Jeremiah 31
Day of Restoration coming verse 1- 2
At the same time – says the LORD will I be the God of all the families of Israel
and they shall be MY people
Thus says the LORD
The people which were left of the sword found grace
in the wilderness – even Israel when I went to cause him to rest
Future day when all will worship LORD verse 3- 6
The LORD has appeared of old unto me
saying
Yea – I have loved you
with an everlasting love
THEREFORE with loving-kindness
have I drawn you
AGAIN I will build you – and you shall be built
O virgin of Israel
you shall again be adorned with your tabrets
and shall go forth in the dances of them
that make merry
You shall yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria
the planters shall plant
and shall eat them as common things
For there shall be a day
that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry
Arise you – and let us go up to Zion
unto the LORD our God
Future day of singing and forgiveness verse 7- 9
For thus says the LORD
Sing with gladness for Jacob and shout among the chief of the nations
publish you – praise you – and say
O LORD – save YOUR people
the remnant of Israel
BEHOLD – I will bring them from the north country
and gather them from the coasts of the earth
and with them the blind and the lame
the woman with child and her that
travails with child together
a great company shall return thither
They shall come with weeping
and with supplications will I lead them
I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters
in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble
for I am a father to Israel
and Ephraim is my firstborn
Warning to the nations verse 10- 11
Hear the word of the LORD – O you nations
and declare it in the isles afar off – and say
HE that scattered Israel will gather him
and keep him
as a shepherd does his flock
For the LORD hath REDEEMED Jacob
and RANSOMED him from the hand of him
that was stronger than he
Description of God’s good gifts verse 12- 14
THEREFORE they shall come and sing in the height of Zion
and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD
for wheat – for wine – for oil
and for the young of the flocks and of the herd
and their soul shall be as a watered garden
and they shall not sorrow any more at all
THEN shall the virgin rejoice in the dance
both young men and old together
FOR I will turn their mourning into joy
and will comfort them
and make them rejoice from their sorrow
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness
and MY people shall be satisfied with MY goodness
says the LORD
First coming of the Messiah verse 15
Thus says the LORD
A voice was heard in Ramah – lamentation
bitter weeping
Rachel weeping for her children
refused to be comforted
for her children
BECAUSE they were not
LORD gives command to stop weeping verse 16- 17
Thus says the LORD
Refrain your voice from weeping – and your eyes from tears
for your work shall be rewarded – says the LORD
and they shall come again from the
land of the enemy
AND there is HOPE in your end – says the LORD
that your children shall come again to their own border
Comments of Israel toward LORD verse 18- 19
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus
YOU have chastised me – and I was chastised
as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke
turn you me – and I shall be turned
For YOU are the LORD my God
Surely after that I was turned
I repented and after that I was instructed
I smote upon my thigh – I was ashamed
YEA – even confounded BECAUSE
I did bear the reproach of my youth
LORD still loves Israel verse 20- 21
Is Ephraim MY dear son? Is he a pleasant child?
for since I spoke against him
I do earnestly remember him still
THEREFORE MY bowels are troubled for him
I will surely have mercy upon him
says the LORD
Set you up waymarks – make you high heaps
set your heart toward the highway
even the way which thou went turn again
O virgin of Israel turn again to these thy cities
Time of joy in the future verse 22- 26
How long will you go about – O you backsliding daughter?
