THE LORD SPOKE (October 31)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 49-50

The noose was tightening. Israel got her 40+ chapters in Jeremiah’s book already but now she watches as the surrounding nations are picked off one by one:

• Egypt (46:1-28)
• Philistia (47:1-7)
• Moab (48:1-47)
• Ammon (49:1-6)
• Edom (49:7-22)
• Damascus (49:23-27)
• Kedar & Hazor (49:28-33)
• Elam (49:34-39)

[drumroll...]

• Babylon (50:1 - 51:64)

Two whole chapters! The best (in this case, the worst, for Babylon) was saved for last. Gloating aside, didn’t they deserve it?

Israel was hardly in a position to find much comfort in her arch-enemy’s fall but God did sandwich in one of the greatest promises yet made to Israel. Take a look at Jeremiah 50:4-5...

“In those days, at that time,” declares the Lord,
“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together
will go in tears to seek the Lord their God.
They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it.
They will come and bind themselves to the Lord
in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.”

What a promise. After so much misery and so many forgotten covenant promises, the people of Israel would finally bind themselves to the Lord. How many tears had they already shed? But now, they would seek the Lord through those tears and, just like the merciful God that He is, He would take them back.

How about you? Are you tired of fighting against God’s way for you? Are you ready to “let go, and let God”?

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

Just as I am - Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve.
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!


Psalms 89-90

Establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands. (Ps. 90:17)

Every man is concerned about “what they’ll think when I’m gone”. We’re properly thoughtful about our legacy. While we know that our life is but a vapor, we still want our existence to have some significance.

For what do we live? What meaning or purpose is served by our life on earth? There is some value in physical building. If “the work of our hands” entails construction and there is some physical structure left behind, people will see and know that.

Or, will they? Buildings crumble and are eventually torn down. Or they’re remodeled and changed from their original purpose or use. Someone else comes along and the past is quickly forgotten. Even if a person’s name is put on a building, the person is frequently forgotten in one generation. As great as it might be, is that the sum total of what you want your life to produce? a building?

This psalm is identified as a prayer of Moses. What buildings did Moses leave behind? We can’t even identify his grave site. It’s not like they didn’t know how to build back then. As prince of Egypt, Moses could have left us another pyramid. Aren’t you glad he didn’t? Aren’t you glad he chose rather to leave a legacy of spiritual brick-laying that lasts right down to our own day? Aren’t you glad “he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” (Heb. 11:25)?

The writer to the Hebrews tells us that Moses did this because “he was looking ahead to his reward” (Heb. 11:26). And so he built carefully into the lives of two whole generations of Israelites. The first generation failed miserably and all died in the desert. But out of that tumbleweed came the seeds of a mighty nation of chosen people. Yes, many of the second generation failed also. But there is today a continuing Jewish race and a people back in the Land of Israel because of Moses’ good work.

Of course, it was God who did it. But he did it through a man. Many others followed Moses but they all have looked back to him, read his words, and followed his example. The favor of the Lord “rested upon him” and God established the work of his hands.

Is that your prayer today?

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

THE LORD SPOKE (October 30)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 45-48

Jeremiah 48:10 - A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!

In our grandparents’ day there was more talk of a “work ethic”. It was something that was drilled into you. The importance of a job well done came from a high standard. We’ve lost a lot of that in recent years in America. Our gimme-gimme society is more concerned with the bottom line than in how you got there. Our own work quality has suffered - never mind God’s work.

But God has high standards. He expects our best. Laxness in doing the Lord’s work is unacceptable. In what ways might we be lax in our work for Him?

1. no work - allowing it to go undone or just not taking it seriously
2. poor quality work - doing it sloppily
3. half-hearted work - not motivated or passionate about His cause
4. rushed work - last-minute or un-planned timing
5. too much work - taking on more than you can handle adequately
6. work in the flesh - trying to bull your own way through
7. work for the wrong motives - personal gain or glory
8. unfinished work - maybe started well but lacked follow-through

Any of the above would constitute laxness in the Lord’s work. Let it never be. Make a commitment to give of your best to the Master. Consider the following Scriptures:

Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto man. (Colossians 3:23)

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)

When we have done all these things let us say, “We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do. (Luke 17:10)

Work for the night is coming when no man can work. (John 9:4)

Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)


Psalms 87-88

Is God a Zionist? “Zionism” is both hard to define and yet a very simple concept. Skipping, for a moment, the modern political movement, “Zionism” may be defined as “a love for Zionism”.

The name “Zion” is found for the first time in Scripture in II Samuel 5:7 when David captured a fortress of that name belonging to the Jebusites. That little southeastern hill became the nucleus of Jerusalem and, as the City of David expanded, “Zion” was one of its favorite monikers. From the original fortress the name expanded to include not only the whole city but the very concept of going up to Jerusalem. “We’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God” has even found its way into modern Christian hymnody.

When Theodor Herzl convened the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland in 1897, he succeeded in drawing together a broad range of “Zionists” from across the religious and political spectrum. Though there have been many variations on the theme and even some serious splits, the fundamental idea has remained the same: the land of Zion belongs to the Jewish people. The modern political movement may be defined as the organized effort in the historical aspirations of the Jewish people to reconstitute itself as a political, economic, religious, and cultural entity in its ancient homeland.

So now we’re back to the initial question: Is God a Zionist? Since it was He who began the concept, it’s pretty easy to provide an answer. Ever since the original promises to Abraham, God has given the Land to his descendants forever (see Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 15:18; 17:8; 23:18; 24:7; 26:3-4; 35:12; 48:4; 50:24 - and that’s just Genesis!). God took special care to repeat this promise throughout the Old Testament - it’s found in one form or another in nearly every book.

Yes, God loves Zion (Ps. 87:2) and has made it His dwelling place forever (Ps. 68:16; 76:2). He is Himself “a wall of fire around it” (Zech. 2:5-7) and will certainly fulfill His purpose there through His chosen people. According to all the prophets, Jerusalem will still see some difficult days but ultimately she will be enshrined throughout all eternity as the Holy City - the city set apart for God’s good pleasure.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 29)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 43-44

The charge sheet (Jer. 44:10) contained three items. It stated that...

1. they have not humbled themselves
2. they have not shown reverence
3. they have not followed my law

The proposed punishment was severe. The Judge pronounced (Jer. 44:13) that they would be punished...

1. by the sword
2. by famine
3. by plague

The defendants would “become an object of cursing and horror, of condemnation and reproach” (Jer. 44:12) and would not be allowed to return to their Land (Jer. 44:14).

The plea of the defendants (Jer. 44:16) was defiant. Ugly even. No judge would be tempted to treat them with compassion when their reply is, “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord.”

When the sentence (Jer. 44:11-14) was handed down, there must have been a shocked murmur in the courtroom but nobody could be heard to say, “That’s not fair.” The Judge’s verdict (Jer. 44:26-27) was...

