Knowing God In Jer 23 (May 10)

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.

Thought for the Week: Jer 18

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

Meditating on 2Cor 3-5 (May 9)

Be Ambassadors for Christ

Backgrounder: Paul opens his
second epistle to the Corinthians
the same way he began his first
one by establishing his authority
and documenting the source of
his revelation. He then praises
God for what He has done for
Timothy and him. In contrast to
the old covenant which condemned
the glorious new covenant sealed
in Jesus’ own blood, makes
God’s ministers bold & effective
in calling people to repentance.

Lord, thanks for Paul’s 2nd letter
to Corinthians which explains the
nature of Christian ministry and
teaches how we should handle it.
Help us to be blameless, sincere,
confident, caring, open & willing
to suffer for the sake of Christ.
Help us to Minister to Others;
Help us to Focus on Eternal &
Help us to be Yr Ambassadors.
In Jesus Precious Name, Amen.

Lord, You’ll Enable us to Minister:
You are an epistle of Christ…
written by the Spirit of God…
Such confidence we have through
Christ. Not that we are sufficient
of ourselves to think of anything
as being from ourselves but our
sufficiency is fr God (2Cor 3:3-5).
Lord, I realise the areas which
I feel inadequate or struggle,
draw me to You. And that I am
able to accomplish what You ask
of me only through Your power.
Thank you for your Word for in it
I learn that You are my adequacy
and my sufficiency. May my
confidence always be in You
through Christ Jesus; and then
You will receive all praise. Amen.

Lord, we will Focus on Eternal:
Our present troubles are quite
small and won’t last very long.
Yet they produce for us an
immeasurably great glory that will
last forever! So we don’t look at
the troubles we can see right now;
rather we look forward to what
we have not yet seen. For the
troubles we see will soon be over;
but the joys to come will
last forever (2 Cor 4:17-18).
Lord, focus my eyes clearly
on the eternal, for that will
put my present troubles into
a proper perspective. Help me
to see You as You are, to perceive
You with my spirit & not just with
my mind. And help me to realise
that U are in me & I am in U. Amen

Lord, we will be Your Ambassadors:
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed
away; all things have become new..
God was reconciling the world
to himself in Christ, not counting
people’s sins against them.
And He has committed to us
the message of reconciliation.
So we are Christ’s ambassadors,
as though God were making his
appeal thro us (2C5:17-20).
Lord, Thank you that through
Christ you forgive sins and bring
sinners back into relationship
with yourself. Thank U for drawing
me to yourself and saving me.
Lord, You have given the gospel
to me so that I might share it.
I’m sorry Lord for the times I’ve
been tight-lipped about my faith.
Make me bolder & more engaging
to those who don’t know U. Amen.

Meditating on 2Cor 1-2 (May 8)

Be Comforting Minister of the Lord

Paul opens his second epistle
to the Corinthians the same way
he began his first one: by establishing
his authority and documenting
the source of his revelation.
Whereas his first letter expressed
thanksgiving for what God had
done among the Corinthians, Paul’s
second one praises God for what
He has done for Paul and Timothy.

Lord, we will Comfort Others:
All Praise to God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the
source of every mercy and the
God who comforts us. He comforts
us in all our troubles so that
we can comfort others. When
others are troubled, we will be able
to give them the same comfort
God has given us (2Cor 1:3-4).
For all of God’s promises have
been fulfilled in Him. That is why
we say “Amen” when we gave
glory to God thru Christ (v19-20)
Thanks be to God, who always
leads us as captives in Christ’s
triumphal procession & uses us to
spread the aroma of the knowledge
of Him everywhere (2Cor 2:14).

Lord, thank You for the times
You have comforted me. I know
that You have comforted me so
that I can do the same for others.
This world is full of people who
are hurting. Make me sensitive
to those I meet who need Your
touch of comfort. Keep me an
open vessel through which Your
life, love & comfort can flow. Amen

Lord, Thank You for Your great
and precious promises. Thank
You for reminding us that Jesus
is the “divine Yes” the affirmation
of all Your promises. Help me
experience Your love behind
every promise as I trust in You.
And help me pray with confidence
because I know that not one of
Your promises will ever fail. Amen.

