Read Ezekiel 4:1 through 11:25 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord does not see us; the Lord has forsaken the land’” (Ezekiel 8:12). The elders of Israel pretended to worship God, …
The Source of Hope
Read Lamentations 1:1 through 5:22 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope . . . The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him (Lamentations 3:21,25). In boxing terms, the people were down for the count. But they were far from out. In the middle of this series …
Speak Up!
Read Jeremiah 38:1 through 40:16 Ebed-Melech went out of the palace and said to him, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern, where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread in the city” (Jeremiah 38:8,9). Upon hearing …
Moldable
Read Jeremiah 14:1 through 20:18 Geneva stood with her teenage daughter for a few moments while they watched a potter give a demonstration at the local craft show. He pumped his foot pedal, spun the platform, dipped his hand in a bowl of water, and used his fingers to shape the lump of clay he was working on. Soon he …
Words in Your Mouth
Read Jeremiah 1:1 through 3:25 “You took the words right out of my mouth.” You’ve said that, too, haven’t you? Just before you could voice a statement, someone else beat you to it. For the prophet Jeremiah, the scene was a little different. It wasn’t chance or a silly accident. It was the holy God choosing to voice truth through …
An Eternal Thirst
Read John 1:19 through 4:54 Jamie wanted to plant a flower garden. She purchased some colorful plants, planted them, and watered them generously. After several hot days, Jamie realized that she had not watered the flowers for some time and ran outside to check on their progress. Though not quite dead, most of the flowers had wilted and many blooms …
Continue to Persevere
Read Isaiah 49:1 through 57:21 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news . . . ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7). This proclamation, more than any other spoken by Isaiah, reveals his attitude toward God’s work, his relationship with God, and his faith in God. He wanted to assure Judah that God was in charge …
The Right Fight
Read 1 Timothy 1:1 through 6:21 Paul wanted Timothy to choose the right fight. Anyone who serves in the ministry of the gospel faces many real and potential conflicts. Many of these conflicts involve nothing more than personal preference and can sidetrack a minister from the vision God gave him or her. Understanding the charge, Paul gave Timothy the help …
Cleansed to Serve
Read Hebrews 7:1 through 10:39 “I have a beautiful house—if I ever cleared out all the clutter so someone could see it.” Sometimes life seems like that beautiful house no one can see because of all the clutter. Talents, plans, dreams, and other personal characteristics may seem swallowed up by sin. God, however, provided a plan to clear out the …
Are You Drifting?
Read Hebrews 1:1 through 2:18 In light of the realization of who Jesus is—the radiance of God’s glory, the exact representation of God, far superior to angels and all created beings—we must be very careful to pay even closer attention to the Word of God that we have heard (Hebrews 2:1). It will not be the blatant, in-your-face sins that …