today's mediation (Mal.2) Following Good Examples

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Malachi 2:1-17) “And now, this commandment is for you, the priests. 2 If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart. 3 Behold, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, so that My covenant may continue with Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and was in awe of My name. 6 True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing. 7 For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of armies. 8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 9 “So I also have made you despised and of low reputation in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.”

10 Do we not all have one Father? Is it not one God who has created us? Why do we deal treacherously, each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, may the Lord eliminate from the tents of Jacob everyone who is awake and answers, or who presents an offering to the Lord of armies.

13 And this is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and sighing, because He no longer gives attention to the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant. 15 But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence,” says the Lord of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”

17 You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Often, when God's word gives us a bad example of what not to follow, He gives us a good example to follow.  In this chapter, our good example is Levi.  And, most often, when God's word tells us what not to do, He then tells us what we should be doing.  These are all the points found in this chapter:

• being saved is to live in God's life and peace,
• walk with the Lord in peace,
• therefore DO NOT deal treacherously with others or be violent

• be careful about your spirit,
• nurture your relationship with the Lord,
• show reverence to the Lord and His name,
• be in awe and give honor to His name
• be awake and answer to the Lord while giving your offering,
• therefore DO NOT profane the sanctuary

• obey the commandments which are given as an object of reverence to revere the Lord
• keep the Lord's way,
• therefore DO NOT cry to God when you are willfully living in sin and expect Him to find favor with you

• seek instruction from our spiritual leaders who are messengers of God
• listen, take it to heart, 
• maintain knowledge,
• give true instruction,
• teach your children to be godly,
• therefore DO NOT twist God's word to consider evil things good in God's sight

• walk with the Lord in justice, 
• give true justice,
• therefore DO NOT show partiality

• turn others from wrongdoing,
• therefore DO NOT cause others to stumble

• a believer should marry another believer,
• nurture your marriage,
• therefore avoid divorce and DO NOT treat your spouse treacherously

today's meditation (Amos 8) Quenching One's Thirst

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Amos 8:1-14) This is what the Lord God showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit. 2 And He said, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the Lord said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will not spare them any longer. 3 The songs of the palace will turn to wailing on that day,” declares the Lord God. “The corpses will be many; in every place they will throw them out. Hush!”

4 Hear this, you who trample the needy, to put an end to the humble of the land, 5 saying,

     “When will the new moon be over,
     So that we may sell grain;
     And the Sabbath, so that we may open the wheat market,
     To make the ephah smaller and the shekel bigger,
     And to cheat with dishonest scales,
6   So as to buy the helpless for money,
     And the needy for a pair of sandals,
     And that we may sell the refuse of the wheat?”

7   The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob,
     “Indeed, I will never forget any of their deeds.
8   Because of this will the land not quake,
     And everyone who lives in it mourn?
     Indeed, all of it will rise up like the Nile,
     And it will be tossed about 
     And subside like the Nile of Egypt.
9   And it will come about on that day,” declares the Lord God,
     “That I will make the sun go down at noon,
     And make the earth dark in broad daylight.
10 Then I will turn your festivals into mourning,
     And all your songs into songs of mourning;
     And I will put sackcloth around everyone’s waist,
     And baldness on every head.
     And I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son,
     And the end of it will be like a bitter day.

11 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord God,
     “When I will send a famine on the land,
     Not a famine of bread or a thirst for water,
     But rather for hearing the words of the Lord.
12 People will stagger from sea to sea 
     And from the north even to the east;
     They will roam about to seek the word of the Lord,
     But they will not find it.
13 On that day the beautiful virgins 
     And the young men will faint from thirst.
14 As for those who swear by the guilt of Samaria,
     And say, ‘As your god lives, Dan,’
     And, ‘As the way of Beersheba lives,’
     They will fall and not rise again.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

So many people think they are seeking and hearing God's words, but they are looking in all the wrong places.  All efforts in quenching one's thirst for purpose and the meaning of life will come to an end - unless it includes looking to the Lord for salvation!  All efforts of having a life filled with peace and joy is vanity and meaningless - unless it includes living in God's will, in His wisdom and strength.  

