facing God to Listen

Ezekiel 1:26 - 2:1   
26 And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around.  28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.   2: 1 And He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak to you.”

Ezekiel was shown a reflection or vision from God where the Son of Man and God came in a wheeled living transport that showed the glory of God, much like John was revealed in Revelation chapter 1.  The fearfully awesome ones moving like lightning amidst the fiery chariot had a throne with the One showing God's glory.  And this was so Ezekiel would hear the words and take them to heart - to bring God's message to His people.  Now Christ has come as a man and we have the revelations in the Bible, finished and sealed.  This is the message we bring to others now. 

Turned to Turn to Him

Lamentations 5:19-22 
19 You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation.  20 Why do You forget us forever, And forsake us for so long a time?  21 Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old, 22 Unless You have utterly rejected us, And are very angry with us!

Jerusalem was overthrown and God's people carried away as slaves to Babylon for years because they kept walk in away from Him.  It seemed they were completely rejected by God in His anger for their constant and unrepentant sin.  Yet because He is eternal and sovereign at all times, He brought them back, punishing their enemies.  So with us He offers a way out of the Babylon of our sin and the captivity of the death we are enslaved to - His Son.  Turn back to God in Christ and you will be free indeed! 

Sorrow for the Lost

Lamentations 3:48-49, 57-58  
48 My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people.  49 My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, 57 You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, “Do not fear!”  58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life.

Do I cry over those lost from God's mercy and grace as I see them heading to destruction in their sin?  I think of how He came to me and took away my fears as He pleaded my case on the cross by which He bought my life back from sin, death, and justly deserved Hell.  How can what He did for me not drive me to my knees for others? 

Woe and Well-Being, Complaint or Confession?

Lamentations 3:37-40  
37 Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, When the Lord has not commanded it?  38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That woe and well-being proceed?  39 Why should a living man complain, A man for the punishment of his sins?  40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;

Words spoken in God's name can be for either good or bad.  If someone is continuing in sin, then the bad of judgment and hell must be told in love.  If there is good, then that also must be told as God would say.  We are all liable for judgment, and it is only by the mercy and grace of God in Christ that the good news brings sadness and joy - sadness for our offenses and joy in forgiveness.  So when self-proclaimed prophets speak only of joy and grace without living to put to death sin by His Spirit within, beware.  Only what The Lord has said already in the Bible is ground to stand on. 

Turn the Cheek, Trust His Mercy

Lamentations 3:30-33 
30 Let him give his cheek to the one who strikes him, And be full of reproach.  31 For the Lord will not cast off forever.  32 Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.  33 For He does not afflict willingly, Nor grieve the children of men.

Jesus told us to turn the cheek to those who attack for any reason, letting the scorn and shame (reproach) settle where it may.  Through the grief we find His compassion and mercy.  God does not plan to grieve us anymore than He makes evil; rather, we in our sin we are born with continue to choose badly and suffer due consequences.  The God of all love, mercy, and grace waits for us to come through Jesus and then to walk by trusting Him in every step. 

Wait with Hope, Seek Him

Lamentations 3:25-26   
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.  26 It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.

We must seek and run after God as Paul told of running the race to the end goal - but we must also quietly and patiently wait for our final redemption from physical death at the resurrection.  There is to be no spiritual laziness, yet also no working to earn the unmerited favor of grace that is ours in Christ alone.  He is our hope, strength, wisdom, and purpose Who holds us on the palm of His almighty hand.  Let us run after Him as the direction of our lives! 

Infallible Compassion and Hope

Lamentations 3:18-24   
18 And I said, “My strength and my hope Have perished from the Lord.”  21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.  22 Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.  23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

When all seems to go wrong and God appears to be doing nothing to relieve the attacks and suffering, then we need to remember His faithfulness in His promises for good and not for evil.  His infinite mercy in Jesus Christ keep us - God is compassionate.  Every day begins with His merciful compassion - this is why we must start each day in His word, to remember these things and find our portion, our inheritance which is in Him alone.  This time with Him brings out the hope that is already given to us! 

Delusional Prophets and Visions

Lamentations 2:14  
Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.

This same pattern that was in Israel of old is repeating in the church today; people look for false visions of fantastic sounding words they label as prophecies, even speaking as if they are Jesus to speak lies and ramblings contrary to Scripture.  Instead, real servants of Christ should be revealing sin and error in love, daring to confront what the Bible tells us so men and women may be free from sin's bondage reaching to pull them back in.  Delusions of great things have replaced walking by faith and living by God's word.  This is a lamentation for the church. 

