Month: May 2021

God Who Is Near

Time is running out for Judah.
Already a growing sense of doom
grips the nation. But even that
cannot deter Jeremiah from
his appointed task: declaring to
leaders and lay persons alike God’s
displeasure with their conduct.
Jeremiah singles out three kings
for judgment before turning his
attention to the Messiah who will
restore righteousness on the earth.
The nation will lie desolate for 70
years when the wrath of God is finally
poured out upon His wayward flock.
God pledges to reestablish the
nation after it has been purified
by the discipline of exile.

Praise be to God Who Is Near:
If they had stood in My counsel
and had caused My people to hear
My words, then they would have
turned them from their evil way.
Am I a God who is near (Elohei
Mikkarov) declares the Lord,
and not a God far off?Can anyone
hide in secret places so that I
cannot see him? (Jer is 23:22-24).
Call to Me and I will answer you,
and show you great & mighty things
which you do not know (Jer 33:3)

Lord, I am not to be dismayed
because You, Elohei Mikkarov
are always near me wherever I am.
I don’t have to be anxious about
the things I need because You are
close and You know what I need.
You are a God who is close to me
and I give You gratitude for never
abandoning or leaving me. Amen.

Lord, when I feel distant from You,
the fact is that You are not the one
who has wandered; for You are near.
Forgive me for being so far away
in my thoughts and in my heart.
Forgive me for not seeing You
when I am so blinded by my
own desires or my own pain.
Make me know Your presence and
experience You in all that I do. Amen

Lord, we want to live our lives
in the full awareness of You as
Elohei Mikkarov God who is near:
and for the full and abundant life
is found only in You. Show us
Your hand, Your heart & Your love.
And give us Lord signs of Your
abiding closeness in our lives.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Enabled as Gospel Minister

 Backgrounder: Paul defended
his ministry by showing how
individuals can be reconciled to a
loving God. And he pleads with the
Corinthian church to be reconciled
to him as their spiritual father.
In his final words, Paul draws upon
his authority as an apostle to exhort
the rebellious to repent so that
his approaching visit can be a time
of rejoicing rather than rebuke.

Lord, thanks for Paul’s letter
which teaches us how to be more
effective in Christian ministry.
Help us to be blameless, sincere,
confident, caring, and willing
to suffer for the sake of Christ.
Lord, as we may face challenges
in life including spiritual battles,
physical ailment & difficult people;
help us Use Your mighty weapons;
help us Be Enabled by You; and
help us Place Faith in You. Amen.

Lord, we’ll use Yr mighty weapons:
We are humans but we don’t wage
war with human plans & methods.
We use God’s mighty weapons, not
mere worldly weapons, to knock
down the Devil’s strongholds.
With these weapons we break
down every proud argument that
keeps people from knowing God.
With these weapons we conquer
their rebellious ideas and we teach
them to obey Christ (2Cor 10:3-6)
Lord, Thank You for Your weapons
of warfare, which are mighty and
supernatural. Teach me to wield
them as I stand against the enemy.
Strengthen me as I intercede
for others. I pray that You
will demolish the devil’s dark
strongholds and establish Your
kingdom of Light and truth. Amen.

Lord, we will be Enabled by You:
Three different times I begged
the Lord to take (my thorn in the
flesh) away. Each time He said:
My grace is all you need.
My power works best in weakness.
So now I am glad to boast about
my weaknesses, so that the power
of Christ can work through me.
That’s why I take pleasure in
my weaknesses, hardships and
troubles that I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then
I am strong (2 Cor 12:8-10).
Lord, You know all my frailties
that keep me feeling insufficient.
But You are my sufficiency and
my strength; and I depend on You.
And I surrender my frailties to You.
Teach me the art of looking to
You instead of at my problems.
Give me eyes of faith that I might
press on when I feel overwhelmed.
And please step into my weakness
with Yourself and Your help. Amen

Lord, we’ll place our Faith in You:
Now we pray to God that You will
not do anything wrong. Not that
people will see that we have
stood the test but that You will do
what is right even though we may
seem to have failed. For we can’t
do anything against the truth,
but only for the truth. We are glad
whenever we are weak but You
are strong; and our prayers is for
your perfection (2Cor 13:7-9).
Lord, when I see the failure of
any servant of Yours, I pray it
will not shake my faith in the least.
Help me to do the right thing
and remains strong in You no
matter what I see others doing.
Give me faith that is not dependent
on the rise or fall of others. I know
You won’t fail, even though others
do,and that’s all that matters. Amen