for the LORD has created a NEW THING in the earth
A woman shall compass a man
Thus says the LORD of hosts – the God of Israel
As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah
and in the cities thereof
when I shall bring again their captivity
The LORD bless you – O habitation of justice
and mountain of holiness
AND there shall dwell in Judah itself
and in the cities thereof together – husbandman
and they that go forth with flocks
For I have satiated the weary soul
and I have replenished every sorrowful soul
Upon this I awaked and beheld
and my sleep was sweet to me
LORD going to build up Israel verse 27- 30
BEHOLD – the days come – says the LORD
that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah
with the seed of man and with the seed of beast
AND it shall come to pass that like as I have watched over them
to pluck up – to break down – to throw down
to destroy – to afflict
So will I watch over them
to build – to plant – says the LORD
In those days they shall say no more
The fathers have eaten a sour grape
and the children’s teeth are set on edge
But every one shall die for his own iniquity
every man that eats the sour grape
his teeth shall be set on edge
New Covenant verse 31- 34
BEHOLD the days come -says the LORD
that I will make a NEW COVENANT with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah
NOT according to the covenant that I made with their fathers
in the day that I took the by the hand to bring them
out of the land of Egypt
WHICH MY covenant they BRAKE
although I was a HUSBAND unto them
says the LORD
BUT this shall be the covenant that
I will make with the house of Israel
after those days – says the LORD
I will put MY law in their inward parts
and write it in their hearts
And will be their God
and they shall be MY people
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor
and every man his brother – saying
KNOW the LORD
FOR they shall ALL know ME
from the least of them unto the greatest of them
says the LORD
FOR I will forgive their iniquity
and I will remember their SIN NO MORE
Faithfulness of LORD to Israel verse 35- 37
Thus says the LORD – which gives the sun for a light by days
and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars
for a light by night
which divides the sea when the
waves thereof roar
The LORD of hosts is HIS name
IF those ordinances depart from before ME
says the LORD
THEN the seed of Israel also shall cease from being
a nation before me forever
Thus says the LORD
If heaven above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath
I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all
that they have done – says the LORD
Future promise to Jerusalem verse 38- 40
BEHOLD the days come – says the LORD
that the city shall be built to the LORD
from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner
And the measuring line shall go forth over against it
upon the hill of Gareb and shall compass about to Goath
And the whole valley of the dead bodies – and of the ashes
and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron
unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east
shall be HOLY unto the LORD
It shall not be plucked up
nor thrown down any more FOR EVER
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 7 For thus says the LORD, Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish you, praise you, and say, O LORD, save YOUR people, the remnant of Israel. (8057 “gladness” [simchah] means the emotion of great happiness and pleasure, jubilation, mirth, joy, or hold a feast)
DEVOTION: Judah was a sinful nation. The ten tribes went into captivity first but then the tribe of Judah went into captivity because they wandered far from the LORD. They were not willing to repent of their sins against the LORD, so HE sent them into captivity a well.
The tribe of Judah thought that the LORD would never sent them into captivity because the Temple was in the city of Jerusalem. They thought they could sin and get away with it because the LORD’S Temple was there and the LORD would NEVER let HIS temple to fall to any other nation.
They were wrong. The LORD warned them many times with many prophets but they would not listen and repent.
This is true of people who claim to be believers today. They think that they can go to church on Sunday or at least once in a while and the LORD will not judge them for their actions because it seems that they are getting away with it.
It is the same attitude that the children of Israel had before they went into captivity. It seems that the thinking regarding the LORD has not changed even after Christ came and died on the cross for genuine believers.
God does not like fakes. HE warns fakes throughout the Word of God. There is a final judgment coming during this age and those who are not genuine believers who are acting like genuine believers will stand before the LORD and HE will say to them “I never knew you!”
Today we need to understand what a genuine believer acts like which is in a way to please the LORD each day. If a genuine believer sins they confess their sins and ask forgiveness and HE will forgive them. This is a DAILY practice of genuine believers who are trying to stop doing things that the LORD is displeased with in their life.
CHALLENGE: What category do you fit into today? Can you say to the LORD “I am living a life that is pleasing to YOU! I am trying to show those around me what a genuine believer looks like! If it is true than HE will bless and forgive you.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
:10 “Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ The New King James Version ( Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: What a wonderful message of hope and restoration not only for the nation of Israel but for all who fear that the Lord will not remember and gather them to Himself. Israel is here promised by God to be rescued from wherever they may be scattered. God did not forget them and would bring them back to the place of their ancestors in His time. Though there would be discipline and judgment he would not be overly severe and remain distant from His people.
The same can be said for the nations as well! As Christ died to redeem mankind and offers to them the free gift of eternal life he does not forget them. He declares to all mankind that they can hear the word of the Lord and be saved. John reminds us that “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” (John 1:11-12). Regardless of who you are or where you are will you hear the word of the Lord?
CHALLENGE: Jonah tried to run from God, Elijah went and hid in the mountain cave, John Mark ran away from the work with Paul and Barnabas. Yet God knew where they were and continued to call and draw them to himself. You might be running away or tried to hide from God but He knows where you are as well! Hear the word of the Lord and allow Him to lead you where He wants you to go today. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
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: 22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? For the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. (5437 “compass” [cabab] means shelter, change over, shield, encircle, surround or border, protect, change direction)
DEVOTION: This verse is called the hardest to interpret in the book of Jeremiah. There are many interpretations out there for this verse.
The interpretation of the church fathers related this saying to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. Here was a woman who had the Messiah or God in the flesh in her womb. She surrounded HIM in the womb.
A second interpretation is that Israel who has been rebellious is going to seek the LORD. It is a new thing, in that Israel has a tendency to run from the LORD rather than toward HIM. With the new covenant a change takes place in their relationship. There will be no more teaching about the LORD because everyone will know who HE is.
