JEREMIAH

Chapter 1

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Jeremiah 1:6-7 – You’re never going to give God a good enough excuse to get you out of the mission He’s called you to. Jeremiah is looking at the mission and sees himself too young to be given such a task. God though doesn’t see him that way and God also gives him all he needs to do the mission as well. Keep this in mind, if God says you’re able to do something, you’re able enough to do it. And whatever you lack God will provide. Like we see in verse 18, God will be the one making us able and strong. So your role is to follow His lead and do what He says. This is our calling in life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 920

But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. Jeremiah 1:17 – The King James Version begins the verse by saying “gird up thy loins.” Due to the longer garments worn by men of the day, in order to do any sort of active work they would have to bundle up the fabric and tie off so they move more freely. In today’s world imagine someone playing a game and things are getting serious so they take off their jacket and tighten their shoelaces tight so they can go just that much harder at the game. This is what God is saying to Jeremiah. God has prepared him, God had given him his mission, so now it’s time to take off the jacket and tighten those laces and get after what I told you to do. While our mission isn’t to speak to the nation of Judah and to the kingdoms of Jeremiah’s day, we do have a mission. God has prepared us to share the gospel and He’s told us who to share it too…everyone. So, let’s take off the jacket and tighten those laces. Let’s gird up our loins. Let’s get after the work we’ve been called to. I love you, Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2133

Chapter 2

Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? Jeremiah 2:5 – What you pursue you become. As we pursue Christ we see scripture saying that God continues to shape us more into His image and more into the likeness of Jesus. Yet as we see in our passage today when we pursue worthless things we too become like that. Sin has a way of destroying our image so God is directing us to pursue something worth pursuing. Today then what are you pursuing? How you answer that shows you what you are becoming like in life? Is your answer then something you’re fine with becoming like? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 921

Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord God. Jeremiah 2:22 – Jeremiah isn’t holding back in his message to God’s people concerning their sin. In verse 22 we see him highlight the uselessness of their means of cleansing their own sin. They may seek to use soap and lye, they may follow many of the laws even, but if they are not humbling themselves before the Lord and seeking Him to be what cleanses them, they will forever be stained. No amount of soap will clean our sin from our story. We may appear perfectly clean to others, but God still sees the stain of sin. We may cover up our sin with grand gestures of holiness like serving at church, going on mission trips, leading worship, or even preaching on Sunday. And the appearance given is extreme holiness, but God still sees the sin that hasn’t been cleaned by Him even through the gestures. And He is not honored by gestures of holiness done by His people if they are not seeking holiness through Him. If then there is a sin in your story that has not been given to Jesus yet, do so today. Before you seek to serve even tomorrow at your church, if you haven’t given this over to God then you shouldn’t be serving. Humble yourself, let God be the one to clean you, and then serve Him like He has called you to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2134

Chapter 3

Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 3:13 – For true repentance to take place, you must acknowledge your sin as sin. It wasn’t just something you shouldn’t have done, or something simply not cool. It’s the completely rebellion of God’s way. God says He wants us to follow Him and He is opening the way for us to come to Him, but we need to acknowledge that this sin isn’t acceptable in our story with God. Acknowledge to yourself and to God that you see your sin as sin and you know it can’t be a part of your story anymore. Once that takes place, turning from it for good can take place. Just remember God isn’t here trying to hold shame over your head, He’s trying to open your eyes to the shame sin brings and how following Him takes you away from all that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 922

The Lord said to me in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and there played the whore? And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me,’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore.” Jeremiah 3:6-8 – When scripture here is speaking of “playing the whore,” understand that as they gave themselves over to the worship of false gods. Here Israel is deep in idolatry, worshiping all the false gods it can. What’s heartbreaking is that Judah, her sister nation, sees the idolatry of Israel and instead of rejecting the false gods Judah as well begin to worship them. Let this be a reminder to you that sinfulness is contagious. We have people in our story constantly watching our lives and how we choose to live. Often they are watching to learn how to live for God. So when they see us actively in sin, they too will follow in that sin. Is there then a sin active in your life right now? Would you be pleased to see your child or your friend having that sin active in their life? If not, then seek out Jesus’ strength to make a change in that area. Seek to live a life that if mirrored by others would help them draw closer to Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2135

Chapter 4

And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. Jeremiah 4:30 – Don’t live your life for the wrong person. So far in Jeremiah we’ve seen God directing His people to follow Him. What we’ve seen though from His people is a pursuit and devotion of their lives to other things. This verse when it’s says “in vain you beautify yourself” is meaning it’s a worthless pursuit for you to try and impress these other things you’re pursuing. Unlike God, they don’t actually want you and they only want to take from you everything. While hearing what you are pursuing in life isn’t right is a hard message to take in, if God isn’t what you’re pursuing then there needs to be a change in direction within your story. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived in pursuing something that won’t give you what you’re looking for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 923

“If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.” Jeremiah 4:1-2 – If you’re going to return anywhere, return to the Lord. Here God had made His desires known for His people to come back to Him and faithfully serve Him. They expressed their desire for true repentance, but here was their time to show how true their words were. They needed to either remake a choice to return to God or return to their sin. Each day we are faced with this choice as well. Will today be a day we return once again to a faithful pursuit of God or is today the day we return back to the sin we’ve been saved from. It’s a daily choice and often a choice we have to make multiple times a day because sin is so accessible in our story. Who though has captured your heart more and who can provide for you better? If sin can truly do more for you than Jesus can, then it would be foolish to set aside your sin. Yet, sin never could match what Jesus can do for you. So return today once again to a faithful pursuit of Jesus. Let your sin be behind you and the path of following Jesus in front of you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2136

Chapter 5

But even in those days, declares the Lord, I will not make a full end of you. Jeremiah 5:18 – Here we see God’s intention behind the destruction that’s coming. God isn’t desiring their complete annihilation otherwise He would make a full end of them. He’s wanting them to learn that their ways aren’t the right ways. He’s wanting them to see that following after anything other than Him is a useless and painful pursuit. We too must remember God isn’t about our destruction but our growth. He wants us flourish in His ways and in Him. When we walk down a path that’s not after Him, He’ll allow us to feel the consequences of that choice. For the reason though not to harm us but to teach and grow us. Remember Jesus took the punish of our sin on Him, now God is teaching us why sin is a worthless thing to live for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 924

An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes? Jeremiah 5:30-31 – We have scripture describing that in this time a horrible thing was happening. Prophets were sharing false words from God and the religious leaders at that time were taking those words and directing the people accordingly. While that’s bad, what’s worst is the people loved this setup. Even after Jeremiah made it clear that what was being taught was wrong, they kept going with it. The people then are asked at the end of our chapter, what then will you do when all this comes to an end? God was making it clear this setup wasn’t going to last, so what will they do when their false leaders are gone and their punishment was on them? Let’s today be wise enough to hear God’s correction and correct our steps accordingly. Rather than being content with falsehood being our guide, refuse anything other than the truth of scripture being your waypoint. Then, when scripture is our guide and Jesus our God, when the end comes we have nothing to fear but can rejoice because we have been faithful to our God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2137

Chapter 6

…behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it. Jeremiah 6:10b – Sin blinds us to the beauty within God’s Word and the direction He gives within it. We see this in our passage today. The people were stubbornly refusing to following God’s way and the hearing of God’s Word to them brought them no peace or pleasure because it contradicted all the ways they wanted to live. Does though for us when we step into scripture bring us pleasure? Of course, we can come across passages we just don’t understand and can have difficultly always finding something in our readings, but as a whole, do we find peace and pleasure when we read God’s Word or hear it taught to us? If not, then that may be a sign to us something isn’t right in our walk with God currently. Spend some time in prayer then asking God what that is. Maybe though it’s obvious to you what isn’t right. Either way you have to ask yourself will you address what’s keeping you from finding pleasure from God’s Word or will you continue to let it be in your story? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 925

Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’” Jeremiah 6:16-17 – God is setting the scene of what He is longing for His people to do. He wants them curious about the holy path their fathers once walked. He wants them listening to the warnings He is giving them. He wants them to find the peace and rest that’s attached to a faithful walk after Him. Yet, they rejected the path and they rejected the warnings. This is why they are being told of this coming disaster.   God as well has a path for us to walk and He also is bringing the voice of warning in our life. The path of following Jesus faithfully has been established…are we taking it? The voice of warning is being made through scripture, church leaders, and Christian brothers and sisters within our story…are we listening to it? Know today a path of faithfulness and intimacy with God is in front of you. Your choice is simply to walk it or walk a different path. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2138

Chapter 7

Then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers forever. Jeremiah 7:7 – So what comes before the “then” in order for us to dwell with God? Like if you do _____, then… We often put things like if you go to church, if you are a good person, if you follow the ten commandments. Thankfully though there is a verse 5&6 that answers it for us. Even back in Jeremiah’s time God was seeking from His people to truly change from their sinful way, love those in need, and put God first and only. If that’s our story, then we dwell with God. This is for us Christians what God is inviting us into, a life dwelling with Him. We’ve been saved by Jesus, now as we follow His lead on what our life should look like and be filled with we begin to taste what a life with God in it is all about. Jeremiah is reminding us that God is all about us following Him and He is giving us all the chances in the world to do it, you just need to settle in your heart who you’re going to follow today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 926

“Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it because of the evil of my people Israel. And now, because you have done all these things, declares the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.” Jeremiah 7:12-14 – What happened at Shiloh that was so bad? Shiloh was a place that God settled as a place of worship of Him where people could come and sacrifice and serve Him. The people though disgraced this place with idolatry and evil and God forsook that place and moved on. Now we have the temple of the Lord, a place the people are in awe of, becoming as Shiloh was, a place of idolatry and evil. God is warning that if a change doesn’t happen to where the people follow Him again, this temple they love will end up as Shiloh…a place abandoned by God. How then have we been treating the temple of God today? Keep in mind we’re not talking about the church building, we’re talking about you. You are a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit if you’ve chosen to follow Jesus. Are you taking care of this temple? Are you allowing other gods to be worshipped in it? Are you setting it apart as holy like we should? Thankfully we have the promise of God that there will never be an abandonment of the Holy Spirit in our story, yet as believers we should never settle with disgrace being given towards God’s dwelling place. Remember who you are and remember who dwells with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac  – Daily DEVO 2139

