Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Jeremiah 22

Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. v3

The Lord is very angry with Judah and the people know it.  Yet the King of Judah - Zedekiah - has the gall to request from the Lord refuge and protection from the attacking Babylonians. The Lord not only says no but sends Jeremiah to Jerusalem to deliver the above message.

Of course this message applies equally today, to me, just as it did to Israel then.

I read about it only 3 days ago in James.  I need both faith and deeds.

My Prayer: Lord, You serve me all the time and bless me beyond me what I deserve.  You are a great God full of love, kindness and mercy.  I desire to be more like You. I know I am made in Your image to serve and glorify you but I know I fall short many or most of the time.  I have impure thoughts. I know You love me so thank You but please forgive me.  Help me so that I can be more and more like You every day. 

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.

Jeremiah 20

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;

so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. v11

Israel and Judah are rebelling greatly against God, who is very angry and sends Jeremiah to prophesize of their impending punishment.  He is beaten and put in the stocks.  Yet He gains strength from the Lord:

They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;

their dishonor will never be forgotten.

Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous

and probe the heart and mind,

let me see your vengeance on them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord!

Give praise to the Lord!

He rescues the life of the needy

from the hands of the wicked. v11-13

I often feel under attack, from others, from my own thoughts, all clearly under the direction of Satan himself.  The Lord is my refuge - He is my shield.

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.  Proverbs 30:5

My Prayer: Lord, You are perfect and flawless and Your word is perfect and flawless.  You also provide The Holy Spirit so that I can feel Your presence.  All of this for me.  Amazing.  I am not deserving of all of this.  Thank You for Your unending, unconditional love.  Please forgive me for my anger, impatience, discouraging talk to others, laziness, etc.  Mold me and refine me.  Transform both my heart and my life Lord Jesus.  Please make Your desires my desires.

“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

Jeremiah 18

“Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel." v6

I desire to molded as the Lord indicates only He can.  I have sinthat needs to be purified, and I have weakness that needs to be strengthened.  I know the Lord sees us as beautiful works or art designed for His glory.  I also want others to see Jesus in me.

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God full of compassion, mercy and patience.  Just as you had patience for Israel, You have for me.  I don't deserve such compassion and mercy.  I have sin - such as anger and impatience - that I seek to rid.  I know You love me anyway, so thank You but please forgive me of this sin and mold me just as you mold all of Your children who submit to You.  Take me Lord Jesus and mold me so that I can be more like You.

I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.

Jeremiah 17

“I the Lord search the heart

and examine the mind,

to reward each person according to their conduct,

according to what their deeds deserve.” v10

This is something I struggle with often - if my outward conduct and deeds is enough to please God.  I know I can do more.

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:14-17  

My Prayer: Lord, You are an awesome God full of patience, compassion and mercy towards me.  I am weak, impatient, and angry - often.  I know You love me anyway - thank You Lord Jesus.  Please forgive me for my lack of patience and anger.  Rid me and purify me of this Lord Jesus. 

My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.

Jeremiah 16

My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.  v17

God of course knows everything - as I have read and posted about previously.  I need not search far nor long for my sin and for opportunities to repent.  I need to be more aware of how I fall short and how I should repent and lean on him to refine and purify my heart.

We need to God to mold and shape us in His image - see here.  All for His glory.

My Prayer: Lord, You know and see all.  You are truth and light.  Light in the sense that You are hope and light in the sense that all is revealed in You and through You.  I need no other God but You.  Yet I fail to come to You for everything. I seek out my own plans and desires - I am weak.  I worry.  I know You love me Lord Jesus - so thank You!  I am not deserving of such love.  Please forgive me for me weak control over my desires, my laziness, and my worry.  Refine me and purify me.  Mold me...make me more like You. 

If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman.

Jeremiah 15

If you repent, I will restore you

that you may serve me;

if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,

you will be my spokesman. v19

I sin...often.  Yet I also know I have a path forward and it is repentence.  I am thankful I have a God - Jesus Christ - who will always take me back.

My Prayer: Lord, You are so full of love, compassion, kindness, and patience - for me.  I am not worthy of all this.  Thank You.  Please forgive me for my laziness Lord and my desire for my own comfort first.  I seek to put You first and Your glory first.  Help me overcome my laziness so I can love and serve You with all of my heart, mind, and soul.

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor

Jeremiah 13

In a moment ofgreat disappointment over the disobedience of Israel and Judah, God reveals what His desire is for all of His children:

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. v11

I desire to both be bound to God, to be His, and to serve Him for His renown and honor.

My Prayer: Lord, You can do anything - yet You chose me specifically to help me be a part of your perfect and glorious plan for this world.  You also love me and I am the apple of Your eye.  Amazing that You do this for me.  I am not deserving of such love.  My faith is weak.  Yet You love me anyway.  Thank You Jesus.  Please both forgive me for my weakness but also strengthen me.  Give me energy and help me - I want to serve You with all of my heart, mind, and soul.



But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country.

Jeremiah 12

14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot them from their lands and I will uproot the people of Judah from among them. 15 But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country. 16 And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives’—even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal—then they will be established among my people. 17 But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy it,” declares the Lord.

God is full of compassion....He knows we are far from perfect and He is willing to take us back whenever we seek to return to His welcoming arms, much like it is written in the parable of the prodigal son.