1. not one of you will ever invoke my name again
2. I am watching over you for harm, not for good
3. you will perish by sword and famine until you are all destroyed

The proof (Jer. 44:30) would be a sign. The ruling pharaoh of Egypt would be killed. This is exactly what happened in 570 BC when Hophra was killed by his political rivals.

We too will have our day in court. The charge sheet on each of us probably won’t look much different from the one here in Jeremiah 44. But, “the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s son, cleanses us from all sin”(I John 1:7) so we have a plea bargain option.

What will be your words before the righteous Judge? Will you try to go it alone? Would you be so foolish as to resist? Or, will you trust in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)?


Psalms 85-86

Restore us again, O God our Savior....
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
Grant your strength to your servant....
(Ps. 85:4 & Ps. 86:16)

These two psalms stand back-to-back for a reason. In the compilation of the psalter they were joined, though composed by different men. To be sure, David’s psalms are scattered throughout but most of his 73 psalms are at the beginning of the collection. The theme that links these two is revival of the soul or restoration of the spirit.

We need it, don’t we?! There come times in life that we cry out to God, “show us your unfailing love, O Lord” (Ps. 85:7). Truth be known, those times come very often. Maybe even daily. We have great need of God’s hesed - His loving-kindness, His mercy and grace, His unmerited favor.

So, like the psalmists, our petitions pile up and we make our requests be known with growing urgency:

• restore us again (Ps. 85:4)
• revive us again (Ps. 85:6)
• grant us your salvation (Ps. 85:7)
• hear, O Lord, and answer me (Ps. 86:1)
• guard my life (Ps. 86:2)
• have mercy on me (Ps. 86:3)
• bring joy to your servant (Ps. 86:4)
• teach me your way, O Lord (Ps. 86:11a)
• give me an undivided heart (Ps. 86:11b)

These all build up to the grand finale, “Turn to me and have mercy on me, grant your strength to your servant...give me a sign of your goodness...” (Ps. 86:16-17).

It’s okay to pray that way. Many examples from Scripture could be cited of men and women who called out to God and received an answer. They looked in the right direction and the response was not delayed. They found God to be an ever-present help in time of need. Are you there right now? Pray this prayer and sing this song...

Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Thy word and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.

O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee;
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need;
For blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 28)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 40-42

Jeremiah’s preferred name for the Lord in this chapter is “the LORD, the God of Israel” or “the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel” (see Jer. 42:9,15,18 and continuing usage in the next chapter). But something else is going on here. Notice how, when the Israelites speak to Jeremiah they refer to “the LORD your God” (Jer. 42:2,5) but Jeremiah turns it back to them and says “the LORD your God” (Jer. 42:4). In something of a let’s-get-him-off-our-back attitude, they finally reply “the LORD our God” (Jer. 42:6ff).

But do they mean it? Certainly not. Though Jeremiah reminds them of their promise to “the LORD your God” several more times (Jer. 42:13,20,21) and they respond once more with “the LORD our God” (Jer. 42:20), when push came to shove, “all the people disobeyed the LORD’s command” (Jer. 43:4).

Why do we play games with God? It’s common enough for children raised in a Christian home to not take personal possession of “the God of their fathers”. Indeed, there must sooner or later come a crisis moment when they make that decision for themselves and enter a personal relationship with the Lord. But what’s more worrisome is the older believer who should know better but doesn’t listen or doesn’t respond properly to the Lord in his life.

That rarely comes as a sudden blowout. Usually it starts as a small leak. Some pet sin, probably “small” in itself, is condoned or cherished. We ignore it and slow leaks begin to appear in other areas. Before long, our spiritual life is flat. We no longer have that vital, personal contact with the Lord. He becomes something for church, or something from a previous life, or something distant that doesn’t really matter any more.

What’s the remedy? A daily, devotional walk with the Lord where you seek His face in the Scriptures. Listen to His word. Keep your heart soft to hear when He speaks to you. Pray over the words you’re reading. Ask Him to bring direction to your life through your Bible reading. He promises to do it,

For the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates
even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
it judges the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.
Everything is uncovered and laid bare
before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:12-13

Psalms 83-84

Will it be this way forever? It seems all the world is against Israel. Already 3000 years ago, the enemies surrounded the nation on every side! Psalm 83 lists them: north/south and east/west. They include Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites - Ishmaelites all. They are Philistines, Assyrians, Midianites and Canaanites of every kind.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Today the little nation is still surrounded by enemies on every side. Even those who have so-called “peace agreements” continually aid and abet the others who are arrayed against Israel. Even her friends place great pressure on her. With friends like that, she hardly needs enemies. So the beleaguered nation cries out:

Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,
Like chaff before the wind.
As a fire consumes the forest
Or a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
So pursue them with your tempest
And terrify them with your storm. (Ps. 83:13-15)

Did God do it? Yes, indeed. Not one of those nations still exists, but Israel does. So why does the situation repeat itself today? Because God is not done with Israel. He is still molding that nation to His own purposes. So long as Israel does not submit fully to Him, He is obligated to place enemies on her borders and within who will inflict pain to accomplish God’s purposes. Individuals may repent and prosper but the nation has still to learn the lesson.

The Sons of the Pioneers had an entirely different thought in mind, but their famous song has an interesting application here: See them tumbling down; pledging their love to the ground...drifting along with the tumbling tumbleweeds. The nations are adrift, spiraling downward, and pledged to the Underworld in their opposition to Israel. Israel herself will survive because of God’s eternal covenant with her. But she will continue to suffer so long as her heart is not turned toward God.

And, as it goes with Israel, so it goes with us.

Repent and submit to Him!

THE LORD SPOKE (October 27)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 38-39

“Obey the Lord...then it will go well with you....” (Jeremiah 38:20)

The circumstances under which those words were uttered were some of the worst in Israel’s history. Jerusalem was under siege. The Babylonian army was ready to pounce. Her claws were bared. The taut ripple of muscle was a telltale sign that the kill was imminent.

King Zedekiah was a weasel. When his officials called for the death of Jeremiah, though he had himself been in consultation with the prophet, he caved in. He “preserved” Jeremiah’s life by having him thrown live into a cistern. A fine prison. This one was dry except for the slime in the bottom. But who would remember to deliver food when the Babylonians attacked? It was certain death for the old man - if not from the dank conditions, then certainly from starvation.

Zedekiah could have saved him. He should have. Jeremiah was the only one talking sense from the very beginning. By now it was pretty apparent that the voices saying that the enemy wouldn’t ever come as far as Jerusalem were wrong. All they could say about Jeremiah now was, “This man is making everybody afraid” (38:4). Afraid indeed. So namby-pamby Zedekiah has him thrown in jail.

But Ebed-Melech (a foreigner from Cush, who’s name means “servant of the king”) goes quietly to Zedekiah and suggests that Jeremiah might just have the right word from the Lord for this situation. The sniveling king sneaks out to a consultation at one of the gates to the Temple. It’s too late to stop the Babylonians. But surrender would preserve the king’s own life and save Jerusalem. That advice came from God Himself and Jeremiah is able to promise the king, “Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.” (38:20).

