Jeremiah 26:1-27:22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Psalm 85:1-13; Proverbs 25:16 It seems like more and more things come with warnings or “no duh” instructions. I am warned not to use electrical appliances in or near water, warned that my curling iron can in fact burn me, and of course there is always the “slippery when wet” sign that seems like a given. The reality is we have those warning signs becaus...  Read More

Jeremiah 23:21-25:38; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 25:15 God told me to...I would guess most of us have interacted with someone who invoked God as a reason for what they did. They chose to move, get a new job, marry, or break up with someone because God told them to. Jeremiah and 2 Thessalonians tell us that those who claim to speak on behalf of God or are responding to somethin...  Read More

Jeremiah 19:1-21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28; Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 25:9-10 Judgment is coming. When we hear that phrase we may think of some fire and brimstone preacher in a country church, but it is actually a critical truth for us to embrace. Judgment truly is coming.Jeremiah tells Judah that judgment in the form of the Babylonian army was coming because of their sins. Their only hope was the c...  Read More

Jeremiah 22:1-23:20; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 25:11-14 Praise God for air conditioning. Imagine living in Florida without it. It would be brutal. Yet the enjoyment of earthly pleasures can easily become the all-consuming pursuit of our lives. Pursuing our own personal happiness and ease is one of the highest values in our day and age. This longing for comfort is not new. Jer...  Read More

Jeremiah 16:16-18:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5:3; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 25:6-8 God is omnipresent. He is everywhere and therefore can never be escaped from. This truth can either bring us great comfort or epic shame. Jeremiah describes Judah as thinking that their sin and idolatry could somehow be hidden from God. This is foolishness because as God proclaims, “My eyes are on all their ways; they ar...  Read More

Jeremiah 14:11-16:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-3:13; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 25:1-5Today’s readings in Jeremiah and Psalms recall a critical event in history when God proved Himself to His people and the world: the moment He delivered them from Egypt (Jeremiah 16:14; Psalm 80:8).But these passages do not just look back, they also look ahead. In Jeremiah 16:15, God tells him of a far off time when He wi...  Read More

Jeremiah 12:1-14:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:8; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 24:30-34 Waiting is not fun. Whether you are waiting for an upcoming vacation, birthday, celebration, Christmas, or something else it is hard to wait well. 1 Thessalonians is a book focused on waiting well for Christ's return. The ultimate hope of a Christian is grounded in the return of Jesus. As a part of his return, he will m...  Read More

Jeremiah 10:1-11:23; Colossians 3:18-4:18; Psalm 78:56-72; Proverbs 24:28-29 If we’re not careful, we conform to the ways of those around us. Their values become our values and their behavior becomes our actions. We see this again and again throughout the Scriptures and see it proclaimed in Jeremiah 10. Israel is told to “not learn the ways of the nations…for the customs of the peoples are worthle...  Read More

Jeremiah 8:8-9:26; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 78:32-55; Proverbs 24:27 We need to be honest about our situation in life. I was recently on a flight where a woman claimed to value God in her life but was traveling for the express purpose of committing sin. She said one thing, but her life revealed a different set of beliefs. It is therefore critical that we honestly assess where we are in life.Jeremi...  Read More

Jeremiah 6:16-8:7; Colossians 2:8-23; Psalm 78:1-31; Proverbs 24:26 God functions like a GPS for our lives. When we navigate our cars in unfamiliar areas we often pull up directions on our smartphones so we can get to our destination. We follow the commands to turn right and then left at the next light and continue for 5 miles. Typically if we respond appropriately to the directions we will arrive...  Read More

Jeremiah 4:19-6:15; Colossians 1:18-2:7; Psalm 77:1-20; Proverbs 24:23-25 After so many years of enjoying God’s blessing and protection, the Jewish people have chosen to worship idols of wood and stone, forgetting to acknowledge God as the only true God.  Bad leadership and foreign influences combined with a deliberate choice to turn to other “gods” resulted in the people turning their backs on th...  Read More

Jeremiah 2:31-4:18; Colossians 1:1-17; Psalm 76:1-12; Proverbs 24:21-22 We are forgetful people. When was the last time you misplaced your wallet, keys, or even a child as you were going about your day? Not only can we forget material things, but we can also forget God. Jeremiah tells Israel three times in this book that they have "forgotten" God. When Israel forgets God it is not that they don't ...  Read More