Jeremiah 22:15-17

We need to remember that the simplicity of the Gospel allows anyone who sincerely seeks  to know God success....all people, especially the poor and needy, are His and when we hurt them we are hurting Him. To know God is to know them.

God blesses the works of our hands only if they are gotten through just means but ill gotten gain brings spiritual death to those who acquire it.

Israel perished because of its lack of knowledge of God. Knowledge of God here is related to concern for the poor and needy.

Jehoiakim did not follow in the footsteps of Josiah. covetousness … shedding innocent blood … practicing oppression and violence: This triad of sins characterizing the reign of Jehoiakim would hammer home a resounding message to Judah concerning the collapse of its kingship. Covenant violations would not go unpunished.

Jeremiah 22:15-17

¹⁵ “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? 

Did not your father eat and drink, 

And do justice and righteousness? 

Then it was well with him. 

¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy; 

Then it was well. 

Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. 

¹⁷ “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, 

For shedding innocent blood, 

And practicing oppression and violence.” 

Nahum 2:13

If God is against you it doesn’t matter who is for you... period. The whole world is in His hands and we would do well to remember that He created the world and only He can allow it to be taken out. 

Any country that harms their own people or others will be held accountable because God shows no partiality to any one nation or person that does wrong. He allows us to do the right thing...it won’t always be so!

The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. 

Although the Babylonians conquered the city, they were only God’s instruments. Nineveh’s greatest foe was the Lord of hosts Himself.

Nahum 2:13

¹³ “Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.” 

Ezekiel 42:1

In the Old Testament God was worshipped in man made temples constructed in the letter of the law but  in the New Testament He is worshipped freely from the heart within man. 

Until Pentecost man tried to enclose God in a building made by them, but now He willingly enters into the heart of man, His temple, when we accept His gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. Christ within the hope of glory!

Ezekiel 42:1

42 Then he brought me out into the outer court, by the way toward the north; and he brought me into the chamber which was opposite the separating courtyard, and which was opposite the building toward the north. ² Facing the length, which was one hundred cubits (the width was fifty cubits), was the north door. 

Romans 7:6

Listen closely to the Spirit inside and He will set you free from the letter of the law that brings death and teach you the truths of the Scriptures revealed in Jesus Christ that gives life. We are not bound by sin or society for we were set free in the salvation of the cross to be what God intended us to be from the beginning. No one can earn their way to heaven it is a precious gift. The tripartite God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the Mind, Body and Heart of God) can heal your mind, your body and your broken heart.

At conversion, believers died to the law, with the result that they are now able to serve in newness of life. They have a new life in the Holy Spirit, not in the old way of the letter, the old way of trying to gain life by means of the law.

Romans 7:6

But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. 

Nahum 2:13

It is terrifying to have God against you and not for you. Harming others for personal gain has dire consequences.

Although the Babylonians conquered the city, they were only God’s instruments. Nineveh’s greatest foe was the Lord of hosts Himself.

Nahum 2:13

¹³ “Behold, I am against you,” says the Lord of hosts, “I will burn your chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.” 

John 1:1-5

God walked on this earth, lived with His creation and delivered the Truth to all who would listen. The darkness in man  was allowed to overcome the Light  for  a moment in time to save all of us  through the sacrifice that only He was capable of giving.... His birth, His death on the cross and His resurrection. For God so loved the world that He gave His life in exchange for ours to overcome the finality of death and evil so that we could have life eternal with Him. Amazing grace!!

The Word was God. The word order in Greek shows that the Word was “God,” not “a god.” This is a straightforward declaration of Christ’s deity, since John uses Word to refer to Jesus. The Word was of the very quality of God, while still retaining His personal distinction from the Father. Neither the Person of Christ, nor His Sonship, came into being at a point in time. Rather, the Father and the Son have always been in loving fellowship with one another.

God the Father created the world (Gen. 1:1) through God the Son (Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). All creation was made through Him. Thus He is the Creator God. Humans are dependent on God for life. Our existence, spiritually and physically, depends on God’s sustaining power. In contrast, the Son has life in Himself from all eternity. The life, Jesus Christ, is also the light of men. Death and darkness flee when the life and light enter. The dead are raised and the blind receive their sight, both physically and spiritually.

Humans did not appropriate or understand the light, nor did they overtake or overpower it. Although Satan and his forces resist the light, they cannot thwart its power. In short, Jesus is life and light; those who accept Him are “sons of light”. As the creation of light was the beginning of the original creation (Gen. 1:3), so when believers receive the light, they become part of the new creation (2 Cor. 4:3–6).