Zedekiah was faced with a choice. On the one hand was a clear and certain word from the Lord God Almighty (38:17) with a promise of His salvation. On the other hand was, at best, the vain hope that he might somehow escape the city and not be captured by the Babylonian beast. But then what? Where would he go?

Was that a hard choice? Apparently it was, for Zedekiah took the wrong fork in the road. But is that any different than the choices we face. We have the clear word of Scripture to turn from our wicked ways to follow God’s path of righteousness. Again and again, the Bible says, “Here’s the path - walk in it!” Why do we choose still to sin?

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word....
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:35-37,105

Psalms 81-82

It’s the way God made us. Some of us may not be so very musical in terms of producing beautiful sound, but we all have music in our hearts. God has given us all an ear for melody. Since those first sweet strains of a lullaby hummed by our mother’s lips, we resonate with the sound of music. God has put a tune in our soul.

Psalm 81 jumps out at us in the opening lines with...

Sing for joy to God our strength;
Shout aloud to the God of Jacob!
Begin the music, strike the tambourine,
Play the melodious harp and lyre.
Sound the ram’s horn....

Throughout Scripture many different people, and at many different times and circumstances, have recommended singing to us as a means of spiritual expression:

• Moses: “I will sing unto the Lord.” (Ex. 15:1)
• Miriam: “[You all] sing to the Lord!” (Ex. 15:21) - it’s a plural imperative
• Deborah: “I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Judg. 5:3)
• Isaiah: “Sing unto the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy....” (Is. 12:5-6)
• David and other psalmists: (Get out a concordance and look up the dozens of references!)

The New Testament likewise commends singing to express our joy in the Lord:

Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16; c.f. I Cor. 14:15 and Jas. 5:13)

Psalm 81 serves as a summary of many other references in that it gives us the two results of music in our hearts and a song upon our lips: joy and strength. It’s really like the proverbial chick-and-egg question. Which comes first? The music or the joy and strength? Do joy and strength produce music? Or does music contribute to joy and strength? The answer is, yes! And in this God is glorified.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 26)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 36-37

It was winter and it was cold. But the frigid heart of the man on the throne was what made it worse. No “fire burning in the firepot” (36:23) was warm enough to warm Jehoiakim’s chilled soul. That cold was the result of turning his ear away from the Word of God. As Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, read the words that had come directly from God (36:3), the king had them thrown into the fire, page by page (36:23).

The numbing cold on the throne caused a chill on everyone in the vicinity. From the palace servants to the king’s personal secretary and from the royal court to the rural countryside, King Jehoiakim’s frozen spirit had a deadening effect on the nation. Imagine, burning the Word of God!

His successor, King Zedekiah didn’t even try to change things. “Neither he nor his attendants nor the people of the land paid any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet” (37:2). The last king of Judah could have made a difference but the ripple effect of coldness had paralyzed a whole nation like a Narnian winter.

One tiny spot of warmth in this picture comes from Baruch, Jeremiah’s dedicated scribe. He stayed by the prophet’s side. He faithfully captured on paper the words that Jeremiah dictated as they came to him from the Lord. Baruch patiently recopied them after the king had the manuscript burned. He didn’t give up, even when his own life was in jeopardy. Historical evidence indicates that he had to do it several times (the Septuagint is considerably longer than our Hebrew text, probably reflecting the multiple manuscripts that were available).

Did it pay off? Was it worth it? Well, you’re here today 2500+ years later still reaping the reward. The copy of Jeremiah’s words which you hold in your hands is, in part, the result of Jeremiah and Baruch’s dedication to the task. Will you commit too? Will you help to preserve and protect God’s Word and, more importantly, will you pass it on to others?

It will drive the cold out of your soul.


Psalms 79-80

The setting is probably the massive Assyrian assault on Israel from the north. Judah was temporarily spared, but only temporarily. In fact, the southern kingdom had received a sudden influx of Israelite refugees, especially around the Jerusalem area. The feeling was, “God will surely spare the Temple. Jerusalem will be the last to fall.”

So men from Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh (Ps. 80:2) are among those who fled to Jerusalem. Their prayer is, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved” (Ps. 80:3). But the cry increases in intensity as the psalm progresses. “O God” (vs. 3) becomes “O God Almighty” (vs. 7) and then “O Lord God Almighty” (vs. 19) as this same refrain is repeated twice more. The psalm is composed of five stanzas for four lines each (in Hebrew), with this recurring petition coming after stanzas one, two, and five. Even its absence after stanzas three and four only heightens the urgency of the appeal.

Have you ever been in that position? It feels almost as if God Himself has hidden purposely from you? You feel like a wandering lamb in the forest and you know there are wild boars in the vicinity (vs. 1,13). But the imagery in Psalm 80 shifts to that of a choice vine, once pampered but now without protection (vs. 8-16; c.f. Is. 5:1-7). Though it had grown and spread amazingly - even mountains and great cedar trees rested in its shade (vs. 10) - now it was ravaged, cut down, and burned with fire (vs. 13,16).

Even so had God brought judgment upon the northern kingdom at the hand of the Assyrians. Jerusalem itself was feeling the threat and God did make His face to shine upon them just a few years later by destroying Sennacherib’s whole Assyrian army (see II Ki. 18-19) in the days of King Hezekiah.

Where are you right now? Is God’s face shining upon you? Or do you need to pray, “Return to me, O God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see! Watch over this broken down creature!” (see vs. 14). The next breath must be, “I will not turn away from you; revive me, and I will call upon your name” ( vs. 18).

O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last,
And our eternal home.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 25)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 34-35

There is a fork in every man’s road. He (or she) must make a choice. It’s not grey - it’s very black and white. Which will you choose? To commit yourself to God or not. There’s no middle ground. You can’t ride the fence on this one. These two chapters illustrate the startling contrast between the two ways.

A VOW QUICKLY BROKEN

Jeremiah 34 tells the story of Israel’s flip-flop decision regarding Hebrew slaves. The law provided for voluntary indenture (in order to pay a debt) but required that freedom be granted to all at the end of every seven years. Along with all the other problems in Israel, this practice had not been followed. In response to Jeremiah’s word from the Lord (34:8), the people in Jerusalem entered a covenant wherein “everyone was to free his Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Jew in bondage” (34:9). Everyone agreed. “But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again” (34:11). What follows demonstrates why going back on your word is so wrong:

• it violates your own history (34:13)
• it violates God’s word (34:14)
• it violates God’s name and very nature (34:16)
• it violates the vow they had taken (34:18)

A VOW LONG HELD FIRM

The very next chapter relates a stark contrast to this. The Rechabites (35:2) were a group of Kenites (I Chron. 2:55). They were foreigners in the southern zone of Judah who had largely been assimilated into the tribe because they accepted the God of Israel. The Rechabites were nomads (see Jeremiah 35:7!) who had taken a vow to not drink wine. God set up a lesson for Israel by telling Jeremiah to have the Rechabites invited to one of the side rooms of the Temple, along with all the Israelite leaders and officials. The wine was offered but the Rechabites refused. That alone would have been rather surprising. It’s hard for an invited guest to turn down gift. And what could be wrong with drinking a little wine at a business meeting at the Temple?

