Day 220 of My 3rd Bible Study Journey - 8 August 2023 reflections
Day 220, 8 August 2023
1) Jeremiah 10,11,12,13
Jeremiah 10
The True God and Idols
Jer 51:15-19
1 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.
2 (Lev 20:23; 18:3) Thus says the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations;
do not be terrified at the signs of heaven,
although the nations are terrified at them.
3 (Isa 44:9-20; 45:20) For the customs of the people are vain;
for with the axe one cuts a tree out of the forest,
the work of the hands of the workman.
4 (Isa 40:19-20) They deck it with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it may not move.
5 (Isa 46:7; 1Co 12:2; Isa 41:23-24) They are as a scarecrow
in a cucumber field, but do not speak; they must be carried,
because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil,
nor can they do good.
6 (Ex 15:11; Ps 48:1) There is no one like You, O Lord.
You are great, and Your name is great in might.
7 (Rev 15:4; Ps 22:28 ) Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
Indeed, it is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations,
and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like You.
8 (Isa 41:29; Jer 10:14) But they are altogether unthinking and foolish;
the tree is a doctrine of vanities.
9 (Ps 115:4; Da 10:5) Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman and of the hands of the founder;
blue and purple are their clothing; they all are the work of skilled men.
10 (Ps 76:7; Na 1:6 ) But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and an everlasting King. At His wrath the earth trembles,
and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
11 (Ps 96:5; Isa 2:18) Thus you shall say to them:
The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth,
even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.
12 (Ge 1:1; Job 9:8) He has made the earth by His power.
He has established the world by His wisdom
and has stretched out the heavens by His discretion.
13 (Ps 135:7; Job 38:34-35) When He utters His voice, there is a multitude
of waters in the heavens,
and He causes the vapors to ascend from the remote parts of the earth;
He makes lightning with rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouses.
14 (Jer 10:8; Pr 30:2) Every man is stupid, without knowledge;
every goldsmith is put to shame by an idol;
for his molded image is false, and there is no breath in them.
15 (Isa 41:24; Jer 14:22) They are vain and a work of mockery;
in the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 (Dt 32:9; Jer 31:35) The portion of Jacob is not like them,
for He is the Maker of all things,
and Israel is the rod of His inheritance.
The Lord of Hosts is His name.
The Exile Prophesied
17( Eze 12:3-12; Jer 6:1) Gather up your wares out of the land,
O inhabitant of the fortress.
18 (1Sa 25:29) For thus says the Lord: I will sling out
the inhabitants of the land at this time,
and will distress them that they may be found.
19 (Mic 7:9; Jer 4:31) Woe is me because of my brokenness!
My wound is grievous. But I said,
"Truly this is an illness, and I must bear it."
20 (Jer 4:20; 31:15; Isa 54:2) My tabernacle is devastated,
and all my cords are broken. My sons have gone from me and are no more.
There is no one to spread my tent anymore, and to set up my curtains.
21 (Jer 2:8; 10:8) For the shepherds have become unthinking
and have not sought the Lord. Therefore they have not prospered,
and all their flocks are scattered.
22 (Jer 9:11) Listen! The sound of the report has come,
and a great commotion out of the north country,
to make the cities of Judah desolate and a den of jackals.
The Prayer of Jeremiah
23 (Pr 20:24; 16:1) O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself;
it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
24 (Ps 6:1; 38:1) O Lord, correct me, but with justice,
not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
25 (Ps 79:6-7; Jer 8:16) Pour out Your fury upon the nations
that do not know You
and upon the families that do not call on Your name;
for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him, and consumed him,
and have made his habitation desolate.
Jeremiah 10
[1] Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
[2] Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not
dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
[3] For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of
the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
[4] They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and
with hammers, that it move not.
[5] They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be
borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do
evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
[6] Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and
thy name is great in might.
[7] Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it
appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all
their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
[8] But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of
vanities.
[9] Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from
Uphaz,
the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and
purple is
their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
[10] But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting
king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be
able to abide his indignation.
[11] Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens
and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these
heavens.
[12] He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by
his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
[13] When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the
heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the
earth; he
maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his
treasures.
[14] Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by
the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath
in them.
[15] They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their
visitation they shall perish.
[16] The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all
things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his
name.
[17] Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
[18] For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of
the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
[19] Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is
a grief, and I must bear it.
[20] My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are
gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent
any more, and to set up my curtains.
[21] For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD:
therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
[22] Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of
the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of
dragons.
[23] O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man
that walketh to direct his steps.
[24] O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou
bring me to nothing.
[25] Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the
families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and
devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
Jeremiah 11
The Broken Covenant
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
2 (Jer 11:6; Ex 19:5) Hear the words of this covenant,
and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3 (Dt 27:26) And say you to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
4 (Lev 26:12; Dt 4:20) which I commanded your fathers in the day
that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace,
saying, Obey My voice, and do according to all which I command you.
So you shall be My people, and I will be your God,
5 (Dt 7:12-13; Ps 105:9-11) that I may perform the oath
which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing
with milk and honey, as it is this day.
Then I answered and said, "So be it, O Lord."
6 (Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22) Then the Lord said to me: Proclaim all these words
in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem:
saying, Hear the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 (Ex 15:26; 1Sa 8:9) For I earnestly warned your fathers in the day that
I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day,
rising early and warning, saying, Obey My voice.
8 (Jer 7:24; 7:26) Yet they did not obey or incline their ear,
but everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart.
Therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant,
which I commanded them to do, but which they did not do.
9 (Hos 6:9) The Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among
the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 (Dt 31:16; 1Sa 15:11) They have turned back to the iniquities
of their forefathers who refused to hear My words.
And they have gone after other gods to serve them.
The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken
My covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 (Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15) Therefore thus says the Lord, Surely,
I will bring calamity upon them which they will not be able to escape.
And though they cry to Me, I will not listen to them.
12 (Dt 32:37; Jer 2:28) Then the cities of Judah and inhabitants
of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense.
But they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 (2Ki 23:13; Jer 2:28) For according to the number of your cities
are your gods, O Judah. And according to the number of the streets
of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing,
even altars to burn incense to Baal.
14 (Jer 11:11; Ex 32:10) Therefore do not pray for this people,
nor lift up a cry or prayer for them. For I will not hear them in the time
that they cry to Me because of their trouble.
