Several years ago, I read a really insightful book called “Failure: The Back Door to Success.” The big idea of the book was how God uses failures, setbacks, and shortcomings as part of the way He works out His plans for our lives. It’s built on the principle that Jeremiah talks about in our passage today and what Paul writes about in Romans 8:28 when he says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.” There are a couple of HUGE truths in these scriptures that we need to remember.
One simple, powerful truth is this: God’s paths are BEST! I know that seems so obvious, but it’s truly not. Look at the first line of God’s word to Judah in our passage. “You will be in Babylon for seventy years.” This was not what God wanted! All the way up to the Babylonian invasion, God PLEADED with Judah to turn back to Him. He wanted to protect them. He wanted to care for them. He wanted to help them become the people that He could bless beyond measure. But THEY chose a different path. Now they would suffer for seventy years because of it.
That leads us to the second truth. Though we often choose paths of our own, God will keep working. He will keep reaching out to draw us back to Himself. He will keep reminding us of His love, His grace, and His power to redeem and restore. And, if we turn to Him, He will use the painful path we have chosen to guide us back to HIS path and the good work that He wants to continue to do in our lives. Seventy years was a long time to struggle, and it probably seemed like “the end” for many of the people. But it wasn’t the end. It was just the painful detour that God would now use to guide them back to the plans He had for them. Plans with a future and a hope.
Take this to heart today. Choose God’s paths. They will lead you to life. They will also keep you under His protective care. But if you find yourself suffering today from the path you’ve chosen, turn back to God. He still has good plans for you. He still has a future for you. If you will lean into Him, He will be with you on your painful path to guide you back to where you need to be. He really can work in all things. Even in the messes we make for ourselves. That’s God’s Word for you today.

“A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.” – Proverbs 25:28 (NLT)

On May 8, 1902, there was a horrible volcanic eruption on the island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean. The entire city of Saint-Pierre was wiped out. Nearly 30,000 people. The truly sad thing is that they had plenty of warning and ample time to get off the island. The mountain had been rumbling and spewing gas for weeks. It was giving all the signs and symptoms of something bigger coming. So why didn’t they flee?
Well, even though people were warning the city of an impending eruption, many city officials told the people they were safe. “Nothing to worry about,” the newspapers said. Because there was an important election in a few days, city officials actually prevented people from evacuating. The Governor, trying to give assurance to the people, stated on May 7 that he and his wife planned to take an excursion closer to the mountain the next morning. That next morning, just before 8:00 am, the mountain blew apart. It destroyed everything and everyone in its path in just a matter of minutes.
Why don’t we listen to warnings? What is it about human nature that makes us think we’re so smart that we don’t need to heed wise counsel? Why do we believe that WE will be the ones to beat the odds, dodge the bullet, or escape the consequences? When I read our passage today, my heart just sank. The people were about to be captured and taken into captivity for 70 years. The impact on their lives and their culture would be catastrophic. And it didn’t have to be that way! Look at what Jeremiah says. “For the past twenty-three years…the LORD has been giving me his messages. I have faithfully passed them on to you, but you have not listened.” 23 YEARS!! That’s how great the love of God was for His People. That was how patient He was. For 23 years, He begged them, pleaded with them, and warned them through His prophets to turn around. But they refused. So they experienced the consequential volcano of God’s wrath.
Please hear my heart. With all the love and compassion within me, I say this. Don’t be stupid. Don’t allow yourself to become so filled with pride and self-deception that you wait for the volcano to blow. If God is calling you to repent, then REPENT. If God is warning you not to take a certain path, then don’t take it. If God is telling you to change your attitude, change your ways, or change your relationships, then DO IT! God loves you and wants what’s best for you. He cares enough to speak to you through His Spirit, speak to you through His Word, and speak to you through His Messengers. Turn to Him now and let His Grace, His Compassion, and His Protection envelop you. The people on the island didn’t have to die. Judah didn’t have to be exiled. Don’t be stupid like them. Heed the voice of the Lord before the volcano blows. That’s God’s Word for you today.