What was more striking was to find out that the Rechabites had been keeping their vow for some 250 years! Since the time of Johadab ben-Recab, who had given the original order, they had “obeyed everything [he] had commanded [them]” (35:8-10).

Why is this important? Why did God set up this object lesson for Israel? What should we take away from it for ourselves? Keeping your word (especially when it is promised to God)...

• strengthens you for every task (strength in one area leads to strength in others)
• reminds us that we are responsible to turn from our wicked ways (35:15b)
• calls our attention to the fact that we need to reform our actions (35:15c)
• leads us to recognize that we must do better than the world (35:16)

So where are you? Have you made commitments to God that you need to reaffirm? Is there something that you’ve taken back that you need to reconsider and recommit? Do it now!


Psalms 77-78

What a horrible cycle we get ourselves into?! Psalm 78 describes the children of Israel and their experiences in Egypt and in the desert afterwards. Again and again, God delivered them and they were grateful. For a moment. But very shortly afterward, they were right back at it. Down in the dumps. Back into sin. Estranged from God their only Savior. Again!

It’s much like the story in the book of Judges. There we find the cycle repeated seven times. It goes from SIN to SUFFERING to SUPPLICATION to SALVATION, but then back to sin again.

Israel would fall miserably into sinful practices. Forgetting God and His gracious dealings, they would walk away from the Covenant. For that, they would suffer the consequences. Let it be remembered: sin always has consequences and leads to suffering. In her misery, Israel would cry out to God for mercy and help. God would, again and again, hear her supplication and give aid. Salvation would come in the form of another deliverer who would throw off the oppressors and give Israel a fresh start. You can see it clearly in vs. 34-38 - “whenever...but then...yet...time after time”.

The same cycle is found elsewhere in Scripture. Like right here in Psalm 78. Or in Stephen’s speech in Acts 7. Does it describe your own experience? Have you found yourself in the same vicious cycle? What’s the solution?

Remember! Repeatedly in this psalm and elsewhere in Scripture, we’re commanded to remember. What do we have to help us remember?

1. the Bible itself - It’s a major reason why it was written in the first place - to remind us of God’s mighty acts.
2. objects - rocks, grasshoppers, the Ark, sheep
3. place names - Egypt, Shiloh, Mount Zion
4. people (or even just people with the same names) - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David (now build your own list)
5. your kids - Every time you look at your children, remember the misery your sin has caused you and about how you don’t want them to experience the same.

God is into memory aids. Create some more yourself and use them!

THE LORD SPOKE (October 24)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 32-33

It didn’t seem like the right time for investing. The economy was shaky and nobody had any confidence in the government. Some prognosticators were saying there would be a turn-around but their words weren’t very convincing. Everyone knew the future was very bleak. Everyone knew they were headed for a crash.

In those days, a crash meant murder, pillage, and a scorched earth policy. If you were one of the fortunate ones, it meant “only” physical abuse, theft, deportation, and slavery. Enemy forces were perched on the border, the vultures were circling, the king’s men were plotting....

And God told Jeremiah to buy an expensive piece of property in the suburbs of Jerusalem? He probably had a hard time even finding a real estate agent or a lawyer to draw up the legal documents (32:9-15). Who was wasting time with paperwork when it was all about to go up in smoke? And who was so dumb to throw money down a bottomless hole?

Jeremiah’s prayer in 32:17-25 is a model of trust and dedication to following God. It contains praise of God for his awesome attributes and for His mighty works. It expresses profound trust in His providence and His power to save. Yet, is there a note of doubt in the last sentence? “Are you sure you want me to make this unwise investment, Lord?” The thundering reply repeats Jeremiah’s own prayer as if to say, “Do you believe your own words?” Nothing is too hard for the Lord!

What follows in chapter 33 is a reaffirmation of God’s covenants that still resounds to our day. God has promised to never forget His servant David or His people Israel. As sure as day follows night, He will fulfill His promises (33:19-22). In fact, even more sure than that!

You can bank on it too. If God ever abandons His people Israel, then it’s all over, all hope is lost, finito la comedia. But He hasn’t and He won’t. The promise of the return of the Jews to the land of Israel is being fulfilled in our day is still going on at the rate of tens of thousands every year. The miracle of modern Israel is the greatest visible affirmation of God’s covenants imaginable. It was still an impossibility just a hundred years ago. It’s hotly contested to this day, though it was recognized by the world (UN vote on Nov. 29,1947) and legally established on May 14, 1948. Though Jerusalem is Israel’s designated capitol, it too is hotly contested. Much is yet to come, but who can say that these historical events have nothing to do with God’s promises as found in Scripture? Of course, that all assumes a literal interpretation. No other form of interpretation can bring such assurance to the soul. God is a God of His word and may be trusted - in Jeremiah’s day and in ours!


Psalms 75-76

Psalm 76 is closely related to Psalms 46, 48, and 87. All four have Jerusalem as their central theme. The other three were all composed by the descendants of Korah. Of the four, only Psalm 76 was attributed to Asaph, one of David’s Levitical choir leaders. However, others in this group of eleven psalms “of Asaph” (Ps. 73-83) were certainly written later so this appears also to be a collection from the descendants of Asaph. In the case of Psalm 76, there is a strong tradition that it was composed after Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem and had his entire army of 185,000 men destroyed when the angel of the Lord passed over his camp (II Kings 18-19) in 701 BC, during the days of King Hezekiah.

The story is told in II Kings 18-19 and Lord Byron put it so beautifully in verse...

The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea,
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green,
That host with their banners at sunset was seen:
Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown,
That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed;
And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill,
And their hearts but once heaved, and forever grew still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide,
But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride;
And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf,
And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale,
With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail:
And the tents were all silent - the banners alone,
The lances unlifted - the trumpet unblown.

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail,
And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal;
And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword,
Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

Read again the words of Psalm 76 and you’ll see the connections. The application for the survivors of Jerusalem back then (and for us today) was, “You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? ...Make vows to the Lord your God and fulfill them!” (Ps. 76:7,11). If He was an evil deity, this would be fearsome. But a gracious and loving God is both to be feared and greatly adored. He is Almighty God. And, He is our Father.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 23)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 30-31

Expectancy. Anticipation. Hope. Without that, people lose the will to go on. If all the trail ahead is just as dark as the trail behind, you begin to wonder if it’s worth it. If there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, you’re tempted to not press forward - maybe even to back up the train.

