Obedience When it is Difficult

 Scripture:

“We will obey what the LORD our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do. It does not matter whether we like what he tells us or not. We will obey what he tells us to do so that things will go well for us.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭42‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Judah was being overtaken by Babylon and they asked Jeremiah to go hear the word of the Lord. They said, “We will obey what the LORD our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do… we will obey.” Jeremiah went to the LORD and got a word from God. The Lord told him to tell them that they should stay in the land and He would protect them from the Babylonians. They promised to do whatever the LORD spoke, until the LORD spoke. They decided to go to Egypt rather than obey the voice of the LORD. 

Application:

It’s easy to say, “LORD, I will do whatever You ask me to do. I’ll go where You want me to go and live how You want me to live.” These are wonderful promises we make to God, but God looks for action, not intent. He wants to know if we will really follow Him, or only if it is convenient. We constantly say things like, “God knows my heart” which is really an excuse not to put into action what God is speaking to us. Obedience needs to be our final voice. We speak with our actions. As for me, I want to do what the Lord speaks to me. I want to fulfill all that He has for me in my life. 

Prayer:

Father, help me not to be one who says one thing, but does another when times get tough. Help me to live for You completely and never surrender to the voices around me. Help me to walk in Your Spirit every moment of my life. Teach me Your ways and let me finish everything You have set apart for me to do. I am Yours.

Forever,

Jeff

Trust God

 Scripture:

“I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the LORD, affirm it!”’”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭39‬:‭18‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

In this passage, God is speaking about Ebed Melech, an Ethiopian. It was a time of devastation for most, but this man was spared because he trusted in God. He wasn’t an Ethiopian, but one who trusted in God. Therefore, he was spared when judgement came. He escaped the same violence that killed  everyone else, why? Because he trusted God.

Application:

Trust and faith can be used almost interchangeably. When we have faith in God, and trust Him, He will make a way to protect us from every attack that comes against us. When we walk with Christ, we are covered from all attacks of the enemy. God honors faith. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. As we seek Him, He fights our battles. That’s a really good trade deal.

Prayer:

Father, May I always be a seeker of You and a seeker of truth. I want to know You more and more each day. Help me to walk with You faithfully and to follow Your voice completely. May my life accomplish everything You planned for it to accomplish. Teach me to yield completely to You. Let me represent You well on the earth in my generation. I want to make You known in all the earth.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Real Struggles in Ministry

 Scripture:

' Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.'  Jeremiah 20:18

Observation:

In this chapter, Jeremiah is wishing he had never been born. He says that God made him become a prophet and that he would really rather do something else. He says that he is tired of being ridiculed for being such a negative prophet and always speaking of destruction. By the end of the chapter, he says this verse. He is depressed and wishes he had never been born. He sees nothing but bad, trouble, grief, and shame.

Application:

It is good to realize that even some of God's most powerful and accurate prophets struggled with times of wanting to quit. The Bible is beautiful in that it doesn't hide these things or soften them. We can see how people really felt in the Scriptures. For my application, I must admit that there are times I feel like Jeremiah and wish I could have done something else. There are times when I struggle because things have not happened like I wanted them to. There are times when I struggle because I feel like I have failed as a leader because people aren't following. My application today is that when I feel like that, I realize that Jeremiah and other incredible people of God had their days of struggle as well. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for making Your word real and honest about the lives of those in the pages. You didn't hide anything. You show us how they really felt. Thank You for being with me all the days of my life. Forgive me when I complain to You, and help me to remain faithful to all You ask of me. Help me keep a right perspective during times of trial and change. 

Yours Forever,
Jeff

The Pottery Barn

 Scripture:

' “I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’ ' Jeremiah 18:6

Observation:

God showed Jeremiah a potter's house and showed him the potter at the wheel. As the potter worked with the clay, it changed several times before the final product was complete. We, like Israel, are like clay in the hands of the potter, we must let Him work in our lives to make us into His desire for us. We can't self-create what we want. We must serve the potter and trust Him to work out the details of our lives.

Application:

We must live our lives in the hands of the potter. We must allow God to work on us, shaping us into what he has designed for us to be. We must stay on the wheel while He is working and not take ourselves off because we don't like the way He is working on us. Our place is to be pliable and workable clay in the potter's hands, allowing ourselves to be shaped into His image. We don't live our lives for our own purposes, but for the purposes of our Creator.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to live a life shaped by Your hands. Help me to accomplish everything You want me to accomplish. You are awesome, and I want to serve You well. Teach me Your ways and let me walk on Your paths. Guide my steps and work through my life. Pour out Your Spirit this week in Ghana as I share Your word. Let my ears be open to Your voice and my heart be pure.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Our Hope is in the Lord

 Scripture:

' Do any of the worthless idols of the nations cause rain to fall? Do the skies themselves send showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? So we put our hopes in you because you alone do all this.”' 
Jeremiah 14:22

Observation:

In this passage, God's people cry out to Him because they have heard His plans of destruction for Judah. They told the Lord that none of the worthless idols can bring rain and the skies themselves cannot bring rain, but that the Lord can do this. Therefore, their hope was in the Lord. 

Application:

There is no sense in trying to serve ourselves or the gods of the people around us. It is God alone who can bring rain from heaven. It is God alone who can work on behalf of His people. Our trust must be in something solid that is trustworthy. Only God Almighty is really able to deliver us when things are bad, or heal us when we need healing. Our trust must not be in man or any idol. Our trust must be in the Lord. He alone is worthy to be praised and worshiped.

Prayer: 

Father, teach me to trust You more and to never try to work things out on my own. Teach me to walk with You throughout my journey. You are amazing, and I love You with all my heart. Help me to walk humbly before You. Move in power this week in Ghana. Touch many lives for Your glory. Let Your kingdom be extended through our work here.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Humility and Special Favor

 Scripture:

“My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the LORD. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking here through Isaiah and tells His people that He shows special favor to the humble and contrite, and those who respect what He has to say. This is a very clear blessing for those who remain humble before God and who tremble at His voice. He promises “special favor.”

Application:

My place in serving God is to walk humbly before Him and to do whatever He speaks and puts into my heart. For me, I want to live in the “special favor” category. Therefore, I must walk in humility and contrition. I need to, as the end of the verse says, “respect” what God has to say. I want to live my life in obedience to God’s call and will for me. 

Prayer:

Father, You are my everything! Help me to walk in humility, contrition, and realizing that You made, You called me, You anointed me, and I can do nothing apart from You. I ask You for special favor this morning. Help me to walk in humility every day of my life and to follow You completely. 

Yours,

Jeff

Divine Intervention

 Scripture:

“Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah speaks in this passage about God. He lets us know that no one has ever heard or seen any God that comes even close to our God. He describes God by saying that He intervenes for those who wait for Him. He is not just a god out there to be worshiped, but He is a God who intervenes in the lives of real people.

Application:

In this beautiful passage about God intervening in the lives of His people, we see that there is one condition. He said God intervenes for those who wait for Him. Waiting is much harder than we like to think. God promises to come through for us, but we must sometimes be willing to wait. Waiting implies we are looking forward to a better future once God intervenes. 

Prayer:

Father, teach me to wait. Help me to walk in patient expectation of Your promises. Lord, I’m with Isaiah, the world has never seen or heard of a God like You. You never fail and always come out as the victor. Help me to live in faith, knowing that You will intervene in the situations of my life. 

Yours,

Jeff