As I walked and prayed one day this week, I thanked God for not giving up on me. In those times when I wasn’t listening. In those times when I put myself first. In those times when I got too busy to seek Him, cry out to Him, or take time to even acknowledge Him. In those times when I made it more about MY kingdom rather than HIS Kingdom. In those times when I outright disobeyed Him. As I walked through those times in my mind, I was absolutely in awe of God’s Faithfulness. I’m alive today, flourishing today, and who I am today, only because of Him. He just never quit.
That was the resounding message that Jeremiah gave the people from the Lord. Their banishment to Babylon was not the end. It was simply a detour caused by their disobedience. They had broken the heart of God by turning away from Him and dug a hole for themselves that was going to be hard and painful. But listen to the resilient love of the Lord that won’t let go. “I will watch over and care for them, and I will bring them back here again. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them. I will give them hearts that recognize me as the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.” Despite their unfaithfulness, God was going to remain faithful to them. He just wouldn’t give up on them.
That’s God’s promise to you today, no matter where you are on your journey of faith. If you’re neck deep in sin, with God nowhere on your mind, He still hasn’t given up on you. If you’ve failed Him again for the umpteenth time, He still hasn’t given up on you. If you’ve drifted away and realize you’re a long way from where you want to be, God hasn’t given up on you. Cry out to Him. Turn back to Him. Confess to Him all your sins, all your failures, all your doubts, and all your fears. God’s arms are open wide for your return. You see, even if YOU have given up on you, He never will. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Several years ago, I coached a pastor who lived in Australia. He had planted a church there, and I was assigned to help guide him in leading the church to growth and effectiveness. Because Australia is on the other side of the planet, I only visited him once. But we had video calls on Skype twice a month. It seemed so weird to me that I could see him and talk to him in real time, even though he was half a world away. I often told people that I loved talking to him because he assured me that the world wasn’t going to end today. After all, it was already tomorrow there! And the video technology gave me a sense of presence. Even though I was here, I was also there.
God gives us that same assurance in our passage today. He reminds His people that, unlike the local gods who are just idols on the shelf, He is truly present. AND He is very far away. God lets them know that He is both imminent and transcendent. He is right there with them in the midst of all they’re going through. He sees all that they are doing, and there is nothing that is hidden from Him. He is also everywhere they go. There is no mountain they can climb, sea bottom they can swim to, or cave they can hide in that He is not there. He is omniscient and omnipresent. In other words, He is everywhere and knows everything.
Camp on that thought for a few moments today. God is with you at this very moment, no matter what you’re doing or what you are going through. He can’t be blocked from being with you, and you can’t be hidden from Him. All those places you’re going to go today? He’s already there. Since His Presence fills the earth, He will be there waiting for you when you arrive. He’s Here. And He’s There.
Those prayers you are praying? He’s right there beside you, listening carefully to every word. Because He is also All-Knowing, He even hears the cries of your heart you can’t find words for. And those people you are praying for? He’s already with them. As you pray for Him to be with them with His grace and healing and power, He is already there. And He is ministering to them in response to your petition.
He’s an Amazing God, isn’t He? He hears, He sees, He knows. He is fully Here, and He is already There. Even if it’s the other side of the world. And He doesn’t need Skype or FaceTime to accomplish it! That’s God’s Word for you today.

I love this passage of scripture! It is not only a prophecy about the coming of Christ, but it also reminds us of an incredible truth. God is STILL doing miracles! The people of Jeremiah’s day always looked back in history to identify the great works of God. How God led them out of Egypt. How God guided them through the wilderness. How God led them across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land.
But this passage tells them about what He IS doing and is going to do. Despite God’s warnings, the people will be overcome and taken into exile as a result of their sin. They will suffer more than they’ve ever known. But God will not abandon them. He will soften the hearts of those over them and bring them back to the land that He gave them. It will be more than just a miracle of God’s grace and restoration. It will become a new point of reference to God’s power and sovereignty. They won’t have to look back to the “olden days” to see God. They’ll be given a New Miracle that all future generations can see.
God is still at work! Can you see it? Many of us can look back and see the things He did for us long ago, but can you see the miracles He’s done recently? Yesterday, as I walked and prayed, before I asked God for all the ways I needed His help, I began to thank Him for all that I’ve seen Him do. I thanked Him for His great grace for the years long behind me, but then I began to name and thank Him for all the ways I’ve seen Him work in RECENT years. It hit me hard how active God’s Hand has been. Not because I deserve it, but simply because of how GOOD God is!
I challenge you today to think of how you’ve seen God work in THESE days. Let your mind remember the answers to prayer that you’ve seen, the doors and opportunities that have opened, and the healings that have happened. God just wasn’t at work in the days long behind us. Though we are thankful for the great works of God in the past, let’s thank Him for the great works He’s doing and WILL do! God is STILL doing miracles!! That’s God’s Word for you today.

Today, I have been working on my sermon for next Sunday on Self-Control. It’s the last message in my series on the Fruit of the Spirit. What’s interesting is that as I was working on it, I realized the term “self-control” is really a bit misleading. The “self-control” that Paul is talking about in Galatians 5 is actually surrendering to “God-control” in every area of our lives. It’s not us having more willpower. It’s recognizing we need more of HIS power! That’s why Paul prefaces the list of the fruit of the Spirit with this statement, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives…” We need His strength, not more of our own.
I thought about that as I read our passage today. Jeremiah prophesies here about the coming of Jesus. He will be the King whom Israel and Judah long for. He is The One who can do what no other king has done. He will be the Good Shepherd. He will be Just and Right and Good. And He will be our Savior. What a beautiful prophecy about our Lord.
But I want you to catch His Name. “The Lord Is Our Righteousness.” In other words, Jesus is not only the vehicle through which we are made right before God, but He is also the Only One through whom we can LIVE righteously before God. I am not saved because of anything I’ve done. I am saved only by putting faith in what Jesus has done for me! Likewise, I can’t live a righteous life. No matter how much I desire to do right, to be obedient, or to exercise self-control, I can’t. But Jesus can! Just as He has erased my sinful past, He can live victoriously through me each day as I stay humble and surrendered to Him. I am not a righteous man. But I AM wrapped in the robes of my Righteous King! To Him be all the glory!!
Soak this in today. You who have been beating yourself up because you “just can’t get it right,” hear me. You never will. You can never make yourself righteous enough before God or yourself. But the good news is that you don’t have to! This Righteous King, of whom Jeremiah prophesied about, has come to do what you cannot. Surrender your heart and your past to Him. HE will make you righteous. Surrender your life and yourself daily to Him and to the control of His Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus has come, His Spirit lives in us, and HE is “The Lord Our Righteousness”! That’s God’s Word for you today.