These chapters mark a turning point in the book of Jeremiah. There’s still plenty of judgment to come. In fact, they haven’t even begun the seventy years of captivity yet. But, Jeremiah begins to use terms like “the days are coming when...” and “in that day I will...”. He quotes God as saying, “So do not fear...do not be dismayed.... I will surely save you out of a distant place...” (30:10).

Better yet, God says, “I am with you” and he promises to save. Though discipline will be applied it will be that of a loving father (30:11). Like nothing else, discipline gives a child a sense of security and belonging. He knows who’s son he is when Mom and Dad apply discipline. Would you really want God to ignore your sin and not discipline you? Then He might just ignore you, period. It works in Proverbs with child discipline (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:6,15, etc.) and it works in real life with God’s discipline. It’s the best sign that He loves you.

And so Israel is assured of God’s love and receives the promise of restoration (30:18). Words like “thanksgiving” and “rejoicing” begin to reappear in the text. The broken relationship with God is restored and He asks, “who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?” (30:21).

The sky begins to lighten with the dawn of the previous chapter but the full sunshine breaks out in chapter 31. The promises begin to tumble out with words like...

• “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you up again....” (31:3-4)
• “Your work will be rewarded [spoken to Jeremiah]...they will return...there is hope for your future....” (31:16-17)
• “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel” (31:31)

That New Covenant is unconditional and eternal - read the terms in 31:33-38. It stands on nothing less than God’s word of promise to Israel. But it was gloriously amplified to include all peoples (non-Jews) and is known to us as the New Testament. It is found again repeated in Hebrews 8:8-12, where it is opened up to include believers of this age who have been grafted into that trunk that goes back to the Abrahamic Covenant.

No, we’re not “God’s Israel today” and the nation of Israel was not “the church in the Old Testament”. That’s poor theology. But we have been included in God’s eternal covenant if we have the faith of Abraham and become his spiritual descendants (Galatians 3:6-9; Romans 4:13-18). The joy that Israel experienced in Jeremiah’s promises becomes our joy too.


Psalms 73-74

Have you ever caught yourself envying the lifestyle, or at least the liberties, of the wicked? How can they get away with it? They seem to be able to enjoy certain pleasures with impunity; things that are attractive but, for me, carry a price I don’t want to pay. How is it that they can do it and not seem to pay for it?

Well, first of all, remember whose children they are. You have a different Father. He expects better of you and you have a responsibility to maintain the reputation of His Name. “You were bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Cor. 6:20, KJV).

But don’t think for a minute that they will get away with it. That’s a lie from the Pit. That’s a deception that will be proven untrue in every case. Asaph said:

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...til I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. (Ps. 73:3,17)

Step into God’s presence for just a moment and you will see things differently. Eternity’s values will give you a different view. Like Moses, you will be encouraged to choose “to be mistreated with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time”. You will “regard disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt”, because you will see the reward that awaits the one who is faithful (Heb. 11:25-26).

Back to Psalm 73.... Asaph was tempted to despair. At times he thought it was all in vain; that getting beat up for doing good wasn’t worth it; that maybe the other side had the better deal. But when he entered the presence of God (vs. 17) everything changed and he came away saying:

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. (Ps. 73:24-28)

THE LORD SPOKE (October 22)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 27-29

“You’re going to be there for awhile so get used to it.”

That was Jeremiah’s advice to the people of Israel as they contemplated the 70-year captivity. Many were probably thinking they could get time off for good behavior. After all, God is a gracious God. Can’t we just repent and get it over with quicker?

And there were plenty of other prophets around to encourage them in this thinking. In fact, there were also diviners, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers to promote this lie (27:9-10). Hananiah was a popular and respected prophet. He didn’t like Jeremiah’s negativism. Without a word from the Lord, he prophesied relief within two years (28:2-4). Not only did he contradict Jeremiah, he publically demonstrated against him (28:10-11) and led the people to rebel against the Lord (28:16). God took his life away!

Jeremiah told the people to “serve the king of Babylon” (27:18 - he’s even called “my servant Nebuchadnezzar” in 27:6). Jeremiah tells them to...

• build houses and settle down
• plant gardens and eat what they provide
• marry and have sons and daughters...and grandchildren
• seek the peace and prosperity of that place - “Pray to the Lord for it.”

He says, “It will be a long time [so] settle down” and get used to it (29:28). Is there an application here for us? While “this world is not my home - I’m just a passin’ through”, nevertheless, God has placed us here for a time and for a purpose. We too should settle down and lead productive lives. While our citizenship is in heaven, we should be involved in our present location, contributing to our community.

Before reading these chapters, would you have recognized any of these names:

• Hananiah, ben-Azzur
• Ahab, ben-Kolaiah
• Zedekiah, ben-Maaseiah
• Shemaiah the Nehelamite
• Zephaniah, ben-Maaseiah

They’ve been long forgotten. But have you ever heard of Jeremiah? He was just “one of the priests of Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin” (1:1) - a small village in the smallest tribe and off the beaten track. But, “the word of the Lord came to him” (1:2) and he faithfully proclaimed it. You can do no better!


Psalms 71-72

If Psalm 72 is just about Solomon, it rings rather hollow. Earliest interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, have seen messianic overtones in this psalm.

It’s what is commonly called a Royal Psalm or a Coronation Psalm. The superscription tell us it’s “Of Solomon” but therein lies part of the problem. The Hebrew means of indicating a possessive is to attach the preposition ל (lamed) as a prefix on the noun. However, that same prefix can mean both “of” in the sense of being “derived from” or “of” in the sense of “dedicated to”. Both would carry the sense of “belonging to”. In either case, it’s a psalm “of Solomon”.

It’s quite possible that both are true in this case. Solomon may well have written this psalm for his own coronation. It was used by Israel as a dedicatory prayer for later kings in the Davidic dynasty. But the messianic applications stand out in nearly every verse:

• righteousness and justice (vs. 1-2,7)
• prosperity (vs. 3,7)
• endure through all generations and forever (vs. 5,17)
• rule from sea to sea, ends of the earth, distant shores (vs. 8-10)
• deliverance of needy, afflicted, and oppressed (vs. 4,12-14)

Perhaps the clincher comes in vs. 17b where it says that “all nations will be blessed through him”. That’s a not-so-veiled reference to the Abrahamic Covenant. In Genesis 12:3, God told Abraham that “in you shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” and Paul picked up on that exact phrase in Galatians 3:8 where he says it constitutes “the gospel in advance”. A clear messianic reference!

The very idea of all the nations participating in God’s plan for mankind speaks of the Messianic Age when Jesus Christ shall reign. He is the ultimate King who will bring eternal justice and righteousness.

Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
Does his successive journeys run;
His kingdom stretch from shore to shore,
Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!

Great God, whose universal sway
The known and unknown worlds obey,
Now give the kingdom to Thy Son,
Extend His power, exalt His throne.