For me, there are at least two takeaways:
1. God is forgiving and full of compassion; all we have to do is ask.
2. Forgiveness is something that is a gift not only from God but from each of us as we are to forgive just as God forgave us (Ephesians 4:32, Matthew 6:12)

My Prayer: Lord, You are love, kindness, purity, compassion...perfection.  There is no way I am deserving to receive love from You God.  Yet You love me anyway.  Lord, I am weak and my faith and trust in You is weak.  I know You love me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus.  Please strengthen me so that I can be more like You.  I want Your desires to be my desires.  Please take me Lord Jesus and make me Yours in any way You see fit.

‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God.

Jeremiah 11

‘Obey me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God. v4

It's really quite simple.  Everything flows from the following two commandments I believe...

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”  Matthew 22:36-40

My Prayer: Lord, I know You love me.  I am never deserving of the love You have for me.  Your love is so deep and wide - it is amazing.  You are a God defined by love for His children...specifically for me also.  What a great God!  Yet, I am weak and I fall down in sin...often.  I know of Your love for me...and I am deeply thankful for Your love for me.  Please forgive me for my anger, my laziness, and my impure thoughts.  Please also encourage and strengthen me.  Help me so that Your desires are my desires.  Take me and make me Yours - transform both my heart and my life Lord Jesus.

...but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 9

...but let the one who boasts boast about this:

that they have the understanding to know me,

that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,

justice and righteousness on earth,

for in these I delight,”

declares the Lord. v24

The Lord IS certainly kind, just, and righteous...and patient.  So far, in what I have read in Jeremiah, it is clear that that the Lord loves His children because He agonizes over what punishment he should carry out for the Israelites - who have sinned greatly.  His agony spans multiple chapters. 

In the same way, I disappoint God I know.  This is certainly not my desire.  I know He loves my anyway and so I am deeply thankful for His grace.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God, full of mercy and grace - for me.  I am undeserving of such grace. I am not bold in my faith and my thoughts are impure - just a couple of the many sins I commit.  I know You love me anyway but please forgive.  Reveal to me today Your will and Your desires for my life Jesus.  I desperately seek to serve You.

"Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you."

Jeremiah 7

"Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you."  v23

I know I am not that different from the people of Judah who are angering and disappointing God with their disobedience.  For the message in Jeremiah applies just as much.

My Prayer: Lord, You are all mighty-capable of all things, all the time.  I know You love me and You have blessed me beyond what I deserve.  You are deserving of worship.  Yet I worship other pursuits in my life before You Lord Jesus.  For this I am deeply sorry.  I know You love me anyway but please forgive me Lord Jesus.  Help me give myself fully to You.  Help me so that Your desires are my desires.

The bellows blow fiercely to burn away the lead with fire, but the refining goes on in vain; the wicked are not purged out.

Jeremiah 6

“I have made you a tester of metals

and my people the ore,

that you may observe

and test their ways.

28 They are all hardened rebels,

going about to slander.

They are bronze and iron;

they all act corruptly.

29 The bellows blow fiercely

to burn away the lead with fire,

but the refining goes on in vain;

the wicked are not purged out.

30 They are called rejected silver,

because the Lord has rejected them.” v27-30

God is just...He punishes us for own good.  Here the Israelites wickedness extends at least from the first chapter through the sixth chapter and God is very patient and it hurts Him to punish His children with such harshness but it is for their own good.

My Prayer: Lord, I know I deserve severe punishment for my own wickedness and sin in my life - I am far from perfect.  Yet You are full of grace and compassion.  Thank You Lord Jesus.  Please help me rid sin in my life and help me so that Your desires are my desires.  Take me and make me Yours.  I desire to delight and please You Lord Jesus.

Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding. Yes, we will come to you, for you are the Lord our God.

Jeremiah 3

“Return, faithless people;
I will cure you of backsliding.”

“Yes, we will come to you,
for you are the Lord our God.

Just like in the story of the prodigal son, Jesus will always welcome us back despite our sin.  If only we admit our sin, repent and seek forgiveness.

What an awesome God I have.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are perfect and Holy, and You led a perfect live then died for me on the cross so that I would not be slave to sin and so that I would have eternal life...if only I accepted You as my savior.  I do Lord yet I am weak and often do not obey you.  Lord please forgive me and strengthen me.  Refine me and make me Yours.  Help me so that Your desires are my desires.

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 1

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. v7-8

The Lord has spoken to me through scripture, and through sermons, and songs and He has often pierced my heart to do something and I often don't follow His commands.

I too say what Jeremiah says, essentially that I am not ready or not now...I am thankful that I have a God who is willing to help if I just ask for it.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are capable of anything yet I am weak.  I thank You that You love me anyway but please Lord, give me strength and meet me this morning.  Reveal to me Your wisdom.  Refine and purify me.  Encourage and work through me so that I can be Your instrument for Your great and glorious will.

These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

Isaiah 66

These are the ones I look on with favor:

those who are humble and contrite in spirit,

and who tremble at my word.  v2

Contrite: feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming

I do wish to be looked on with favor.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God full of love and compassion, including for me which I cannot fathom.  I am weak and lazy but I thank You that You love me anyway.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me seek You out first and foremost - give me a contrite heart and a humble spirit.