God Empowers & Encourages

Paul has defended his ministry
as an ambassador for Christ
by showing how individuals can
be reconciled to a living God.
This leads Paul to plead with the
Corinthians to be reconciled to him
as their spiritual father and to love
him in the same way he loves them.
He also appeals to the Corinthians
to follow the example set by the
churches of Macedonia in generous,
sacrificial giving – a reasonable
response to God’s indescribable
gift in the person of His Son.

Lord, You empower, encourage
and give surpassing grace:
As servants of God we commend
ourselves in every way:
in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses…
in truthful speech and in
the power of God; with weapons
of righteousness (2Cor 6:4,7)
When we came into Macedonia,
we had no rest but we were
harassed at every turn – conflicts
on the outside, fears within.
But God who comforts the
downcast, comforted us by
the coming of Titus (2Cor 7:5).
And in their prayers for you
their hearts will go out to you,
because of the surpassing grace
God has given you (2Cor 9:14).

Lord, thank You for forgiving
my sin and reconciling me.
You have given the gospel to me
so that I might share it to others.
Help me Lord to see beyond my
problems to my real purpose
which is to build Your kingdom.
Give me creativity in using my
struggles to speak for You. Amen.

Father, thank You for the portions
of Your Word that give me insights into the saints of old.
They were regular people just
like me in need of grace, strength
and help. Like Paul, I battle
discouragement. I praise You
for being the encourager of those
who are discouraged. Help me
Lord find a renewed sense of
confidence in You this day. Amen.

Lord, there are certain people
I want to pray for because I know
You will give me Your heart
of love for them. Help me to
pray also for the people who
have hurt me. Thank You that
praying for others not only
changes their lives, but it
changes mine as well. Amen.

Knowing God thru His Names

The purpose of Jeremiah is
to urge God’s people to turn
from their sins and back to God.
This week we understand God better
thru His revelation of names, mostly
related to His ability to meet needs.
On Monday, we learn from Jer 23
about The Lord Our Righteousness.
On Tuesday, we learn from Jer 32
about Great & Powerful God.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Jer 23/33 about God Who Is Near.
On Thursday, we learn from
Jer 45 about God Who Guides.
On Friday, we learn from Jer 51
about Lord God of Recompense.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Lord God of Recompense (May 14)

Babylon the lady and greatest
enemy of Judah, will suffer the
same fate as the rest of Judah’s
ungodly neighbours. And Chaldea
shall be a spoil…and wholly desolate.
But Jeremiah concludes his
prophetic masterpiece with a
note of hope. Though Jerusalem
has fallen as predicted, her king
Jehoiachin is shown unexpected
kindness in Babylon. In the restoration of the covenant-breaking
king, Jeremiah pictures the future
restoration of this covenant-breaking
king, Jeremiah pictures the future
restoration of covenant-breaking
Judah by covenant-keeping God.

Praise Lord God of Recompense:
The sound of a cry comes from
Babylon, and great destruction
from the land of the Chaldeans,
because the Lord is plundering
Babylon & silencing her loud voice…
For the destroyer is coming
against her, against Babylon, &
her mighty men will be captured,
their bows are shattered; for
the Lord is a God of recompense
(Jehovah El Gemuwal),
he will fully repay (Jer 51:54-56)

Lord, You are a God who fully
repays when evil is done against
Your own. Because You repay
recompense, You will not leave
unchecked those who have
committed a foul against me.
Thank You Lord for bringing
recompense when I have been wronged. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Jehovah El Gemuwal, forgive me
for trying to take my own revenge.
Forgive me for those times when
I’m angry because I am being
bullied or wronged and I forget
to trust in Your great name.
You know all and I don’t need to
tell everyone when I am wronged.
Rather I need only to look to You
Lord for You will repay. Amen.