With power He vindicates the just,
And treads th’oppressor in the dust:
His worship and His fear shall last
Till hours, and years, and time be past.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 21)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 25-26

Jeremiah 25:11 - This whole country will become desolate waste. and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

The saints of the Old Testament knew their Bibles! This prophesy in Jeremiah is quoted in three other prophetic books:

Daniel 9:2 - In the first year of [Darius’] reign, I, Daniel understood from the Scriptures, according to the word given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

Ezra 1:1 - In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus....

Zechariah 1:12 - Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah which you have been angry with these seventy years?”

We can take several lessons from this:

1. Read your Bible carefully and take the time to compare Scripture with Scripture. (That means you’ll need to invest in a good concordance.)
2. Believe what it says. Live in expectant anticipation.
3. Use the promises and the prophecies of Scripture to encourage yourself and others in the fact of God’s sovereignty, His wisdom, and His control of all things.
4. Study carefully what the Bible has to say about future events - prophesies regarding the nation of Israel, the signs that will indicate the end times, the return of Jesus Christ to rapture His saints.
5. Work out for yourself a sequence of future events. Even if we can’t determine exact dates, enough detail is given to us that we should be able to place in chronological order the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Return of Christ to earth, the Millennium, the Great White Throne judgment, and the beginning of Eternity.

Jeremiah himself gave more details about the seventy years of captivity and, by application, it contains some encouragement for us:

Jeremiah 29:10-14 - This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”


Psalms 69-70

Zeal for your house consumes me! (Ps. 69:9)

Can you say that? Can you resonate with the psalmist’s words in Psalm 84:10 - “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere”?

We must take care not to equate the Temple and its worship with our present-day church services. However, there is a connection in this: both provided a place and a program to draw the individual worshiper into communion with God. Each had/has the purpose of giving expression to both corporate and private worship. Even the sparrows and the swallows were considered fortunate to find a place for their nests close to the altar.

We would recognize something similar in our day. Is not the child brought up in Sunday School and church considered fortunate to have that background? Don’t we give value to a serious religious up-bringing that includes regular church attendance where those young ears can hear God’s Word and that little heart can be molded after God’s own heart?

What changed? What happened between those years of childish delight in the things of God and our present ho-hum attitude? Why is it something of a burden to make it to church Sunday after Sunday? Forget the evening service - that died a long time ago.

Jesus thought differently! Watching Him in the Temple on one occasion, “His disciples remembered that it is written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’” (Jn. 2:17). Jesus loved to be in the place where He could meet with the Father.

How about you? Make the effort to be in church this week - both services. Find a place where you can grow in the Lord. Get zealous again!

THE LORD SPOKE (October 20)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 23-24

Jeremiah 23:28-29 - Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain? declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

The truth of God’s Word is illustrated in this passage by three metaphors:

Grain - God’s Word is whole, integral, and weighty, as compared to chaff which is easily driven away by any little wisp of wind. How dare man mingle the chaff of his own dreams with the pure wheat of the Word of God. How many voices today tell us they have “a word from the Lord” when it’s nothing more than some frothy, charismatic “revelation”. In contrast, Scripture is food for the soul; the very bread of life.

Fire - God’s Word consumes evil. Just as fire can harden clay but soften wax, so the Word of God will work differently with different people. The same fire can consume dross but purify gold. The messenger of God’s Word may be to some “a savour of life unto life, to others of death unto death” (II Cor. 2:16).

Hammer - God’s Word breaks in pieces all false doctrine; it crushes and brings to repentance the man who resists its pressure. The unhumbled heart of man is like a rock; if it will not be melted by the Word of God as a fire, it will be broken to pieces by it, as with a hammer. Whatever opposition is given to the Word will be beaten down and broken to pieces.

The Anvil of God’s Word
John Clifford

I paused last eve beside the blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring...the vesper’s chime.
And looking in I saw upon the floor
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.
“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” he answered. Then with twinkling eye:
“The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”
And so, I thought, the anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptics’ blows have beat upon.
But though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unchanged - the hammers gone.

Psalms 67-68

If God were not gracious to us, where would we be? Psalm 67 begins with this most comforting thought:

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us.
Psalm 67:1

Those words recall the “Priestly Benediction”:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

In 1979 two small silver amulets containing those words were found in a tomb in Jerusalem. They were something like good luck charms worn about the neck on a leather thong and had been buried with their owner after death. The amulets dated back to the mid-seventh century BC but the words were much older. Liberal scholarship, which follows the “JEDP Theory” on the composition of the Pentateuch, had arbitrarily assigned the passage to a so-called “P-document” or to the priestly traditions and dated it variously in the fifth, fourth, or even as late as the third century BC. The find in Jerusalem made such a theory patently false! Here was a key “priestly” passage used by common people as jewelry as early as the seventh century BC. This text was written into Scripture by Moses around 1400 BC and appears here in the psalter in a section probably compiled by David around 1000 BC.

It’s quite possible that this liturgical prayer (Ps. 67) was repeated by the people at the conclusion of worship, either just prior to or immediately after the Priestly Benediction (Num. 6). Using the name “Elohim” once, rather than “Yahweh” three times, it invokes God’s blessing and describes the results. The three stanzas (vs. 1-2, 4, and 5-6) are separated by a repeated refrain (vs. 3,5).

But, don’t let the historical and literary analysis get in the way of the message of the psalm. Let this be your prayer today:

O God, be gracious to me, bless me
and make Your face to shine upon me.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 19)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 20-22

Jeremiah 22:16 - “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord.

This theme is oft-repeated in Scripture. So much so that you come away with the impression that it’s quite important to God!

Psalm 82:3-4 - “Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Proverbs 31:9 - “Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Romans 15:1 - “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.”

James 1:27 - “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress....”

This is more than just cheering for the underdog. It’s certainly more than tossing a quarter in the Salvation Army pot.

Who might be the “poor and needy” in your circle of influence? Certainly children would count (especially unborn infants). Obviously the handicapped. Even the physically weak, or the not-so-good-looking or not-particularly-endowed, i.e. the ones who often get shunned or picked on in our society. Foreigners would frequently qualify. The Bible specifically mentions widows. And, of course, there are lots of people around us who don’t have much to live on - maybe not even much to eat or wear.

You could...

• speak up (on their behalf)
• turn up (to support them)
• cheer up (those who are down-trodden)
• fix up (their broken world)

or maybe...

• shut down (the forces that are working against them).

Then you could...

• find out (what they need most)
• throw out (the bad attitudes you’ve developed against them yourself)
• turn out (to combat those who put them down)
• lash out (against their oppressors - that’s not unbiblical, you know! You just don't use the weapons of this world to do so. See II Cor. 10:3-5.)

or even...

• stick in (a good word for them, about them, and to them).

There does seem to be quite a lot we can do to defend the cause of the poor and needy!


Psalms 65-66

“Make his praise glorious!” (Ps. 66:2). That’s an argument for the finest of special music on Sunday. No more of this shoddy, unprepared, half-hearted performance that makes the listener grit his teeth and hope for the last flat note. Certainly, no more of this performance that draws attention to the performer.

