And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19 ESV)
This “Easter” season I began to reflect on what is there that attracts me to the person of Messiah Jesus? Why should I, or anyone commit ourselves to Jesus of Nazareth as our personal Messiah? This is a basic question and yet one which is at the heart of every other aspect of our Christian life.
This is the foundation of our Christian existence and practice. Having a good solid reason for following Jesus, liking Jesus, admiring Jesus, and loving Jesus is critical since without such a reason and experience then nothing else in my Christian life or the Christian life of others is very likely to really work. What is there about Jesus of Nazareth that should capture my heart?
As I mused about this issue I came up with seven centers of focus that can help us to become attracted to Jesus of Nazareth and from which we may gain an increasing faith in Him as our Messiah. The seven focal points for me in seeking to be drawn to Messiah Jesus are:
1. His fulfillment of specific Messianic prophecies.
2. His teachings
3. His miracles
4. His life
5. His suffering for the sins of His people
6. His resurrection form the dead
7. His existential offer of acceptance, fellowship and salvation
Each of these produces a different point of reference through which the Messiah Jesus can be perceived and admired. Each one has its own particular impact on our thinking and affections towards Jesus of Nazareth. Each is needed to get a full understanding of who our Lord Jesus is.
His fulfillment of specific Messianic prophecies.
The New Testament takes for granted that we will be looking for a Messiah. It assumes we know we need a Savior. It presents Jesus of Nazareth as the “answer” to a “problem”. Yet, many of us today in the modern world do not come to the gospels looking for an answer. Because of this it is hard for us to always appreciate exactly what the gospels are offering as they present their pictures of Messiah Jesus.
It has hit me that one of the things that caused me to become a believer in Messiah Jesus was that I began my study of the Bible in Matthew and not in Leviticus. I do not think I would have been attracted to follow the God of the temple unless I had first had come to be attracted to Jesus of Nazareth. His acceptance of temple and Moses allowed me to accept them. My faith in the Hebrew Bible, what we normally call the Old Testament, is based on my faith in Jesus to be the authoritative prophetic representative from God and not the other way around. Beginning my reading of the Bible in Matthew instead of Genesis really helped me to have faith.
However, with this being said, one's understanding of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah or Christ can only really make sense in the context of the prophecies of the Old Testament. It is this “problem” that needs to be understood and accepted which them makes the gospels presentation of Jesus of Nazareth as the solution to that problem so impressive. Without this background then the appearance of Messiah Jesus is a lot less awesome and inspiring. For instance the gospel of Mark begins with these words:
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'" (Mark 1:1-3 ESV)
In Isaiah, the prophet (en tōi Esaiāi tōi prophētēi). The quotation comes from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3. The Western and Neutral family of Greek documents read “Isaiah”, the Alexandrian and Syrian, “the prophets,” which some believe was a correction made by a latter scribe because part of it is from Malachi. Most modern translations read “Isaiah” while the New King James reads “prophets”
If Mark wrote “Isaiah” instead of prophets no error occurred. Isaiah is mentioned as the chief of the prophets. It was common to combine quotations from the prophets in chains of quotations. The ancient world did not foot note in the same way we do today. It therefore is not a reasonable expectation to think that Mark would footnote his gospel in a manner different than other authors of his day.
But here we find that Mark links the appearing of Jesus of Nazareth with the coming of the “Lord” into history. John the Baptist is seen as being the fulfillment of prophecies of one who would come to prepare the way for the appearing of God into the history of humanity. The “Lord” was coming! This was part of the hope of Messiah. To understand Jesus as the Messiah we must understand the need of a Messiah and what this hope was all about. If we do not do this then the very name “Jesus Christ” has lost it real meaning.
I plan over the next few weeks to continue my musings along these lines. I believe that this train of thought will help me grow in faith. I hope it may cause others to grow in faith. Growing in faith is really all that is vital. For the just shall live by faith in Messiah Jesus.
The question I would ask today is:
What most attracts you to follow Jesus as Lord of your life today?
Has it always been that same quality or at different times did various aspects of Jesus of Nazareth impact you?
Why do you think different aspects of Christ attract us at different times?
How do you think you could become more attracted to the Lord Jesus today?
These are questions worth considering.
Showing posts with label faithfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faithfulness. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Saturday, December 05, 2009
What hinders faith?
As I wake up this morning in New York City visiting my son and his wife, I find my dreams have raised up a question in my soul.
What hinders faith?
or
What motivates faith?