There’s an executive I’ve gotten to know who has obtained a fairly high position in his organization. Many people, on the outside looking in, would say that this man is successful. But what’s interesting is that as I’ve talked to other people in his organization, no one seems to like him. Most regard him as rude and a bit obnoxious. Others have said that he is a bit of a bully. Still others have claimed that he takes credit for other people’s work. Would you call that “success”?
God points out to King Jehoiakim that there’s more to success than power and money. Jehoiakim was trying to build a great palace for himself. He wanted to be known as a great king. But he thought only of himself and treated his workers and his people like dirt. He not only didn’t follow the Lord, but he was also unjust and unfair in his dealings with others. Nobody liked him. And God wasn’t happy.
God uses Jehoiakim’s father, Josiah, as an example of what a successful person really looks like. Josiah was obviously wealthy as a king, but he wasn’t greedy. He was content with what he had and was grateful for God’s blessings. He was a just king. He was a fair king. He was humble before God and generous with those in need. People loved King Josiah. They not only obeyed him, they respected him. And God was pleased with Josiah.
So, what is success? Success is being faithful to God and grateful for what He blesses you with. It is also having the love and respect of the people who know you the best. Having a corner office and a high income is nice, but is it really worth it if everyone thinks you’re a jerk? Is it truly worth it to climb the ladder to the top, but then get to the end and not hear the words, “Well done,” from the Lord? Be a Josiah, not Jehoiakim. Success is not what you achieve. It’s who you ARE. And it’s who God made you to be! That’s God’s Word for you today.

Do you like rollercoasters? I’ve found that I like them less the older I’ve gotten. My body doesn’t react as well to zooming up and down and being tossed side to side anymore. Call me an old fuddy duddy, but paying $50 to get on rides that make me throw up isn’t my idea of “fun.” Can I get an “Amen?”
Our emotions can be a rollercoaster. Jeremiah discovered that. It was “high” to know that God had called him to be a prophet to the people. In fact, it was probably overwhelming. But there were also deep lows that Jeremiah experienced. People rejected him. He got thrown in jail. He got sneered at and ridiculed. Our passage today shows the rollercoaster ride Jeremiah was on. He praises God in one verse and curses the day he was born in the next. When I read it, I laughed and thought to myself, “My friend, you need a therapist!”
But truthfully, we ALL experience that rollercoaster in our walk of faith. There are days when we feel God near and days when He seems a million miles away. There are miracles that we witness that blow our minds, and then times when God doesn’t answer that leave us brokenhearted. There are times we feel invincible and unstoppable in our walk with God. There are other times we feel powerless and weak. Up, down, back, and forth. For some of us, the highs and lows are higher and deeper, and maybe even more frequent. But the rollercoaster of emotions takes all of us for a ride eventually.
But our emotions don’t change the truth. They only change how we FEEL. God isn’t any closer when we’re “high” or further away when we’re “low.” He’s right here, right now, every minute of every day. We’re not more loved by God when He performs miracles than we are when He says, “No,” to us. Just like we don’t love our children more on Christmas morning with all the gifts than we do when we make them sit in “time out.” And the rollercoaster of emotions doesn’t change the fact that God is still on His Throne.
One last thing. God gave us these emotions, so He understands them. So it’s okay to shout, sing, or jump up and down when you’re on a high and you’re filled with joy. God gets it. But it’s also okay when you’re sad, disappointed, and brokenhearted. God gets that, too. Either way, God understands the ride you’re on and is right there beside you in that car through every mountain and valley. Just remember this one thing: The ride doesn’t change who He is, who you are, or what you mean to Him. He is still God, and He is still on His Throne. You are still His Child, and you are loved, whether you’re happy with Him or mad at Him. So wherever you are on this rollercoaster today, just keep holding onto God. Faith is not about feeling. It’s about believing. It’s about trusting. And it’s about staying committed. Regardless of what part of the ride you’re on. That’s God’s Word for you today.