15 (Pr 2:14) What right has My beloved in My house,
seeing that she has done many lewd deeds?
Can the sacrificial meat take away from you your disaster,
so that you can rejoice while doing evil?
16 (Ps 52:8; Isa 27:11) The Lord called your name,
"A green olive tree, fair in fruit and form."
With the noise of a great tumult
He has kindled fire upon it,
and its branches are broken.
17 (Isa 5:2; Jer 2:21) For the Lord of Hosts, who planted you,
has pronounced disaster against you, because of the evil of the house
of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against
themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.
Jeremiah's Life Threatened
18 (1Sa 23:11-12; 2Ki 6:9-10) The Lord has made it known to me and I knew it;
then You showed me their deeds.
19 (Ps 83:4; Jer 18:18) But I was like a gentle lamb that is brought
to the slaughter, and I did not know that they had devised plots
against me, saying,
"Let us destroy the tree with the fruit,
and let us cut him off from the land of the living
so that his name may be remembered no more."
20 (Ps 7:9; Jer 20:12) But, O Lord of Hosts, who judges righteously,
who tries the feelings and the heart,
let me see Your vengeance on them,
for to You I have revealed my cause.
21 (Isa 30:10; Jer 12:5-6) Therefore thus says the Lord of the men
of Anathoth who seek your life, saying,
"Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord so that you not die by our hand."
22 (Jer 18:21; 2Ch 36:17) Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts:
I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword.
Their sons and their daughters shall die by famine.
23 (Jer 23:12; Hos 9:7) And there shall be no remnant of them,
for I will bring calamity upon the men of Anathoth,
even the year of their punishment.
Jeremiah 11
[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
[2] Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah,
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
[3] And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be
the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
[4] Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out
of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do
them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I
will be your God:
[5] That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to
give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then
answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
[6] Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of
Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this
covenant, and do them.
[7] For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought
them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and
protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
[8] Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the
imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the
words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
[9] And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah,
and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
[10] They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which
refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the
house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made
with their fathers.
[11] Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them,
which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I
will not hearken unto them.
[12] Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry
unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at
all in the time of their trouble.
[13] For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and
according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to
that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
[14] Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or
prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me
for their trouble.
[15] What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought
lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest
evil, then thou rejoicest.
[16] The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly
fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and
the branches of it are broken.
[17] For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against
thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which
they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense
unto Baal.
[18] And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou
shewedst me their doings.
[19] But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I
knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy
the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the
living, that his name may be no more remembered.
[20] But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins
and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I
revealed my cause.
[21] Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy
life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our
hand:
[22] Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the
young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die
by famine:
[23] And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the
men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Jeremiah 12
Jeremiah's Plea
1 (Job 12:6; Ps 51:4) Righteous are You, O Lord,
that I plead with You.
Indeed, let me talk with You about matters of justice.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are all those happy who deal very treacherously?
2 (Isa 29:13; Jer 11:17) You have planted them; indeed, they have taken root;
they grow; indeed, they bring forth fruit.
You are near in their mouth,
but far from their mind.
3 (Jer 17:18; Jas 5:5) But You, O Lord, know me;
You have seen me and tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 (Jer 9:10; 4:25; Ps 107:34) How long shall the land mourn
and the herbs of every field wither?
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it,
the beasts and the birds have been snatched away,
because they said,
"He will not see our latter end."
God Answers Jeremiah
5 (Jer 49:19; 50:44) If you have run with the footmen,
and they have wearied you,
then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace in which you trusted, they wearied you,
then how will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
6 (Pr 26:25; Jer 9:4) For even your brothers and the household of your father,
even they have dealt treacherously with you.
Indeed, they have cried aloud after you.
Do not believe them
though they speak fair words to you.
7 (Jer 11:15; Isa 2:6) I have forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul
into the hand of her enemies.
8 (Hos 9:15; Am 6:8) My heritage is to Me as a lion in the forest.
She cries out against Me; therefore I have hated her.
9 (Isa 56:9; Jer 7:33) My heritage is to Me
as a speckled vulture;
the vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
bring them to devour.
10 (Isa 5:1-7; 63:18) Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard;
they have trodden My portion under foot;
they have made My pleasant portion
a desolate wilderness.
11 (Isa 42:25; Jer 23:10) They have made it desolate,
and being desolate, it mourns to Me.
The whole land has been made desolate,
because no man lays it to heart.
12 (Jer 47:6; Isa 34:6) The destroyers have come
upon all high places through the wilderness,
for the sword of the Lord shall devour
from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land.
No one shall have peace.
13 (Dt 28:38; Mic 6:15) They have sown wheat, but reap thorns;
they have strained themselves, but shall not profit.
And they shall be ashamed of your harvest
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
14 (Zec 2:8; Dt 30:3)Thus says the Lord: Against all My evil neighbors
who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel
to inherit, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out
the house of Judah from among them.
15 (Jer 48:47; 49:6; 49:39) It shall come to pass that after
I have plucked them out, I will again have compassion on them,
and will bring them back, every man to his heritage,
and every man to his land.
16 (Jer 4:2; Jos 23:7; Zep 1:5) It shall come to pass if they will
diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name,
"As the Lord lives," as they taught My people to swear by Baal,
then they will be built up in the midst of My people.
17 (Isa 60:12; Ps 2:8-12) But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up
and destroy that nation, says the Lord.
Jeremiah 12
[1] Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with
thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?
wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
[2] Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they
bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
[3] But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart
toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them
for the day of slaughter.
[4] How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for
the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the
birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
[5] If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how
canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou
trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
[6] For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt
treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee:
believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
[7] I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the
dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
[8] Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against
me: therefore have I hated it.
[9] Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are
against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
[10] Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion
under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
[11] They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the
whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
[12] The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for
the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the
other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
[13] They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves
to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues
because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
[14] Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the
inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will
pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among
them.
[15] And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will
return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to
his heritage, and every man to his land.
[16] And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my
people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to
swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
[17] But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that
nation, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 13
A Linen Sash
1 (Jer 13:11) Thus says the Lord to me, "Go and buy yourself a linen waistband
and put it upon your loins, and do not put it in water."
2 (Isa 20:2; Eze 2:8) So I bought a waistband according to the word
of the Lord and put it on my loins.