I was reading in Exodus 6:1-9 about the testing of faith that came when Moses began his ministry. All that the Word of God created was persecution and oppression. There was no deliverance or salvation. Life only became harder instead of better because of God's prophet and presence. In response God speaks to Moses and by means of Moses the promises of His love and purpose. He assures them that they will be saved and delivered from their slavery in Egypt.
They did not listen to the good news that day. Why? I was struck by the text. They did not listen because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. They were absorbed by their misery and the were literally "out of breath" or "out of spirit". We all know what it is like to run until we are "out of breath" and then we stop. We simply cannot take another step in that condition. We cannot be motivated to run when we are "out of breath."
What had caused this "shortness of spirit"? They had just had their hopes of being delivered by Moses crushed and this feeling of disappointment was not moved by the Word of God. They also lived day in and day out in a very hard circumstances. They were slaves. That reality made it hard for them to be motivated to believe in the Word of God that spoke of freedom. They also feared the king. To believe in what God was saying would anger the king of Egypt and bring on them more woe. To believe put them at practical risk. I think we can all understand why it was hard for them to listen that day.
How about today for you and me? When the Holy Spirit comes to us and sings to us about the love of God in Christ Jesus today what causes us to not respond in faith. Are we suffering from "shortness of spirit" ? Do our circumstances enslave us? Are we afraid of what faith might cost us?
What hinders our faith?
and
What motivates us to believe?
I think it is important we ask these questions. I think it is important we start finding answers to these questions. What do you think? What are your answers to these questions?
Please leave a comment, I would love to know your ideas and feelings on these questions.
What hinders faith?
or
What motivates faith?
I was reading in Exodus 6:1-9 about the testing of faith that came when Moses began his ministry. All that the Word of God created was persecution and oppression. There was no deliverance or salvation. Life only became harder instead of better because of God's prophet and presence. In response God speaks to Moses and by means of Moses the promises of His love and purpose. He assures them that they will be saved and delivered from their slavery in Egypt.
They did not listen to the good news that day. Why? I was struck by the text. They did not listen because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. They were absorbed by their misery and the were literally "out of breath" or "out of spirit". We all know what it is like to run until we are "out of breath" and then we stop. We simply cannot take another step in that condition. We cannot be motivated to run when we are "out of breath."
What had caused this "shortness of spirit"? They had just had their hopes of being delivered by Moses crushed and this feeling of disappointment was not moved by the Word of God. They also lived day in and day out in a very hard circumstances. They were slaves. That reality made it hard for them to be motivated to believe in the Word of God that spoke of freedom. They also feared the king. To believe in what God was saying would anger the king of Egypt and bring on them more woe. To believe put them at practical risk. I think we can all understand why it was hard for them to listen that day.
How about today for you and me? When the Holy Spirit comes to us and sings to us about the love of God in Christ Jesus today what causes us to not respond in faith. Are we suffering from "shortness of spirit" ? Do our circumstances enslave us? Are we afraid of what faith might cost us?
What hinders our faith?
and
What motivates us to believe?
I think it is important we ask these questions. I think it is important we start finding answers to these questions. What do you think? What are your answers to these questions?
Please leave a comment, I would love to know your ideas and feelings on these questions.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Almost Daily Devotional
Almost Daily Devotional
Reading
NLT 1 Thessalonians 1:1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. It is written to the church in Thessalonica, you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May his grace and peace be yours. 2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you yourselves became an example to all the Christians in Greece. 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Greece, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, 9 for they themselves keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven-- Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
Meditation
Thessalonica is a seaport in northeastern Greece on an inlet of the Aegean Sea The original name of this city was Therma; and that part of the Macedonian shore on which it was situated retained through the Roman period the designation of the Thermaic Gulf. Cassander the son of Antipater rebuilt and enlarged Therma, and named it after his wife Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great. St. Paul visited Thessalonica (with Silas and Timothy) during his second missionary journey, and introduced Christianity there. The first scene of the apostle's work at Thessalonica was the synagogue. (Acts 17:2,3) It is stated that the ministrations among the Jews continued for three weeks. Not that we are obliged to limit to this time the whole stay of the apostle at Thessalonica. A flourishing church was certainly formed there; and the epistles show that its elements were more Gentile than Jewish.
Paul seems to have two attitudes that dominate in his relationship with other believers. One he thanks God for them being believers and what they bring to the kingdom of God through their gifts and talents and second he constantly prays for God to help them become more like Christ.
Paul specifically thanks God for the believers in Thessalonica for their activities inspired by their faith, their labors of joyful love, and their patient hope in the return of Christ. Here we see that Paul defines what God is doing in them as a matter of faith, hope, and love. Paul is able to see God at work in the lives of the imperfect believers in Thessalonica. He is able to see the glass half full as well as to call them to fill it more. His optimism is not based on his faith in the believers of Thessalonica but in God who is at work in them.