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” - Matthew 11:29 (NLT)

Last night, I watched a video of a guy who had been in my youth group preaching a message at a church in Texas. It was so cool seeing the man of God the Lord had made out of him. As he preached, he shared a message that was actually on a topic he had called me about some weeks ago. In his personal Bible study, God had moved his heart about the need for repentance in the lives of believers, and not just confession. On the phone, he talked about how it seemed that God had been bringing this topic up in conversation after conversation. Now he had the opportunity to preach it to a whole audience of people. Though he knew some people didn’t really want to hear about repentance, he couldn’t help it. Like Jeremiah, it was the “fire” in his bones that he just had to get out. And he was “cooking!”
What’s the fire in your bones? What is it that God has prompted in you that you just can’t seem to get away from? For some people, it’s a deep sense of calling. There are many stories of individuals who walked away from jobs or opportunities that were quite lucrative to engage in ministry that paid them little to nothing. Still other people started down paths of one vocational career, only to have God redirect them to a different path altogether. Some of you right now are nodding your heads because this is YOUR story. When someone asks you why you’re doing what you’re doing, your reply is, “God put me here.” You know this is what you have to do.
One of the discoveries Jeremiah made was that letting that fire out didn’t mean you would get lots of applause or positive responses. In this section of scripture, Jeremiah actually argues with God because he’s being harassed for being a prophet. But God simply calls us to obedience and faithfulness. We are to then trust Him with the outcomes and results. Getting focused on outward affirmation only leads to pride or depression. Let the fire out and then leave it with God.
So I ask you again. What’s the fire in YOUR bones? What’s God put in you that you need to let out? What gifts have you been burying? What passions have you been squelching? What nudges of the Holy Spirit have you been avoiding? Is it a ministry you know you’re called to do? Is it a book you know you’re called to write? Is it a testimony you know you’re called to share? Don’t hold back on what God wants to do in you and through you. When God sets your bones on fire, let it OUT! That’s God’s Word for you today.

My wife and I just took care of our oldest granddaughter for 12 days. With her autism, it’s no small task. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a wonderful picture of innocence. At almost 18, she has the mind and reasoning of a small child. She delights in cartoons, drawing, playing “dress up”, and loves chasing rabbits. She’s two-legged cuteness. That is, about 90% of the time.
She is also sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. She’ll wait until you’re out of the room or not paying attention, and then she’ll slip into the kitchen and get something out of the refrigerator or pantry that she’s not allowed to have. When she leaves to go home, she is always trying to steal some of Wanda’s knick-knacks, jewelry, or anything else that catches her eye. We have to conduct a TSA-style checkpoint at the door and make her empty her pockets, purse, and backpack, just to ensure she’s not robbing us blind. She seems as innocent as can be, but make no mistake. She’s as deceptive as the best of them!
But that’s the story for all of us, isn’t it? God reminds us in our passage today that “the human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.” In other words, we’re all masters at deception. Especially when it comes to deceiving ourselves. It goes all the way back to the Garden. Adam and Eve deceived themselves about the consequences of eating the forbidden fruit. Abraham thought he could get away with lying about Sarah being his sister. Moses thought he could get away with murder. It’s not hard for us to rationalize and justify our actions, words, or attitudes. Small things and big, our hearts can be unbelievably deceitful.
But God reminds us also that He KNOWS our hearts. We may fool others and ourselves, but we can never fool God. That’s why it’s important for us to invite God not only to know our hearts, but to expose our hearts to us that we might see ourselves as He does. That was the intent behind David’s words in Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” When God helps us see what He sees, the deception ends. We live in truth. And the truth sets us free. Let’s do a TSA check with God today. Let’s open all the pockets and backpacks of our hearts and ask Him to help us see what He already knows. Don’t let your heart fool you. It may appear innocent, but it’s more deceptive than you know! That’s God’s Word for you today.