Mercy and Gratefulness

Jeremiah 52:31-34   
31 ... king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. 32 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prominent seat than those of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 33 So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments, and he ate bread regularly before the king all the days of his life. 34 And as for his provisions, there was a regular ration given him by the king of Babylon, a portion for each day until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

The king of Babylon had mercy on the king of Judah and set him free from prison, lifting him up from a humble cell, and gave him a place to sit and dine with the king.  In so much better way we are set free from the bondage of sin and brought before the King of Glory to dine with Him forever (Rev.3:20).  As children of the Most High King, we have an inheritance as well as His presence from now and past the defeated death that imprisoned us before.  We are free and have more than we could ever ask for! 

Wisdom and Power of Creation are the Lord's!

Jeremiah 51:15-16 
15 He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, And stretched out the heaven by His understanding.  16 When He utters His voice— There is a multitude of waters in the heavens: “He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain; He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”

God created the universe, to include us as His crowning jewels of work - made in His image.  By infinite understanding and wisdom we see DNA woven into so many living things, and the rain cycle sustaining life here with cool winds and flashes of lightning echo glory in thunderous applause to the Creator.  Oh Lord our Lord, how marvelous are Your works in all the heavens! 

Our Eternal Covenant with God in Christ

Jeremiah 50:4-5, 20, 34  
4 “In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “The children of Israel shall come,They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the Lord their God.  5 They shall ask the way to Zion, With their faces toward it, saying, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to the Lord In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.’   20 In those days and in that time,” says the Lord, “The iniquity of Israel shall be sought, but there shall be none; And the sins of Judah, but they shall not be found; For I will pardon those whom I preserve.   34 Their Redeemer is strong; The Lord of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case,

Our Redeemer is strong; He pleads our case to be our substitutionary advocate, seeing our tears of repentance and coming to the new covenant in Christ so God sees our sin no more.  What mercy and grace to set us free forever!  So we magnify His name in worship today together as everyday before Him.   This is our eternal covenant made by God for us in Christ! 

Pride, Judgment, and Restoration

Jeremiah 48:42, 47;  49:4,6 
42 And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, Because he exalted himself against the Lord.   47 “Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab In the latter days,” says the Lord.  Thus far is the judgment of Moab.   4 Why do you boast in the valleys, Your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter?  Who trusted in her treasures, saying, ‘Who will come against me?’  6 But afterward I will bring back The captives of the people of Ammon,” says the Lord.

Moab was judged for pride, yet promised restoration from sin's captivity.  Ammon boasted in riches and possessions (as if they did not receive everything from God, but their own effort) - yet God also promised liberation from sin's captivity.  This is why God never changes; He sees and will judge our prideful selfish sin against Him that we have continually in our hearts and thoughts and on our lips.  But He offers absolution and reconciliation in Christ Jesus alone - not a priest or church or our good deeds, which are polluted efforts of pride in the end.  Thank God He provided the lamb of God in our sacrificial altar's thickets! 

False Trust in Abilities and Treasures

Jeremiah 48:7, 29  
7 For because you have trusted in your works and your treasures, You also shall be taken.  And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, His priests and his princes together.  29 “We have heard the pride of Moab (He is exceedingly proud), Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride, And of the haughtiness of his heart.”

Pride comes before a fall.  Moab was an arrogant and proud nation that trusted in its own ability and possessions (riches).  God took them down, sending armies to conquer and humble them.  Do we need humility at sword point, do we trust in what or who we know, confident in ourselves?  Or do we put all trust in the God who saves and gives all knowledge and righteousness solely in Christ?  A broken and contrite heart He will not despise. 

Humility: Our Life is a Prize

Jeremiah 45:5 
And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.”

When God calls and uses a man, he should not count himself special or seek rewards, but instead rejoice that he has been given life abundant in Christ for eternity.  Wherever we go in this life, humility should and must precede us. 

Hardened Complaints or Godly Contentment?

Jeremiah 44:10, 16-17 
10 They have not been humbled, to this day, nor have they feared; they have not walked in My law or in My statutes that I set before you and your fathers.’   16 “As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to you! 17 But we will certainly do whatever has gone out of our own mouth, ... For then we had plenty of food, were well-off, and saw no trouble.