It is not about finding and getting what we WANT;  it starts with a sincere and intentional decision to want to know what we NEED!  Everything we need is found only in Jesus Christ the Lord.  And everything we need to know is found in His word. 

today's meditation (Jer.36) Heeding and Fearing the Lord

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 36:1-32) In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. 3 Perhaps the house of Judah will listen to all the disaster which I plan to carry out against them, so that every person will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their wrongdoing and their sin.”

4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him. 5 Jeremiah then commanded Baruch, saying, “I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the Lord. 6 So you go and read from the scroll, which you have written at my dictation, the words of the Lord to the people at the Lord’s house on a day of fasting. And you shall also read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities. 7 Perhaps their pleading will come before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way; for great is the anger and the wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” 8 So Baruch the son of Neriah acted in accordance with all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.

9 Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord. 10 Then Baruch read to all the people from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper courtyard, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

11 Now when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the Lord from the book, 12 he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 And Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, who was the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. 15 And they said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another. And they said to Baruch, “We will certainly report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at Jeremiah’s dictation?” 18 And Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

20 So they came to the king in the courtyard, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe; and they reported all the words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who were standing beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23 And when Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all of the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words did not tremble in fear, nor did they tear their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 “Take again another scroll and write on it all the previous words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make mankind and animals disappear from it?’” 30 Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be thrown out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will also punish him, his descendants, and his servants for their wrongdoing, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the people of Judah all the disaster that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.”’”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch the son of Neriah, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God's word can sometimes be tough to hear or read, but we are to take heed.  If we ignore these types of passages, and only pick and choose the "softer stories" or the "gentler attributes" of God, we would then be trying to create our own god.  Yes, God is love, but God is also holy and just and cannot have a relationship with sin.  

We do need to have a healthy fear and respect for the Lord, and be willing to listen to everything He tells us.  From these last few chapters, we get a glimpse into how God wrote the Bible through godly men, by dictating, inspiring and guiding every single word.  Therefore, we should yearn to take all His words to heart, for the Lord, Himself, is the Word...

(John 1:1-14)   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

6 A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

9 This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person. 10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

today's meditation (Jer.35) Obeying Rules

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 35:1-19) The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3 So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons, and all the household of the Rechabites, 4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was next to the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” 6 But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed nor plant a vineyard, nor own one; but you shall live in tents all your days, so that you may live many days in the land where you live as strangers.’ 8 And we have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to live in; and we do not have a vineyard, a field, or seed. 10 But we have lived only in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that our father Jonadab commanded us. 11 However, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come, and let’s go to Jerusalem away from the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.’ So we have lived in Jerusalem.”

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not accept instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord. 14 “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab have been followed, which he commanded his sons: not to drink wine. And they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not listened to Me. 15 Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every person from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not follow other gods to worship them. Then you will live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16 Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have followed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17 Therefore this is what the Lord says, the God of armies, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands, and done according to all that he commanded you, 19 therefore this is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before Me always.”’”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

People have an easier time following the rules of people.  This is usually because people are selfish and want to have things their way.  Sometimes they want to please certain people in order to fit in, or to receive acknowledgement or benefit in some way. Sometimes, whether they like someone or not, or completely agree with someone or not, they just want to have peace with those around them.  For that to happen, one has to in some way follow along and/or agree with those around them.  The various rules that people make can be good or they can be misleading or they can have evil intentions.  And sometimes it might be ours, but no matter what, the stronger voice/s will generally prevail.

God's way is better and altogether wise and true, and when we follow Him, He will work things out for good.  His way involves loving everyone around us, as well as loving God.  Now, some people might not appreciate the fact that we are following God's way which will probably differ in some way or in many ways from their way... but  ultimately - who are we living for?  God's voice does and will prevail!  

Whether a person believes in Him or not, at some point in time, we will all face Him as our Judge.  Better to face Him and be "in the right" - which is only found through Jesus and His righteousness.  As a child of God, we will only be judged and rewarded for the good deeds we have done with "right" motives.

While we should surround ourselves with other believers, we should not run away from unbelievers.  We are to be in the world, but not of the world.  Unless they go against God's commandments, we are to obey the manmade rules of authority.  Therefore, we should always be "listening" to God's words in order to know and understand His will.  We are to share the good news as God gives us opportunities, always relying on God's wisdom and love and using His word accurately.  And...