But it’s an argument for excellence in other things as well. God, who made us, is pleased whenever we do things with perfection. He takes delight in a painting well-painted, in a cake well-baked and decorated, in a project well-planned and well-executed. Sure, it can be done for selfish and wrong motives and for the praise of self. But when done with the desire to honor Him, it is the highest form of praise. Words of praise are turned into acts which exalt the Lord and draw attention to His attributes. Others are able to see His glory too and are encouraged to praise Him.

How can we ensure that our praise is genuine and makes Him yet more glorious?

1. Talk about Him. The psalm says “shout” (vs. 1), “sing” (vs. 2), and “cry out” (vs. 17). Brag on the Lord; tell others what He has done.
2. Review the past. Consider His awesome works as recorded in the Bible (vs. 5-6). Remember what He has done for you (vs. 9,16).
3. Come to Him. Draw near and consider His goodness. Cast yourself upon His graces. Submit to Him. Give Him full control of your disposition.
4. Confess your sin. Nothing will destroy this communion more quickly than unconfessed sin (vs. 18) and nothing will make it more sweet than confessed sin and the warmth of forgiveness that follows.
5. Keep your word. Vows are not wrong - unkept vows are! Make some promises to God and then keep them (vs. 13-14).
6. Stay close to the fire. The refiner’s fire will purge you; the restorer’s fire will warm you; and the redeemer’s fire will ignite your soul.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 18)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 17-19

We’ve seen it recently, haven’t we. The CEO squirming before the cameras while trying to explain why he padded his own nest so liberally. The investors have been bilked millions and Joe the Plumber can’t even begin to comprehend the figures that are being tossed around - except he does know that all the prices have been rising, money is tight, and his own job may be on the line.

Like Solomon in the book of Proverbs, Jeremiah warns about get-rich-quick schemes and “the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert him and in the end he will prove to be a fool” (Jer. 17:11). Solomon’s advice on the subject includes the following:

Prov. 20:21 - An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end.
Prov. 23:4 - Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
Prov. 28:20 - One eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

All get-rich-quick schemes lead eventually to disaster. It might only be an economic crash. More serious is the spiritual crash that is nearly always connected. Jesus warned that you can gain the whole world but lose your own soul! The greed that is expressed in the pursuit of riches leaves little room for God. How hard it is (though not impossible) for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God!

Jeremiah uses three metaphors here in chapter 17 to describe proper and improper attitudes in this area; you can be...

Jer. 17:11 - like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
This describes the man who gets rich by unjust means. He cashes in on another man’s labor or investment and “in the end he will prove to be a fool” because he has no stability or substance of his own. He has built on a fiction and it will come back to bite him.

Jer. 17:6 - like a bush in the wastelands
Because he “depends on flesh for his strength” he becomes like a shriveled shrub that wastes away for lack of water and nutrients. This happens because his “heart turns away from the Lord”. He is cut off from that which sustains.

Jer. 17:8 - like a tree planted by the water
“The man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him” is different. He has roots that go down deep into the Source. That is what keeps his leaves green and makes fruit grow on his branches.

There is a way out and, really, it’s pretty simple. Trust in the Lord! Believe His Word (which means you have to read it first, and regularly!). Put your confidence in Him. How hard is that? But remember His words, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). That’s a bit harder. But, even for that, He is the source of strength (Eph. 2:10).


Psalms 63-64

The desert of Judah is a parched place. The dusty landscape is never broken by a tree unless you go down deep into the rugged ravines to find an occasional acacia tree. The chalky wilderness is barren and uninviting. Big rocks, medium-sized rocks, and little rocks are your only company unless you run into a scorpion or a dung beetle. Even the stubbly weeds have all been nibbled off by the flocks of sheep and goats that have passed by, heading for the tiniest scent of water in the deepest gorges.

Psalm 63 describes the human soul in similar terms: parched and lifeless, dry and weary. But as the soul reaches out to God, something changes. A satisfying richness floods the picture. When you see the Lord in the beauty of His holiness, it’s better than the richest of foods, better than life itself. A song begins to fill the air and the sheltering warmth of His presence fills all the space around you.

When we catch a glimpse of the Lord (“I have seen you in the sanctuary”) we long for more. In fact, the desire drives us (“earnestly I seek you”) and we cannot be content without Him. It’s like a hunger in the soul (“my soul thirsts for you”) that must be fed. When we do taste of Him, there is an immediate sense of fullness and deep satisfaction (“my soul will be satisfied”).

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I'd be nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
All that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
Angels to beckon me nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
So by my woes to be nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
Sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
Still all my song shall be, nearer, my God, to thee;
Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

THE LORD SPOKE (October 17)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 14-16

How odd of God
to choose the Jews.

The only place in Scripture that even gets close to giving an answer to why God chose the Jews is found in Deuteronomy 7:7-9. It was not because they were more lovely. It was simply because He loved them. It’s almost like Mom saying, “because I said so,” when you asked her “why?” You weren’t very satisfied with that reply either. We wish we could know more of the “why” behind God’s love for Israel but His reason for loving and choosing the Jewish people is just because He said so.

But, oh how He loved them! There were times that they were very hard to love. Even in this short section of Jeremiah, we find all the following...

Jer. 14:7 - “[their] backsliding is great” (c.f. Jer. 15:6)
Jer. 14:10 - “they greatly love to wander”
Jer. 15:7 - “they have not changed their ways”
Jer. 16:12 - “[they] have behaved more wickedly than [their] fathers”
Jer. 16:18 - “they have defiled my land with...images and...idols”

And so, in love, God warns them of deadly diseases (Jer. 16:4), natural destroyers (Jer. 15:3), natural disasters like drought (Jer. 14:3-6,22), and famine (Jer. 14:13,18; 15:2; 16:4). There would also be national disasters like the sword (Jer. 14:13; 15:2,9; 16:4), terror (Jer. 14:19; 15:8), captivity (Jer. 15:2), plunder (Jer. 15:13), and enslavement (Jer. 15:14). He goes on to say, “I have withdrawn my blessing, my love, and my pity from this people” (Jer. 16:5) and “I will throw you out of this land” (Jer. 16:13).

But God [those are beautiful words!] “remembers His covenant” (Jer. 14:21). Because He is a faithful God who keeps His covenant, He promises, “I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers” (Jer. 16:15) and “I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the Lord” (Jer. 16:21).

From their knees, the people’s response is, “...It is you, O Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this” (Jer. 14:22). Are you remembering that “all these things [Israel’s sufferings] happened as an example to us” (I Cor. 10:6)? There are some very close parallels. We too have sinned willfully and repeatedly. We don’t deserve God’s mercy or grace. We deserve what we have coming to us. But His love reaches beyond our sin.

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God shouldst die for me?

No condemnation now I dread:
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.