Chapter 8

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored? Jeremiah 8:22 – Understand the health being spoken of is their spiritual health and the so physician is meaning like a prophet or a priest. Jeremiah asks why hasn’t his people found healing since there has been “physicians” amongst them? Yet if many of the physicians aren’t giving out the correct diagnosis and the patients are refusing to take the medicine from the good doctors, no healing will come. That’s what’s happening here. Too many wrong prophets were teaching wrong things and no one listened to the good prophets. Today, for us, make sure you’re listening to those who teach God’s Word correctly and be willing to take in and apply those teachings you hear. That’s when healing within our lives can begin. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 927

My joy is gone; grief is upon me; my heart is sick within me. Jeremiah 8:18 – This is Jeremiah himself speaking of what he is seeing and how he is feeling after such words are given by the Lord. His people are tasting the bitter wrath of the Lord. Not because this was God’s desire or Jeremiah’s desire but because over and over when the people were given words from the Lord to change, they rejected it. Now Jeremiah’s joy is gone from him and his heart is sick within him seeing his people undergo such tragedy. When we see people experiencing the consequences of their sin, how is our heart towards them? When a lost person dies and they are doomed to Hell for eternity that should break our hearts. How about when the person who hurt you gets the consequences for their wrong? Is the response still a breaking of the heart or is happiness your response? I know this seems so counter what is normal to grieve when the one who hurts you “gets what’s coming to them.” Just know the reality of those who hurt Jesus experiencing the punishment for their wrongs is what led Jesus to die on the cross for those who wronged Him. He is our example to follow on how to respond to others finding their justice. Our aim should be to only long for the redemption and forgiveness of others just like we received for all our wrongs. For the heart of Jesus the one we are following only longs for redemption and forgiveness. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2140

Chapter 9

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24 – If you think this mission of ours from God to love Him and love people is simply a New Testament thing this passage shows that way of thinking is wrong. God delights in us seeking to know Him and practicing love and justice with others. This is being spoken about way back in Jeremiah’s time. Know God’s heart hasn’t changed. We are to know Him and love people. That’s been our mission from the beginning and it will be till the end. How are you doing then with that mission? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 928

….for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord (3b)…..Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they refuse to know me, declares the Lord. (6) Jeremiah 9:3b and 6 – This language of “knowing the Lord” comes up multiple times in this chapter. We see it start with the not knowing the Lord and moving from one evil to the next. Yet later, in verse 6, the directions changes when scriptures say they refuse to know me. This knowledge being spoken of isn’t just an awareness that the Lord existed, they knew that. They were refusing an intimacy with God. God wanted them to draw close and know Him as their God, but they refused and walked to other evils instead. Today the invitation is open for us to know God just like He wanted the people in our passage to know Him. And we have an even better situation than they because we have the Holy Spirit within our story opening an even deeper level of closeness with the Lord. The heart this of this devotion is as A.W. Tozer once said, “Every man is as close to God as he wants to be.” The Lord has opened every door for you to find closeness with Him, it’s now up to us if we walk towards Him or choose something else again. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2141

Chapter 10

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. Jeremiah 10:10a – I’m going to let scripture lead today’s devo. Compare today’s passage to these other verses in this chapter and ask yourself what type of God do you serve? … “for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” Jeremiah 10:3-5 I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 929

Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name. Jeremiah 10:14-16 – “Not like these is he…” I love this phrase we see come up in our passage. In it we see the heart of the chapter and Jeremiah’s message to the people. Idols, the worthless, man-made creations that have no life in them, can offer no good to those who worship them, that have no voice in them to speak….not like these is He. God is not like these idols who can’t speak into our story and can’t move to rescue us. Idols will let you down, break commitments, refuse to show up, and leave you to rescue yourself in times of distress. Not like these is He whose name is Jesus. If you have been feeling the neglect that is attached to having something other than God as what your life is about, know today Jesus isn’t like that thing. He will show up and He will support. He has life within Him and has the power to change things. Choose Jesus over anything else for anything else isn’t like Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2142

Chapter 11

What right has my beloved in my house, when she has done many vile deeds? Can even sacrificial flesh avert your doom? Can you then exult? Jeremiah 11:15 – When I look at my life and all the vile deeds within it, I have to ask myself this first question. What right do I have to be in God’s house with Him? What right do you have? We have nothing worthwhile enough in our story to lift up to God that would make us worthy enough to come into His house. This is why we need a Savior. God wants us with Him, hence why He referred to His people as His beloved. Yet we can’t be with Him without someone making us right enough. Thank you Jesus for doing just that. We now through what Jesus has done for us have the right to be in God’s house and family. I hope today you’ve taken a hold of what Jesus has done for all of us and if not I’d love to chat with you about it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 930

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord, or you will die by our hand”— therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine…Jeremiah 11:21-22 – Jeremiah, once again, is given the task by God to give a message about  the unfaithfulness taking place in the lives of God’s people. Once again, the people are refusing to listen, and worse, we have Jeremiah’s life being threatened. He is proclaiming some serious words and prophesying some serious destruction about to  come and the people didn’t appreciate that. In fact scripture says certain men weren’t just telling Jeremiah to be quiet but threatening to kill him if he didn’t stop. Yet God said to press on, despite the death threats, because He would take care of the threats and those making them. Know God is going to call you to some easy tasks, but also some tasks that will push you far past your comfort and into deep opposition. Have faith that however and to whatever God calls you to He will provide and protect. As with Jeremiah, we are called to simply be faithful to the directions God gives us…even when being faithful doesn’t feel so simple. Trust the God we serve is able to take care of those He sends out. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2143

Chapter 12

If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 – Jeremiah is faced with a difficult realization. God is revealing to him even harder struggles are coming his way. God asked if you’ve worn yourself out with the small struggles your facing now how will you handle the tougher ones that are coming? We need to realize that our life too has tough struggles ahead. How will you deal with them? Do you crumble when small ones arise? How then will you manage when the life-changing sized ones come up? Learn to lean on God for strength in the daily, small struggles. Not only will this give you what you need to handle what’s in front of you but will train you on where to go when the bigger struggles come up. Whether small or large, we get through life’s struggles by leaning and relying of God. Don’t let yourself run on empty when God is right here available to you to find help from. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 931

Thus says the Lord concerning all my evil neighbors who touch the heritage that I have given my people Israel to inherit: “Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the Lord lives,’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people.” Jeremiah 12:14-16 – What we find here is a future blessing not seen as often in the Old Testament, the blessing of the world being able to find peace with God. We see over and over Israel, God’s chosen people, given the opportunity to return and find peace and promise. Here though the bigger desire of God is shown that any nation who would turn to follow His ways a declare Him Lord can find blessing in Him. If in this day a promise was given that if these evil nations would let go of their sinful ways and turn to follow the Lord they could, then what right do we have to stand in the way of those we consider “evil” today from hearing the message of Jesus and having the opportunity to follow the Lord? Scripture is clear, any and all who confess Jesus as Lord will be saved. Even those whose backstory is as dark as can be. Has there then been a way you have spoken about or spoken to someone that could possibly cause them to not desire Jesus? Be aware your judgmental, condemning comments, even said in secret, can be the very words that people use as their reason for not choosing to follow Jesus. God is open to all coming to Him, we should be to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2144

Chapter 13

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil. Jeremiah 13:23 – We need to make sure we read this verse how it was meant to be read. Just as we can’t change our skin color or a leopard his spots, we can’t just change from evil to good on our own. Our efforts to change ourselves from evil to good will be pointless pursuit if Christ isn’t behind it. Know there is hope for change, but the hope doesn’t come from us but from God. The nasty, dark things we don’t like about ourselves change as a result of God getting a hold of them. So how often do you feel like it’s your responsibility to take care of those things? Today hear that it’s only with God’s help you can change those parts of you. Lift those parts to God, hand those over to Him, and follow His lead on what to do with them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 932

For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen. Jeremiah 13:11 – In the first portion of this chapter God gives some unique commands with a loincloth to Jeremiah as a sign of what’s to come. We see here that there is a design for a loincloth, to cling and be close to the body. That’s what it was created to do and when on the body it finds its full purpose fulfilled. Like a loincloth, God was reminding His people they have been designed to be close to Him and when they are clinging to Him is when they find their purpose fulfilled. Yet, they had found themselves like a loincloth buried in the rocks by a river, spoiled and far from doing what they were designed to do. God’s design for us is clinging to Him as well. We find our purpose in life fulfilled when we are holding fast to Him. It’s no wonder then if you are finding yourself feeling worn and tattered if you aren’t clinging to Jesus tightly. You have been designed in a unique way to find fullness close to Jesus yet you are existing away from that design. Draw then close to Jesus once again and cling tightly to Him. Only there can we fully exist how we were designed to live. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2145

Chapter 14

Her nobles send their servants for water; they come to the cisterns; they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded and cover their heads. Jeremiah 14:3 – They search for what they need and can’t find it. They then return as empty as when they left. Such is the result of pursuing sin. We have in our minds things we need, love, acceptance, happiness, purpose, etc. We then hear culture today offering paths to find all those things and more so we chase down those paths like everyone else. We then end up with what everyone else who follows those path have, nothing more than they started with except some regrets. God wants you to know all those things you need you can find in Him, but in Him alone. While you can find temporary shadows of those things in what the world and sin offers, the true versions of them that your life needs only can be found in God. What course changes then does your life need to make today so you can stop wasting time pursuing empty things and begin pursuing the one scripture calls living water? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 933

Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O Lord our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things. Jeremiah 14:22 – Drought and famine were plaguing the land during this time.  God had caused the rain to be withheld as a consequence for the people’s refusal to let go of their sinfulness and God was clear in His words to them rain wasn’t coming. Yet here we have Jeremiah the prophet approaching God on behalf of the people he loved. When we read Jeremiah’s prayer the answers to his questions are no and yes. No, the false gods being worshipped by the people can’t bring rain, and yes, the Lord is He who can. When then in distress are you crying out to something that isn’t able to provide? Imagine having a difficulty with a coworker or an issue in your marriage and you decide the best way to find help is going into your backyard to speak to a tree and ask it to intervene in the stressed relationship and bring healing. That would be ridiculous, but so is turning to anything else for help other than God. No, that tree in your backyard, that bottle of alcohol, that next high, that next relationship, that extra time in the gym, that extra amount of effort you put in isn’t going to fix what needs fixed in your story because of your sin. God can though. Choose to begin turning to Him in life over all else for anything else can’t offer what you need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2146

Chapter 15

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 – He sought out what God was saying and found it. He then consumed it, processed it inside him, and sustained his life by it. This should be our interaction with God’s Word. How different is that way of coming to God’s Word than the typical way of just reading the Bible at church and every once in awhile dusting it off to read? How then does your interaction with God’s Word compare to what Jeremiah said? Do you seek it out? Do you dig into it? To you delight in it? Sometimes even the tastiest of dishes takes time to get used them, so even if studying scripture for you isn’t at Jeremiah’s level, begin with small bites and watch how if you keep up those small bites your desire for it will grow and change for wanting more. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 934

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.” Jeremiah 15:19 – If you’re reading along with these chapters and get confused sometimes who is talking or who the words are being said to, don’t stress, I’m confused sometimes too! Here though God is speaking to Jeremiah about some of the earlier complaints Jeremiah had. Simply put, God responds to Jeremiah’s complaints by telling Him to repent! So is bringing our questions and concerns to God a sin? Not at all, God welcomes our seeking of answers and even welcomes our confusion. Jeremiah though had begun to question God’s righteousness and question God’s goodness after hearing the severity of the ways His people were to be handled. This is where the sin found it’s way in. Know it’s fine for us to not understand some of the things God is doing and even to come to Him looking for clarity and answers as to why things are happening the way they are. Where this can turn sinful is when we begin to doubt God’s goodness and God’s holiness. Yes, God will move sometimes in ways that doesn’t seem good and holy at the time, yet in those times is not when we should question His righteousness. These are our moments to bank on the promises of scripture that God works only for good. Are you possibly in a season where our good, holy God seems to be moving in ways that aren’t good and holy? Approach Him with your questions for He welcomes that, yet trust even in the difficulty God’s heart is good and the moves He makes is for our good. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2147

Chapter 16

For thus says the Lord: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament or grieve for them, for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 16:5 – If you’ve ever wondered what existence without God in it would look like we get a glimpse of that in these verses. When God’s peace, love, and mercy was taken away all that remained was death and mourning. We must remember all that is good and joyful in existence begins and ends with God. Without Him we’d have nothing and our lives would be dark and death filled. That sounds extreme I know, but it’s a reality that those around us that don’t know Jesus will face when this life is over. I understand talking about Jesus with people can be frightening and uncomfortable at times. Please remember though if the people you love don’t have Jesus, this dark, death filled future is what they have coming in their story. You can help them know that and help them see life with God and his peace, love, and mercy is freely available to them. Make sure they know that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 935

Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. Jeremiah 16:14-15 – As you read through scripture you’ll see phrases like, “the God who brought you out of Egypt” at different times. This is looking back at the miraculous salvation God brought for Israel when He saved them from enslavement from Egypt and brought them to the promise land. God would remind them to dwell on this salvation when any other capture had taken place. Here though God speaks and says His plans are to bring into their story another salvation, one they will be able to look back on and remember God’s power in future times of distress. Yes, more pain was to come as a result of their sin, but God was going to eventually bring them back to a place of peace. How often do you find yourself dwelling on the past ways God has saved and provided for you when you’re in a new season of struggle? God is calling us, like He did with the Israelites, to remember the ways He has moved for us in the past when new hardships come in life. It may have been difficult and the losses in the process were real, but we made it through and are here today because of Jesus. Know then we’ll be here tomorrow as well because of Jesus, even if that tomorrow is in Heaven with Him. He’s shown us He’s able to provide for our need, let’s trust He’ll do it again. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2148

Chapter 17

Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:5-8 – Compare the two men in this passage. One is cursed and dry while one is blessed and flourishing. What caused there to be such a difference? One trusted in God and the other trusted in man. Scripture speaks for itself here. A life trusting in God is far more fulfilling than one trusting in ourselves or anything other than God. Maybe if your story has been feeling a little parched this passage can reveal why. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 936

“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:10 – As I read this passage my mind goes immediately to 1 Samuel 16:7…“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” The heart is what God looks at when He looks into our story. Is our heart for Him? Is our heart seeking His will to be done? Know then as well God is looking at other’s hearts as well. Maybe from the outside, from our perspective, it seems like they are not following the Lord, but God knows their heart and what He has laid on their heart to accomplish. Meaning we should strive to see their heart as well rather than assume. Seek intentional relationships with people in order see past the outward appearances to see their heart. Then, once a deeper view of their life is seen, is when we can speak into their life if what we see isn’t a heart after God. Be striving to look at others how God looks at people. Not at outward appearances of holiness or sinfulness, but at the heart. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2149

Chapter 18

And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Jeremiah 18:4 – God is able to take something ruined and make something good out of it. We must realize sin ruined us. It made us unusable and unholy. God though took a hold of us in that state and reshaped us. He created something new out of our sin-ruined life that was good, useable, and holy. Just keep in mind that it was all God that did the molding. The clay in the passage would have stayed on the wheel ruined if the potter hadn’t come. Our life is changed because of Jesus. If you want to know more about Jesus and the change your life can have with Him, I’d be happy to share that with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 937

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. Jeremiah18:1-3 – Yesterday’s sermon spoke on how essential it is to have a humble walk and approach to the Father and today’s chapter resonates with that message as well. The Lord leans into Jeremiah and says go to the potters house to hear my words. Jeremiah does what the Lord says and hears from the Lord. When we approach God how God calls us to approach Him, that’s when we find the intimacy with God we need. That’s said, if God says go there or come to me in such a posture, yet we don’t go there and don’t come to Him in that posture, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear from God. Jeremiah meet God where and how God told Him to and the result was clarity of message and closeness with the Father. We then should humbly listen to the lead of the Father coming to Him as He calls us to, not just how we want to. God is calling you to approach Him daily, seeking His strength in all things, and seeking His will to be done in your story. What then has your approach to the Lord looked like today so far? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2150

Chapter 19

And shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it can never be mended. Jeremiah 19:11a – A broken vessel cannot be restored. No matter how much glue is used it can never work like it’s meant to. A new vessel though can be created from the material from the broken one. This is why God will allow us to be broken. Our pride, our selfishness, and our addiction to sin, those parts of our life must be broken and cast out so what’s left can be formed into something new and holy. This is why God is about transformation and not just mending our lives. God doesn’t want us to just be “fixed” with sin still a part of the final product, He wants a whole new creation absent of the parts that ruins us. So if God is working to rid your life of something, don’t fight Him and let Him do His work. The final result of you letting God have His way with your life will astonish you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 938

You shall say, “Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.” Jeremiah 19:3 – Jeremiah was once again directed to proclaim a message to God’s people of a disaster that was to come upon them due to their unfaithfulness. What we see spoken here here by God is also who the message was for: kings and inhabitants. Rulers and those ruled, all were to hear God’s word and submit to God’s authority. No one was excluded from needing to hear what God had to say and from following His words. That truth remains the same today. Parent and child, boss and employee, teacher and student, pastor and church goer, all are to hear the words of the Lord and to follow them. No titles excluded. Know then whatever titles are carried by you only reinforce the importance of your need to listen and follow God’s word. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2151

Chapter 20

Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed! Jeremiah 20:13-14 – No, I didn’t take these verses out of order, this drastic change in attitude was put down in scripture just like that. It though reminds us that our walk with God isn’t always going to be great. One moment we’re doing well, the next moment a struggle hits and everything has changed. This is a life thing though for all, not just Christians. We who follow God though have a hope in this roller coaster of life that the world doesn’t. Be sure to lean on God in the good times and even lean on Him when the struggle comes. Trust He knows what He is doing and follow His lead. In good times and bad, you can have this assured hope that God is with you and for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 939

“And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. To Babylon you shall go, and there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.” Jeremiah 20:6 – Pashhur was a priest who was disgusted by what Jeremiah had to say and was actively punishing Jeremiah for saying words of the Lord that were contrary to his own. Notice though in this last phrase spoken to Pashhur that he will die, but also all his friends will die who he didn’t speak the truth to. All those that listened to his lies will end up dying along with him because they never heard the truth from who they should have heard it from. That remains true today. Each one of your friends and family that you don’t share the truth of the Gospel to will die and spend eternity away from God. Unless they hear the truth from somewhere else and accept it, if you who God has placed in their story doesn’t share the truth of Jesus with them they may never know about Him and die without Him. Maybe you aren’t actively sharing a different message with them to believe in like  Pashhur was, but just not telling them the gospel is still not telling them the truth. Be sure the people God has place in your story are hearing about His story from you. Let it be known and said of you that you told the truth to all. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2152

Chapter 21

And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He who stays in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, but he who goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have his life as a prize of war. Jeremiah21:8-9 – How much is this our story? God has set before all of us the way of life and the way of death. For the people in our story, choosing life meant walking out of the city, the place tied with their sin, and surrender to the army. For us, choosing life means stepping away from our devotion to sin and surrendering our life to Jesus? God’s not asking us to rid ourselves of all sin before we come to Him, we need Him in our life to overcome sin. He is though asking us to turn away from our path of sin and start down a path after Him. So is your choice today life? If you already know Jesus, will you choose life again today? Remember choosing to follow Jesus is more than a one time event, it’s an everyday turning from your sin to follow Him. Choose life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 940

Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful deeds and will make him withdraw from us. Jeremiah 21:2 – King Zedekiah sent to Jeremiah a couple guys to ask of Jeremiah to speak to God and see what God was going to do about this enemy coming near them. Their hopes was the message they’d get back was that God would work a miracle and the enemy would leave. The message though was very different than they hoped it would be, the enemy was going to destroy their city and all who didn’t surrender to them. How do you handle it when the response back to your prayer isn’t what you hoped it would be? Like when you ask for a door to be opened and it remains shut. When you ask for healing and God says no. When you ask for a relationship and God says not in this season of your life. How we respond is so important within our walk with God. It’s so easy to allow the unwanted response to tear away at our desire for intimacy with God. My lead for you though is reject that fleshly desire to pull away from God when the answer isn’t what you wanted. Instead, as off as it may feel and as undesirable in the moment as it may be, choose to lean further into a closeness with the Lord. While the answer from God wasn’t what you wanted, what you need though still all comes from Him. If God has chosen to move in your life differently than you asked Him to, then our story still needs what He has instead for us. The more things don’t make sense the more we need to lean into the one that is in control of all things. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2153

Chapter 22

He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? declares the Lord. Jeremiah 22:16 – Was not this obeying of God’s commands their pursuit to know God better? That’s the question being asked. We have an account of someone following God faithfully and showing love and mercy like they were supposed to. We see also the reason behind why they obeyed like this and it was to gain a better knowledge of this God they had chosen to follow. In this passage is a truth we better grab a hold of. Only those who obey God truly know Him. Those who know God and the type of God He is and all He’s done for them, they’ll live out a life of obedience. Obedience is not only then a key part of our life with God it’s a way to gain a better knowledge of who He is. So how can you obey God’s mission for you today so you can get to know Him better? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 941

Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. Jeremiah 22:15 – The Lord is speaking into the life of the current king of Judah who his actively building a grand house for himself. God checks him and asks if he truly thinks by building such a house that it will grant him a long reign as king. God reminds the king that his father before him reigned well and was blessed, but what established his reign wasn’t buildings or wealth but it was the fact he carried out what God had directed him to carry out as king. It’s tempting for us in our story to believe what will grant us long term contentment and happiness is a building up of our own wealth. That we can ensure our families protection and future by the more that we have. Yet God in His word reminds us that it’s not in wealth that we find our contentment or protection or assurance of a blessed future, but its only through Him and following Him that these things are found. Chasing after more of this world will not offer you what you truly need. Life, joy, rest, peace, worth, and purpose are only found in one place. In Jesus. If then you are deciding what your life should be chasing after, then choose Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2154

Chapter 23

Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Jeremiah 23:23 –  This for us needs to be a verse that inspires us to keep moving forward in our pursuit of God. We see here that God is close to us. He’s not distant from our struggle or from our story, He’s always close and always there. The source of everything we need is always close to us. This passage though should also inspire us to live pure and holy lives. The very next verse speaks of if God is so close, how can we hide anything from Him? It’s an amazing blessing to have God and all He brings to us close to us, yet at the same time we must realize He is seeing everything we do. How then does this truth of understanding God sees all you do because He is so close make you feel? What parts need to change in your life because you thought they were hidden somehow from God’s view? Let’s make sure all that God sees from us is pure and holy. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 942

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16-17 – This will most likely be a message you already know, but it’s important to be reminded of this…don’t listen to every voice that is speaking into you. Especially when it comes to those who carry the label pastor. While it shouldn’t be the case, not every pastor is preaching the fullness of God’s word like they are called to. Please as well don’t just immediately assume that means megachurch pastors either. There are pastors with thousands coming to their churches who are bringing to word so faithfully and there are pastors who have a couple dozen attending that are speaking as falsely as the prophets in Jeremiah’s time. Don’t let the size of a church be what discerns for you if they are teaching correctly. How then can you tell? Well, the very next verse can help….v.18 – “For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?” As boldly as they may be on stage they must be all the more boldly approaching the council of the Lord to hear from Him. For how vital coming before the council of the Lord is to them is how vital you should take their words. While in today’s church of online pastors it’s hard to figure this out exactly, I encourage you to approach the Lord to hear His word and then if what you’re hearing matches up with what God is speaking, then that’s a solid sign that pastor is seeking the council of the Lord too. Longer devotion today, but with how much of Jeremiah’s calling was centered around false priests and prophets, we too should be aware characters like this are still around. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2155

Chapter 24

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah 24:5 – What we see here is the promised good outcome of doing what God said to do, even when that choice didn’t make sense. Back in 21:8-9 God gives His people a choice. Life by surrender, death by staying in the city. Now we read today the outcome of both choices. We need to know that even when a direction doesn’t make sense, like surrendering to your enemy in this story, if God says it’s the better path we should always take it. Today your direction is to give yourself wholly over to His plans and path. Scripture tells us its the best way, yet the world and culture will tell you the opposite. You may not understand fully why God will lead you in someways He does, know though whatever He says is the best thing always for you. Follow Him no matter the cost and you’ll never find yourself lost. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 943

I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. Jeremiah 24:6 – This message was given by God to the ones He was exiling to Babylon. Here we see a truth that’s difficult to accept but deeply important to remember. Sometimes God will allow us to be moved into seasons away from our comfort for the purpose of our growth with Him. That may look like an extra year at the job you thought you were moving away from, not getting into the college you wanted, or even a season of financial lack. Undesirable, unwanted seasons, but seasons God may walk us into. Seasons He promises to provide in and promises to have fruit on the other side as we purpose Him in it. Yes, these seasons we aren’t asking for won’t be comfortable, but most things that grow us aren’t. Trust that if the God who loves you, who you’re pursuing with your whole heart, has chosen this path for you, then it’s the right path. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2156

Chapter 25

For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. Jeremiah 25:3 – There are at least two things from this passage you should take away. First God is patient. He didn’t just give one chance to turn back, but repeatedly for over two decades kept giving them chances through Jeremiah to turn back to following Him. Even still they chose not to. We also need to learn that the calling God is placing on your life isn’t a quick thing to finish. It may be for a short season, yet it may be a lifelong calling. Know that like for Jeremiah, what God may call you to do won’t be quick and easy. It will always be worth it, just may not be quick. Thankfully God is even patient with us as we pursue this calling and stumble along the way. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 944

So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: Jeremiah25:17 – God was declaring His wrath over all the lands who had refused to turn to Him when He offered His hand to them. Now Jeremiah is given the bitter task of going to all these places and declaring to them the destruction that is to come. A task Jeremiah did not find joy in doing, but a task Jeremiah still accomplished. In our story, approaching another person and bringing to light a sin you are seeing in their story is not a comfortable thing to do. It’s awkward and you’re unsure of the response that will come after you speak to them about it. Yet, just like with Jeremiah’s mission, our mission is to speak into other peoples life helping them see the sin in their story and their need to turn to Jesus. It will not always be easy or comfortable or a desirable thing to do, but it is our calling. So if it’s someone who doesn’t know Jesus yet, be willing to speak into their story to help them see their need of a Savior due to their sin. If this person is a brother/sister in Christ and a sin in their story is becoming evident to you, gently and lovingly be willing to share with them what you’re seeing. Of course, no one likes having their sins put out in the open, but it’s out in the open where healing can take place. Be willing to step into the uncomfortable conversations so you can be a part of helping others out of their life with sin. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2157

Chapter 26

But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. Jeremiah 26:14 – When we are in God’s hand, what can man really do to us? Here we have Jeremiah telling those who want to put him to death he is in their hands, yet at the same time having the faith to know God has a tighter grip on him than any hands laid on him that day. John 10:29 says we are in God’s hands and no one can take us from His hands. We must grow in our confidence that God has us as we face the struggles that attach themselves to a life faithfully following Jesus. Sure there will be moments like what Jeremiah faced where all seems lost, but even then God demonstrated how His hands were more powerful than anyone else’s. Trust you’re in God’s hand if you’ve placed your life wholly into those hands. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 945

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!” Jeremiah 26:7-8 – Some will hear from you the fullness of what God is saying, but they still won’t listen and follow Jesus. Jeremiah spoke all the words the Lord said and once done the crowed sought to kill him. Hopefully that ending won’t be your story, but seek to not let a lack of response discourage you. Maybe you share the gospel in front of a group and no one responds, maybe you show a friend the help Jesus could give them but they don’t accept it, or maybe you have a loved one continue to choose sin even after you shared with them the freedom Jesus can bring them. Know their lack of response isn’t a reflection of your faithfulness. If you’re stepping up and talking about Jesus, telling others how they can know Him, and showing the help He can give others, know then you are doing exactly what God has called you to do. Some just won’t accept what you have to say and that’s not on you. You showed them love, shared with them the message of life, and now they know Jesus is available for them if they were to ever choose to follow Him. Pray God will continuing to bring voices into their story to point them to Him and that their hearts would be softened towards Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2158

Chapter 27

So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. Jeremiah27:9-10 – We must accept that not all those who carry the proper title are preaching the truth. We see a list of titles in our passage, and for today I want you to think about the titles of pastor or priest. Sadly, there are some who carry those titles and use the influence that comes with it for selfish and sinful gains. Do we need to be wary of every pastor that comes into our life? No, but what can help is you deepening your knowledge of scripture so when the word is preached, you have knowledge of it to compare it to. Remember most pastors are here for your good and only want to help you grow, yet as in Jeremiah’s time, there are those who don’t have that same heart. Know God’s Word well enough to discern the difference. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 946

Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? Jeremiah27:17 – Jeremiah was given a unique message to proclaim to all peoples, submit to the invading nation of Babylon. Imagine how that message must have been taken by the people who heard it! All the other “prophets” during that time were proclaiming falsely the opposite, to not serve Babylon and God would keep them free from the hand of the enemy king. What God though was saying was quite different than what these prophets were proclaiming. Be ready for that to be the reality you’ll step into as well as you tell others what God wants you to tell them. The words God wants you to proclaim are going to often be very opposite of what the world is proclaiming. Words like, “Live your truth,” or “As long as no one gets hurt it’s ok,” or “All ways lead to heaven” are being spoken over and over in our world today and they are so opposite of what God is saying. So like Jeremiah, be ready for the world to push back against what you say because it will be so counter to what they are hearing from everywhere else. Yet, like in Jeremiah’s day, while his words were different than the masses of other words being given, whose words actually came true? Jeremiah’s. Your words will be different, but if you’re saying what God directs you to say, then know your words will be the ones that are true. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2159

Chapter 28

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put upon the neck of all these nations an iron yoke to serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they shall serve him, for I have given to him even the beasts of the field. Jeremiah 28:14 – There may be no real connection between these two scriptures, but I couldn’t help but see a unique foreshadowing here. God is saying that He has established Nebuchadnezzar, even giving to him the beasts of the field. Then later on in Neb’s story, it was when he was out of his mind, in the field acting as a beast that he looked up and realized it was God who established him. God wants you to realize it’s been Him all along establishing your path. Not your power or mind or effort. It’s been Him. Let’s take the necessary moments in our day to stop and thank God for how He has blessed and established our story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 947

Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke-bars from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke them. Jeremiah 28:10 – As an example of what sort of burden was to be placed on God’s people for not submitting to His ways, Jeremiah literally wore a wooden yoke around his neck. He took his calling very seriously and took the proclamation of God’s message just as serious. What we see in this passage is this other prophet came in, shared a completely different message, and broke the yoke around Jeremiah’s neck to counter the words of Jeremiah. This is the harsh reality you’ll be stepping into as you take seriously your call. People will pushback. They will counter what you have to say and seek to break your efforts of getting God’s word out. When this pushback comes, don’t be surprised for every generation of the church has had pushback just like this. Remember that the message you are standing up for and seeking to get out is not your own, but one that God has given us through His holy scriptures. It’s also a message of life and love for those who are willing to listen to it. Keep sharing then what God has called you to share about Him. Yes, expect pushback, but let the thrill of seeing more people in Heaven with us someday push you through the pushback. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2160

Chapter 29

For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. Jeremiah 29:10 – Verse 11 is the verse we see on pillows and signs. The one where it says “For I know the plans I have for you.” Love the verse, but we must remember the context. This promise was being given to those who faithfully followed what God said. Followed it when it didn’t make much sense and so many were saying to do the opposite. To surrender to the Babylonians and leave their homeland. Now we see God telling them He remembers the promise He made to them if they followed Him and has plans to prosper them. We must remember God wants to bless us as well, but we must be willing to faithfully follow Him. Even when it doesn’t make sense or when everyone around you is saying to do the opposite. While following God is the right path and will be the path that prospers, it won’t always be the easiest. I’m trying to take that path and I’d sure love you have you alongside me. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 948

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. Jeremiah 29:4-7 – This was a clear set of directions God gave to His people who listened to Him and submitted to the exile to Babylon. They were to flourish there. No, it wasn’t their home, but God called them to build where they were at and pray for the city there were in. How I believe we today can takeaway a message is understanding God is calling us to flourish where He has planted us. Heaven is our true home if we are a follower of Him, so here on earth is a temporary living situation for us like Babylon was for them. Instead of just longing and crying for when we can go to our Heavenly home, where someday God has promised we’ll go to, grow where God has planted you. Build, cultivate, relate, and increase our numbers. While away from Heaven, build churches, cultivate areas were the fruits of the Spirit can be grown, create deep relationships with people, and increase the numbers of those going to Heaven someday with us. While we aren’t in Heaven right now, today is a God-given day and we’ve been planted where we are at for a reason. Build, grow, and increase wherever God has planted you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2161

Chapter 30

For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it. Jeremiah 30:3 – Focus on that last phrase. God restores and gives, but it’s says they shall then once it’s given take possession of it. Meaning that while we can’t provide for ourselves what only God can give, when God does provide we must be willing to take a hold of it and accept it. Things such as God’s joy, peace, and rest are being given to all but we must take possession of them. God’s salvation it’s being given to all, but we must take possession of it. What then is God offering to you that you aren’t taking possession of? Why aren’t you? Know that if God’s offering it it’s something you need and He sees you worthy of having it. Whatever is keeping you from what God is giving you needs to be set aside so you can grab tightly on what God is giving. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 949

For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’ Jeremiah 30:17 – God will step into our story in ways no one else would and do things no one else could. Earlier in the chapter we read how their sin was incurable and all their lovers they had run to before are not where to be found. No one is standing up for them and no one is offering help for their hurt. Yet, as the Lord said in verse 11, “For I am with you to save you.” No one else was stepping into their story to save, but God did. No one else would help them, but God did. Learn from this chapter how futile it is to hope for help from places not of God. If the relationship isn’t of God or if the help isn’t based on God, then don’t expect the healing you need. God is the only true source of healing in this life and help outside of Him will only leave us still in need. Thankfully He is a God who is close and He is a God who welcomes the broken into His presence. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2162

Chapter 31

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. Jeremiah 31:25 – It’s in God we’ll find what we need. The satisfying of the deep desires within us can only be meet in God. All the emptiness within us can only be replenished by God. This truth is something we must hear and lean into. For all of us have these desires and this emptiness. We are also given countless ways from the world to take care of those things within us. Scripture is sharing though that God is not only the only way to truly take care of those things, He’s available and desires to do so. Today if you’re running on empty or your desires are stirring within you and the temptation to satisfy them with sinfulness is strong, hear what scripture is saying today. It’s in God that we’ll find what we need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 950

Thus says the Lord: “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work, declares the Lord, and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own country. Jeremiah 31:16-17 – Jeremiah was speaking into the people of God who had been exiled into Babylon. Despite the struggle and tears, God through Jeremiah speaks into His people telling them there is a hopeful future for them. This is a promise given to us today in scripture as well, there is a hopeful future ahead. There is a reward for the toil we have given in this life. My hope is you don’t have to wait till Heaven to taste that better future, but even if you do Heaven will be worth the wait. Know though today if you’re in a season of exile, meaning a season where life just isn’t good like it could be and the peace you wished was present just isn’t, that you have a promised, hope-filled tomorrow if you follow Jesus. In Jesus we find the hope for tomorrow we need. So keep serving, keep loving your neighbor, and keep spreading the Gospel. There is a reward for our work and a blessed future ahead for all who commit their life to Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2163

Chapter 32

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’ Jeremiah 32:14-15- Sometime what God does today doesn’t make sense to us. Like why He caused this relationship to end or why did this job not work out. In the moment it really isn’t clear why that didn’t work out. Sometimes though the reason why things don’t make sense today is because He is working on tomorrow today. He is working on your future and the plans He has for your future today and as a result the pieces that will later come together currently don’t make much sense. Just trust God sees the finished picture even when we don’t. If it’s clear God is doing the rearranging in your life today, yet it don’t make much sense why, trust it because He’s simply working out tomorrow today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 951

They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction. Jeremiah 32:33 – It’s important to listen to what the Lord says. I would assume the majority of those reading these devotions would agree with that statement, yet there is a deep difference between agreeing with and faithful following what the Lord says. You can agree that eating candy is something you shouldn’t do for multiple reasons…but tonight I betcha you’re still going to eat some candy (when writing this it’s Halloween). While the Lord in His holy scriptures has given us many things to more than just agree with but to follow, please do more than just agree with the fact we need to be telling people the good news of Jesus. Yes, please agree that it is a good thing to tell people the Gospel, but please do more than just agree! Go, share, teach, preach! Faithfully follow the command of God to tell everyone you can about the love and forgiveness of Jesus. For Jesus is the hope of the world and the answer the world is looking for. Let your life with God be more than just listening and agreeing with what He says. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2164

Chapter 33

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: Jeremiah 33:1 – Sometimes we feel like in order for us to hear from God we must find perfect tranquility in our life. That the setting and atmosphere of the room has to be perfect. We must escape from the chaos to a place of peace to hear from God. Certainly God speaks in those peace-filled times, what we learn though from our passage is that God can speak even when the situation we are in isn’t ideal. Jeremiah was locked up against his will, yet God still was able to share His message with Him. So cherish the moments where you can can listen to God in peace, just know He also can speak in the middle of the chaos. If you seek His voice and are willing to listen even in the chaos, you’ll find His voice to be just as powerful. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 952

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ Jeremiah33:14-16 – “In those days” God is going to provide a king that will sit on David’s throne forever. This king will rule for eternity and bring peace to all of God’s people. He will heal the lands, restore the lost, and bring the people back together from where they have been exiled. Now fast-forward in scripture to the first verse in Luke 2 when we get the story of Jesus’ birth. What are the first three words? “In those days.” While For Jeremiah those three words were a time far in the future to look forward to, when Luke wrote them he was telling of a time that happened not that long ago for him. That the days promised by God had come and now they are sitting in the beauty God said would come. Know today we are in those days. Jesus has come, He has brought peace, and He has healed all who come to Him. Let’s be grateful we have a God who always comes through with His promises. I love you, but Jesus loves more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2165

Chapter 34

And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. Jeremiah 34:10-11 – While the outward action may be right and good, if the person’s heart isn’t behind the action there won’t be any lasting change. Like we see in our passage, they obeyed, but clearly their hearts weren’t in that act of obedience because they turned right around and took back what they gave up. Same will happen with us if our heart isn’t behind the obedience to God we give Him. Example of this could be forgiving someone who hurt you. If you forgive them because in your heart you know this is right and you know this is what God desires, you’ll truly forgive them. Otherwise it’s just going to be a outward deed to make you appear as an obedient follower but your heart hasn’t changed towards them at all. Make sure your heart is behind your obedience. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 953