My father was a man of unwavering faith. Not the “God-is-going-to-give-me-everything-I-ask-for” kind of faith. But the kind of faith that stays strong and committed, no matter what is going on. I think he got that faith from his father.
My grandfather worked in a factory but also traveled around the Ohio area preaching in churches. One time he was asked to preach a week-long revival at a church several miles away. He agreed to do it, but he wasn’t sure the car would make it. The U-joints were going out, and he knew the car could break down any day. So he asked my father and some of the other sons to gather around the car with him. They laid their hands on the car, and my grandfather prayed that God would hold the car together until the revival was over, and he could get it fixed.
My grandfather drove back and forth each night, faithfully fulfilling his commitment to the church. On the last night of the revival, he drove the car home, pulled it up into the yard, and when he turned it off, the transmission fell off and onto the ground. God did EXACTLY what my grandfather had prayed for.
My grandfather trusted in God. As Jeremiah says in our passage today, he made the Lord his “hope and confidence.” He had no confidence in the car; he knew it was about to break down. But he had complete confidence that if God had called him to do this revival, then God could see him through. And He did.
How about YOU? Is God your “hope and confidence?” Do you trust the Lord, fully and completely, with everything? Many people waver at the first sign of trouble. When things get hard, some people complain and wonder where God is. But people who are rooted are immovable. They trust God in bad times as well as good, and in lean times, as well as in times of plenty. Rooted people have a depth to their faith that reaches all the way to reservoirs of God. Hard times, tough situations, and broken-down cars can’t make them throw in the towel. Their fruit just keeps on growing no matter what. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Some years ago, I had a friend who was really sharp. He had a great mind and, as an engineer, developed some pretty cool stuff. He was also a committed Christian, husband, father, and leader in the church. But something happened. Maybe it was the success. Maybe it was the desire for greater success. Or maybe he just got blinded to what was really important. Whatever it was, he lost his grip. He lost his grip on God. He lost his grip on his values. He lost his grip on his family. He lost his grip on the most important things in life and chased after the other “gods” this world entices us with. Wanting to “have it all,” he lost it all. For those of us who loved him, it was absolutely devastating.
That’s the heartbreaking warning God gives Judah in our passage today. God had a future for them. He had a land that “flowed with milk and honey” that was theirs. They had the promise of God’s protection and blessing upon them. They had a special relationship with God, unlike any people anywhere in the world. Then they lost their grip.
They stopped chasing after God. They stopped remembering all He had done for them. They lost their grip on the commitments they had made to Him. They lost their grip on the ingredients of living a blessed life. They let go of their grip on their covenant with the Almighty to become like the people in the lands around them. In doing so, they let God’s Promises and Blessings slip right out of their hands. It was incredibly foolish and horribly sad.
How’s YOUR grip? I’ve discovered that we don’t usually throw things aside that are important quickly. We just get busy, distracted, or drawn away a little bit each day. We slowly stop spending time with God in His Word, in prayer, and in worship. We slowly become more obsessed with our jobs, our hobbies, our interests, or other people, rather than our spouse or our family. We become more excited about being “liked” by a particular crowd than being favored by God. Most of us usually don’t just abruptly toss aside what we call our priorities. We just let them slide out of our hands. Get a grip.
Take a moment today to ask yourself the question, “What is really important to me?” Then ask this follow-up question. “Am I giving these important things the time, attention, love, and care that they require?” If you’re honest, you may find that you’re not holding on as tightly to some of these things as you once were. If so, take a moment to ask God to help you renew your commitment to the things that really matter. Don’t wait until you lose it all to wake up to what’s really important in life. Get a grip. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Have you ever felt all alone in the middle of a crowd? Have you ever felt as if you were going through something, and there was no one who really “gets” you or understands what you’re dealing with? Have you ever felt as if you’re on a shore watching a tsunami roll straight at you, and there was nothing you could do?
Welcome to Jeremiah’s world. God’s telling Jeremiah about what’s going to happen to his people. He gives Jeremiah the task of warning everyone. The problem is that no one is listening! Instead of repenting, the people turn on Jeremiah like they turned on God! Jeremiah is confused, frustrated, scared, and overwhelmed. He knows his world and the world of his people is about to get turned upside down. And there is nothing he can do about it. It’s no wonder Jeremiah is known as the “Weeping Prophet.” It was enough to depress anyone.
But as God gives Jeremiah a glimpse of His plan and his people’s ultimate deliverance, Jeremiah has an important, faith-filled realization: he’s NOT alone. It’s not HE who is fighting this uphill battle. It’s he and THE LORD! He is not the one who has to convince the people. GOD does! He wells up with faith as he realizes that God is WITH him, God is FOR him, and that God will ultimately accomplish His purposes. So, in the midst of all his struggles, he makes this incredible declaration of faith. “LORD, you are my strength and fortress, my refuge in the day of trouble!”
There’s a worship song called “Surrounded” that states this truth so clearly. It says, “It may look like I’m surrounded, but I’m surrounded by You!” It may LOOK bleak, but it’s not. It might FEEL as if you won’t make it, but you will. It might be more than you can handle, but it’s not more than GOD can handle. You might have problems all around you, but God has all your problems surrounded by His power and might!
Breathe this in today. Embed this truth in your heart and mind. Whatever you’re facing, whatever you’re going through, whatever trouble you have, God has you surrounded. He will be your strength to endure. He will be your fortress of protection. He will be your refuge of rest. Cry out to Him. Lean upon Him. Praise Him! You are SURROUNDED by the Great Love of God! That’s God’s Word for you today.

I had the privilege of praying with a few different people today at church. One of those I prayed with is facing a potentially tough situation. Only time will tell how challenging it’s going to be. So I prayed for God’s Hand upon them. I prayed for wisdom and discernment. I prayed for God to open the doors needed for them. I prayed that God would give them strength and faith for the journey. But I did one more thing. I thanked God in advance for His healing, deliverance, provision, and for seeing them through victoriously.
Please hear my heart. I am not a “name it and claim it” believer. I have no idea what is going to happen in this circumstance or what difficulty this person may incur. I’m not even saying that it’s going to work out the way that they want. But what I do know is this: God loves them more than they can ever imagine and that He WILL see them through. He will not abandon them. He will not leave them on their own. But whether or not the outcome is what they want, I know that God holds them in His Hand and will work in it and through it. And for that, I can thank God in advance for His goodness, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. He is a good, good God. And that’s true whether we get our way or not. Does that make sense to you?
God gives Jeremiah a glimpse of that in our passage today. The people are about to suffer for their disobedience. They are going to suffer in many ways and even be taken into captivity. But God tells Jeremiah in advance something the people would never be able to understand. He’s going to bring them back. Despite their disobedience, He’s not going to abandon them. At the right time, His grace, mercy, and power will prevail.
This should be a great encouragement to you today. I’m not going to tell you that every prayer you pray is going to be answered the way you want. It won’t. But I am going to tell you that regardless of whether it works out the way you want it or not, God is with you. You may suffer. You may struggle. You may grieve. You may have to walk down a road harder than any you’ve had to walk down before. But put it all in God’s Hands. He will be with you. He will give you strength. He will be beside you every step of the way. Regardless of what happens, God will be working and going ahead of you. You may not see His Hand every day of this journey, but one day you will. So thank Him in advance for what you may only know looking back. He is a good, good God. That’s God’s Word for you today.