(Romans 12:18)  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

today's meditation (Jer.25) Opening Our Ears

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 25:1-38) The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 the word which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened. 4 And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets again and again, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear, 5 saying, ‘Turn now, everyone from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and live on the land which the Lord has given to you and your forefathers forever and ever; 6 and do not follow other gods to serve them and to worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands, then I will do you no harm.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares the Lord, “in order to provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

8 “Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘Because you have not obeyed My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations; and I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and hissing, and an everlasting place of ruins. 10 Moreover, I will eliminate from them the voice of jubilation and the voice of joy, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This entire land will be a place of ruins and an object of horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

12 ‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their wrongdoing, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. 13 I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. 14 (For many nations and great kings will make slaves of them, even them; and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the work of their hands.)’”

15 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to me: “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and give it to all the nations to whom I send you, to drink from it. 16 Then they will drink and loudly vomit and act insanely because of the sword that I am going to send among them.”

17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and gave it to all the nations to whom the Lord sent me, to drink from it: 18 To Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, and its kings and its officials, to make them places of ruins, objects of horror, hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19 To Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people; 20 and to all the foreign people, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (that is, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 To Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon; 22 and to all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are beyond the sea; 23 and to Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who trim the corners of their hair; 24 and to all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the foreign people who live in the desert; 25 and to all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 and to all the kings of the north, near and far, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the earth which are on the face of the ground; and the king of Sheshach shall drink it after them.

27 “And you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: “Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall down, and do not get up, because of the sword which I am sending among you.”’ 28 And if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, I am beginning to inflict disaster on this city which is called by My name, so should you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares the Lord of armies.’

30 “Therefore you shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them,

     ‘The Lord will roar from on high 
     And raise His voice from His holy dwelling;
     He will roar forcefully against His fold.
     He will shout like those who tread the grapes,
     Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A clamor has come to the end of the earth,
     Because the Lord has a controversy with the nations.
     He is entering into judgment with humanity;
     As for the wicked, He has turned them over to the sword,’ declares the Lord.”

32 This is what the Lord of armies says:
     “Behold, evil is going out 
     From nation to nation,
     And a great storm is being stirred up 
     From the remotest parts of the earth.

33 “Those put to death by the Lord on that day will be from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, gathered, or buried; they will be like dung on the face of the ground.


34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out;
     Wallow in the dust, you masters of the flock;
     For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions have come,
     And you will fall like a precious vessel.
35 There will be no sanctuary for the shepherds,
     Nor escape for the masters of the flock.
36 Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds,
     And the wailing of the masters of the flock!
     For the Lord is destroying their pasture,
37 And the peaceful grazing places are devastated 
     Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He has left His hiding place like the lion;
     For their land has become a horror 
     Because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword 
     And because of His fierce anger.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

As we can see, the Lord (Jesus) sent prophets to let the Israelites know God's word many, many times, but they refused to hear, just as they refused to hear when the Lord Jesus came in flesh.  How many times did Jesus say, "For those who have ears to hear"?  A lot!  You'd think that more Israelites would have recognized this analogy, and said to themselves, "Oh yeah, this sounds familiar, maybe I should listen, pay attention, and take to heart what is being said."

No matter how many times God has to tell us something, if our inclination is to shut our ears or think maybe it can wait, we need to wake up and realize that the time to listen is "now".  Why wait?  Why wait until things get bad?  So, we must also realize that if God is telling us something many, many times, it must be very, very important.

today's meditation (Jer.23) Finding Truth

(Dear Lord Jesus, guide me and give me insight as I read and study Your word, and let it be the meditation of my heart...)

(Jeremiah 23:1-40) “Woe to the shepherds who are causing the sheep of My pasture to perish and are scattering them!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not been concerned about them; behold, I am going to call you to account for the evil of your deeds,” declares the Lord. 3 “Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their pasture, and they will be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord.

5   “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,
     “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch;
     And He will reign as king and act wisely 
     And do justice and righteousness in the land.
6   In His days Judah will be saved,
     And Israel will live securely;
     And this is His name by which He will be called,
     ‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’

7 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought the sons of Israel up from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up and led the descendants of the household of Israel back from the north land and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will live on their own soil.”

9   As for the prophets:
     My heart is broken within me,
     All my bones tremble;
     I have become like a drunken man,
     And like a man overcome by wine,
     Because of the Lord 
     And because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
     For the land mourns because of the curse.
     The pastures of the wilderness have dried up.
     Their course is evil 
     And their might is not right.
11 “For both prophet and priest are defiled;
     Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the Lord.
12 “Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them,
     They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it;
     For I will bring disaster upon them,
     The year of their punishment,” declares the Lord.