Hardened necks to do our own will and hardened hearts to love all else but God - especially ourselves - this is what leads to the bondage of sin and its just consequences.  So many say that they are better off without Christ, that they will not listen to God as He speaks through the Bible, instead listening to teachers and speakers who lie against God to do what they want instead of our Creator. 

Hypocrites or Prayers?

Jeremiah 42:20 
For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying, “Pray for us to the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’

Do we ask others to pray for us just so they can tell us what to do, or do we ask they pray that we would know and understand Him and so His will, that we are changed from the inside as His Spirit opens His word to us?  If we so know all we have in Christ, we will desire to do all that pleases a him, and not hypocritically try to get a list of works from another to check off each good deed by.  Ephesians 1:15-19. 

Trust for Deliverance

Jeremiah 39:17-18  
17 But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. 18 For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord.’ ”

God will deliver those from sin, death, and Hell who trust and act in belief on what He has said and done in Jesus Christ.  Just as the offer to those here through the prophet, so now to all to the one over all prophets, the Son of God.  Our life eternal is the prize freely offered to us... Trust, believing and receiving Him. 

Humility in Light of His Sovereignty

Job 42:2-6 
2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ 5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”

Job found out that his own knowledge and goodness that he thought he was and did meant nothing in the light of the Most High Holy God.  As Jeremiah warned and pleaded for the people to see and admit their sinful falling short of His holy standards, so God told Job here.  So we must humble ourselves as far from God's righteousness and turn from all that angers Him, finding forgiveness and peace only in Jesus Christ through our repentance and reconciliation. 

God's Spoken Word Written Down

Jeremiah 36:2-3  
2 “Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

God sent prophets to lead people to Himself; He had them write His words down so we would have a chance to read and contemplate what God said and what He wanted.  But most of all, He wrote about who He is and what we were made to be (and what and how we became).  His intent has always been that we should not die and be rightly punished, but listen, turn, trust, and follow - He loves us who He made in His image, and the evil of sin is to live our way.  He stands eager to forgive in Christ! 

Deafening Doom

Jeremiah 35:17  
“Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the doom that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them but they have not heard, and I have called to them but they have not answered.’ ”

As Israel was told what God wanted for generations, yet still refused to hear, believe, and do - they faced the judgment of captivity and death.  So we are called to obey the Gospel, which is not to do good to earn deliverance from death, but hear what God in Christ told us to do - hear, believe, turn, and find new life.  Then follow Him.  God loved us so much to provide this way we do not deserve and can never earn.  This is mercy to forgive and grace to give. 

Eternal Mercy in His Righteousness

Jeremiah 33:10-11, 16  
10 “Thus says the Lord: “Again there shall be heard in this place—... 11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say: “Praise the Lord of hosts, For the Lord is good, For His mercy endures forever”— and of those who will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord.  16 In those days Judah will be saved, And Jerusalem will dwell safely. And this is the name by which she will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’

God's salvation becomes our righteousness in Christ; this is why He desires joy and gladness in our praise to Him.  We are His bride, and the restored relationship in Jesus the Christ leads us to sacrifice praise instead of other offerings.  It is no longer our work, but His work in merciful grace we do not deserve, cannot earn, and did not even ask for!  He is our righteousness, YHWH Tsidkenu. 

Call to the Savior for His Greatest Work

Jeremiah 33:2-3, 8  
2 “Thus says the Lord who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (the Lord is His name): 3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’    8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me.

God who made the universe and everyone in it is not limited in any way.  And He tells me to call to Him to see His work in and for me!  The greatest work has been to forgive my sin against Him forever when I did not deserve it... He cleansed me from rebellious sin in Jesus Christ's suffering, death, and rising from death to life.  So the things I cannot imagine I can call out to Him - for His work in His way in His time for His glory.  Lord, there truly is nothing too hard for You! 

Nothing Too Hard to Change Us Forever

Jeremiah 32:17, 26-27, 38-39, 40   
17 “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You."   26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?"   38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.  40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

When Jeremiah knew God would allow Israel to be taken away for a while because of their sin, he expressed solid faith in God's absolute control.  Nothing is too difficult for God.  So he bought land in a land the enemy would own - but with a promise it would be his and God's people's again.  So we have hope that others will come back from the land of the enemy, that sin has separated us but we are being brought back to an unshakeable and eternal land with Him.   The new covenant in Christ's blood cannot be broken, He will not turn away from us, and we long to work out the salvation given with fear and trembling to please Him! 

