Jeremiah 19- Jealous God

 

The devastation of this chapter is complete…God declares His plan to punish the Israelites for turning to other gods.  Worshipping in detestable ways their attention and devotion was aimed to other things.  This seems easy to avoid today as we don’t physically sacrifice animals to gods…but we do sacrifice time, money and our attention to many things that are not God…entertainment, pleasure or food are areas that can pull my focus away from Jesus.

Lord, help me to see where You would have me restore my focus to You…then give me the strength to actually do it.

Jeremiah 18- Sovereign God

 

God has a plan to prosper His people, which sometimes includes discipline when we are headed the wrong direction or following our own heart.  I am so thankful God is compassionate with me as I know too many times, I am stubbornly following my own plans…help me to Trust Your sovereign plan and follow You at every turn!

Jeremiah 17- God Speaks

 

We need healing & salvation every moment until we are glorified and in His presence.  He is offering that to each one of us, all we have to do is listen, receive His gift of grace and mercy…then follow Him.

Jeremiah 16- Punishment & Restoration

 

This heartbreaking chapter tells about how God has lost His patience and is finally sending the punishment that the people of Israel deserve…but He ends with a promise of restoration.  Lord in this time, when You are bringing My boy low, will You remind me of restoration.  Remind me of Your power and might, Your strength and reputation…You are a God of mercy and grace.

Jeremiah 15- God Is…

 

This chapter sees God speaking about what He will accomplish over and over again.  Much of it is focused on allowing destruction and punishment…but then Jeremiah pours out his heart.  And this is Gods answer of protection and restoration.  Interestingly, God doesn’t tell him that he will be free of trouble, but rather that he will enable him to endure the trial and redeem him.

Probably not very comforting, but so good to know that God is working…even in situations that seem hopeless.  Lord, help me to trust that you are at work, even when I don’t see it.

Jeremiah 14- Hope

 

Discipline is hard and punishment feels terrible…but Jeremiah reminds us that since it is God who metes out these things, there is hope.  Hope because of Gods character, who He is and the reason for it.  His intentions are to draw us into right thinking and obedience…not because He likes order, but because we can flourish within the boundaries He created.

Jeremiah 13- Listen & Obey

 

Gods instructions are clear and He uses all of scripture to tell us how to live a life of flourishing.  Yet it was easy for the Israelites and even for us to respond with, but that doesn’t mean me…I can still do what I want.  Destruction and chaos are what comes when we are going our own way.

Jeremiah 12- Seen by God

 

How incredible is the fact the God sees us, knows us, cares for us and even loves us?!?  It may be easier to think this at times when we are near to God, but Jeremiah is saying this prayer while they are struggling/rejecting God.  They are far from Him, yet are intimately seen.

Lord, bring my heart close to You.  Remind me of how clearly You see me. Don’t let my self centered thoughts be convincing that You are not near…let me feel Your presence and know Your care for me.  Help me trust You and nothing else!

Jeremiah 11- Clear Instruction

 

God has given us clear instructions on how to live a life of flourishing.  Yet we so often ignore His Word, and do whatever we think is best…many times doing the exact opposite of His instructions.  Why do we insist on this rebellion?  Lord, strengthen my resolve to be surrendered to You!

Jeremiah 10- Incomparable God

 

There is none who can compare to God.

Jeremiah 9- Boastable Understanding

 

Just like the Proverbs, we see that wisdom is something we can boast about…but only if it is knowing God!  This is more than a brain level awareness, it requires transformation of our actions!!!

Jeremiah 8- Pursue God

 

Jeremiah is a challenging book to read if you are looking to know God more accurately.  It is much easier to learn about Him from what he is rejecting in this book…that is what we see here, a list of all the ways His people have pursued other gods.  You get the sense that they were doing the right things, but directing it at the wrong thing…God desires that we pursue Him.  Lord, help me to seek You in every moment of every day!

Jerimiah 7- Pursued

 

Even though Jeremiah is sharing about how the people’s failure is bringing on destruction and punishment, it is so obvious that God is still chasing after His people.  There are several reminders in this chapter that God continues to pursue us, even when we are rejecting Him or actively worshipping other things.

Lord, help me to remind others that You are still seeking us, and help me not to blindly worship anything but You!