13 “Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing:
     They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray.
14 Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing:
     The committing of adultery and walking in deceit;
     And they strengthen the hands of evildoers,
     So that no one has turned back from his wickedness.
     All of them have become to Me like Sodom,
     And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.

15 Therefore this is what the Lord of armies says concerning the prophets:

     ‘Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood 
     And make them drink poisonous water,
     For from the prophets of Jerusalem 
     Ungodliness has spread into all the land.’”

16 This is what the Lord of armies says:
     “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.
     They are leading you into futility;
     They tell a vision of their own imagination,
     Not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They keep saying to those who despise Me,
     ‘The Lord has said, “You will have peace”’;
     And as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,
     They say, ‘Disaster will not come on you.’
18 But who has stood in the council of the Lord,
     That he should see and hear His word?
     Who has paid attention to His word and listened?
19 Behold, the storm of the Lord has gone forth in wrath,
     Even a whirling tempest;
     It will swirl down on the head of the wicked.
20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back 
     Until He has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart;
     In the last days you will clearly understand it.
21 I did not send these prophets,
     But they ran.
     I did not speak to them,
     But they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in My council,
     Then they would have announced My words to My people,
     And would have turned them back from their evil way
     And from the evil of their deeds.

23 “Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord,
     “And not a God far off?
24 Can a person hide himself in hiding places
     So that I do not see him?” declares the Lord.
     “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.

25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy falsely in My name, saying, ‘I had a dream, I had a dream!’ 26 How long? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy falsehood, these prophets of the deceitfulness of their own heart, 27 who intend to make My people forget My name by their dreams which they report to one another, just as their fathers forgot My name because of Baal? 28 The prophet who has a dream may report his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word truthfully. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the Lord. 29 “Is My word not like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock? 30 Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the Lord, “who steal My words from each other. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” declares the Lord, “who use their tongues and declare, ‘The Lord declares!’ 32 Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams,” declares the Lord, “and reported them and led My people astray by their lies and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them nor command them, nor do they provide this people the slightest benefit,” declares the Lord.

33 “Now when this people or the prophet or a priest asks you, saying, ‘What is the pronouncement of the Lord?’ then you shall say to them, ‘What pronouncement?’ The Lord declares, ‘I will abandon you.’ 34 Then as for the prophet or the priest or the people who say, ‘The pronouncement of the Lord,’ I will bring punishment upon that person and his household. 35 This is what each one of you will say to his neighbor and to his brother: ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 For you will no longer remember the pronouncement of the Lord, because every person’s own word will become the pronouncement, and you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of armies, our God. 37 This is what you will say to that prophet: ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 And if you say, ‘The pronouncement of the Lord!’ for that reason the Lord says this: ‘Because you said this word, “The pronouncement of the Lord!” I have also sent word to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The pronouncement of the Lord!’”’ 39 Therefore behold, I will certainly forget you and thrust you away from My presence, along with the city which I gave you and your fathers. 40 I will put an everlasting disgrace on you and an everlasting humiliation which will not be forgotten.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God will perform and carry out the purposes of His heart, with or without us.  He doesn't need anyone's help, and there isn't anyone who can stop Him.  But the loving Lord God wants us to go to Him to be saved, because He has given each of us purpose, for our own benefit as well as to give glory to the Lord.  

Even though as Christians, we will still struggle with sin, His grace protects us.  And even though we will still struggle with sin, He wants us to be part of His plan.  Because He is sovereign, no one's sin (believers' or unbelievers') will thwart His plan.

In society, from many different sects, religions, cults and people all around us, there are all sorts of proclamations of what is true and what are the many ways "to God".  These "truths" and "ways" are all created by people, and they contradict themselves as well as each other.  This one says this and that one says that - yet somehow, they are "all correct and good"?  So which one to choose?  How could there be any faith and confidence in any of it?

What kind of God would He be if He contradicted Himself?  Therefore - our only source of Truth and the only authority of God is found in His own word, the Bible.  Throughout history, no one has been able to find any inconsistencies or contradictions within the Bible.  And so, within the infallible word of God, the Lord clearly gives us His plan, and His purposes, and the path, which He was provided.

(John 14:6)  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.