Lord, defend the oppressed,
free those in bondage and
restore what has been lost.
Jehovah El Gemuwal, we call
on this name because You will
repay and will give strength
when we have been wronged.
We trust this name and ask
that You will manifest Yourself
as El Gemuwal in our lives.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

God Who Guides (May 13)

Though God’s people have marched
into exile, God’s Word continues
to come through the mouth of
His prophet. When Nebuchadnezzar
establishes a puppet governor over Jerusalem, Jeremiah chooses
to remain in the city and urges
his countrymen to do the same.
But after Gedaliah’s brutal assassination, the surviving Jews
disregard God’s clear command
and flee to Egypt for safety, taking
the unwilling prophet with them.
There Jeremiah predicts Egypt’s
destruction and Judah’s discipline
at the hands of Jehovah for knowing what to do but refusing to do it.

Lord, You Will Get Us Through:
Baruch, this is what the Lord says:
I will destroy this nation that I built.
I will uproot what I planted.
Should you then seek great things
for yourself? Seek them not.
For I will bring disaster on all
people, declares the Lord, but
wherever you go I will let you
escape with your life (Jer 45:4-5)
Because they have rejected
the law of the Lord (cf Isa 5:24).

Lord, I pray You will be with me
in the most difficult times and
trying areas of my life, helping me
in ways I may not even be able
to comprehend. I know that even
though there may be troubles
ahead, when I walk with You,
You Lord won’t let me fall.
When I go through difficult
situations, I won’t complain,
for I know You will make a way
through or a means of escape. Amen

O gracious Lord and Holy Father,
give us wisdom to perceive You,
diligence to wait for You,
patience to wait for You,
eyes to behold You,
a heart to meditate upon You,
and a life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

O Lord God and Great Jehovah,
Open our eyes to Your Presence;
Open our minds to Your grace,
Open our lips to Your Praise;
Open our hearts to Your love;
Open our lives to Your healing,
to be found among us and to
proclaim You through the power
of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Amen

God Who Is Near (May 12)

Time is running out for Judah.
Already a growing sense of doom
grips the nation. But even that
cannot deter Jeremiah from
his appointed task: declaring to
leaders and lay persons alike God’s
displeasure with their conduct.
Jeremiah singles out three kings
for judgment before turning his
attention to the Messiah who will
restore righteousness on the earth.
The nation will lie desolate for 70
years when the wrath of God is
poured out upon His wayward flock.
God pledges to reestablish the
nation after it has been purified
by the discipline of exile.

Praise be to God Who Is Near:
If they had stood in My counsel
and had caused My people to hear
My words, then they would have
turned them from their evil way.
Am I a God who is near (Elohei
Mikkarov) declares the Lord,
and not a God far off?Can anyone
hide in secret places so that I
cannot see him? (Jer is 23:22-24).
Call to Me and I will answer you,
and show you great & mighty things
which you do not know (Jer 33:3)

Lord, I am not to be dismayed
because You, Elohei Mikkarov
are always near me wherever I am.
I don’t have to be anxious about
the things I need because You are
close and You know what I need.
You are a God who is close to me
and I give You gratitude for never
abandoning or leaving me. Amen.

Lord, when I feel distant from You,
the fact is that You are not the one
who has wandered; for You are near.
Forgive me for being so far away
in my thoughts and in my heart.
Forgive me for not seeing You
when I am so blinded by my
own desires or my own pain.
Make me know Your presence and
experience You in all that I do. Amen

Lord, we want to live our lives
in the full awareness of You as
Elohei Mikkarov God who is near:
and for the full and abundant life
is found only in You. Show us
Your hand, Your heart & Your love.
And give us Lord signs of Your
abiding closeness in our lives.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Great & Powerful God (May 11)

God pledges to reestablish the
nation after it has been purified
by the discipline of exile. As a sign
of His promise, He orders Jeremiah
to buy a field that would soon belong
to the conquering Babylonians.
That land would one day become
part of the restored nation to be
ruled by the Righteous Branch,
David’s Messianic descendant.

Lord, You are Almighty & Good:
I prayed… saying: Ah Lord God!
Behold You have made the heavens
& the earth by Your great power and
outstretched arm. There is nothing
too hard for You (Jer 32:16-17)
Then the word of the Lord came
to Jeremiah saying: Behold, I’m the
Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there
anything too hard for Me (v26-27)
They will be My people and I will
be their God. And I will give them
one heart and one purpose: to
worship me forever… I will never
stop doing good for them (v38-40)

Lord, thank You that nothing
in my life is beyond Your reach.
Nothing is too large or difficult
for Your powerful hand at all.
Help me to remember that
You display Your power best in
impossible situations. Give me
greater understanding of who
You are so that my trust in You
will grow and be complete. Amen.