You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. Jeremiah 34:15-16 – After the message Jeremiah gave the the king, the king ordered everyone to free any slave they had before the enemy broke through the walls. This was a command God had established long ago and was finally obeyed by His people here on this day. Yet, when it looked liked the enemy was leaving and all was safer again, the people enslaved again the temporarily freed people. They obeyed God long enough to get the help they needed, then went right back to their sin. This was not a right way to follow God and God was not pleased. Temporary obedience in times of trouble is not the sort of obedience God is looking for from His followers. God is looking for followers who will consistently follow Him. Yes, to cry out to Him when things are dire, but to also shout praises to Him when things are good. To be faithful when things are fractured and remain faithful when things are whole again. Is God then getting your obedience only when a need arises? Or is God seeing a faithful walk from you each day? God deserves our obedience to His word everyday despite the circumstances of that day, let’s seek to give Him just that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2166

Chapter 35

Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever.” Jeremiah 35:5-6 – Sometimes what God directs us to do conflicts with what man has told us to do. When that happens, we need to be willing to let go of man’s teachings and embrace what God is saying. In this passage, their obedience to man’s teaching was used as an example to show the disobedience of God’s people to His teachings. That won’t always be the case. There are things we follow and believe that aren’t in line with what God teaches. When our current beliefs are up against what God says through His Word, we need to have the sort of obedience to God to truly let go of that wrong belief and lean into what He says. This is what being a follower of God means. This is what it means to make Him your Lord. He sets up what’s right and wrong in your life, not you. Let God have that role in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 954

The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. Jeremiah 35:14 – Today’s chapter introduced us to a family that their father had given them a list of particular commands, one of which was to drink no wine, and even when tested they stayed true to the commands of their father. God then uses this family as an example of what His people should be like in relation to following the commands He gives them. How about for us? How faithful are we being to the commands God gives to us? Let’s even take this a step further, are we more faithful to worldly “father’s commands” than our Heavenly Father’s commands? Will you listen and obey the voice of your coach or boss more than you listen to the Lord? Does the rules given to you by your parents hold more sway than what God says in scripture when the two conflict? It boils down to us acknowledging that God is our ultimate authority. What He says goes, over every other voice. Does God have that place yet in your story? If not, be willing to ask the question of why is there a hesitation or hold up to allowing Him that position. When God speaks, those who have confessed their faith in Him should follow what He says. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2167

Chapter 36

As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Jeremiah 36:23 – This is a sad reality that those of us who choose to share the Gospel must accept. Some will hear the life giving message of Jesus and yet respond to it as Jehudi did. It’s not because you shared it wrong or the message wasn’t good enough for them, they have just closed off their heart to it. Don’t let though the few that discard the message you’re sharing keep you from sharing. As we see in our passage some actually listened to what was said and as a result it may have changed their eternal destiny. Keep sharing. Even if a thousand discard it yet one listens and believes, it’s worth it to keep sharing. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 955

As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments. Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. Jeremiah 36:23-25 – To summarize the story within this chapter, Jeremiah has a scroll written that shared the coming of an enemy nation and the desire was that when this scroll was read before the people they would repent and God would relent. Yet, we see here in these verses how the king responded to such a message from the Lord. Imagine cutting up God’s word and throwing it into a fire! How disgraceful of a way to handle the blessing of God’s word. Yet how truly different from this is just laying our Bible on a bookcase and not touching it for weeks? Sure, one involves fire and the other involves dust, but both equal God’s word not entering into our story. While I love that there is a small following to these devotionals, my hope is there is more of a reading of God’s word happening in your life than just the few verses I give. We have been blessed with the word of God, let’s be sure we are giving it space in our day to shape, guide, and remind us how we need. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2168

Chapter 37

But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord that he spoke through Jeremiah the prophet. King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray for us to the Lord our God.” Jeremiah 37:2-3 – If this is like your relationship with God, don’t be surprised if prayers aren’t being answered like you are asking them to. If the only time you want a relationship to God is when you need help, that’s not a healthy relationship at all. God is seeking an deep, daily relationship with you where He is a part of your whole story, not just the character who steps in when trouble comes then leaves. Know that God is going to take care of His own always, but if we are refusing to listen to Him we can’t expect the same blessings in our life as if we were listening and following. Even when we are faithfully following Him prayers won’t always be answered as we’d like, but as we lean into Him more we’ll feel and see what it looks like to have God leaning into our story more too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 956

When Jeremiah had come to the dungeon cells and remained there many days…Jeremiah 37:16 – Jeremiah was cast into a dungeon/prison for many days. All due to a misunderstanding and a refusal to listen to Jeremiah’s explanation. He was simply doing what God wanted and going to receive his blessing. What struck me was that he “remained there many days.” I sought to find out how long he was in their for, but no exact time was given. Know that may be our story too. We may be on the path of following what God wants for us and still be blindsided by difficulty. Not only that, the time we dwell in that difficulty may be untold to us. Meaning we may find ourself in struggle due to our pursuit of Jesus and not have a clue when the struggle will end. We may be there for “many days.” In that time, our only hope is in the promises of God and the testimony of scripture showing He keeps true to His word. Many days may pass before we see the light beyond our struggle, but take heart God is with you in the struggle and is walking with you through it. He will never leave nor forsake you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2169

Chapter 38

My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city. Jeremiah 38:9 – We must trust that when all hopes seems lost and we’ve exhausted all our resources  to change our circumstance that God is still working to save us. Jeremiah is stuck in the mud at the bottom of this dark cistern. His strength can’t change his circumstance. What we read here though is at the that same time God is moving to provide him an escape. Trust God is moving. Trust God sees your circumstance. Trust God has your best in mind. He loves you and promises to take care of you and when you’ve hit the bottom and it’s only God who can help, know He’s there and ready to help. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 957

King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, lest I be handed over to them and they deal cruelly with me.” Jeremiah said, “You shall not be given to them. Obey now the voice of the Lord in what I say to you, and it shall be well with you, and your life shall be spared.” Jeremiah 38:19-20 – The fears of the king are common ones of followers of God today. What will people think? What will people do if I actually follow God? The king was afraid of the people and what they would do to him if he listened to the words of God that we’re coming from Jeremiah. I find myself battling these same fears in my position, fearing people’s reactions or people leaving the church if I make a certain decision or preach a certain topic that God is directing me to talk on. Possibly you feel this way too sometimes. How will people at your school or your work or in your family react if you start doing what God says to do? If we learn anything from Jeremiah’s story, clearly people don’t always react well and it often comes at a cost to follow God’s directions. At the end of the day, and the end of your life, which voice though do you want to say you followed? God’s voice or just someone who is in a short season of your life? Choose God’s voice to follow. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2170

Chapter 39

When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went toward the Arabah. Jeremiah 39:4 – When you see exactly what God promised would happen now actually happening in front of you, what would you do? For the king and soldiers it was to flee, trusting in their own strength to change the circumstances. Maybe we do the same. We see scripture telling us these paths are harmful or these types of relationships aren’t healthy, but we pursue them anyways. Then, like the people in our story, we’re faced with exactly what God warned us of yet we say I can fix this on my own. Let’s first learn to listen to the warning God gives. Second, if we don’t initially follow His way and we’re face to face with what He warned us of, turn to lean on Him rather than running to your own strength. If your own two feet and choices got you into the mess, maybe you’re not the best guide for your life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 958

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, “Take him, look after him well, and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” Jeremiah 39:11-12 – Nebuchadnezzar dealt kindly with Jeremiah, yet this is the same Nebuchadnezzar that just verses before killed the king of Judah’s sons before the king’s eyes and then gouged out the king’s eyes. What was the difference then between Jeremiah and the king of Judah that caused there to be such a blessing on one and horror given to the other? Jeremiah had the protection of the Lord and the king of Judah didn’t. Jeremiah listened to the word of the Lord and the king of Judah didn’t. Both had blessing offered to them, but only one listened to the voice of the Lord. So understand this isn’t a story about God’s cruelty but about the horror attached to man’s refusal of God’s ways. God has a path of promise available for all. A path that gives peace to all and salvation to any who take it. See from this passage such peace and salvation is available for those who follow God’s ways. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2171

Chapter 40

As for me, I will dwell at Mizpah, to represent you before the Chaldeans who will come to us. But as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have taken. Jeremiah 40:10 – Sometimes our mission is not to “go” but to “dwell.” At least not to go like we first think of it. When scripture says to “go and make disciples” we must realize this is our life’s mission, what we should be giving our all to. That “go” might mean go to China, or go to another state, or go to some unreached village in South America. It also though may mean for you to go across the street to your neighbor, or maybe go to Walmart with a purpose more than just groceries. So for some “go” means to truly leave everything, yet for many that “go” means to dwell right here but be as intentional about sharing the truth here as you would in that South American village. Just know each one of us who calls Jesus Lord is given the command to go. Know then what your go looks like. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 959

The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.” Jeremiah 40:2-3 – When I first read this it looks as if the guard is declaring that Jeremiah himself sinned and as a result the Babylonian invasion took place. After studying it a little more the guard isn’t meaning that statement of sin directly to Jeremiah, but to the whole of Jeremiah’s countrymen around him. As I read in a commentary, what’s amazing though is that this non-follower of God could see what God’s people couldn’t. God spoke and He then brought about what He spoke would come about. The enemy captain recognized this, but God’s own people were too stubborn in their sin to acknowledge God’s hand. What I don’t want to see is a generation of God’s people finding themselves in seasons of struggle that could easily have been avoided if there was just a listening to the word of the Lord. For God has spoken and shown us the right path to go. He has also shown us the struggles that are attached to pursuing our own paths instead. Now, like with the offer given to Jeremiah, we must choose which way to go. What this passage should do for us is remind us not to be surprised when what God says will come about actually comes about. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2172