John 1:1-5

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. 

³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

Romans 1:16-17

Faith alone pleases God....nothing more and nothing less!

In the past, the believer has been saved from the penalty of sin. In the present, the believer is being saved from the power of sin. In the future, the believer will be saved from the very presence of sin.

From faith to faith means faith is at the beginning of the salvation process, and it is the goal as well. When a person first exercises faith in Christ, that person is saved from the penalty of sin and declared righteous. As the believer lives by faith, God continues to save him or her from the power of sin to live righteously.

Romans 1:16-17

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” 

John 8:31-32

Stay in the Word....study and listen to the Holy Spirit and you will know the truth of the Gospel and you will be set free from the legalism of the scribes and pharisees and abide in the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Abide means to remain, to continue. A believer who continues to obey the Word is a disciple, a learner. One who abides in the Word of God knows the truth.  The word free refers to freedom from the bondage of sin. Obedience to the Lord means fellowship with Him, protection from sin, and experiencing His love.

John 8:31-32

³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him,  “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 

2 Timothy 1:6

Fear, what an evil foe to living life to its fullest. It is the crippling agent of evil and stops us from going any farther than the parameters that our mind has set for us.....

Faith, what a freeing gift to living life abundantly. It is the power of the triune Godhead enabling us to accomplish things that we never dared to dream.....

I choose life through the love of the Father, given in the salvation of Jesus Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit!

The desire to discover, develop, and deploy our specific spiritual gifts should be like a fire blazing within us. The constant struggle of Christians is to be diligent about our work for God and not to slacken our pace in this spiritual race. We need to make a conscious effort to exercise our gift for the common good of the body of Christ.

2 Timothy 1:6

 ⁶ Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

The NKJ says:

1:6 stir up the gift: Timothy is urged to rekindle his spiritual gift (this idea is expressed in the negative in 1 Tim. 4:14). The desire to discover, develop, and deploy our specific spiritual gifts should be like a fire blazing within us. The constant struggle of Christians is to be diligent about our work for God and not to slacken our pace in this spiritual race. We need to make a conscious effort to exercise our gift for the common good of the 

Luke 12:1-3

We must keep an open mind and judge people on their merit bypassing the rhetoric. The truth will always come out if we listen carefully! 

Leaven here represents the presence of corruption. Unleavened bread is what the Jews ate at Passover. The corruption in view here is hypocrisy. Practicing hypocrisy is senseless because eventually all deeds—both good and evil—will be exposed. All secrets will be revealed by God.

Luke 12:1-3

12 In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ² For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. ³ Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 

He gave His life that we could have an abundant life

Matthew 1:20-21

The whole of Bible Scripture points to one event in HIStory.....Jesus Christ, all God and all man, intersecting time where God met man to offer the salvation that only He could provide. Praise and glory to God who cares for man and loves him with His agape love.

Verses 1–17 establish Jesus as a legal son of Joseph; vv. 18–25 deny that Joseph was Jesus’ physical father. The first was necessary to establish Jesus’ lineage to David and His royal right to be King. The second was necessary to establish His qualifications to be the Savior of all people: Jesus was God’s Son and not merely Joseph’s. Matthew elaborated on Jesus’ kingship while Luke detailed His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:20-21

²⁰ But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 

Jeremiah 22:1-5

How much easier it would be to live without thought to others, concerning myself only with my life and my family. The problem is I cannot find anywhere in Scripture that promotes this type of lifestyle.....the truth of the Gospel compels me to care as much for others, Christian and the stranger or non christian, as I care about myself. With Christ within me it is impossible not to care about all people knowing that He gave His life up for them. Christians are His representatives. He  showed us God’ way of judging and it was totally different than the religious right of the time. Jesus, dependent upon the Holy Spirit, lived His life caring for those who society threw away. The truth of His Gospel set all of us free to love without prejudice. 

The wisdom and prophetic writers echoed the same sentiment concerning the righteousness of kingdoms—that they must be measured according to their protection of the three segments of society who were unable to defend themselves: the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

If justice and righteousness characterized the leadership of the land, the continued prosperity of the Davidic dynasty would be assured. However, if the Lord’s words were not heeded, the house of David would be made a desolation—that is, a ruin or waste.

Jeremiah 22:3-5³ Thus says the Lord: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. ⁴ For if you indeed do this thing, then shall enter the gates of this house, riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people, kings who sit on the throne of David. ⁵ But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,” says the Lord, “that this house shall become a desolation.” ’ ” 

Jeremiah 18:18

Wow this sounds like the Republican nominee race for presidential candidate. God help us all! Every man for himself and the heck with the truth...only in politics!