Lord, when my faith is shaky,
remind me of Your Almighty power.
Give me a fresh glimpse of who
You really are. You made heavens
and the earth and You made us.
Nothing is impossible with You.
Increase my faith. Supply the
confidence I need to believe fully
in this promise, especially when
I’m facing hopeless situation. Amen

Lord, You are truly great, good
and always concern of our welfare;
and I purpose to always worship
You and move people towards You.
When things are going well in my
life, remind me not to accept praise
without giving You the glory or
at least point people toward You.
And when time is hard, remind me
that You God will make everything
beautiful in its own time. Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BOh7nyujT_0

The Lord Our Righteousness

Time is running out for Judah.
Already a growing sense of doom
grips the nation. Popular opinion
regarding the prophet of God stands
at an all-time low. But even that
cannot deter Jeremiah from
his appointed task: declaring to
leaders and lay persons alike God’s
displeasure with their conduct.
Moving from the nation in general
to the nation’s leaders in particular,
Jeremiah singles out three kings
for judgment before turning his
attention to the Messiah-King
who will restore righteousness
and justice on the earth. The nation
will lie desolate for 70 long years
when the wrath of God is finally
poured out upon His wayward flock.

Praise be Jehovah Tsidkenu:
Behold the days are coming,
says the Lord, That I will raise to
David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and execute
righteousness in the earth.
In His days, Judah will be saved;
And this is His name by which
He will be called, The Lord
our righteousness (Jehovah
Tsidkenu) – Jer 23:5-6.

Lord Jehovah Tsidkenu, we have
no righteousness of our own
but the righteousness we have
come through faith in Christ.
It is the righteousness that
depends entirely on faith; and
through this faith, You Lord
give us a clean slate of purity.
For our sake You made Him to
be sin who knew no sin so that
in Him we might become the
righteousness of God. Amen.

Lord, I come to You with all
the sins I have ever committed,
seeking Your forgiveness & mercy.
Forgive me for every unkind word
I have thought or spoken. Forgive
me for every selfish act I have committed. Forgive the hardness
of my heart and my lack of faith.
Pardon my fears, remove my
doubts & cover my insecurities
with Your covenantal love. Amen.

Lord Jehovah Tsidkenu, as You cover
us in Your righteousness, we pray
for the grace to be ever mindful
of the cost of this gift. We do not
want to treat it lightly or forget the
price You paid to offer this to us.
Make us useful Lord as we
serve in humility and worship in
righteousness before Your throne.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

The Master Potter

Jeremiah himself becomes an
object lesson to his nation, for
his very life models the reality
of what is soon to befall Judah.
The prophet is commanded to
remain celibate & avoid feast days
– a reminder to his countrymen
that they will soon experience
involuntarily what Jeremiah is
called to experience voluntarily.
For loss of comfort and joy await
God’s rebellious people. But then
God’s discipline is still redemptive.

Lord, Have Thine Own Way:
I found the potter working at his
wheel. But the jar he was making
did not turn out as he had hoped,
So he crushed it into a lump of
clay again and started over. Then
the Lord gave me this message:
O Israel, can I not do to you as
this potter has done to his clay?
As the clay is in the potter hand,
so are you in my hand (Jer 18:3-6).

O Lord and Sovereign God, we
acknowledge Your will is good.
Like a potter at the wheel You shape
us to the people You want us to be.
You Lord want to reshape us into
a beautiful creation, when we allow
ourselves to become mis-shapen
by the acts of our own self will.
O Holy Spirit help us to be soft
and receptive to Your hand on us.
As we yield to You God to shape us,
we ask for mercy and grace. Amen.

Lord, like clay in the potter’s hand,
we are imperfect but You can mold
us into something beautiful & useful.
Draw us, guide us and teach us Lord
to live all of our lives thro Your eyes.
We may be pressured; but You say:
Fear not, for I am with you. I will help
you, strengthen you and uphold you.
So, take us, mould us, fill us, lead us
and walk beside us as we give our
lives to You master potter. Amen.

Have Thine own way, Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and made me after Thy will
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Thine own way Lord!
Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only always living in me! Amen