3 The word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,
4 "Take the waistband that you have, which is upon your loins,
and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a hole of the rock."
5 (Ex 40:16; 39:42-43) So I went and hid it by the Euphrates,
as the Lord had commanded me.
6 After many days the Lord said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates
and take the waistband from there, which I commanded you to hide there."
7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the waistband
from the place where I had hidden it. But the waistband was destroyed.
It was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
9 (Lev 26:19; Isa 2:10-17) Thus says the Lord: After this manner I will
destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 (Jer 16:12; 9:14) This evil people, who refuse to hear My words,
who walk in the imagination of their hearts, and walk after other gods,
to serve them, and to worship them, shall be even as this waistband
which is good for nothing.
11 (Jer 33:9; Ex 19:5-6) For as the waistband cleaves to the loins
of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah to cleave to Me,
says the Lord, so that they might be to Me a people for renown,
and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not listen.
The Metaphor of Wine Bottles
12 Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord
God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And when they say
to you, "Do we not certainly know that every bottle should be filled
with wine?"
13 (Ps 60:3; 75:8) then you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord:
I will fill all the inhabitants of this land-even the kings that sit
on the throne of David, and the priests, and the prophets,
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem-with drunkenness.
14 (Dt 29:20; Ps 2:9) I will dash them against one another,
even the fathers and the sons together, says the Lord.
I will not show pity nor spare nor have mercy,
but will destroy them.
Exile Threatened
15 (Isa 28:14-22) Hear and give heed;
do not be proud,
for the Lord has spoken.
16 (Isa 59:9; Jos 7:19; Isa 5:30) Give glory to the Lord your God,
before He causes darkness
and before your feet stumble
on the dark mountains,
and while you look for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
and makes it gross darkness.
17 (Jer 9:1; Ps 80:1) But if you will not listen to it,
my soul will weep in secret places
for your pride;
and my eyes will weep sorely
and run down with tears,
because the flock of the Lord is carried away captive.
18 (2Ki 24:12; Jer 22:26) Say to the king and to the queen mother:
"Humble yourselves, sit down,
for your beautiful crown
shall come down from your head."
19 (Jer 52:27) The cities of the Negev will be shut up,
and no one will open them;
all Judah will be carried away into captivity;
it will be wholly carried away captive.
20 (Jer 6:22; 23:2) Lift up your eyes and see
those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given to you,
your beautiful flock?
21 (Isa 13:8; Jer 4:31) What will you say when He appoints over you
those you yourself had taught to be companions to you?
Shall not sorrows take hold of you,
as a woman in labor?
22 (Na 3:5; Jer 5:19) And if you say in your heart,
"Why have these things come upon me?"
for the greatness of your iniquity
your skirts have been removed
and your heels made bare.
23 (Pr 27:22; Isa 1:5) Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard his spots?
Then you also can do good,
who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 (Lev 26:33; Ps 1:4) Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble
that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 (Job 20:29; Ps 11:6) This is your lot,
the portion of your measures from Me,
says the Lord,
because you have forgotten Me
and trusted in falsehood.
26 (La 1:8; Hos 2:10) Therefore I Myself have uncovered your skirts
over your face
so that your shame may appear.
27 (Eze 6:13; Hos 8:5) I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings,
the lewdness of your harlotry,
and your abominations
on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
How long will you remain unclean?
Jeremiah 13
[1] Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it
upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
[2] So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my
loins.
[3] And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
[4] Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise,
go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
[5] So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
[6] And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise,
go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to
hide there.
[7] Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place
where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable
for nothing.
[8] Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[9] Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah,
and the great pride of Jerusalem.
[10] This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the
imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to
worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
[11] For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to
cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith
the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and
for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
[12] Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto
thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
[13] Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill
all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's
throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
[14] And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons
together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but
destroy them.
[15] Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
[16] Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before
your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he
turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
[17] But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for
your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because
the LORD's flock is carried away captive.
[18] Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for
your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
[19] The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them:
Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried
away captive.
[20] Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is
the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
[21] What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them
to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a
woman in travail?
[22] And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me?
For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels
made bare.
[23] Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may
ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
[24] Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the
wind of the wilderness.
[25] This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD;
because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
[26] Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may
appear.
[27] I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy
whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee,
O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
2) Our Daily Bread for 8 August 2023 titled
Different Together in Jesus
Galatians 3:23-29
6 (Eph 6:4; 2Ti 3:15) Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Saying One
23 But before faith came, we were imprisoned under the law,
kept for the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 (Gal 2:16; Ro 10:4) So the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 (Gal 4:5-6) You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 (Ro 13:14; Ac 2:38) For as many of you as have been baptised
into Christ have put on Christ.
28 (Col 3:11; Gal 5:6) There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free, and there is neither male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 (Ro 8:17; 9:7-8) If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
[23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the
faith which should afterwards be revealed.
[24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith.
[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
[29] And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise.
Business analyst Francis Evans once studied 125 insurance salesmen to find out
what made them successful. Surprisingly, competence wasn't the key factor.
Instead, Evans found customers were more likely to buy from salesmen with the
same politics, education, and even height as them. Scholars call this
homophily: the tendency to prefer people like us.
Homophily is at work in other areas of life too, with us tending to marry and
befriend people similar to us. While natural, homophily can be destructive
when left unchecked. When we only prefer "our kind" of people, society can
fracture along racial, political, and economic lines.
In the first century, Jews stuck with Jews, Greeks with Greeks, and rich and
poor never mingled. And yet, in Romans 16:1-16, Paul could describe the church
in Rome as including Priscilla and Aquila (Jewish), Epenetus (Greek), Phoebe
(a "benefactor of many," so probably wealthy), and Philologus (a name common
for slaves). What had brought such different people together? Jesus-in whom
there's "neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free" (Galatians 3:28).
It's natural to want to live, work, and go to church with people like us.
Jesus pushes us beyond that. In a world fracturing along various lines, He's
making us a people who are different together-united in Him as one family.
By: Sheridan Voysey
Reflect & Pray
How can you actively reach out to people who are different from you?
What could you do this week to bridge ethnic or economic divides?
Jesus, I praise You for working to bring our fractured world together.