New Covenant of Grace

Jeremiah 31:31-34. 
31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—   33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Hebrews 9:14-15   14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (See Hebrews 8 also)

God's new covenant in Christ is not one of following rules of the Law to earn a place in His favor, but rather to find God's favor undeservedly in Christ and so have a place by His favor (grace).  We then can know God intimately, not just have knowledge about Him.  We have eternity promised us by nothing earned, only given us.  The depth of this grace should move us to run after Him, not our own goals. 

Hear, Trust, Tell, and Obey

Ezekiel 33:30-31 
30 “As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, ‘Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the Lord.’ 31 So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.

Jeremiah 31:25-26.   25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” 26 After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was sweet to me.

Do you want peace and rest in your soul?  Would you like to awaken with a good night's sleep?  Then hear God's word anxiously, searching it out diligently - but be certain it is so you find ways to live pleasing to God, not just to gather facts or prove you understand.  To obey out of love means finding FAITH coming from God's word; faith that works it out. 

Sorrow for the Lost, Reward of Atonement

Jeremiah 31:15-16. 
15 Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” 16 Thus says the Lord: “Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.

In Matthew 2:16-18, Herod did as this prophecy, killing the young children in an attempt to kill Jesus hue Christ.  But He survived, and now in Him we can wipe away the tears as we and others return from Satan's land of sin and death and eternal punishment.  We are free in Jesus, and can find joy as we bear witness of that freedom from death as others come to eternal life by faith in Him.

Acts 26:18  to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ 

Eternally Loved and Drawn to Him

Jeremiah 30:22 - 31:3 
 22 ‘You shall be My people, And I will be your God.’ ” 23 Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it, And until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.     3 The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.

Not only was Israel called to be God's people, but through Abraham all nations in Christ are called.  Those not in Christ in the end will feel God's anger against their evil and rebellion of disbelief in all He told us.  Ah, but to hear Him and trust - His love for us never ends as He calls and beckons us to Himself.  Why would we not turn from sin to Him?  There is nothing to lose that is bad, and only good to gain!  We have been loved for eternity and drawn to Him in love. 

Thoughts of Peace Lead us to Look

Jeremiah 29:11-13  
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

As Israel was led captive to Babylon because of their rebellion, their sin, against God, they were offered a way back.  God wants us (His people) to have hope, to know we have an eternal future in Jesus Christ.  So He offers repentance that we may seek Him, cry out to Him, and be delivered from the place we have been taken captive in - our sin and its penalty in the end.  Romans 10:9-13

False Teachers, False Predictions

Jeremiah 28:9 
9 As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”

Deuteronomy 13:1-4  1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, “Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

Galatians 1:8  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

False teachers love to speak of peace when God says there is none.  They point a path away from the true God and Savior Jesus Christ, to serve them.  God allows these to test our hearts as to whether we will seek Him out or not, the truth and not the lie.  He wants us to love Him and seek Him, not listening to or tolerating that which God curses with lies such as Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Islam. 

Repentance, Obedience, and Worship

Jeremiah 26:13-14  
13 Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you.  14 As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you.

Revelation 19:10. And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

God calls men to repent, to turn from their ways against God, and toward Him instead.  He will then hear them as they trust in Christ's work done for us on the cross, believe, and be remade.  But many will fight the part of Jesus' gospel calling for repentance, sometimes even to violence as they fight against their conscience and conviction of God.   We must still tell the truth in love, for this testimony of Jesus is as the prophecy of old - God's work in Christ and the judgement for those rejecting Him. 

Heed the Shout of Justice

Jeremiah 25:30-31  
30 “Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: ‘The Lord will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the Lord has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.”   Jeremiah 26:3. Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’

God will take justice into this world of evil rebellion against Himself in the end; all will not just go to heaven because God is love - He is also holy and just.  But if anyone listens to the good news of reconciliation in Christ, they can turn from evil to God and He will not give the due punishment in His court at time's end.  Jesus Christ will fight the final battle to put evil in its place, and those knowing Him will ride behind Him in victory.  Revelation 19:11-14

Wholeheartedly Turn From Sin to Him

Jeremiah 24:7; 25:5  
25:5 They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.

