Listening to the Word

Jeremiah 37-39; Psalms 79; 2 John “Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet. King Zedekiah, however, sent…this message: ‘Please pray to the Lord our God for us.’” Jeremiah 37:2, 3 Why do we feel we can talk to God without listening to him? King Zedekiah paid no attention to the words the Lord spoke through Jeremiah because they weren’t the words he wanted to hear. However, he wanted Jeremiah to pray to God for the deliverance of Jerusalem. Any healthy relationship requires two way communication and walking with God is no different. If we think we can spiritually manipulate God, we are fools. King Zedekiah refused to humble himself before the Lord, obey his word, and surrender to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Obeying the Lord requires that we listen to his Word, even when it hurts. “Lord God, you are faithful and I will listen and obey your Word, for your glory.”

Jeremiah 33-34; Psalms 74; 1 John 5 This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant – and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me – can be broken…’” Jeremiah 33:20, 21 “The day is yours, and yours also the night; you established the sun and moon…Remember how the enemy has mocked you, Lord, how foolish people have reviled your name…Have regard for your covenant…” Psalm 74:16, 18, 20 Jeremiah’s prophesy of God’s covenant-keeping nature as evidenced in creation, later became the basis for intercession by the Levites in exile. God’s Word is our best prayer book as we intercede for our lives and those we love. As we appeal to God’s nature, his promises, and his covenants, we remind ourselves that our responsibilities in those covenants are also important. We must grow in faithfulness even as our God is faithful...

Jeremiah 31-32; 1 John 4   “…God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:16-18 Are we afraid of the day of judgment? John’s word is to those who know Jesus. We don’t need to be afraid. Knowing Jesus means being filled with his love. If we don’t know the security of Jesus’ love, we have to honestly ask ourselves if we actually know Jesus or just know about him. John’s Revelation clearly outlines the day of judgment; yet, John just as clearly says those who know Jesus do not need to fear. Instead, we who know Jesus will have confidence on the day of judgment. Why? – Because we are in Christ. By faith, we have received the love and righteousness of Jesus. It is Jesus who is...

Jeremiah 28-30; 1 John 3   “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother…And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the Spirit he gave us.” 1 John 3:9, 10, 24 How do we know we belong to God’s family? That is the question John is answering. Not, ‘am I saved and going to heaven’, which is the focus of some recent formulations of the gospel. John’s evidence that ‘God’s seed remains in us’ is that we no longer want to sin against God. Do we still sin? Yes, but we no longer indulge in patterns of sin because the Holy Spirit within us convicts us and draws us back into the love of God. We also know we belong to God’s family because we love our brother and sister (and our spouse) in Christ. Thi...

Jeremiah 21, 24, 27; Psalms 118; 1 John 2 “In my anguish I cried to the Lord and he answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ...I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness. I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.” Psalm 118:5, 6, 17-19 In our life, the tests of the Lord are not meant to destroy us; but rather, to both refine and promote us. Those who pass the tests do so in complete surrender of their will. In humility they cry to the Lord and wait for his deliverance. We testify to God’s presence in our lives through how we respond to these tests. The world fights, defends self, promotes self, and manipulates. The sons and daughters of God respond to his chastening with grace and humility. To them the gates of righteousness will open as the Lord welcomes them into glory. How are we responding to...

Jeremiah 48-49; Psalms 67; 1 John 1   “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 If we walk in the light as Jesus is in the light, do we have we have fellowship with Jesus or with one another? Why does John say ‘with one another’? Spiritually, our vertical freedom with God leads to horizontal freedom in our relationships with others. Living free from all known sin in the light of God’s presence will dramatically improve our marriage and our relationships at work, at home, and in every area of our life. If we harbour hatred toward another person we are in the darkness, unable to move forward and unable to discern right from wrong. Hatred and conflict blind us to the light. The good news is that the blood of Jesus which offers us forgiveness is also available in our relationships. We can choose to forgive and set others free as well as ourselves. Are we walking in the ...