3) From The Billy Graham Evangelical Ministry Association
Words in Season - Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and Forever - Day 3 - Inseparable From God's Love
Romans 8:38-39
38 (Eph 1:21; 1Pe 3:22) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present
nor things to come,
39 (Ro 5:8) neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Separation is a fact of human life. Relationships disintegrate,
children grow up, loved ones die, husbands and wives divorce,
friends changes and drift apart. We may resist change and separation,
but we must deal with them nevertheless.
Separation sometimes is a natural result of growth and development;
sometimes it is a violent, cataclysmic shaking of an individual's life.
2 lifelong friends go separate ways to college or into future careers;
a church splits over doctrinal differences; a wife finds out a hidden
secret in her husband's past.
But with God, there is no separation, no death, no breaking of vows,
no growing beyond the relationship. Nothing, says Paul, can separate
us from the love of God. A skeleton in my closet, once revealed, may
cost me the trust of those I thought were my friends. But God knows
all my past, all my sin; he forgives, and it cannot separate me from him.
My present personal struggles may cause trouble in my job and result in
the loss of that income, but God understands what I'm going through,
and even when I'm angry at him, he can take it without drawing away
or striking back. My present problems cannot separate me from the Lord.
And God knows, too, the plan he has established for my future. I cannot
walk away from him, grow beyond my need for him, or outrun him into
tomorrow.
She may separate me from my awareness of God's presence in my life,
but it cannot set me beyond his reach. There is no power that is greater
than God's love, and no place I can go that will separate me
from that love.
Application
a) Have I ever felt separated from the love of God? Under what circumstances?
b) How can today's verse free me from anxiety about the past,
the present or the future?
4) Prosperity verses from Kenneth Copeland
Deut 8:18
18 But you must remember the Lord your God,
for it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth,
so that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers,
as it is today.
18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth
thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant
which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are lonely
PSALMS 25:15-21
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for He will lead my feet from the net.
16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me,
for I am isolated and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Look on my pain and misery,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many,
and they hate me with violent hatred.
20 Watch over my life, and deliver me!
Let me not suffer shame,
for I seek refuge in You.
21 Truth and integrity will preserve me
while I wait for You.
Ain
15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD;
For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Pe
16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;
For I am desolate and afflicted.
Zade
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged:
O bring thou me out of my distresses.
(Qoph)
18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain;
And forgive all my sins.
Resh
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Shin
20 O keep my soul, and deliver me:
Let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Taw
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;
For I wait on thee.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
New Brunswick
Total population 753900
Muslim population (est.) 4543
Moncton, followed by Fredericton and Saint John, each have a growing Muslim
population in New Brunswick, In 2007, the building that was formerly a Baptist
church was converted into Moncton's 1st mosque. The University of Moncton
also has a Muslim student association hosting prayer services, fellowship
getherings, and outreaches on campus.
Fredericton also has one mosque and a Muslim student association serving the
campuses of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Fredericton's Muslim population consists in 2014 of about 50 families,
and between 300 to 400 university students.
Saint John is home to the 1st Muslim Association for the province,
which also helped foster the Islamic associations of Fredericton and Moncton.
a 'musalla', or prayer location that is not officially structured as a mosque,
has been established in the Uptown area with the intention of seeing it grow
into a 2nd official place of Muslim worship. Demand for this new location has
been primarily for university students moving into the area.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
8th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Church will deepen its commitment to prayer
and never cease to call upon God
(
Is 62:6
6 (Isa 52:8; Ps 74:2) I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem,
who shall never hold their peace day nor night.
You who remind the Lord, do not keep silent;
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold
their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Ps 5:3
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) O Lord, in the morning You will hear my voice;
in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will watch expectantly.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Ps 55:17
17 Evening and morning and at noon, I will make my complaint and murmur,
and He will hear my voice.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:
And he shall hear my voice.
)
b) Pray for the province of Manitoba
I) Pray for the leaders of Manitoba, that God's Spirit would influence them
to act justly, serve with integrity and honour high moral standards.
( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4 1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings
and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life
in all godliness and honesty,
3 (1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)who desires all men to be saved and to come
to the knowledge of the truth.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 for kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
II) Pray for the churches of the province, that they would be lighthouses
beaming forth the illuminating truth of God's Word.
III) Pray that the Lord would use the Finding the Hope Campaign
and booklet to turn many hearts to Jesus .
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray your nation in intervention.
Pray to the Lord: "Jesus, I praise You for working to bring
our fractured world together."
Pray to the Lord and pray to know He will not separate from you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know Him that gives you wealth.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Truth and integrity to preserve you.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray that the Church will deepen its commitment to prayer
and never cease to call upon God.
Pray that church leaders in Azerbaijan will build up believers
to be courageous in their faith.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.
1) Jeremiah 10,11,12,13
Jeremiah 10
The True God and Idols
Jer 51:15-19
1 Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel.
2 (Lev 20:23; 18:3) Thus says the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations;
do not be terrified at the signs of heaven,
although the nations are terrified at them.
3 (Isa 44:9-20; 45:20) For the customs of the people are vain;
for with the axe one cuts a tree out of the forest,
the work of the hands of the workman.
4 (Isa 40:19-20) They deck it with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it may not move.
5 (Isa 46:7; 1Co 12:2; Isa 41:23-24) They are as a scarecrow
in a cucumber field, but do not speak; they must be carried,
because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil,
nor can they do good.
6 (Ex 15:11; Ps 48:1) There is no one like You, O Lord.
You are great, and Your name is great in might.
7 (Rev 15:4; Ps 22:28 ) Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?
Indeed, it is Your due. For among all the wise men of the nations,
and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like You.
8 (Isa 41:29; Jer 10:14) But they are altogether unthinking and foolish;
the tree is a doctrine of vanities.
9 (Ps 115:4; Da 10:5) Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish,
and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman and of the hands of the founder;
blue and purple are their clothing; they all are the work of skilled men.
10 (Ps 76:7; Na 1:6 ) But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and an everlasting King. At His wrath the earth trembles,
and the nations cannot endure His indignation.
11 (Ps 96:5; Isa 2:18) Thus you shall say to them:
The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth,
even they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens.
12 (Ge 1:1; Job 9:8) He has made the earth by His power.
He has established the world by His wisdom
and has stretched out the heavens by His discretion.