Jerimiah 6- Real Consequences

 

Lord, You have given us the instructions for a life of flourishing in peace and joy!  Yet, so often we choose our own way which brings the fruit of our actions…the real consequences are chaos, fear and destruction.  Sometimes they show up physically, but many times it is emotional or mental anguish.  Lord, help me to follow You so that I am not forced to endure the suffering of my own making.

Jeremiah 5- Fear God

 

To fear Him is to know Him…both His desire for us and direction for us.  Lord help me to know Your way and be motivated to follow You!

Jeremiah 4- Always Receptive

 

No matter how far we stray from God, he is always ready to receive us back into relationship…but we must desire it.

Jeremiah 3- Humble Surrender

 

How incredible that God is ready to welcome us back after we spend so much time and energy rejecting Him.  Yet he simply requires that we humbly admit our inability to obey and surrender our lives to Him.  Surrender sounds easier than it actually is because that means rejecting our own attempts to succeed and confidently following His direction.

Lord, help my life to reflect this to those around me…I am far from doing this well!

Jeremiah 2- Rejecting Freedom

 

The people of Israel were so short sighted and blind that they forgot about all the ways that God had freed them…instead they ran to brokenness and destruction that lead them back to slavery.

Lord, help me to flee from all things that bring slavery and run full speed into your arms, Your embrace that is FREEDOM!!!

Jeremiah 1- Calling

 

It struck me that Jeremiah was called by God to be a prophet, he was not seeking to be a prophet.  Speculatively, he was just following God and being obedient, then God selected him for this mission.  Not only does God call him for the missions, but it is not reliant on his ability…God is providing what to say, how to say it and to whom to speak.  He is called to obey…just like me.

Lord, help me to be surrendered in every area of life and thought.  I am thankful to be called by You!  Use me as you please to further Your kingdom!  Help me not depend on my abilities, but be ready to do Your work, by Your strength with Your words!!!

Isaiah 66- Peace & Comfort

 

In a world of chaos, destruction and suffering, Your kingdom stands in stark contrast for your people.  Come Lord Jesus!

Isaiah 65- Servants of God

 

Lord, help me to forsake my own desires and serve You only.

Isaiah 64- His Presence

 

The presence of God is instantly transformative.  Any hesitation vanishes, all our explanations evaporate, our reasons fade and we are left to the only thought possible in that moment.  He is trustworthy, faithful and right…weather that brings joy because we were following Him, or terror because we rejected Him, we know this to be true.

God, help me follow you in every little thought or decision…May I bring You glory!

Isaiah 63- Lead Us!

 

Isaiah 62- Holy People

 

This picture of redemption is captivating…Jesus returning to His people and re-establishing His kingdom here on earth.  Jesus followers will be calling Holy People by everyone.  There will be no more hypocrisy, no more infighting, no jealousy or mischaracterization.  Gods people will be, in every sense of the word, Holy.

Isaiah 61- Jesus Introduction

 

What a powerful passage that unmistakably announces Jesus to His public ministry.  How can we look at this passage and not long for the Kingdom of God to come!  Lord, allow my life to help people see just a glimpse of the kingdom.

Isaiah 60- Come Lord Jesus

 

What an incredible picture of Zion, when you return in glory, where Peace and Righteousness reign!  We could really use that in our world today…

Lord, help me to live in light of your glory, bringing just a bit of Your kingdom here to Earth today.  I pray that the people who interact with me would experience peace and love in a way that heightens their desire to know you.  Come Lord Jesus!

Isaiah 59- God Sees

 

This chapter starts out describing how far from God the Israelites felt…then we see the scene from Gods perspective.  He saw them the whole time and is remembering His covenant and ready to act.  They are both seeing the same situation, but one of them is blind while God sees every aspect perfectly.

Lord, when I am feeling far from You, remind me of what You see.  Give me faith, and unwavering confidence in your perspective over mine so that I can take off the blinders are draw near to You!

Isaiah 58- Fasting

 

Lord, you ask us to trust You even when stopping our work for sabbath or fasting.  Strengthen my faith in Your ability to provide, protect and restore me…May I rely only on you!

Isaiah 57- Humble Healing

 

The first half of this chapter talk about false worship and chasing after things that make us feel good…even though they are destroying us.  Then it shifts to remind us that even if we do good things, they do t save us…it is only Gods mercy and grace that we can enter His peace.  This comes to us as we seek Him in humility…our awareness that we need Him is the beginning of healing, restoration and peace.  Lord, help me to live humbly before You!