Chapter 41

But when Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had done, they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael the son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. Jeremiah 41:11-12 – When you hear that evil and injustice is happening, what do you do? Say you hear a child is being hurt or you see someone being heavily mistreated. We should stand up for those being hurt as we read about it the passage. How about if someone is going to die and spend eternity away from God? Somehow we get less worked up about that than a child being hurt. As ambitious as we get to rightfully help children being abused, we need to be all the more ambitious about helping people see the pain of sin and the rescue they can find in Jesus. What’s evil is when we know the path to rescue yet people are dying to their sin because we never shared it with them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 960

And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they rejoiced. Jeremiah 41:13 – To sum up the story happening in the chapter of you didn’t read it, Ishmael killed the leader of the land and took all the people there captive with the goal of carrying them to another land. Johanan, a friend and supporter of the slain leader, musters up a force to chase down Ishmael and rescue the captives. What struck me was those two words at the end of our verse, “they rejoiced.” An enemy had taken them captive and all seemed loss. Yet, a rescuer came and was coming in power to set them free. So of course rejoicing was the reaction! Today, know rejoicing can be your reaction too. If you have felt captive by your past, your current sins, or the labels you carry, know a rescuer has come. His name is Jesus and He has the power to set you free from any enemy that’s holding you. Jesus has come, Jesus has defeated the enemy, and Jesus is offering any who want it freedom through Him. If you are curious about this freedom you can find in Jesus, reach out. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2173

Chapter 42

Then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine of which you are afraid shall follow close after you to Egypt, and there you shall die. Jeremiah 42:16 – The people asked Jeremiah to seek direction from God. He shared with them that if they stayed in this land, God would bring them life and peace and would build them up. But if they refuse to listen to what God says because they fear war and hunger would come if they stayed, then the very thing they fear is what they’ll find anywhere outside of where God told them to be. We too can fear certain things and plan our life accordingly. We don’t want things like a bad relationship or depression so we follow our understanding of life rather than what God says to do. What God is teaching here is that the things we don’t want in our life come into our life by pursuing paths God says not to go down. That’s not God being mean, that’s God being loving and sharing with us that there is a path we can follow where that sort of stuff isn’t a part of. Let’s seek out then His path to find a life more free of the things none of us want. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 961

At the end of ten days the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 42:7 – Jeremiah is sent by the people to inquire of God on what their next step should be. Now we see the word is given and the people disobeyed it, but we’ll read and discuss more of that in tomorrow’s devotional. Here I want to focus on this one passage stuck in the middle of this story. Jeremiah went to receive God’s direction, and it came immediately right? Jeremiah probably asked just one time in prayer and suddenly received the fullness of God’s direction. That though isn’t the image we see happening in scripture. It took ten days before any direction was given. We may say that’s not too long, yet how many of us look for God’s direction, pray once…maybe twice, and if things aren’t clear immediately just go our own way. Know it may take time before God gives clear directions. It may take a single prayer, it may take 10 days, it may take years before you see in fullness why God moved the way He did. Are you willing to submit to a God who may not give you immediate answers? Are you willing to wait on the Lord? Know God will lead you when directions are needed and in the wait know you have a calling to love God and love people where you are at. Be willing to wait on the Lord, for He is faithful and true, and His love never fails. I love you, but Jesu loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2174

Chapter 43

Azariah the son of Hoshaiah and Johanan the son of Kareah and all the insolent men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to live there” Jeremiah 43:2 – Please don’t behave like these people. They asked for God to direct them, they got the directions, then followed their own path. We can do this as well. We have a question concerning the faith, maybe wondering if something is right or wrong to do. So we seek out scripture and advice from those more mature in the faith. They both say it’s wrong, but we want it to be right so we believe what we think over what they both said. We must be willing to let go of our preferences sometimes when it comes to how we want to live our life. Some of those ways are harmful to us and will lead us to horrible things, we just don’t have the eyes yet to see what those ways are leading us to. God does though have those eyes to see. He’s going to use scripture and those further along in their walk than you to help you see what you don’t see right now. Be willing to listen and be willing to change direction in life if that’s what shared with you to do. Keep in mind that God wants to give you life, not take it from you. If He gives you a direction, it’s wholly for your good. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 962 

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: Jeremiah 43:8 – Jeremiah was asked to search out God’s direction for the people. He did and he shared that God was directing them not to go to Egypt but to remain where they were. The leaders though rejected the message of God through Jeremiah and went to Egypt anyways, taking Jeremiah with them. What we see though in our verse is that God’s word still came to Jeremiah while in Egypt. Sometimes due to the choices of others and due to situations out of our control, we can find ourselves in places God would direct us away from. Know God understands your heart of desiring faithfulness to Him and His ways and you are in that spot not due to purposeful disobedience. He sees your heart and like with Jeremiah will still speak and use you in that spot. In whatever place you find yourself in, whether you got there by steps of your own or the actions of others, seek faithfulness to the Lord and He will use you for His glory. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2175

Chapter 44

But we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her, as we did, both we and our fathers, our kings and our officials, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no disaster. But since we left off making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have been consumed by the sword and by famine. Jeremiah 44:17-18 – How would you respond to that? They said that worshiping the other gods actually provided more for them than following God. I too was wondering how if I were in Jeremiah’s place or in a more today sort of example of that how’d I respond. I thought of fools gold. It’s shiny and looks like it’s worth a lot, but it’s actually not worth much at all. Such is whatever your sin gives you, it’s fools gold. It appears to be giving you so much, but when you need something real and you try to cash it in, you’ll find it’s worthless to help you. God wants you to see the truth. Whatever sin gives is fools gold and what God gives is the purest of gold. Both are freely available to you, you just have to decide who will be in charge of your life. God or sin. No, not you, sin. When you follow sin’s path, it is your new master. Don’t be that foolish, follow the Heavenly Father who loves you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 963

“It is because you made offerings and because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey the voice of the Lord or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his testimonies that this disaster has happened to you, as at this day.” Jeremiah 44:23 – Jeremiah is in a tough spot. The people of Judah have seen with their own eyes the work of God on their past sinfulness. They saw the destruction of their homes and cities, yet they have come to the conclusion it wasn’t because of their sinfulness but because they paused in their worship of false gods and the false gods were punishing them. The were deceived and the food in their hand and safety they were having in the moment had convinced them that God is not God. How do you remain faithful to the call to share God’s word when the people you are sharing to are so heavily deceived? Ground yourself in the truth that what you have to share is not only right but is the life-saving message they need. Yes, they are deceived by sin, but so were we at one time. Yes they don’t want anything to do with this message, but more than likely we were there once as well. Like us, they need the message of Jesus’ forgiveness and love. So keep sharing the gospel even when it’s shoved away harshly by those you’re sharing it to. Share of course with gentleness and respect, but don’t ever stop sharing. Their lives are worth it…Jesus sure believes so. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2176

Chapter 45

And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the Lord. But I will give you your life as a prize of war in all places to which you may go. Jeremiah45:5 – Jeremiah is speaking to Baruch, the one writing down on paper all that Jeremiah is saying. Baruch must have been under the impression that serving Jeremiah like this would gather fame for himself and an exemption from the disasters God was bringing. Jeremiah corrected Baruch’s wrong assumptions. We too need to remember that just because we serve God that doesn’t mean we’ll be exempt from struggle and pain in this life. We’ll feel the consequences of other people’s wrong choices and even feel the pain of our own stupid mistakes. God though, as in this passage, promises us life through and after all this. That’s the prize. Make sure then your service to God isn’t about getting a name for yourself or trying to get out of struggle. That’s not why we serve. That’s not why we follow. Our reward is a life we didn’t even earn. Settle in that and find the peace you need in the struggles. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 964

Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ Jeremiah 45:2-3 – A reminder, Baruch was the one writing down all the words that Jeremiah was speaking. Baruch was Jeremiah’s scribe and we learn he also was one of the few that responded faithfully to God as a result of the ministry of Jeremiah. We see Baruch making a common complaint new followers of God make…”I thought turning to God would make my life easy! Why is it still so filled with problems?” It’s easy for new, and even veteran, followers of God to be discouraged when our life with God doesn’t hold up to the expectations we had for it. Does that mean God is failing us? Or like Baruch are we putting expectations on God that counter the promises He made? God says life isn’t going to be easy and trouble will come even to the most faithful. Our promise is Heaven and until then we are remaining in a sinful world carrying out His mission of hope. Things won’t be easy for the follower of Jesus, but they will be worth it in the end. Seeing your loved ones turn to Jesus or your friends finding their value in Jesus or your neighbor breaking their addiction because of Jesus, that makes the struggles of today worth it. So don’t expect today’s pursuit of Jesus to be free of struggle, but expect it to be full of purpose. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2177

Chapter 46

Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you. Jeremiah 46:11 – Our own efforts can’t fix the situation we are in concerning God’s wrath. We see that here in our passage with them trying to use medicines to fix the problem their sinfulness had created. We too must realize that however we try to fix the predicament of where our sin got us outside of God will always come up short. Only a perfect and holy sacrifice can appease God’s wrath on our sin. Thankfully that sacrifice was made by Jesus. So stop the vain effort of trying to fix your wrong standing with God on your own terms, only through Jesus can you find healing with God. Just know Jesus is freely waiting to help you and walk with you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 965

But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid. Fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will discipline you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished. Jeremiah 46:27-28 – I wouldn’t have noticed this unless a commentary pointed it out, but these verses almost mirror the verses in Jeremiah 30:10-11 when spoken about their Babylonian captivity. Whether Egypt, Babylon, or even Satan himself, what we see is God holds the power to save us. No matter how far away the enemy may take us or how deep of captivity we find ourselves in, God remains with us and has the power to save. He will discipline us where and when we need it, but unlike our enemy He won’t make a full end of us. God’s end for us is in glory with Him. Know then today you may be where you don’t want to be. Maybe it was even your own actions that brought you there. If your Savior is Jesus, know that place isn’t your forever home. Yes, God will allow us to learn from our mistakes and that process may be costly, but He will always deliver from evil those who turn to Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2178