13 (Ps 135:7; Job 38:34-35) When He utters His voice, there is a multitude
of waters in the heavens,
and He causes the vapors to ascend from the remote parts of the earth;
He makes lightning with rain, and brings out the wind from His storehouses.
14 (Jer 10:8; Pr 30:2) Every man is stupid, without knowledge;
every goldsmith is put to shame by an idol;
for his molded image is false, and there is no breath in them.
15 (Isa 41:24; Jer 14:22) They are vain and a work of mockery;
in the time of their punishment they shall perish.
16 (Dt 32:9; Jer 31:35) The portion of Jacob is not like them,
for He is the Maker of all things,
and Israel is the rod of His inheritance.
The Lord of Hosts is His name.
The Exile Prophesied
17( Eze 12:3-12; Jer 6:1) Gather up your wares out of the land,
O inhabitant of the fortress.
18 (1Sa 25:29) For thus says the Lord: I will sling out
the inhabitants of the land at this time,
and will distress them that they may be found.
19 (Mic 7:9; Jer 4:31) Woe is me because of my brokenness!
My wound is grievous. But I said,
"Truly this is an illness, and I must bear it."
20 (Jer 4:20; 31:15; Isa 54:2) My tabernacle is devastated,
and all my cords are broken. My sons have gone from me and are no more.
There is no one to spread my tent anymore, and to set up my curtains.
21 (Jer 2:8; 10:8) For the shepherds have become unthinking
and have not sought the Lord. Therefore they have not prospered,
and all their flocks are scattered.
22 (Jer 9:11) Listen! The sound of the report has come,
and a great commotion out of the north country,
to make the cities of Judah desolate and a den of jackals.
The Prayer of Jeremiah
23 (Pr 20:24; 16:1) O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself;
it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
24 (Ps 6:1; 38:1) O Lord, correct me, but with justice,
not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.
25 (Ps 79:6-7; Jer 8:16) Pour out Your fury upon the nations
that do not know You
and upon the families that do not call on Your name;
for they have eaten up Jacob and devoured him, and consumed him,
and have made his habitation desolate.
Jeremiah 10
[1] Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
[2] Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not
dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
[3] For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of
the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
[4] They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and
with hammers, that it move not.
[5] They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be
borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do
evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
[6] Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and
thy name is great in might.
[7] Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it
appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all
their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
[8] But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of
vanities.
[9] Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from
Uphaz,
the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and
purple is
their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
[10] But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting
king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be
able to abide his indignation.
[11] Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens
and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these
heavens.
[12] He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by
his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
[13] When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the
heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the
earth; he
maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his
treasures.
[14] Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by
the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath
in them.
[15] They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their
visitation they shall perish.
[16] The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all
things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his
name.
[17] Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
[18] For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of
the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
[19] Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is
a grief, and I must bear it.
[20] My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are
gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent
any more, and to set up my curtains.
[21] For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD:
therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
[22] Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of
the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of
dragons.
[23] O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man
that walketh to direct his steps.
[24] O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou
bring me to nothing.
[25] Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the
families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and
devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
Jeremiah 11
The Broken Covenant
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
2 (Jer 11:6; Ex 19:5) Hear the words of this covenant,
and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
3 (Dt 27:26) And say you to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel:
Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
4 (Lev 26:12; Dt 4:20) which I commanded your fathers in the day
that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace,
saying, Obey My voice, and do according to all which I command you.
So you shall be My people, and I will be your God,
5 (Dt 7:12-13; Ps 105:9-11) that I may perform the oath
which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing
with milk and honey, as it is this day.
Then I answered and said, "So be it, O Lord."
6 (Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22) Then the Lord said to me: Proclaim all these words
in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem:
saying, Hear the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 (Ex 15:26; 1Sa 8:9) For I earnestly warned your fathers in the day that
I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day,
rising early and warning, saying, Obey My voice.
8 (Jer 7:24; 7:26) Yet they did not obey or incline their ear,
but everyone walked in the imagination of their evil heart.
Therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant,
which I commanded them to do, but which they did not do.
9 (Hos 6:9) The Lord said to me: A conspiracy has been found among
the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 (Dt 31:16; 1Sa 15:11) They have turned back to the iniquities
of their forefathers who refused to hear My words.
And they have gone after other gods to serve them.
The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken
My covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 (Pr 1:28; Isa 1:15) Therefore thus says the Lord, Surely,
I will bring calamity upon them which they will not be able to escape.
And though they cry to Me, I will not listen to them.
12 (Dt 32:37; Jer 2:28) Then the cities of Judah and inhabitants
of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense.
But they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 (2Ki 23:13; Jer 2:28) For according to the number of your cities
are your gods, O Judah. And according to the number of the streets
of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing,
even altars to burn incense to Baal.
14 (Jer 11:11; Ex 32:10) Therefore do not pray for this people,
nor lift up a cry or prayer for them. For I will not hear them in the time
that they cry to Me because of their trouble.
15 (Pr 2:14) What right has My beloved in My house,
seeing that she has done many lewd deeds?
Can the sacrificial meat take away from you your disaster,
so that you can rejoice while doing evil?
16 (Ps 52:8; Isa 27:11) The Lord called your name,
"A green olive tree, fair in fruit and form."
With the noise of a great tumult
He has kindled fire upon it,
and its branches are broken.
17 (Isa 5:2; Jer 2:21) For the Lord of Hosts, who planted you,
has pronounced disaster against you, because of the evil of the house
of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against
themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.
Jeremiah's Life Threatened
18 (1Sa 23:11-12; 2Ki 6:9-10) The Lord has made it known to me and I knew it;
then You showed me their deeds.
19 (Ps 83:4; Jer 18:18) But I was like a gentle lamb that is brought
to the slaughter, and I did not know that they had devised plots
against me, saying,
"Let us destroy the tree with the fruit,
and let us cut him off from the land of the living
so that his name may be remembered no more."
20 (Ps 7:9; Jer 20:12) But, O Lord of Hosts, who judges righteously,
who tries the feelings and the heart,
let me see Your vengeance on them,
for to You I have revealed my cause.
21 (Isa 30:10; Jer 12:5-6) Therefore thus says the Lord of the men
of Anathoth who seek your life, saying,
"Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord so that you not die by our hand."
22 (Jer 18:21; 2Ch 36:17) Therefore thus says the Lord of Hosts:
I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword.
Their sons and their daughters shall die by famine.