Paul also affirms his faith that they are truly the objects of God’s eternal love in Jesus Christ. He remembers as he preached to them that there was a true movement of God’s Spirit among them and that they gave a clear profession of faith. The Thessalonians had seen God’s power in miracles performed by the Holy Spirit but also in the lives of love demonstrated by the apostolic missionary team that had brought them the message. This team had become an incarnation of the gospel and its power.
In light of the power of the Holy Spirit in deeds of wonder and in the lives of the missionaries that brought them the gospel of Jesus they had joyfully believed even though it had brought upon them persecution and hardships. Here we see pain and joy combined. There is an ability of human beings to have sorrow and holy glee at the same time. They became like Jesus and the missionaries who had both been blessed by being allowed to suffer persecution for righteousness sake.
Now, the Thessalonians were an example of faith under fire and were providing an example to believers throughout Greece and around the world. Because they were a center of trade and travel, what happened in Thessalonica traveled around the world through the travelers and traders that went through the city.
Their faith is one in which they have not just added Jesus into their religious lives but have allowed the Lord Jesus Christ to totally dominate their thinking. They were willing to turn against the ultimate concerns of their lives before Jesus in order to make the Lord Jesus the ultimate concern of their lives. This reality, lived out in their daily existence, had become the talk of the world and a demonstration of the truth of the gospel.
Christocentric - Christ must become our operating system and not just another program we add into our lives. Our true loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ is measured to the degree we abandon our “idols” that is whatever we value or trust in more than we do the person of Messiah Jesus. Christians who do not abandon their idols lose the opportunity to become world changers because they are worldly.
Moral - Faith determines what tasks we find important enough to do, inspires in us a working faith, and allows our actions to endure disappointments because we optimistically believe that history is governed by Christ. We are called to have faith, love, and hope be the dominate attitudes of our actions.
Eternal - For Christians death and the end of the world do not hold fear. We know that at these great moments in our personal and world history we will be embraced by God and fully accepted in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have joyful anticipation of what the future holds for us in the eternal kingdom of God.
Prayer
Lord Jesus help me to abandon my idols in the way the believers in Thessalonica did when they heard the good news. Let me break my allegiance with the world system of unbelief and give to me a stronger and more fruitful faith.
Contemplation
Abandon all and follow me
Action
Today let me thank God for my brothers and sisters in Christ and take note of their virtues instead of their vices. If I find myself complaining or gossiping about others let me stop and make a compliment about the person. Let me look for and specifically define how God is working in the lives of those around me and praise God for them in this light.
Reading
NLT 1 Thessalonians 1:1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. It is written to the church in Thessalonica, you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May his grace and peace be yours. 2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we talk to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your continual anticipation of the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true. And you know that the way we lived among you was further proof of the truth of our message. 6 So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord. 7 As a result, you yourselves became an example to all the Christians in Greece. 8 And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Greece, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don't need to tell them about it, 9 for they themselves keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the true and living God. 10 And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God's Son from heaven-- Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.
Meditation
Thessalonica is a seaport in northeastern Greece on an inlet of the Aegean Sea The original name of this city was Therma; and that part of the Macedonian shore on which it was situated retained through the Roman period the designation of the Thermaic Gulf. Cassander the son of Antipater rebuilt and enlarged Therma, and named it after his wife Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the Great. St. Paul visited Thessalonica (with Silas and Timothy) during his second missionary journey, and introduced Christianity there. The first scene of the apostle's work at Thessalonica was the synagogue. (Acts 17:2,3) It is stated that the ministrations among the Jews continued for three weeks. Not that we are obliged to limit to this time the whole stay of the apostle at Thessalonica. A flourishing church was certainly formed there; and the epistles show that its elements were more Gentile than Jewish.
Paul seems to have two attitudes that dominate in his relationship with other believers. One he thanks God for them being believers and what they bring to the kingdom of God through their gifts and talents and second he constantly prays for God to help them become more like Christ.
Paul specifically thanks God for the believers in Thessalonica for their activities inspired by their faith, their labors of joyful love, and their patient hope in the return of Christ. Here we see that Paul defines what God is doing in them as a matter of faith, hope, and love. Paul is able to see God at work in the lives of the imperfect believers in Thessalonica. He is able to see the glass half full as well as to call them to fill it more. His optimism is not based on his faith in the believers of Thessalonica but in God who is at work in them.
