- For your gods have become as many as your cities, O Judah, and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to shame, altars to make offerings to Baal. Jeremiah 11:13 – As I read this verse I think of Paul’s trip to Athens in Acts 17. As he was walking through Athens, he saw the streets lined with idols. One historian from this time period wrote that it was easier to find a god in Athens than to find a man. Every street corner had a shrine of some sort and statues of false gods were everywhere to see. At this time in Judah’s history their worship of idols had become a plague on the city like it had for Athens. As many cities and streets they had were as many gods they worshipped. Scripture and history also tell us that the type of worship involved with such idols was deprave and demonic. Israel was in a darkened state at this time, so much so that even when God’s prophet came to bring the news of repentance, the posture of some of the listeners was to plot Jeremiah’s death. Here is where sin can lead us to if we’re not careful. It can lead us to a place where we are so blinded by our sin that we not only reject the truth, but hurt the message givers in our life. As we then seek to step into people’s lives whose sin is like the idols in our verse, just everywhere in their life, be prepared that the response to your messages of repentance you share with them may not be welcomed. They may listen and repent, or they may lash out in anger even seeking your harm. Our role is to trust the God that is ever with us and remain sharing this message of repentance to those who need to hear it. While in a darkened placed and not wanting to hear about Jesus, that’s the very space they need Him in most. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3240
- 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
Daily DEVO 