23 (Jer 23:12; Hos 9:7) And there shall be no remnant of them,
for I will bring calamity upon the men of Anathoth,
even the year of their punishment.
Jeremiah 11
[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
[2] Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah,
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
[3] And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be
the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
[4] Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out
of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do
them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I
will be your God:
[5] That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to
give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then
answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.
[6] Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of
Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this
covenant, and do them.
[7] For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought
them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and
protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
[8] Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the
imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the
words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.
[9] And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah,
and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
[10] They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which
refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the
house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made
with their fathers.
[11] Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them,
which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I
will not hearken unto them.
[12] Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry
unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at
all in the time of their trouble.
[13] For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and
according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to
that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
[14] Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or
prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me
for their trouble.
[15] What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought
lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest
evil, then thou rejoicest.
[16] The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly
fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and
the branches of it are broken.
[17] For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against
thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which
they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense
unto Baal.
[18] And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou
shewedst me their doings.
[19] But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I
knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy
the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the
living, that his name may be no more remembered.
[20] But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins
and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I
revealed my cause.
[21] Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy
life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our
hand:
[22] Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the
young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die
by famine:
[23] And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the
men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Jeremiah 12
Jeremiah's Plea
1 (Job 12:6; Ps 51:4) Righteous are You, O Lord,
that I plead with You.
Indeed, let me talk with You about matters of justice.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are all those happy who deal very treacherously?
2 (Isa 29:13; Jer 11:17) You have planted them; indeed, they have taken root;
they grow; indeed, they bring forth fruit.
You are near in their mouth,
but far from their mind.
3 (Jer 17:18; Jas 5:5) But You, O Lord, know me;
You have seen me and tested my heart toward You.
Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,
and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 (Jer 9:10; 4:25; Ps 107:34) How long shall the land mourn
and the herbs of every field wither?
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it,
the beasts and the birds have been snatched away,
because they said,
"He will not see our latter end."
God Answers Jeremiah
5 (Jer 49:19; 50:44) If you have run with the footmen,
and they have wearied you,
then how can you contend with horses?
And if in the land of peace in which you trusted, they wearied you,
then how will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?
6 (Pr 26:25; Jer 9:4) For even your brothers and the household of your father,
even they have dealt treacherously with you.
Indeed, they have cried aloud after you.
Do not believe them
though they speak fair words to you.
7 (Jer 11:15; Isa 2:6) I have forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My heritage;
I have given the dearly beloved of My soul
into the hand of her enemies.
8 (Hos 9:15; Am 6:8) My heritage is to Me as a lion in the forest.
She cries out against Me; therefore I have hated her.
9 (Isa 56:9; Jer 7:33) My heritage is to Me
as a speckled vulture;
the vultures all around are against her.
Come, assemble all the beasts of the field,
bring them to devour.
10 (Isa 5:1-7; 63:18) Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard;
they have trodden My portion under foot;
they have made My pleasant portion
a desolate wilderness.
11 (Isa 42:25; Jer 23:10) They have made it desolate,
and being desolate, it mourns to Me.
The whole land has been made desolate,
because no man lays it to heart.
12 (Jer 47:6; Isa 34:6) The destroyers have come
upon all high places through the wilderness,
for the sword of the Lord shall devour
from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land.
No one shall have peace.
13 (Dt 28:38; Mic 6:15) They have sown wheat, but reap thorns;
they have strained themselves, but shall not profit.
And they shall be ashamed of your harvest
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
14 (Zec 2:8; Dt 30:3)Thus says the Lord: Against all My evil neighbors
who touch the inheritance which I have caused My people Israel
to inherit, I will pluck them out of their land and pluck out
the house of Judah from among them.
15 (Jer 48:47; 49:6; 49:39) It shall come to pass that after
I have plucked them out, I will again have compassion on them,
and will bring them back, every man to his heritage,
and every man to his land.
16 (Jer 4:2; Jos 23:7; Zep 1:5) It shall come to pass if they will
diligently learn the ways of My people, to swear by My name,
"As the Lord lives," as they taught My people to swear by Baal,
then they will be built up in the midst of My people.
17 (Isa 60:12; Ps 2:8-12) But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up
and destroy that nation, says the Lord.
Jeremiah 12
[1] Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with
thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper?
wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
[2] Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow, yea, they
bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
[3] But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart
toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them
for the day of slaughter.
[4] How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for
the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the
birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.
[5] If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how
canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou
trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?
[6] For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt
treacherously with thee; yea, they have called a multitude after thee:
believe them not, though they speak fair words unto thee.
[7] I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the
dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
[8] Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against
me: therefore have I hated it.
[9] Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are
against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour.
[10] Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion
under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
[11] They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the
whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.
[12] The spoilers are come upon all high places through the wilderness: for
the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of the land even to the
other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.
[13] They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put themselves
to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of your revenues
because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
[14] Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch the
inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit; Behold, I will
pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house of Judah from among
them.
[15] And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I will
return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every man to
his heritage, and every man to his land.
[16] And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my
people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they taught my people to
swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the midst of my people.
[17] But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy that
nation, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 13
A Linen Sash
1 (Jer 13:11) Thus says the Lord to me, "Go and buy yourself a linen waistband
and put it upon your loins, and do not put it in water."
2 (Isa 20:2; Eze 2:8) So I bought a waistband according to the word
of the Lord and put it on my loins.
3 The word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,
4 "Take the waistband that you have, which is upon your loins,
and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a hole of the rock."
5 (Ex 40:16; 39:42-43) So I went and hid it by the Euphrates,
as the Lord had commanded me.
6 After many days the Lord said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates
and take the waistband from there, which I commanded you to hide there."
7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the waistband
from the place where I had hidden it. But the waistband was destroyed.
It was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
9 (Lev 26:19; Isa 2:10-17) Thus says the Lord: After this manner I will
destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 (Jer 16:12; 9:14) This evil people, who refuse to hear My words,
who walk in the imagination of their hearts, and walk after other gods,
to serve them, and to worship them, shall be even as this waistband
which is good for nothing.
11 (Jer 33:9; Ex 19:5-6) For as the waistband cleaves to the loins
of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah to cleave to Me,
says the Lord, so that they might be to Me a people for renown,
and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not listen.