Paul also affirms his faith that they are truly the objects of God’s eternal love in Jesus Christ. He remembers as he preached to them that there was a true movement of God’s Spirit among them and that they gave a clear profession of faith. The Thessalonians had seen God’s power in miracles performed by the Holy Spirit but also in the lives of love demonstrated by the apostolic missionary team that had brought them the message. This team had become an incarnation of the gospel and its power.
In light of the power of the Holy Spirit in deeds of wonder and in the lives of the missionaries that brought them the gospel of Jesus they had joyfully believed even though it had brought upon them persecution and hardships. Here we see pain and joy combined. There is an ability of human beings to have sorrow and holy glee at the same time. They became like Jesus and the missionaries who had both been blessed by being allowed to suffer persecution for righteousness sake.
Now, the Thessalonians were an example of faith under fire and were providing an example to believers throughout Greece and around the world. Because they were a center of trade and travel, what happened in Thessalonica traveled around the world through the travelers and traders that went through the city.
Their faith is one in which they have not just added Jesus into their religious lives but have allowed the Lord Jesus Christ to totally dominate their thinking. They were willing to turn against the ultimate concerns of their lives before Jesus in order to make the Lord Jesus the ultimate concern of their lives. This reality, lived out in their daily existence, had become the talk of the world and a demonstration of the truth of the gospel.
Christocentric - Christ must become our operating system and not just another program we add into our lives. Our true loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ is measured to the degree we abandon our “idols” that is whatever we value or trust in more than we do the person of Messiah Jesus. Christians who do not abandon their idols lose the opportunity to become world changers because they are worldly.
Moral - Faith determines what tasks we find important enough to do, inspires in us a working faith, and allows our actions to endure disappointments because we optimistically believe that history is governed by Christ. We are called to have faith, love, and hope be the dominate attitudes of our actions.
Eternal - For Christians death and the end of the world do not hold fear. We know that at these great moments in our personal and world history we will be embraced by God and fully accepted in our Lord Jesus Christ. We have joyful anticipation of what the future holds for us in the eternal kingdom of God.
Prayer
Lord Jesus help me to abandon my idols in the way the believers in Thessalonica did when they heard the good news. Let me break my allegiance with the world system of unbelief and give to me a stronger and more fruitful faith.
Contemplation
Abandon all and follow me
Action
Today let me thank God for my brothers and sisters in Christ and take note of their virtues instead of their vices. If I find myself complaining or gossiping about others let me stop and make a compliment about the person. Let me look for and specifically define how God is working in the lives of those around me and praise God for them in this light.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Don't let the fear of people keep you from doing right!
Devotions
Reading
NLT Jeremiah 15:15 Then I said, "LORD, you know I am suffering for your sake. Punish my persecutors! Don't let them kill me! Be merciful to me and give them what they deserve! 16 Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. 17 I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I burst with indignation at their sins. 18 Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook. It is like a spring that has gone dry." 19 The LORD replied, "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you! 20 They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall. They will not conquer you, for I will protect and deliver you. I, the LORD, have spoken! 21 Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands."
Meditation
Literal:
We have more psychological insight into Jeremiah than any biblical character outside of Job or Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. Jeremiah will suffer abuse. He will be abandoned and rejected by everyone. He will be verbally, emotionally, and physically abused for answering God’s call to be a prophet and give an unpopular message. He will have to say “Israel will lose” to be faithful to God. His great love for His nation and people will be questioned because he dares question their national morality and piety. In the midst of this abuse, it does not seem to him that God is protecting him by brining his worst persecutors to judgment.
Jeremiah loved God’s word and this was his strength. He hated sin and this was his grief. His hatred of sin led to isolation from the “parties” of his time which were prone to abuse of alcohol and sex as “parties” in all generations are prone. He also felt that the people were ignoring the real crisis they were in. He alone was mourning over the nation’s fall into idolatry and immorality. His heart was broken. How could they not all be weeping? In the midst of this Jeremiah is feeling God’s presence and help is distant. He is the servant of the LORD, yet he feels abandoned even by God.
The LORD speaks to him in this time of intense prayer and struggle. He tells him that he need to turn back to receive the LORD’s embrace. It is not God who has moved but him. The LORD encourages him to keep faithful to the words he has been given to speak. Do not abandon his divine mission. He will be attacked but God will be a fortress to him. His life will be preserved. Jeremiah must simply hold on and not give in to the fear of what others might do to him.
This passage points out that the righteous do suffer for doing righteousness. Living a life of faith does not automatically lead to health, wealth, and prosperity. We will lose our popularity and social standing at times if we remain faithful to God. We will feel at times that the presence of the Lord is far from us. Yet, the reality is that He is our fortress and strength. His word provides guidance, challenge, and comfort. Like Jeremiah we must remain faithful even when we are persecuted for righteousness sake.