24:7 Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

God calls us to turn away from our own sin - those things offensive to His nature and commands - and towards Him.  This is so that we can live with Him in His presence.  Since this is impossible to be sinless, Christ as sinless God stepped in our place to give us a new heart in forgiving mercy and undeserved goodness that we can be His people and live forever with Him, made clean from our rebellious nature of sin.  We need only to belief, hand over our heart and life, and be made new.  Have you? 

Speak the Word of Fire as a Hammer Faithfully

Jeremiah 23:22, 28-29, 37  
22 But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.   28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?   37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’

If someone preaches or teaches God's word and does not align with what He really says (the Bible), then the hearers will not see them doing right and so will not do right either.  We must faithfully tell the things of God, cutting it straight with no concern for backlash; God handles the chaff and knows His wheat.  His word will break hard hearts and wills, and triumphs always.  So "what has God said?" and not "has God indeed said?" must be the guiding principle of His servants. 

False Peace of Personal Desires

Jeremiah 23:16-17, 22  
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They continually say to those who despise Me, “The Lord has said, ‘You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”  22 But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.

Many still claim special revelation from God, when He is not speaking.  They claim transcendent peace and freedom from evil, but they speak contrary to God's word, the Bible.  It is only their own desires in the words they use.  But when God's words are spoken, then the "peace, peace when there is no peace" is clearly seen.  Acts 17:11 gives the right example - test all by the Word to avoid misleading or being misled. 

Hear and Obey for True Prosperity

Jer 22:16, 21  
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord.   21 I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said, ‘I will not hear.’ This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice.

We are not reconciled to God by doing good to others, yet if we have been made new, the we should desire to help the helpless.  Then our souls are well with God, just as when we heed all things He tells us, not living as we used to, piling up prosperity and doing what we want.

Gal 2:10  They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also was eager to do. 

Way of Life or Death?

Jer 21:8-9  
8 “Now you shall say to this people, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. 9 He who remains in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but he who goes out and defects to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be as a prize to him.

As Judah was told their guilt and it's punishment certain to come, they were given a way out of the death they earned - submit, give up their lives to save them.  So God offers eternal life with Him in the new Jerusalem to come, by admitting we deserve the justice and its punishment we earned in rebellion to God.  Then we hand ourselves over to be delivered from that justice; deliverance is another word for salvation.  So the prize of life is given to those who give it up to Jesus Christ. 

Word Burns Within as Fire of Truth

Jer 20:9-12  
9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.   11 But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten. 12 But, O Lord of hosts, You who test the righteous, And see the mind and heart, Let me see Your vengeance on them; For I have pleaded my cause before You.

When I am discouraged from speaking the truth in love, it is the flesh reacting to say nothing more; however, God's Spirit the moves me to continue.  He tests us to check where our mind and heart are at with Him.  He will shut the mouths of those who oppose His word, bringing them shame.  That is not my responsibility.  Bearing witness to the truth in love and not anger or vengeance is what we are called to.  Not the "coexist" sticker going around now, but the absolute truth with of "one way" for no compromise - and in love, not attack. 

Good Repaid for Evil by Grace

Jer 18:19-20   
19 Give heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me! 20 Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

When others speak evil of me after I speak truth to them in love for their good and with compassion (not condemning), then I need to hand them over to God.  Unlike Jeremiah the prophet who prayed for God's harsh judgment on those against him, I must follow Jesus and the examples of the apostles to pray for them that God would give them a chance, and not simply smite them.  Nonetheless, it is God who judges and deals with those who oppose Him in His way.  I must forgive, beware, and follow my Lord and my God. 

In the Potter's Sovereign Hand

Jer 18:4-6, 12, 15  
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.  6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!   12 And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”   15 “Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,

God can do with us as He pleases, even remaking us when we mar His image in us.  Yet He first waits for us to choose His paths that were given from the beginning so that we stop giving up to our own evil heart desires.  Then he remakes us, from salvation in a new life to daily turning back when we stray afterwards.  It is never hopeless in the Potter's hands. 

Repaid by God's Work in Place of Ours

Jer 17:10.   I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.

1Co 3:11-15.   11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  14 If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Sanctification results as God works through our obedience.  He tests us so we rely on Him and, in so pleasing, become more as Jesus, conformed to His image.  Our ways in obedience do not earn salvation nor earn grace - but God still wants our hearts in it.  We still reap what we sow, and what is not honoring to Him will burn up in the end.  What glorifies God will bring reward, pleasing as a good and faithful servant toward eternity. 