The Metaphor of Wine Bottles
12 Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord
God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And when they say
to you, "Do we not certainly know that every bottle should be filled
with wine?"
13 (Ps 60:3; 75:8) then you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord:
I will fill all the inhabitants of this land-even the kings that sit
on the throne of David, and the priests, and the prophets,
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem-with drunkenness.
14 (Dt 29:20; Ps 2:9) I will dash them against one another,
even the fathers and the sons together, says the Lord.
I will not show pity nor spare nor have mercy,
but will destroy them.
Exile Threatened
15 (Isa 28:14-22) Hear and give heed;
do not be proud,
for the Lord has spoken.
16 (Isa 59:9; Jos 7:19; Isa 5:30) Give glory to the Lord your God,
before He causes darkness
and before your feet stumble
on the dark mountains,
and while you look for light,
He turns it into the shadow of death
and makes it gross darkness.
17 (Jer 9:1; Ps 80:1) But if you will not listen to it,
my soul will weep in secret places
for your pride;
and my eyes will weep sorely
and run down with tears,
because the flock of the Lord is carried away captive.
18 (2Ki 24:12; Jer 22:26) Say to the king and to the queen mother:
"Humble yourselves, sit down,
for your beautiful crown
shall come down from your head."
19 (Jer 52:27) The cities of the Negev will be shut up,
and no one will open them;
all Judah will be carried away into captivity;
it will be wholly carried away captive.
20 (Jer 6:22; 23:2) Lift up your eyes and see
those who come from the north.
Where is the flock that was given to you,
your beautiful flock?
21 (Isa 13:8; Jer 4:31) What will you say when He appoints over you
those you yourself had taught to be companions to you?
Shall not sorrows take hold of you,
as a woman in labor?
22 (Na 3:5; Jer 5:19) And if you say in your heart,
"Why have these things come upon me?"
for the greatness of your iniquity
your skirts have been removed
and your heels made bare.
23 (Pr 27:22; Isa 1:5) Can the Ethiopian change his skin
or the leopard his spots?
Then you also can do good,
who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 (Lev 26:33; Ps 1:4) Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble
that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 (Job 20:29; Ps 11:6) This is your lot,
the portion of your measures from Me,
says the Lord,
because you have forgotten Me
and trusted in falsehood.
26 (La 1:8; Hos 2:10) Therefore I Myself have uncovered your skirts
over your face
so that your shame may appear.
27 (Eze 6:13; Hos 8:5) I have seen your adulteries and your lustful neighings,
the lewdness of your harlotry,
and your abominations
on the hills in the fields.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
How long will you remain unclean?
Jeremiah 13
[1] Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it
upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
[2] So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my
loins.
[3] And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
[4] Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise,
go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
[5] So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
[6] And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise,
go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to
hide there.
[7] Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place
where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable
for nothing.
[8] Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
[9] Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah,
and the great pride of Jerusalem.
[10] This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the
imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to
worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
[11] For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to
cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith
the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and
for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
[12] Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto
thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?
[13] Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill
all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's
throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
[14] And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons
together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but
destroy them.
[15] Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.
[16] Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and before
your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he
turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
[17] But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for
your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because
the LORD's flock is carried away captive.
[18] Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for
your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.
[19] The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open them:
Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried
away captive.
[20] Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is
the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
[21] What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them
to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as a
woman in travail?
[22] And if thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me?
For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels
made bare.
[23] Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may
ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
[24] Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the
wind of the wilderness.
[25] This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the LORD;
because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
[26] Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may
appear.
[27] I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy
whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee,
O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?
2) Our Daily Bread for 8 August 2023 titled
Different Together in Jesus
Galatians 3:23-29
6 (Eph 6:4; 2Ti 3:15) Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Saying One
23 But before faith came, we were imprisoned under the law,
kept for the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 (Gal 2:16; Ro 10:4) So the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
26 (Gal 4:5-6) You are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 (Ro 13:14; Ac 2:38) For as many of you as have been baptised
into Christ have put on Christ.
28 (Col 3:11; Gal 5:6) There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free, and there is neither male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 (Ro 8:17; 9:7-8) If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.
[23] But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the
faith which should afterwards be revealed.
[24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith.
[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there
is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
[29] And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise.
Business analyst Francis Evans once studied 125 insurance salesmen to find out
what made them successful. Surprisingly, competence wasn't the key factor.
Instead, Evans found customers were more likely to buy from salesmen with the
same politics, education, and even height as them. Scholars call this
homophily: the tendency to prefer people like us.
Homophily is at work in other areas of life too, with us tending to marry and
befriend people similar to us. While natural, homophily can be destructive
when left unchecked. When we only prefer "our kind" of people, society can
fracture along racial, political, and economic lines.
In the first century, Jews stuck with Jews, Greeks with Greeks, and rich and
poor never mingled. And yet, in Romans 16:1-16, Paul could describe the church
in Rome as including Priscilla and Aquila (Jewish), Epenetus (Greek), Phoebe
(a "benefactor of many," so probably wealthy), and Philologus (a name common
for slaves). What had brought such different people together? Jesus-in whom
there's "neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free" (Galatians 3:28).
It's natural to want to live, work, and go to church with people like us.
Jesus pushes us beyond that. In a world fracturing along various lines, He's
making us a people who are different together-united in Him as one family.
By: Sheridan Voysey
Reflect & Pray
How can you actively reach out to people who are different from you?
What could you do this week to bridge ethnic or economic divides?
Jesus, I praise You for working to bring our fractured world together.
3) From The Billy Graham Evangelical Ministry Association
Words in Season - Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and Forever - Day 3 - Inseparable From God's Love
Romans 8:38-39
38 (Eph 1:21; 1Pe 3:22) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present
nor things to come,
39 (Ro 5:8) neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Separation is a fact of human life. Relationships disintegrate,
children grow up, loved ones die, husbands and wives divorce,
friends changes and drift apart. We may resist change and separation,
but we must deal with them nevertheless.
Separation sometimes is a natural result of growth and development;
sometimes it is a violent, cataclysmic shaking of an individual's life.
2 lifelong friends go separate ways to college or into future careers;
a church splits over doctrinal differences; a wife finds out a hidden
secret in her husband's past.