Lord, You have captured my
heart with Your love and mercy.
Thank You Lord for changing
my life by giving me life.
You Lord are the victor in the
great spiritual conflict of the ages.
You deserve all praise, honour
and glory. Help me Lord to open
my mouth and speak powerfully
and effectively for You. Amen.

Reflection on Jeremiah (May 7)

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 10
about Eternal King & Maker of All.
On Tuesday, we learn from Jer 11
about God who Test Righteously.
On Wednesday, we learn from
Jer 16 about Lord My Fortress.
On Thursday, we learn from
Jer 17 about Hope of Israel.
On Friday, we learn from
Jer 18 about The Master Potter.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face…In Jesus’ name.

Knowing God In Jeremiah 18

The Potter (May 7)

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

Knowing God In Jeremiah 17

Hope of Israel (May 6)

Jeremiah himself becomes object
lesson for what’s soon to befall
Judah. The prophet is commanded
to remain celibate and avoids 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, whose confidence is in Him.
They will be like a tree planted
by the water that sends out its
roots by the stream. It does not
fear when heat comes; its leaves
are always green. It has no worries
in a year of drought and never
fails to Bear Fruit (Jer 17:7-8).
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who
forsake You shall be ashamed (v13).
Heal me O Lord & I will be Healed,
Save me and I shall be saved, for
You are the one I praise (v14) Amen

Lord, I put my complete Trust in You
for You are my hope & confidence.
Help me to never turn from You;
instead let my roots go deep into
You as I feed in Your Word each day.
Thank You Lord for Your promise
to bring forth fruit in my life.
And make my soul prosperous
even in the long dry spells.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Lord, You are good & I trust in You
for You are my hope & confidence.
Draw me ever closer to You and
give me a passion to seek You.
Help me Lord to be fruitful even
during life’s long dry season.
Help me to put my roots deep
into You and Your Word that I be
able to endure hard times and wait
for Your sure deliverance. Amen.

Lord, how grateful I’m that You came
as our Healer besides our Saviour.
In Your mercy and compassion,
I ask for Your healing touch upon
my friends, their family members
and Covid patients who need it.
As I had experienced Your healing
a few times before, I know when
You heal, we can be healed fully.
At the same time, I ask for the
discipline to take proper precaution
in this Covid pandemic. Amen.

Knowing God In Jeremiah 16

Lord My Fortress (May 5)

Jeremiah himself becomes object
lesson to his nation, for his very
life models the reality of what is
soon to befall the nation of Judah.
The prophet is commanded to
remain celibate and avoid funerals
and feast days – a reminder to his
countrymen they will experience
involuntarily what Jeremiah is
called to experience voluntarily.
Loss of family, comfort & joy await
God’s rebellious people – a message
that is finally heard; and results
on beatings and imprisonment
for the faithful prophet of God.

Lord, You are Our Fortress:
Lord (Jehovah), my strength
and my fortress (Mauzzi),
my refuge in time of distress,
to You the nations will come from
the ends of the earth and say:
Our ancestors possessed
nothing but false gods, worthless
idols that did them no good.
Therefore behold… I will cause
them to know My hand and My
might; and they shall know that
My name is the Lord (Jer 16:19-21)

Lord Jehovah Mauzzi, You are
my strength and my fortress,
my refuge in time of distress.
And on that day, all people will
come to You and bow their knees.
They will acknowledge You as
the one true God – the fortress
who stands higher & longer than
all man-made fortresses because
You are the great eternal God. Amen

Lord, I bless Your name for You are
my wall of defense and my fortress.
Forgive me for not praising You
as I should on occasions for
protecting me from dangers.
You have prevented situations
that would have harmed me.
You Lord kept them from reaching
me, yet I have not adored You
in gratitude for being my fortress,
as I really should have done then.