No matter what interpretation there is a backsliding relationship to the LORD. The LORD had to do anew thing in order for there to be a proper relationship established again with this nation that was presently in captivity for their sin.
God does a new thing in the life of every believer when there is a new relationship established. HE wants us to be surrounded by HIS love. There is a change over from a relationship of enmity to one of love.
CHALLENGE: Protection is necessary in our relationship with the LORD. Our need is us to keep our relationship close to the LORD. We need to experience HIS protection.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (2142 “remember” [zakar] means recall, call to mind, recollect, mention, or take thought)
DEVOTION: There is a change taking place in the future. The LORD promised a new covenant. HE is going to put HIS law in their inward parts. HE is going to write HIS law in their hearts.
This relationship has not been established to this point in Israel. The new covenant was referred to on the day of Pentecost. It was not fulfilled then but it will be in the future.
During the Tribulation time period we find that 144,000 Jewish witnesses who will evangelize their world with the truth that Jesus is the Messiah. They will be sealed. The number of believers during that time period were not numbered.
During the Millennium, there will be no need to teach people who the LORD is because HE will be reigning over them. There will be open worship of HIM in the world. People will travel to Jerusalem to worship. There will be singing on the way and to and from these times of worship. It will be a wonderful time to worship the LORD.
Pentecost gave us an example of what true worship is all about. It is about good teaching from the Word of God. There was sharing of each others goods with one another. There was a moving of the Holy Spirit that caused people to think that the world was being turned upside down.
Our world needs to be turned upside down again. We can still pray for revival in our time period. It would only come with the moving of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all those who are genuine believers.
If all the genuine believers acted like those on the day of Pentecost and following we could see our world turned upside down.
Once we are in Christ our sins are forgiven. They are covered by the blood of Jesus on the cross. HE was our substitute. With this in mind we can see into heaven that the Father will no longer recall our sins but will look at us through Jesus alone. Are sins are gone, gone, gone. Praise HIS name.
CHALLENGE: Realizing that our sins are gone but that we are still sinners is hard to reconcile in our thinking. Pride about our condition should never enter our mind. Thankfulness should.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Supplication verse 9
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Tabrets verse 4
Dances verse 4
Sing verse 7, 12
Publish verse 7
Praise verse 7
Joy verse 13
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORD verse 10
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1- 3, 6, 7, 10- 12, 14- 18,20, 22, 23, 27,28, 31- 38
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign, Plural name) verse 1, 6, 18, 23
God of all the families of Israel verse 1
Everlasting love verse 3
Lovingkindness verse 3
I have built “Israel” verse 4
LORD our God verse 6
I will bring them from the north country
and gather them from the coasts
of the earth verse 8
I will lead them verse 9
Father of Israel- and Ephraim is MY firstborn verse 9
Goodness of the LORD verse 12, 14
LORD my God verse 18
LORD of hosts verse 23, 35
God of Israel verse 23
LORD watches over HIS people verse 28
New covenant verse 31, 33
Husband verse 32
Creator verse 35
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Nations verse 7, 10
Enemy verse 16
Land of Egypt verse 32
Whole world know the LORD verse 34
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Backsliding verse 22
Iniquity verse 30, 34
Sin verse 34
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Grace verse 2
Rest verse 2
Loved verse 3
Merry verse 4, 20
Sing with gladness verse 7
Save verse 7
Lead of the LORD verse 9
Hear the word of the LORD verse 10
Redeemed verse 11
Ransomed verse 11
Goodness verse 12, 14
Joy verse 13
Comfort verse 13
Rejoice verse 13
Satisfied verse 14
Hope verse 17
Chastised verse 18
Repented verse 19
Instructed verse 19
Blessed verse 23
Justice verse 23
Satiated the weary soul verse 25
Replenished verse 25
Watched over verse 28
New Covenant verse 31
Law on inward parts verse 33
Written on the heart verse 33
Forgive verse 34
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Israel verse 1, 2, 4, 7, 10, 21, 23, 27, 31, 33, 36, 37
God’s people verse 1, 14, 33
Virgin of Israel verse 4
Go forth in the dances of them that are merry verse 4
Samaria verse 5
Watchman on Mount Ephraim verse 6
Zion verse 6, 12
Jacob verse 7, 11
Sing with gladness for Jacob verse 7
Remnant of Israel verse 7
Return verse 8
Ephraim verse 9, 18, 20
Priests verse 14
Ramah verse 15
Rachel verse 15
Judah verse 23, 24, 27, 31
Mountain of holiness verse 23
Jerusalem rebuilt verse 38- 40
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Everlasting love verse 3
Not sorrow anymore verse 12
In those days verse 29
Days come verse 31
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QUOTES regarding passage