In John 17, in His prayer for us, Jesus asks the Father to help us be “in the world, but not of the world.” That life, as Jeremiah found out, is not easy to live. As Jeremiah acts as God’s spokesperson, he gets rejected, persecuted, and ridiculed. It wasn’t the kind of response he was expecting. Not from the people, and not from God.
I’m sure that Jeremiah believed that, as “the man of God,” people would respect him. Maybe even fear him. But instead, the people turned on him. His ministry among them was like trying to plow in concrete. Their hearts were hardened beyond penetration. Jeremiah was depressed and exhausted.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, Jeremiah became disillusioned with God. It seemed as if God had abandoned him. He didn’t feel heard. He didn’t feel protected. Where was the blessing of God? Where was the reward for obedience?
The result was that Jeremiah’s attitude began to become more like the people of Judah. He started to doubt. He started to become angry. Jeremiah began to wonder if this walk of faith was worth it all. Wouldn’t it be easier to just “fit in” and be liked than to keep banging his head against the wall? Jeremiah was beginning to become like the world he was trying to get the people to leave. That’s why we hear God calling him back in our passage today. “You must influence them; do not let them influence you!” This was Jeremiah’s recommissioning. It was a reminder of who he was and what he was called to do.
That’s a powerful word to all of us today. And it’s an important question for us to ask ourselves. Who is influencing whom? God calls us to be salt and light. He calls us to be “friends of sinners” just as He was on this earth. But we are to draw them heavenward, not allow them to draw us more into the world. Let’s not let our attitudes become like theirs. Let’s not let our language, our behavior, or our values become like those we are trying to lead to a higher place. As we go out into the world today, let’s be IN the world, but not OF the world. Let’s make sure we’re influencing them and not them influencing us. That’s God’s Word for you today.

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” – Psalm 36:5 (NIV)