Chapter 47

Because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor. Jeremiah 47:4- Tyre and Sidon were cities close by to the Philistines and we’re at peace with each other. When it came to selling things they sold to each other and when trouble came they helped each other. What we see here is that the coming trouble would be so great that neither could help each other or even be concerned with helping each other. Such is how sin impacts our relationships. The people we once helped, sought help from, and had peace with are now people we can’t help because we don’t have what they need or we’re to selfish to want to help them anymore. The point is sin causes such infections in relationships that what was once good isn’t good anymore. So for the sake of those around you hand over those sins to God. For you who will need those relationships in the future hand over those sins to God. Don’t let sin tear down the good relationships God has blessed you with. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 966

Ah, sword of the Lord! How long till you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard; rest and be still! How can it be quiet when the Lord has given it a charge? Against Ashkelon and against the seashore he has appointed it. Jeremiah 47:6-7 – Here we see the destruction of the Philistines being foretold by Jeremiah. We see throughout the passage the people whose destruction is spoken of trying ways to escape from the terror to come. They run to the mountains, they hope in their neighboring cities to help them, they turn to deep mourning. Yet, it was God who appointed this destruction, so nothing can stop it. Nothing in all the world can stop what God has spoken He’d do. We see the truth of this statement right here within the stories of Jeremiah. While the things God can’t be stopped from doing within these pages has been destruction and justice, what it does for us is establish the important truth in our story that God cannot be stopped from doing what He set out to do. Yes, that means things like bring judgement on those who turned away from Him like we see in our passage. It also means nothing can stop Him from saving us or providing for us or fulfilling His purpose in us. Yes, these passages should cause us to awe at the power of God and even be reminders to humble ourself before Him. Our God is all-powerful and nothing can stop Him. While that truth connect with His justice is also connects with His saving power as well. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2179

Chapter 48

Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed. Jeremiah 48:10 – Understand the context first. This was the command of God to the Babylonian army to carry out God’s judgment on Moab’s sinfulness, not just a command for all to take as he will. The point though is something we need to hear. God gave a command and woe to the one who doesn’t see it through. What command then have we not started yet or only done halfway? Our commands now is to love God and love people. Don’t be hesitant to start on them and don’t only do them halfheartedly. Give them your all and start on them now. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 967

Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people, because he magnified himself against the Lord. Jeremiah48:42 – This chapter goes into great detail of the future destruction of Moab and what we get in our verse today is the reason why such destruction is coming to Moab. It’s because the nation “magnified himself against the Lord.” After some studying I discovered that this is speaking of how Moab mocked the nation of Israel when judgement came upon them. Moab, still sitting well with provision and safety, rather than assisting there neighboring nation, they stood, laughed, and flaunted their blessings in Israel’s face. How is this then magnifying himself against the Lord? As the pulpit commentary put it, offenses against Israel are offenses against Israel’s God. Be wise with how you speak of those who are God’s. If a primary reason Moab was tasting such destruction was because of how they treated God’s people, then we should be aware of how we are treating God’s people today too. Are we speaking poorly of our brothers and sisters? Is gossip happening within our churches? Is our speech leaning more on the tearing down side than building up? Remember how we speak of our brothers and sisters in Christ is how we are speaking of Christ. If we trash them we trash Him. You can’t expect the Father to not feel anything when His children are being put down. Use your words wisely and speak well of your brother and sister in Christ. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2180

Chapter 49

For thus says the Lord: “If those who did not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, will you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, but you must drink. Jeremiah 49:12 – While it’s not pleasant that the faithful have to endure the consequences of sinful choices made by others, it’s encouraging to know God isn’t going to let their actions go unnoticed. They are going to have their eyes opened to their sin and as a result see the hopelessness of what they have been pursuing. So for you who are trying to live faithfully yet are running into struggles caused by other’s sinful choices, trust God isn’t going to make your struggle pointless. He’s going to use all that to help them see how much they need Him. This should be a silver lining to when we face struggles like this. That God is using it to bring others face to face with Him and they may turn to follow Him as a result. If that’s a possible outcome, I’d go through some unpleasantness in life and I’m sure you would to. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 968

The horror you inspire has deceived you, and the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle’s, I will bring you down from there, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 49:16 – Jeremiah hasn’t had it easy up to this point, but now he’s been given the mission to share the coming destruction on many other peoples than just Israel. What we learn from this chapter though is important. God sees everything and no one gets away with their wrongs. Yes, sometimes it sure appears that some get away with things. They oppose God, live sinfully, and reject anything good, yet their life seems so good. I think we all know some people whose life looks so blessed yet their life is so far from a faithful walk. Just know their sin will be dealt with sometime. Just like our has been dealt with, theirs will be too. No one gets off free of having to have their sin covered. Sadly, for many, the way their sin will be dealt with is punishment in Hell for eternity when they die. This should break our hearts because that path doesn’t have to be their future. Jesus has offered to take care of their sin for them, to take the punishment of their sin in His shoulders so they can live free of sin. Pray for the people then in your life who are so caught up in the treasures of this world and the sin that so easily entangles. They are being deceived to death. Pray their eyes are open to the truth of Jesus and be willing to show them if the opportunity arises. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2181

Chapter 50

Thus says the Lord of hosts: The people of Israel are oppressed, and the people of Judah with them. All who took them captive have held them fast; they refuse to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon. Jeremiah 50:33-34 – Those against us are strong, but our God is stronger. I love how it speaks of Israel being taken captive and those that are holding her refuse to let go. Then the very next verse simply says the one with Israel is strong and that one is the Lord. This is our story too. We do have some pretty powerful enemies in our life. We have pretty powerful things holding us back from the life God wants for us. But our God is strong. He is more than powerful enough to take on any of the enemies that have overwhelmed us. Seek a new mindset where you remember often how strong God is compared to the things bringing your down and holding you back. In Him, you have all the strength you need to live the life you know He desires you to have. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 969

Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones. Therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing punishment on the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. Jeremiah 50:17-18 – Finally we see a judgement being placed on the nation of Babylon who has been delivering such horrific judgement on God’s people. Yet, if you were one of God’s people and heard that Babylon was going to fall, it would be sweet to the ears but hard to believe. This nation is more powerful than anything you have seen before, how could it fall? Here is why God reminded them of Assyria. Just like Assyria was an enemy that looked too big to fall and God took them down, Babylon will fall as well at the hands of the Lord. What opposition do you have right now that seems too big to fall? Know if God says it will fall, it’s going down. We know God’s promise in these passage concerning Babylon is true, for that nation is long gone. So is the Persians and then the Romans who came after them. Any enemy that stands in opposition to God’s people God can take down. Even death itself can be defeated by our God. So take courage when opposition and enemies arise when you are seeking to live a faithful life. Know this opposition is sure to come, but God is sure to come as well. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2182

Chapter 51

Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols, for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the Lord of hosts is his name. Jeremiah 51:17-19 – There is such a difference between what we create as our source of hope and the true source of hope Jesus. For those in the passage it was idols they created in which they put their hope. For us it could be our standing within the community we are in or the amount in our checkbook that we find our hope. Like the idols spoken of, whatever we place our hope in other than Jesus has no life to it and will pass away. Place then your hope in something that’s alive and permanent. Place your hope in something that when you need it, it will come through for you. Place your hope in Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 970

Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me against her, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 51:53 – As you read this long chapter, it’s impossible to not see the main theme. The great nation of Babylon was finally coming down. In the verse above, we see Babylon building up her defenses and seeking to create a way to survive this promised destruction. The words of God were spoken to Babylon, Babylon sought to defend herself from the wrath of God, and the end result was her losing just like God said would happen. I point this out because this can happen in people’s lives today as well. God has made clear their sin and the destruction their sin will bring. They choose to continue in sin resting in the belief God’s not real and this whole eternity in Hell thing doesn’t actually happen. Then they die without Him and spend eternity in torment. I am unsure how many read these devotionals that aren’t followers of Jesus already, but if you aren’t a follower of Jesus yet my prayer and plea is that you acknowledge the need for Jesus in your life. Whether you accept it or not, death is coming to your story someday and without Jesus your story will end worse than Babylon. Reach out to me or another Christian for we’d love to help you see the life and rescue you can have in Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2183

Chapter 52

Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled and went out from the city by night by the way of a gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. Jeremiah 52:7-9 – The lesson we learn from these verses is one the world needs to hear. That there is no escaping the judgment of God on our sins. Our sins will be punished and there is no getting around or away from that. What we also must all hear is that while our sins will be punished, the punishment doesn’t have to be laid upon us. Jesus is offering Himself to take the punish of your sin upon His shoulders. He freely is doing this for you, all you have to do is ask Him and He’ll gladly bear them. If you’ve already asked Him to do this, take a moment in prayer today to once again say thank you to Jesus for doing such a beautiful thing for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more. – Mac – Daily DEVO 971

And he burned the house of the Lord, and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. Jeremiah 52:13-14 – These two verses would have crushed the readers. I don’t know if we today have anything like this to compare it to, but imagine this. One day you hear that your local church was burned to the ground, your favorite Bible destroyed, your small group torn apart, and your pastor killed. Everything that was so important in your faith life just wiped out. Yet, even without those things, could you still worship Jesus? Could the people of God still worship God even though their temple was destroyed and they were torn from their home? Yes, to both questions. What you need to worship Jesus is Jesus and He can never be destroyed. Your salvation can never be taken away from you. So even is your church is destroyed, or your body fails you, or your family is torn apart, or you lose a loved one, God can still be worshiped by us. Don’t let tragedy lead you in a trajectory away from Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2184