Psalms 61-62

The problem with all our own contrived solutions to things is that they’re still smaller than we are. We have need of a “rock that is higher than I” (Ps. 61:2). If our anchor is not stronger than the maximum weight we put against it, it will not hold.

That’s why it is so right to trust in God. He alone is a Rock that is higher than all else. That’s why it’s right to trust in God alone (see the next psalm, Ps. 61:1,2,5,6). God is described in verse three as a “refuge” and a “strong tower”. Those tend to be cold places but places that represent great strength and protection. They are sturdy and impenetrable. They will withstand the onslaught of any enemy.

But the picture changes in verse four to warm, comforting protection. A tent provides shelter from the elements. It keeps out the stormy blast and holds the warmth and light around us. Even more so are the sheltering wings of a mother bird, which give warmth and comforting protection. They invite you to snuggle and to forget the storm outside.

God is all of that to us. He invites us to snuggle up and enjoy the warmth of His intimacy. He wraps His protection around us, if we’ll but let Him. He will shelter us from the storms of life. But He is also a tower of strength, a solid rock upon which we can anchor our soul. He is immovable and beyond the reach of any crashing wave.

The Lord’s our rock, in Him we hide,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a rock in a weary land,
A shelter in the time of storm.

A shade by day, defense by night,
A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes afright,
A shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat,
A shelter in the time of storm
We’ll never leave our safe retreat,
A shelter in the time of storm.

O Rock divine, O Refuge dear,
A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near,
A shelter in the time of storm.

THE LORD SPOKE (October 16)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 11-13
Did you know that it’s sometimes wrong to pray? There’s a time to pray but there’s also a time when you should not pray. Jeremiah is specifically told “do not pray for this people” twice (7:16 and 11:14). That word comes directly from the mouth of the Lord so maybe it’s not directly applicable to some current situation in your life. But we do have other examples and even some clear wording in Scripture to instruct us when we should not pray. Consider the following:

You should not pray...

• when you should be doing something else that God has given you to do and you’re using “more prayer” to put it off
• when you know you’re asking for something contrary to God’s Word - like praying for God to let you marry that unbeliever you’ve fallen in love with
• when it’s just “vain repetitions” (Matthew 6:7)
• when it’s “to consume it upon your own lusts” (James 4:3) - you're asking for something selfishly
• when you do it only out of guilt - such prayers are ineffective, mere words tossed heavenwards

Consider that last one a bit more. There are several other spiritual disciplines which would fall into this category. If the only reason you do them (pray, give, read your Bible, witness, etc.) is because you feel guilty when you don’t, then they don’t have much value, do they? However, the proper solution is not to stop doing them. The right response is to get your heart right with God so that you do it from the heart.

Having said all that, most people probably don’t need to be told when not to pray. They’re already doing too much of that. What we really need is to pray! Do you remember how the disciples framed their request to Jesus in Luke 11:1? “Lord, teach us to pray.” Not, “teach us how to pray” but “teach us to pray”. There’s really not much that’s very hard about knowing how to pray. Our biggest challenge is simply to do it.

So, how are you doing? Have you prayed yet today? Why not take a little time and do it now?!

Psalms 59-60
It’s a national prayer! We don’t know much about such things, do we? The superscription of Psalm 60 describes the historical situation, about which we know very little. It appears to be found in II Samuel 8 and I Chronicles 18 (maybe II Samuel 10 also). But here’s what’s significant: the superscription also tells us that this psalm is “for teaching”. While that’s true of any portion of Scripture, this is the only psalm that says that specifically.

So, what is to be taught from Psalm 60? One clue may be found in how this psalm is used in Psalm 108, where over half the psalm is quoted verbatim. It is a national prayer for God’s assistance after the nation has suffered a severe blow from a foreign country. The prayer may have been led by the king (the “me” of Ps. 60:9?). Note that it comes after the feeling that God has rejected the nation (Ps. 60:1). The outline is as follows:

Ps. 60:1-3 - Lamentation that God has rejected us
Ps. 60:4-8 - Plea for help (and grounds of confidence)
Ps. 60:9-12 - Confidence that God will yet give us the victory

Can we expect the same? Yes, if we repent and turn to God. No, if we do not.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. (Ps. 33:12)

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (II Chron. 7:14)

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. (Prov. 8:17)

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer. 29:13)

What’s true on a national level is also true on a personal level. If you will turn to God as an individual and seek forgiveness and restoration, He will never turn you away.

With God we will gain the victory.... (Ps. 60:12)

THE LORD SPOKE (October 15)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Jeremiah 8-10

Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns,
but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.
C.S. Lewis

Oh, that I had in the desert a lodging place for travelers,
so that I might leave my people and go away from them.
Jeremiah 9:2

Lewis was happy for a get-away and the Prophet Jeremiah wished he had one. Actually, the two are not talking about the same thing but there is a valid connection to be made. And an application for your busy life.

The “pleasant inns” that Lewis speaks of are the lodgings that God allows us to enjoy along life’s way. It doesn’t have to be a fancy home. In some cases it might even be, but it doesn’t have to be. Just a quiet spot where we can retreat, relax, and be refreshed for the on-going journey. “A man’s home is his castle,” so they say, and God does often allow us to enjoy some pleasant inns. It might be a nice home or it might be as simple as a rather humble home with an old chair that fits us perfectly and provides that comfortable refuge at the end of a weary day. It could be a sun-bathed corner of the house or yard where you can get alone and let the world go on by while your soul catches up with your body. It can be any combination of comfortable surroundings that allows you to enjoy life while here on this earth.

At first glance, Jeremiah’s sigh might sound like he wishes he had a little guest house to offer hospitality to weary travelers. No - he’s wishing he had a quiet place for himself where he could get away from people and the cares of life for awhile. His desired way-side inn is a refuge from a busy life, a place where he could run and hide. We need those too. It’s a different sort of refuge where we can retreat, relax, and be refreshed for the on-going journey.

But, in both cases, we need to be reminded that this life and all its current cares are temporary. What we experience now is just getting us ready for what is yet to come so we shouldn’t get too comfortable. We are preparing and being prepared for another place. Though we’re in this world, we’re not of this world and we need to live with eternity’s values in view.

This world is not my home - I’m just a passin’ through.
My treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door,
And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Is that true for you or do you feel a little too comfortable in this world?


Psalms 57-58

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
Let your glory be over all the earth.
Psalm 57:10-11

The love of God is beyond description. Every particle of love that we have ever seen, or felt, or experienced in any way has had its source in God’s love. Out of His character and this divine attribute comes any knowledge we might possess of what is love. Worldly definitions fall flat and even our most noble attempts to express love are mere shadows by comparison, and very feeble.

In another place, David returns to this theme, using these words:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
Or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His love for those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:8-11

So let the love of God wash over you. Bathe in the warmth of its light. Trust in Him for those trials you are facing. Do not let your gaze be diverted; look to Him and let His love lift you up.

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.