The last few days, it has POURED down rain. I’m talking street-flooding, streams-overflowing, an umbrella-won’t-help-you kind of rain. Funny thing is, it was only a week ago or so when we were talking about how hot it was and how much we NEEDED the rain. It’s like Mark Twain said. “Everybody talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it!” All you can do is wait.
As Jeremiah cries out to God on behalf of the people, he acknowledges that they are in that same situation. Idols can’t help them. Rituals and sacrifices won’t change anything. Running around, yelling, screaming, and panicking won’t bring one drop of rain either. Nor will any of those stop what’s coming. God is their only help. And all they can do is wait on Him.
Waiting on God. Have you ever been there? Maybe you’re there right now. Maybe you’re stuck in a situation where you’ve done all you can do, and you’re out of options and ideas. Maybe you’re dealing with a health issue, a financial issue, or a relational issue, and it seems nothing can be done. It seems God is the only one who can help you. And now you’re waiting on Him.
Waiting is a hard place to be, but it is also a unique opportunity. There are many things you can do while you’re waiting, but some of them may be things you don’t want to do. First of all, you can repent. I’m not saying that sin is the cause of your problems, but it was for Judah. Repenting was what God wanted, but what they refused to do. Waiting on God provides us a perfect opportunity to sit with Him, allow Him to expose our hearts and lives to us, and to show us anything we need to confess before Him. When we’re waiting, repentance seems a good place to start.
We can pray. And not just “When you gonna get this done, God?” kind of prayers. Prayers of surrender. Prayers of seeking God’s heart. Prayers that acknowledge God’s faithfulness in the past and tell Him we trust Him with our future. You know, “Not my will, but YOUR will be done,” kind of prayers. You can also stand on His Promises. Recite or read scriptures of God’s promises of help and deliverance. Commit to memory those scriptures that tell of His great love for you. Prayers, promises, and praising Him seem a much better way to wait than pouting and panicking.
When all you can do is wait, don’t waste your waiting time. Use it to draw closer to God rather than pulling away. Use it to increase your faith rather than feed your fears. Use your waiting room to get BETTER, not BITTER. The rain will come, the healing will come, the deliverance will come—but in God’s time, not yours. Trust me, when all you can do is wait, worshipping is a whole lot better than whining. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Not every prophet is a prophet. Not everyone who says they are speaking for God is actually speaking for God. That’s the point God makes here with Jeremiah. And it’s an important one.
Through the many years of ministry, I’ve had several people come to me along the way with a “word from God.” At first, it intimidated me. I thought maybe these people had some kind of hotline to God that I didn’t have. What I discovered was that people say these kinds of things for a variety of reasons. Some come making claims because they don’t know how to have an open, honest conversation about how they’re feeling or what they’re thinking. Plugging God’s name in lets them off the hook. “It’s not me, it’s God.”
Other people use God’s name as a control/manipulation technique. Instead of presenting something or taking a stand against something, they play the God card. After all, how do you argue with them if it’s God’s idea? Still other people, who falsely speak for God, do so out of a need for significance or recognition. Speaking for God gives them a feeling of super-spirituality or helps them feel as if they are more respected or admired.
Having to deal with a good bit of this along the way began to annoy me, rather than intimidate me. I developed a tendency to simply ignore, pull away, or even push back on such people. Then God showed me something I needed to see. Though He doesn’t speak through EVERYONE who claims He is, He does speak through some people to me. So instead of just writing every “prophet” off as a kook or control freak, I’ve tried to take a different approach. “Let me pray about that.” I’ve discovered that if God really is trying to say something to me and my heart is open to receive it, He can confirm His Voice in more than one way. I’ve found that when I take time to check it out, God lets me know.
John 4:1 says, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.” That’s a good word for us. God uses good, wise people along our path to help guide us, correct us, and challenge us. And we need to be open to them. But we also need to remember that not everyone who claims to be a "prophet” is a prophet. Don’t be afraid to test it to make sure it’s from God. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Sometime ago, I read a story about a man named Danny whose life had been completely taken over by drugs. When bounty hunters found him (he had four felony warrants for his arrest), he was living under an I-40 overpass. He was addicted to heroin and weighed 92 pounds. He had accepted that this was how he was going to die. He had resigned himself to the fact that he could never change. The habit had its hooks in him too deeply.
But instead of taking him to jail, where he would have died, the bounty hunters took him to a hospital, where he spent two weeks in detox. After detox, his parents met him at the hospital and convinced him to go to a local recovery organization called Hope Is Alive. It was there that Danny began not only hearing about the process that is necessary to confront our addictions, but he also heard about Jesus. Danny knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could never overcome his addiction on his own. But he learned that Jesus, the One True Higher Power, could. Danny surrendered his life to Christ.
Danny continued in his recovery, grew in his faith, and secured a job with Panera Bread. His managers saw his work ethic and character and decided he was worth investing in. They helped him with a scholarship to college. He graduated with a 4.0 in his program. Danny credits his radical change of life entirely to Jesus. In his own words, Danny said, “This was all God. There’s no explanation for it. It was a miracle.”
Jeremiah quotes an old proverb in our passage today that basically says, “People don’t change.” And he’s right. People, left to themselves and their own devices, pretty much stay exactly as they are. But God DOES change people. Had Judah surrendered to God as Danny did, God could have changed them just like He did Danny. God’s not interested in changing spots or skin, but He IS in the business of changing hearts and lives. Just give Him a chance. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Years ago, I heard a wise pastor say something that has always stuck with me. He said, “If you can’t preach a message of chastisement to your congregation with a broken heart, then you shouldn’t preach it.” He was speaking to the point of how many pastors use the pulpit as a “whipping post” for their congregations. His point was that the disobedience, failures, or shortcomings of people should lead us to places of sadness, not anger and bitterness. It’s an important lesson for all of us.
You see, we often make other people’s issues about US. When a congregation isn’t doing what we, as pastors, want them to do, it can bring out our control issues, our pride, or our need to be right. But instead of being sorrowful because we’re concerned about what we believe to be their disobedience to God, or the hindrance to God’s vision for the church, or the lost souls that will not be saved, or the hurt it’ll cause to themselves or others in the church, we personalize it. We become mad rather than sad. And it comes out that way.
The same is true with parenting, mentoring, or trying to help people we’re close to. When those we’re trying to guide don’t take our advice, or they make choices that we know are not good ones, we often respond with harshness, criticism, or a lecture. What’s funny is that often, in our anger, we’ll bail them out or spare them the consequences of what would happen. Our false belief is that somehow this will give us “control” or make them feel obligated to us to do what we tell them to do. Usually, it doesn’t. Which only makes us angrier. Again, we’ve become mad, not sad.
Notice in our passage today how Jeremiah appeals to his people. As he warns them of God’s impending judgment if they don’t turn around, he says, “I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears.” Do you hear his sadness? Jeremiah’s heart is a great model for us as we lead, guide, teach, pastor, parent, and mentor. Let’s not make other people’s “stuff” about us. Let’s lead them with the character and compassion of God. Let’s ask God to help us be brokenhearted, not bitter. That’s God’s Word for you today.

