Jeremiah 42:1-44:23 ~ 2 Timothy 2:1-21 ~ Psalm 92:1-93:5 ~ Proverbs 26:3-5
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Old Testament - The three Jeremiah chapters today are quite eventful! It is intriguing that the Israelites ask Jeremiah for a message from God - and that whatever they hear back they will do and obey. But then they don't obey! Are we like this at times... ? We promise promise promise God that we'll listen & change... but then do we? If you are going through struggles in your life today will you call out to God? Do you trust that He will answer in His own unique and perfect way and timing? And then will you trust and obey?
Jeremiah chapter 42 gives a good overview of the day's readings, with these closing 2 verses in this chapter from Jeremiah: "And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the LORD your God any better now than you have in the past. So you can be sure that you will die from war, famine, and disease in Egypt, where you insist on going." Jeremiah delivered the message from God... but knew that the message would go unheeded.
Chapter 43 reminds me that when we are disobedient to God's will that our disobedience can affect not only ourselves, but others around us too. Mind you, Egypt was not a "house of the holy" - but the Israelites disobedience is going to bring destruction to themselves and Egypt. They're carrying their disobedience and curse on to others. Jeremiah 43's verses 9 & 10 stood out: ""While the people of Judah are watching, bury large rocks between the pavement stones at the entrance of Pharaoh's palace here in Tahpanhes. I will surely bring my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, here to Egypt." Interesting that God calls Nebuchadnezzar his "servant". Would God have said this about the Israelites at this time? Called them his servants?
Chapter 44 is a great reminder of why it's a bad idea to pursue idols in our life instead of God! Verse 7 asks "Why are you destroying yourselves?" I love this verse. Why are we destroying ourselves? We bring upon self-abuse, self-destruction, when we pursue things that are not of God. Think about it. They may bring a quick temporary pleasure, but in the long run are they building us up or destroying us? Why are we destroying ourselves?
New Testament - 2 Timothy 2, verse 9 has a great verse for us One Year Bible readers! :) "But the word of God cannot be chained." Amen! Well, I suppose in theory one individual Bible could be chained (as you sadly see below), but not all Bibles. God's living and active Word overall cannot be chained!
2 Tim 2 is a great chapter today... just jam packed with wisdom. Verse 4 stands out: "And as Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you in his army." How often do we become tied up in affairs of this life.... ? Every day? Every hour? More often than that... ? If we are constantly "distracted" by the affairs of this life, do we lose sight of Jesus? Do we distract ourselves so much so that we can't serve Jesus well?
Verse 21 is a great closing verse today: "If you keep yourself pure, you will be a utensil God can use for his purpose. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." Will you keep yourself pure? Have you ever realized that you are indeed a utensil for God's use? :)
Psalms - Today in Psalm 92 verse 4 we read a joyful verse! “For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.” When was the last time you reflected upon God’s deeds? When was the last time you reflected upon God’s work of his hands? Do you think this might be a good daily habit? Do God’s deeds make you glad? Do you sing for joy regularly for the work of God's hands?
Bible.org's commentary on Psalm 92 titled "Worship - Our Delight and Our Duty" is at this link.
Proverbs - In Proverbs 26 today I think we have a catch-22! Someone correct me if I'm wrong here in verses 4 & 5 - "When arguing with fools, don't answer their foolish arguments, or you will become as foolish as they are. When arguing with fools, be sure to answer their foolish arguments, or they will become wise in their own estimation." So do we not answer their foolish arguments.... or do we? :) I can see the wisdom in both verses in different circumstances... Let me know what you think on this one in the Comments below!
Worship God: The wisdom of so many verses in Second Timothy chapter 2 today reminded me yet again of the power of the Gospel to transform our lives. The power of Jesus to transform our lives! And so, I'm reminded of Brandon Heath's popular song "I'm Not Who I Was." I'm not sure if you've seen this video set to this song, but do yourself a favor and watch it all the way through. It is a grace filled song with a grace filled video to go along with it! Are you who you were?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrGfA6y9fNI
Are you who you want to be? Click here to say "I'm Not Who I Was"!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." 2 Timothy 2:16 (NIV)
Prayer Point: Pray that you will avoid godless chatter in your life. Pray that you will not indulge in gossip. Pray that you won't become ungodly by allowing godless chatter to infect your life in any way, shape or form.
Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you from today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our One Year Bible readings at this link.
p.p.s. Download a schedule of our One Year Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.
p.p.p.s. I would greatly appreciate it if you would pray for this One Year Bible Blog ministry today. Thanks!
Proverbs 26:3-5 ~~~ Jeremiah 42:1-44:23
To the Chief Musician. [A Psalm] of David. THE [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right. [Rom. 3:10.] (Psalms 14:1 AMP)
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
(Psalms 107:17 KJV)
Mike—I believe the answer to your question regarding the text of today’s Proverb can be found in our reading of Jeremiah. A fool is someone who has not submitted themselves to the obedience of God and that submission is not based on what they say, what they appear to be doing but on what is in their heart. Jesus said, O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34 KJV). What we speak and how we speak is never limited to what comes out of our mouths. We speak in three ways: words, body and deed; our actions speak louder than our words, our body language as we speak gives BIG hints to what we are saying.
The “leaders” who killed Gedaliah, the leaders who then killed and chased Gedaliah’s assassins, “Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah” were all “guerrillas,” rebels. They were not rebels who carried a righteous indignation against the appointed leadership, they were rebels against God and His Word. A fool by his/her very nature and character will not submit to God and that is why the writer of Proverbs states:
Don't answer a fool according to his foolishness, or you'll be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his foolishness, or he'll become wise in his own eyes. (Proverbs 26:4-5 HCSB)
No matter how you answer, a fool he/she will still be a fool and believers are in danger of falling into the same pot as the fool if they associate with him or her. A fool is angry that is why they are rebelling against God and established leadership.
Don't make friends with an angry man, and don't be a companion of a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. (Proverbs 22:24-25 HCSB)
Rebellious people, thus fools, can never be trusted. If they rebel against godly leadership, they will rebel against God and if they rebel against God they will rebel against godly leadership. This mode operand can be found in every area of life, in the man or woman who declares to the husband or wife that is not there’s that they will leave their respective spouses if only …, o the person whose change of behavior or lifestyle is predicated on someone or something else changing before they “get it together.”
Fools approached Jeremiah for a Word from God and God humored and tested them. They got their Word and they remained fools. Change is not change until it’s changed. If you are speaking to a “fool”, either you are trying to effect change in the fools life or you are trying to make yourself look good or wise in the eyes of others. Either way your words are wasted. KNOW your audience and know yourself well enough that you operate out of right motives.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | October 22, 2015 at 07:22 PM
Thank you Ramona!
Posted by: Kathy | October 23, 2015 at 06:05 AM
Yes, I also found these two proverbs confusing as they seem to advocate opposite actions when dealing with a fool. I thought Ramona's observations with the Jeremiah's reading were keen. And it made me think how much I am like Johanan and the rebels. I can see the office politics and backstabbing and how it makes sense to ally with the worldly power for safety and not the perceived enemy... Yet they received advice to to the opposite. So it would seem the fool is not humble enough to receive the advice, because the fool knows better. I am often like this. So in order to reach a fool like me, often someone has to connect with me somewhere on my foolish level (the 2nd part of the Proverb, like what Jeremiah's doing) and not get caught up in my foolishness (the 1st part of the Proverb, for example- the office politics). Incidentally, isn't this what Jesus did to save us! :) and furthermore what we are trying to do for those that do not yet believe?
Posted by: Charles | October 24, 2015 at 05:45 AM