Lord, bring the nations to You
that they may know You and
see that the gods and idols they
trusted leads only to destruction.
Give us wisdom to know the best
way to glorify Your name & spread
the word of Your firm protection.
Give us boldness to make a
difference for Your kingdom so
that many people can experience
You as their fortress. In Jesus name.

Knowing God in Jeremiah 11

God who Test Righteously (May 4)

God instructs Jeremiah to take
a linen girdle and bury it by the
Euphrates River. Later he is told
to dig it up again. The result is
predictable: one ruined girdle,
unfit to wear any longer. And
the parallel is painfully clear.
Selected by God for a place
of intimate fellowship (just like
the girdle), Judah would now be
away in judgment for her corruption.

Hear the words of this covenant
and speak to the men of Judah…
Obey My voice and do according
to all that I command you; so shall
you be My people and I will be your
God, that I may establish the oath
which I have sworn to your fathers,
to give them a land flowing
with milk and honey (Jer 11:2-5)
I was like a docile lamb brought to
the slaughter… But O Lord of hosts,
You who judge righteously, testing
the mind and the heart, let me see
Your vengeance on them for to You
I have revealed my cause (v19-20).

Dear covenant keeping God,
For all things beautiful
and good and true;
For all things that seemed
not good yet turned to good;
For all the sweet compulsions
of Thy Will that chased and tried,
and wrought us to Thy shape;
We thank Thee Lord. Amen.

Dear Lord Jesus You said:
If a man love me, he will keep
my words; and my Father will love
him and we will come unto him
and make our abode with him.
Let my fellowship with the Father
and with the Christ Jesus have
this one aim: a life of obedience.
May the Holy Spirit enlighten my
mind, heart and hands so that I will
have power to do God’s will. Amen.

Righteous God, thank You for
the power of Yourighteousness
for from You flow might & strength.
Pour out Your righteousness
into our hearts. Give us relief
especially from divisions and
strife that comes from self-
centredness and silo mentality.
Instead engulf us with Your spirit
of love, grace and mercy. Amen.

Knowing God in Jer 10 (May 3)

Eternal King & Maker of All Things

Idolatry and hypocrisy have permeated every fiber of Judah’s
national life. People, prophets and
priests alike practice worthless
worship in haughty indifference.
But through Jeremiah, God delivers
a ringing indictment. Their nation
with all its outward splendour –
will be reduced to a heap of ruins
because of the people’s arrogance
and idolatry. At the thought of Judah’s imminent divine surgery,
Jeremiah weeps unashamedly
for his hardhearted countrymen.

Praise Eternal King & Maker of all:
You are great; and Your name
is great in might, Who would
not fear You, O King… For this is
Your rightful due (Jer 10:6-7).
But the Lord is the true God;
He is the living God and
the everlasting King (v10).
He has made the earth by His
power, He establish the world
by His wisdom… For He is
the Maker of all things (v12-16).

Lord, You are great and greatly
to be praised. Great is Your power.
You have stirred our hearts so that
we take pleasure in praising You.
You have created us and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.
Lord, we affirm Your power over
the circumstances of our life. And since You are powerful & wise, we’ll
give You all praise and glory. Amen

Glory be to You O God the Father,
the Maker of the whole world.
Glory to You O God the Son,
the Redeemer of humankind.
Glory to You O God the Holy Spirit,
the sanctifier of Your people.
I am giving thee offering
with my whole thought.
I am giving thee praise
with my whole tongue.
I am giving thee love
with my whole devotion.
I am giving thee worship
with my whole life. Amen.

Lord, I contemplate Your great
power in creating the universe.
I know that You have power over
all the natural forces that U created.
I know that I could not take a breath
or be sustained upon this earth
except by Your sustaining grace.
So I join the psalmist to praise You.
Praise You for Your mighty deeds.
Praise You for excellent greatness.
Let every day of my life praise You.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.