The people devised plans to counter the words of Jeremiah. They reasoned that with their own priests, wise men, and prophets in Jerusalem, they did not need to listen to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 18:18

Jeremiah Persecuted

¹⁸ Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.” 

Acts 16:13-15

Pray for God to open the eyes of those whose lives you touch. Your testimony may be the one that God uses.  Open the eyes of our hearts Lord...we want to see You!

According to Jewish custom, a congregation consisted of ten households. If ten male household heads could be found in a city, a synagogue was formed. If not, a place of prayer was established, usually near a river under the open sky. Paul’s habit was to go first to the synagogue of a new city. However in Philippi, he searched for a Jewish prayer meeting.

As an artisan in purple dyes, Lydia was a wealthy woman who had come to Philippi to practice her trade. Paul preached the gospel, but the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to it.

Acts 16:13-15

¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. ¹⁴ Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 

Acts 7:48-50

Society feels the need to put God in a place, in a box where they can observe Him from a distance. The truth is that the world belongs to Him and everything and everyone in it. He is the Almighty and all powerful Triune God and He chooses to dwell in us when we accept His salvation in Christ Jesus. It is hard to fathom but He wants an indwelling relationship with you and me! He has the whole world in His hands......

It was David’s desire to give God a permanent dwelling. The danger of David’s request was that some might identify the presence of God with one place, as if God were confined to that location. God honored David’s desire by permitting his son Solomon to build such a house and by filling it with the Shekinah glory, a demonstration of His presence. But God did not live in the temple.

The Creator cannot be confined by anything He has made. His presence fills all that He has made. In his speech, Stephen emphasized that God could not be confined to temples made with hands. 

Acts 7:48-50

⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 

⁴⁹ ‘Heaven is My throne, 

And earth is My footstool. 

What house will you build for Me? says the Lord, 

Or what is the place of My rest? 

⁵⁰ Has My hand not made all these things?’ 

John 8:12-18

Follow the light of Jesus Christ and walk in the revelations that it gives....for you have a teacher in the Holy Spirit who takes the things of Christ and reveals them to you! If the eye of your soul is enlightened your whole being is filled with His light and it reflects back to the world His goodness, His mercy and His grace.

As the sun is the physical light of the world, so Jesus is the spiritual light of the world. As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin and gives sight.

John 8:12

¹² Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” 

Ezekiel 34:20-24

The lineage of David was symbolic of the one eternal King, Jesus Christ, in the Old Testament. All God and all man His rule would be forever. All who trusted in Him would be fed the truth of God.

The rams and goats were the leaders of Israel who had failed to lead properly. They had used their positions of power to their own advantage and to the disadvantage of the people.

The change from the pronoun I to he in this verse indicates that God would continue operating as the Chief Shepherd through this chosen future ruler from the Davidic line. He is the Messiah—God’s only Son and His servant.

Throughout the Bible, the image of the shepherd is very important. From David, the shepherd boy who became the first king of Israel, to Jesus Christ, who said of Himself, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11), the shepherd represents one who loves and cares for his flock just as a leader or ruler cares for those under his charge.

A good leader is concerned that the people’s physical needs are being met and that care is provided for the sick and injured. A true leader looks for those who have fallen away. He leads like a shepherd by providing direction and correction, not with a fist but with a loving hand. A good leader protects those under his care and does not leave them to the wolves—to those who lead them astray. And finally, a good leader gives of himself to those under his charge. He cares about them and their well-being.

Jesus’ self-sacrificing life provides the perfect blueprint for making a good shepherd and leader.

Ezekiel 34:20-24

²⁰ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord God to them: “Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat and the lean sheep. ²¹ Because you have pushed with side and shoulder, butted all the weak ones with your horns, and scattered them abroad, ²² therefore I will save My flock, and they shall no longer be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. ²³ I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them— My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴ And I, the Lord, will be their God, and My servant David a prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken. 

John 14:1-4

Jesus is the only way to God, He is the truth that sets man free and the light that shines on humanities darkness and offers them salvation. Just believe!

Jesus told His disciples not to be troubled, but to trust Him. Everybody has a longing for a permanent, secure place. Such places have already been set aside for all of God’s children.

Peter may have failed Jesus, but Christ will not fail to return for Peter and for everyone else who has believed in Him. 

John 14:1-4

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ And where I go you know, and the way you know.”