A few years back, a couple of buddies in Great Britain hit the jackpot. They won almost five and a half million dollars in the lottery! You would think that people would be happy for two friends having such a stroke of good luck. But they weren’t. People were upset. These two “buddies” were actually a couple of career criminals who met in prison, then won the lottery while out on parole. If anyone DIDN’T deserve good fortune like this, it was them. It just didn’t seem fair.
Does it ever really annoy you when good things happen to bad people? It did Jeremiah. People in his hometown are threatening him for speaking God’s truth. He’s being persecuted, bullied, and abused. Meanwhile, the hypocrites who are causing him so much harm seem to keep on prospering. It was frustrating Jeremiah to death.
But Jeremiah was making the same mistake we often make. We take the short view rather than the long view. We want immediate reward and justice. God wants us to trust the process. Yes, those who are evil will win some battles. Yes, those who are unjust and ungodly will sometimes gain some ground and get ahead. Yes, those who seek God wholeheartedly will experience times of disappointment, heartache, and even defeat. It’s the way of things in this world. However, evil having moments of triumph doesn’t mean it will ultimately prevail. It won’t. And just because some people seem to escape justice now, it doesn’t mean that justice won’t eventually occur. It will. What Jeremiah has to trust, and what we have to hold onto, is that God is at work and He will make all things right in His time. Trust His timing. Trust His Sovereignty. Trust His Grace and His Justice.
Remember those two criminals who won the lottery? Turns out they bought that winning lottery ticket with an ATM card that they had stolen from someone. Instead of receiving a couple of million dollars each, they both got sentenced to prison again and had to forfeit their winnings. Shortcuts never pay off in the long run, and justice will ultimately prevail. In this life or in the next. Take the long view. That’s God’s Word for you today.

It’s funny how verses like this, which are so straightforward on the surface, can hit you between the eyes when you sit with it for a moment or two. Reading it today caused me to reflect on the whole idea of covenants—and how easy it is to not live by them. Marriage is a good example of that. At a wedding ceremony, we make these covenants to “love, honor, and cherish.” All you married people out there, think about those words for a moment or two. Are you truly loving your spouse with the “agape” love that you committed to? Because that kind of love means to put the other person first. It means “to be patient, kind, and not keep a record of wrongs.” Are you loving them that way?
Or how about to “honor” them. That means to hold them in high esteem. The sense of that word is to regard them as though they were royalty. It means you speak honoring words to them, and not words that degrade them, hurt them, or belittle them. It means to treat them with the utmost respect. Be honest for a moment. For many of us, if we talked to our boss like we talk to our spouse, we’d be fired. Honoring is part of our covenant.
To “cherish” is another piece of the covenant. That speaks to the idea of valuing. To cherish someone is to treat them as something precious, priceless, and irreplaceable. How are you doing with that one?
God tells Jeremiah to remind the people that they have entered into a covenant with Him, just like He has entered into a covenant with them. He has been completely faithful in living up to His part of the covenant. They have not. They’ve forgotten what they have committed themselves to. Time to remember.
The same is true with us. Just like we entered into a marriage covenant with our spouse, we entered into one with God as well. As Christians, we commit to love Him, seek Him wholeheartedly, and obey Him in all things. And though none of us do that perfectly, we probably all need to be reminded from time to time of what our part in the covenant is because we tend to forget. Oh yeah, and if you’re wondering what God’s part in the covenant is, it was dying on a cross to pay the penalty for our sin. And He promises to never leave us or forsake us. God’s living up to His part of the covenant. How are YOU doing? That’s God’s Word for you today.

My grandson is learning to drive. I can’t even begin to tell you how scary that is! But I imagine people thought that about me when I was learning to drive. In fact, my wife says that I’m scary NOW! Point taken. Learning to drive can be overwhelming. When you first get behind the wheel, it seems as if there are way too many things to remember. Adjust the seat. Put on your seat belt. Check your mirrors. Check your indicator lights for any trouble. Check your gas. Make sure your passengers have their seat belts on. Put your foot on the brake. Start the car. Check for pedestrians. Check for traffic. Put the car in Drive. All of that and you haven’t even made a move yet. Now comes the thousand things you have to remember WHILE you’re driving!
Remember learning all that? That’s why it’s important to have someone teaching you who is patient and gentle. If you were taught by a yelling parent or teacher, you understand this completely. The last thing you need when you’re already panicked behind the wheel is someone screaming at you. You need someone to teach you, yes. You need someone to guide you, yes. You need someone who takes note of what you’re not doing the way you should and corrects you, yes. What you DON’T need is someone who is more panicked and emotional than YOU!
That’s why I love Jeremiah’s prayer in our passage today. First of all, he humbly acknowledges that we are only stewards of this life, and not owners. “Our lives are not our own.” Wow. How different we would live if we truly lived out of that truth. We belong to Him. Then Jeremiah makes a great confession. “We are not able to plan our own course.” Like the new driver who knows how ignorant they are, Jeremiah admits to God that we need a Teacher, a Guide, a Lord to lead us. Lastly, Jeremiah surrenders to God’s correction, seeking His Grace in the process. “So correct me, LORD, but please be gentle.” Thankfully, for Jeremiah, God is a gracious and gentle Shepherd. He corrects with patience and kindness. His rod is His last resort, not His first option in keeping us on the path.
Jeremiah’s prayer is a good one for us to begin the day. Can I lead us in it? “I am Yours, Lord. My life belongs to You and is in Your Hand. Help me to be a good steward of this day and all that it holds. Guide me, Lord. Let me not wander off on my own paths or seek after my own way. I am lost without You. Correct me, Lord. Let me hear the gentle whispers of Your Spirit as you nudge me throughout the day. Let me feel Your gentle, guiding Hand upon my shoulder. My desire is to do Your Will, Father. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.” That’s God’s Word for you today.