But with God, there is no separation, no death, no breaking of vows,
no growing beyond the relationship. Nothing, says Paul, can separate
us from the love of God. A skeleton in my closet, once revealed, may
cost me the trust of those I thought were my friends. But God knows
all my past, all my sin; he forgives, and it cannot separate me from him.
My present personal struggles may cause trouble in my job and result in
the loss of that income, but God understands what I'm going through,
and even when I'm angry at him, he can take it without drawing away
or striking back. My present problems cannot separate me from the Lord.
And God knows, too, the plan he has established for my future. I cannot
walk away from him, grow beyond my need for him, or outrun him into
tomorrow.
She may separate me from my awareness of God's presence in my life,
but it cannot set me beyond his reach. There is no power that is greater
than God's love, and no place I can go that will separate me
from that love.
Application
a) Have I ever felt separated from the love of God? Under what circumstances?
b) How can today's verse free me from anxiety about the past,
the present or the future?
4) Prosperity verses from Kenneth Copeland
Deut 8:18
18 But you must remember the Lord your God,
for it is He who gives you the ability to get wealth,
so that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers,
as it is today.
18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth
thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant
which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are lonely
PSALMS 25:15-21
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for He will lead my feet from the net.
16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me,
for I am isolated and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Look on my pain and misery,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many,
and they hate me with violent hatred.
20 Watch over my life, and deliver me!
Let me not suffer shame,
for I seek refuge in You.
21 Truth and integrity will preserve me
while I wait for You.
Ain
15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD;
For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Pe
16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;
For I am desolate and afflicted.
Zade
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged:
O bring thou me out of my distresses.
(Qoph)
18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain;
And forgive all my sins.
Resh
19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
Shin
20 O keep my soul, and deliver me:
Let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Taw
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me;
For I wait on thee.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
New Brunswick
Total population 753900
Muslim population (est.) 4543
Moncton, followed by Fredericton and Saint John, each have a growing Muslim
population in New Brunswick, In 2007, the building that was formerly a Baptist
church was converted into Moncton's 1st mosque. The University of Moncton
also has a Muslim student association hosting prayer services, fellowship
getherings, and outreaches on campus.
Fredericton also has one mosque and a Muslim student association serving the
campuses of the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University.
Fredericton's Muslim population consists in 2014 of about 50 families,
and between 300 to 400 university students.
Saint John is home to the 1st Muslim Association for the province,
which also helped foster the Islamic associations of Fredericton and Moncton.
a 'musalla', or prayer location that is not officially structured as a mosque,
has been established in the Uptown area with the intention of seeing it grow
into a 2nd official place of Muslim worship. Demand for this new location has
been primarily for university students moving into the area.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 12 They were all amazed and perplexed, saying to each other,
"What does this mean?"
13 (1Co 14:23) Others mocking said, "These men are full of new wine."
Peter's Speech at Pentecost
14 (Ac 1:26) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice
and said to them, "Men of Judea and all you who dwell in Jerusalem,
let this be known to you, and listen to my words.
15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose,
since it is the third hour of the day.
16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 (Isa 44:3; Ac 10:45) 'In the last days it shall be,' says God,
'that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.'
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
And
Thank you for praying through the
5 Days of Prayer for Sikhs.
"My name is Kam. I'm 29 years of age, and I grew up Sikh. As a teenager,
I struggled with depression, brokenness, and addiction to
cannabis. I didn't know how to stop or how to get help.
Then a friend invited me to church. As I spent time with Christians
and heard the message of the Gospel, I experienced the
love of Jesus Christ, and it was like nothing I'd known before.
One night I had a dream where I saw Him - a figure surrounded by
light who I knew was Jesus, the light of the world.
As I began to understand the gospel message, I encountered a reassuring and
confident solution to the problem of sin. I knew that I needed a solution
to my sin problem, and I gave my life to Christ.
Slowly, God began to heal my broken heart and my addiction.
Nine years have passed, and I am a devoted husband and a father
to two beautiful boys. I grow deeper in love with Jesus each day.
I ask you to continue praying with me, and others around the world, for Sikhs.
God is the only one who can draw people to Himself. He works in and through
the prayers of His people. I want Sikhs to know the freedom
and healing that is only available through Jesus Christ."
13 (Ro 14:17; 12:12) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
[13] Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that
ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
ROMANS 15:13
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, atheists, secular humanists, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
8th Day of the Month
a) Pray that the Church will deepen its commitment to prayer
and never cease to call upon God
(
Is 62:6
6 (Isa 52:8; Ps 74:2) I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem,
who shall never hold their peace day nor night.
You who remind the Lord, do not keep silent;
6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold
their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Ps 5:3
3 (Ps 79:10; 80:5) O Lord, in the morning You will hear my voice;
in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will watch expectantly.
3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Ps 55:17
17 Evening and morning and at noon, I will make my complaint and murmur,
and He will hear my voice.
17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:
And he shall hear my voice.
)
b) Pray for the province of Manitoba
I) Pray for the leaders of Manitoba, that God's Spirit would influence them
to act justly, serve with integrity and honour high moral standards.
( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4 1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings
and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life
in all godliness and honesty,
3 (1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good and
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)who desires all men to be saved and to come
to the knowledge of the truth.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 for kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
4 who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
II) Pray for the churches of the province, that they would be lighthouses
beaming forth the illuminating truth of God's Word.
III) Pray that the Lord would use the Finding the Hope Campaign
and booklet to turn many hearts to Jesus .
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray your nation in intervention.
Pray to the Lord: "Jesus, I praise You for working to bring
our fractured world together."
Pray to the Lord and pray to know He will not separate from you.
Pray to the Lord and pray to know Him that gives you wealth.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Truth and integrity to preserve you.
Pray for Muslims and New Brunswick
- that the eyes of pastors, believers and entire congregations will be opened
to see this growing body of Muslims, and their hearts will be opened
to sharing God's love in Jesus Christ with them
- that intentional ministries to Muslims will grow and flourish in these
areas of concentration
- that cooperative CNNMM Networks will form to really, encourage,
and equip believers to lovingly reach Muslims in this province.
Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
Pray that the Church will deepen its commitment to prayer
and never cease to call upon God.
Pray that church leaders in Azerbaijan will build up believers
to be courageous in their faith.
Pray to the Lord that to know the Holy Spirit.
and Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.
Remember eternity starts now -
Pray for the direction you take to the Ever lasting loving God.