Christological: Jeremiah is a shadow of Christ. He is the suffering servant. He is rejected by the nation he has come to save. He will suffer great psychological pain even as Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane. It is thought that Jeremiah was martyred by being cut in two and Christ died for our sins in order to fulfill the redemptive will of God. Here in this man of sorrow we can see our Savior as he weeps over Jerusalem who is addicted to her sins.
Moral: Never abandon doing God’s will due to social pressure or persecution. Do not allow depression to keep you from being faithful.
Eternal: In the fully manifested kingdom of heaven all the wicked and cruel plans of sinful people to hurt us will be forever stopped. We will be in total safety and joy. Our fortress from harm for all eternity will be the eternal LORD himself! We will have 100% security forever. We will not be condemned by God or humanity. Instead we will live in an environment of praise, worship, and acceptance forever and forever. Amen.
Prayer: Lord keep me from being unfaithful due to the fear of other people or failure. Give me a stronger faith and an enduring spirit.
Contemplation: I am with you always
Action; Where do I need to speak boldly God’s word into my world today?
Reading
NLT Jeremiah 15:15 Then I said, "LORD, you know I am suffering for your sake. Punish my persecutors! Don't let them kill me! Be merciful to me and give them what they deserve! 16 Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. 17 I never joined the people in their merry feasts. I sat alone because your hand was on me. I burst with indignation at their sins. 18 Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook. It is like a spring that has gone dry." 19 The LORD replied, "If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak words that are worthy, you will be my spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you! 20 They will fight against you like an attacking army, but I will make you as secure as a fortified wall. They will not conquer you, for I will protect and deliver you. I, the LORD, have spoken! 21 Yes, I will certainly keep you safe from these wicked men. I will rescue you from their cruel hands."
Meditation
Literal:
We have more psychological insight into Jeremiah than any biblical character outside of Job or Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. Jeremiah will suffer abuse. He will be abandoned and rejected by everyone. He will be verbally, emotionally, and physically abused for answering God’s call to be a prophet and give an unpopular message. He will have to say “Israel will lose” to be faithful to God. His great love for His nation and people will be questioned because he dares question their national morality and piety. In the midst of this abuse, it does not seem to him that God is protecting him by brining his worst persecutors to judgment.
Jeremiah loved God’s word and this was his strength. He hated sin and this was his grief. His hatred of sin led to isolation from the “parties” of his time which were prone to abuse of alcohol and sex as “parties” in all generations are prone. He also felt that the people were ignoring the real crisis they were in. He alone was mourning over the nation’s fall into idolatry and immorality. His heart was broken. How could they not all be weeping? In the midst of this Jeremiah is feeling God’s presence and help is distant. He is the servant of the LORD, yet he feels abandoned even by God.
The LORD speaks to him in this time of intense prayer and struggle. He tells him that he need to turn back to receive the LORD’s embrace. It is not God who has moved but him. The LORD encourages him to keep faithful to the words he has been given to speak. Do not abandon his divine mission. He will be attacked but God will be a fortress to him. His life will be preserved. Jeremiah must simply hold on and not give in to the fear of what others might do to him.
This passage points out that the righteous do suffer for doing righteousness. Living a life of faith does not automatically lead to health, wealth, and prosperity. We will lose our popularity and social standing at times if we remain faithful to God. We will feel at times that the presence of the Lord is far from us. Yet, the reality is that He is our fortress and strength. His word provides guidance, challenge, and comfort. Like Jeremiah we must remain faithful even when we are persecuted for righteousness sake.
Christological: Jeremiah is a shadow of Christ. He is the suffering servant. He is rejected by the nation he has come to save. He will suffer great psychological pain even as Jesus did in the garden of Gethsemane. It is thought that Jeremiah was martyred by being cut in two and Christ died for our sins in order to fulfill the redemptive will of God. Here in this man of sorrow we can see our Savior as he weeps over Jerusalem who is addicted to her sins.
Moral: Never abandon doing God’s will due to social pressure or persecution. Do not allow depression to keep you from being faithful.
Eternal: In the fully manifested kingdom of heaven all the wicked and cruel plans of sinful people to hurt us will be forever stopped. We will be in total safety and joy. Our fortress from harm for all eternity will be the eternal LORD himself! We will have 100% security forever. We will not be condemned by God or humanity. Instead we will live in an environment of praise, worship, and acceptance forever and forever. Amen.
Prayer: Lord keep me from being unfaithful due to the fear of other people or failure. Give me a stronger faith and an enduring spirit.
Contemplation: I am with you always
Action; Where do I need to speak boldly God’s word into my world today?
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