35–37 Of what value is an eternal covenant if certain parties to it are limited in life span? But such is not the case with the new covenant, for it is made with an eternal people. The permanence of the nation is illustrated from the fixed arrangements in nature (v.35). The survival of Israel through the centuries can be explained only on supernatural grounds (v.36; cf. 33:20, 25). Scripture knows no greater guarantee for the validity and permanence of the covenant than that stated here. As unchangeable as the laws of nature is God’s covenant with the deathless nation. The concept of nation carries with it geographical location, government, and other ethnic features to be fully realized in the end time. In short, it is utterly impossible that Israel should cease to be a nation before God (v.37). National existence is assured, regardless of how God may have to deal with individuals in the nation. God regards his promises rather than their demerits (Feinberg, C. L. (1986). Jeremiah. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel (Vol. 6, pp. 578–579). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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31:31–37. In addition to a new beginning God promised to make a New Covenant with His people. This New Covenant was expressly for the house of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom). It would not be like the covenant God had made with Israel’s forefathers at the time of the Exodus because that covenant had been broken by the people (cf. 11:1–8). The earlier covenant God referred to was the Mosaic Covenant contained in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Twice God had announced a series of punishments or “curses” that would be invoked on those who violated His Law (Lev. 26; Deut. 28). The final judgment would be a physical deportation from the land of Israel. With the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 b.c. this final “curse” was completed. God had set a holy standard of conduct before the people, but because of their sinful hearts they could not keep those standards. A change was needed.
God’s New Covenant will involve an internalization of His Law. He will put His Law in their minds and on their hearts, not just on stones (Ex. 34:1). There will be no need to exhort people to know the Lord because they will already all know God (cf. Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14). God’s New Covenant will give Israel the inner ability to obey His righteous standards and thus to enjoy His blessings. Ezekiel indicated that this change will result from God’s bestowal of the Holy Spirit on these believers (cf. Ezek. 36:24–32). In Old Testament times the Holy Spirit did not universally indwell all believers. Thus one different aspect of the New Covenant is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all believers (cf. Joel 2:28–32). (Dyer, C. H. (1985). Jeremiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 1171). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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“Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is His Name: If those ordinances depart from before Me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before Me forever. Thus saith the Lord: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord” (vers. 35–37). The vastness of the heavens above and the earth beneath set forth this immeasurable mercy to Israel. In the face of this passage, what possible ground is there left for those to stand upon who teach the ultimate rejection of the once-favored nation?
Mark: it is not here a promise to bring Israel into blessing through the Church, and by incorporation into it. It is their national existence that is pledged, and their blessing as Israelites—not as Christians. They must be restored to their land, recognized once more as a nation, and brought into complete subjection to Jehovah, owning their once rejected Messiah as King and Saviour, or the prophecies of this chapter fall to the ground. All here is intensely literal. Nothing could be more so than the remaining verses, which need no comment. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever” (vers. 38–40). To no period of the past can these words apply. In our Lord’s time the filthy stench of the valley of Hinnom still polluted the atmosphere. It was in no sense holy unto Jehovah. To the future alone can we look for a fulfilment that shall accord with, and transcend, the promise. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” (Ironside, H. A. (1906). Notes on the prophecy and Lamentations of Jeremiah (pp. 164–166). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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Ver. 35. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, &c.] As he did at first, and still continues it; and which is a wonderful gift of nature he bestows on men, unworthy of such a favour. Matt. 5:45; and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night; which have a settled regular older and course, in which they move; and whereby they impart the light they borrow from the sun, to enlighten the world by night; which is another favour to the inhabitants of it; see Gen. 1:16: which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; some refer this, as Kimchi, to the dividing of the Red sea for the Israelites to pass over; but it rather respects an action more frequently done; and should be rendered, which stilleth, or maketh the sea quiet; which best agrees with what follows; when it is tumultuous, and threatens the loss of ships and men’s lives, and attempts to pass its bounds, he rebukes it; so the Targum; and makes it a calm; he stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, Psal. 65:7: the Lord of hosts is his name; that has all the armies of heaven and earth at his command, and can do whatever he pleases; he, and he only, can do the above things, and does them; and he that can do them, is able to make good the covenant he has made with the house of Israel, and fulfill the promises of it, of which there is an assurance; as well as he is able to secure an interest and a church for himself unto the end of the world, as the following words shew. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, pp. 579–580). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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Jesus spends His last two days in intimate communion with His closest friends.