Mere Edges of His Ways!

Job 26:14
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”

Jer. 17:5-9   9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?  5 Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.  7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.

God knows what we think and feel - who we really are.  We deceive ourselves in our understanding, and must rely on God alone, not trusting our own feelings or reason.  His ways are so infinite that we only catch a glimpse of them, and His power to work in our hearts and the world go far beyond what we can grasp.  This should lead to awe, wonder, and worship from within. 

Words Found and Taken to Heart

Jer 15:16-17  
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. 17 I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, Nor did I rejoice; 

Psa 1:1-2.  1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Good company aligns with those following God's word, not those who mock Him or live against how He tells us to do.  So our hunger for His word must consume us to joy for the calling out and so work out our salvation in fearful trembling.  His word must roll through both tongue and mind all through the day. 

Prophets of Idols

Jer 14:15, 22 
15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed!  22 Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these.

Many listen to popular speakers and teachers who lead people to what they like to hear instead of the truth.  Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and others make many false prophecies that do not come true.  But those who God calls out and gives new life to know the idols such as the black meteorite in Mecca or supposed tablets from God in New York State cannot cause it even to rain, let alone change a life from the inside and then live within them.  Only the one God shown in Jesus Christ can. 

Humbly Hear and Give God Glory

Jer 13:15-17, 25  
15 Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the Lord has spoken. 16 Give glory to the Lord your God Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble On the dark mountains, And while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death And makes it dense darkness. 17 But if you will not hear it, My soul will weep in secret for your pride; My eyes will weep bitterly And run down with tears, Because the Lord's flock has been taken captive.  25 This is your lot, The portion of your measures from Me,” says the Lord, “Because you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.

Much as the Jews trusted in lies told to themselves when they had God's word given to them as His chosen people, so His people now must avoid pride in their own or poplar teachers arrogance that ignores His clear word.  By allowing the lies that deny our Lord and the absolute inerrancy of His word, we open the church's doors to stumbling in the dark as we venture further from the light.  Jesus is God and man, there is one God, not many, and we are called to depart from evil if we are known by Him.  God weeps for those astray. 

Freedom's Dependence Day

FREEDOM:  Ezk 18:30-32.  
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Freedom from the tyranny of sin and its just consequence of punishment can only find independence on the day the red coat of sin is washed whiter than snow by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Turning from your sin to Him who died in your place brings a new life - a new spirit and new heart.  God does not want to see you die in your sin; He takes no pleasure in that.  He wants so much for our independence from sin, death, and Hell that He gave up His life in exchange for life for us.  This is true freedom!  Romans 6:18-23 

Sheep for Slaughter

Jer 12:1-3  
1 Righteous are You, O Lord, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? 2 You have planted them, yes, they have taken root; They grow, yes, they bear fruit. You are near in their mouth But far from their mind. 3 But You, O Lord, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, And prepare them for the day of slaughter.

Why does evil in the world seem to go unchecked?  Why do bad people seem to get ahead?  They even talk about God - but He is not in their thoughts at all; it is just for show.  God will allow them to choose that path and face judgment, but His desire is not for them to suffer forever, but be forgiven in Christ.  All have gone astray and none seeks Him unless He calls and they listen to their Master's voice.  Ezekiel 18:23 

Knowledge is Revealed by God

Jer 11:18.  
Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings.

Just as God showed Jeremiah that men were trying to kill him for doing God's work, and just as He also warned others such as Paul, so God shows circumstances to keep us safe or to guide us to the truth of things in His word.  The "mystery" of God living in a believer, giving the mind of Christ to understand the mind of Christ - this is what makes walking with God unique to the Christian.  No mere religion provides this.

1Co 2:12,16  12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 

Man's Way is Not in Himself

Jer 10:21-24  
21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted, And have not sought the Lord; Therefore they shall not prosper, And all their flocks shall be scattered.  23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. 24 O Lord, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

When God's shepherds of the church stop seeking and pursuing knowing and walking with Him, their ministry and congregations suffer (or are broken up).  We each must remember that God in Christ by the Spirit leads and guides us, that we dare not take that navigation upon ourselves.  A spirit of broken humility that acknowledges He is just and only mercy and grace sustain us - this brings fruitfulness and is well pleasing to the Father.