INSIGHT
Prayer is one of the true mysteries in the Bible. It is inevitable, as we grow in our prayer life, that we will struggle with an inadequate understanding of how to pray.
The example of Jesus praying in Gethsemane helps us with what we can know and understand about prayer. First, we can know that prayer does not eliminate emotional struggling.
A second thing we can learn is that prayer can make us stronger spiritually and keep us from temptation. In each account of His prayer, Jesus says to His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Mark 14:38). If we watch and pray, we will be strengthened against temptation. (Quiet Walk)
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SOWING AND REAPING
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:7-8
Life is a matter of sowing and reaping, and what a man sows, that shall he also reap. There are certain moral laws in operation in this world that are absolute. All of us are responsible beings, and we shall all die and stand before God in judgment and give account of the deeds done in the body. And our eternal destiny will depend upon what we have done in this life and in this world. Life therefore is a tremendous matter. It is the most serious thing conceivable, because what we get in this life and what we will get through all eternity depends upon whether we sow to the flesh or whether we sow to the Spirit.
Very well then, the most important thing to discover in this world is, how does one sow to the Spirit? How am I so to live that I shall reap the blessing of joy and happiness and peace in this world and in the world to come forever and forever? The great apostle Paul answers the question. He puts it in this glorious and tremendous statement: “God forbid that I should glory….” The thing is unthinkable, he says, that I should glory in anything “save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). This is the thing that he preached. And this by the grace of God is the thing that I am privileged to preach to you. The preaching of the cross, the preaching of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, is the very heart and center of the Christian gospel and the Christian message.
A Thought to Ponder: What we will get through all eternity depends upon whether we sow to the flesh or whether we sow to the Spirit. (From The Cross, pp. 17-18, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Christ Our Intercessor
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34)
One of the most glorious truths of the Christian life is that the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and rose for our justification, now lives to intercede for us before God. The greatest example of intercessory prayer in the Bible is in John 17, where the Lord poured out His heart for His disciples. “I pray for them,” He said, “I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:9). But that was not all! “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word” (John 17:20). And that’s us! That includes us!
What is it that He prays for us? First of all, He prays for our security. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are” (John 17:11). Then He prays that we might have real victory over sin and the devil. “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [or ‘the evil one’]” (John 17:15).
His next request is: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). Our sanctification will come, therefore, not through some special experience, but through God’s Word. He also prays for true unity among His true disciples: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21).
Finally, He prays for our ultimate glorification. “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me” (John 17:24).
We can be assured that the Father will grant these requests of His beloved Son. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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A Debt of Love
You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God. LEVITICUS 19:32
As a teenager, I recall my dad pushing back from the dinner table and walking a few blocks to visit his mother. Sometimes I would go with him, though the visits were pretty boring. There was little more than the ticking and occasional chirping of the cuckoo clock and the creaking of Grandma Rainey’s rocking
chair. Not exactly high-tech entertainment for an adolescent. But my dad’s commitment to maintain a relationship with his mom made an impression on me. I’ve never forgotten it.
Looking back now over the 26 years my own mom lived alone after my dad’s death, I wish I had done a better job of keeping up communication with her. Sure, we lived 4 hours away, and yes, we had 6 children in 10 years. Barbara had health issues. We were incredibly stretched and busy. Even my attempts at calling Mom once a week didn’t always happen. And though we went to see her several times a year, I’m convinced I didn’t think often enough about the loneliness she was experiencing with her increasing age. As I went through her bedroom after her death, I discovered a dresser drawer full of notes I had written her over the years. I believe she kept every one.
It made me wonder how many times each of them had been read and re-read. It made me wish there had been more. It made we wish I’d been as attentive to her all along as I became in the last two years of her life after she got sick—holding her hands, kissing her on the cheek, turning off the television when I visited so that we could talk without distraction. If it’s still possible, I urge you to make the sacrifices to keep your relationship intact with your parents—encouraging them, appreciating them, making sure they know how much they mean to you.
DISCUSS: If your parents are living, what could you do to keep in touch with them more often? (Moments with You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
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To bring this down to where we live: We can destroy people in smaller ways, but ways that are just as sure. We can be destroyers with our words, with our attitudes, and with our critical spirit. You need to be honest enough to face just how difficult you are ot live with. (p. 53, When You’ve Been Wronged by Erwin W. Lutzer)
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