JEREMIAH 28:1 - 29:32
DON'T MESS WITH ME: A false prophet did a demonstration where he removed Jeremiah's ox yoke from his shoulders and broke it and said that the "yoke" of Nebuchadnezzar would be broken in two years and they would all be free! Just what they all wanted to hear! He said "God told me..." Jeremiah had said 70 years, and now this guy says 2 years. Jeremiah said that time would tell - if this came true. Just wait and see. So now the false prophets enlarges this and says "God told him" that ALL the nations would go free from Babylon in two years! This is not Jeremiah's problem, so he walked away. NOT SO FAST!! God has a rebuttal! He told Jeremiah to tell them that the new yokes will be made of iron! You can't manipulate or debate with God! If you try, things just get worse! (28:14-16) "You have made the people believe a lie!" His judgment? He would die within a year!
TO THOSE IN TOUGH SPOTS: There were already about 4000 exiles in Babylon, including the royal family, priests and prophets and skilled laborers. They had false prophets talking to them too, and so they were confused and hurt. Their message from God was: "you are going to be there a long time, so settle down, plant a garden. While you are there, pray for the welfare of Babylon." When we are in a bad situation and cannot change it, we pray for the welfare of those around us. In God's timing, He will "visit us".
WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT ME: (29:11-14) He has plans for "peace and not evil". "Peace" is the Hebrew word "shalom" which means "wholeness with nothing missing and nothing broken, to be unimpaired." "Evil" is the Hebrew word "ra'ah" which means "to be crushed, destroyed, useless and worthless." It is the opposite of "shalom". This means that "shalom" carries with it the ability for us to function in our purpose. God has a good purpose and His purpose will stand. Those who are "the called according to His purpose" (Rom 8:28) will experience God's "shalom". When we come out of the world-systems and quit sinning, and seek Him with all our hearts, God will meet us with provision and will hear our prayers. He will free us from slavery to addictions and obsessions, especially with ourselves, and strengthen us as we instruct our hearts to trust Him more and more. As we become more and more dependent on Him, we get freer and freer. "So seek me! Trust me! Delight in me!” In the middle of trouble, this is "shalom" for us. John 16:33 says it too, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Here "peace" is the opposite of "tribulation" (which is "pressure" "antagonism") We go THRU, not AROUND. GOD IS IN CONTROL - thinking of me in terms of "shalom".
RESPONSE: Why is it that when we think of deliverance, we immediately think in terms of success or money? Some translations actually wrote that God has plans for us to "prosper". But the Hebrew word doesn't even mean that! And the opposite of "evil" is not success. The opposite of "evil" is "shalom. Even where the word "prosper" is used in the Bible, it doesn't mean monetary success. It just means "the ability to finish something" and is the opposite of "failure". This is way better than being "roasted in the fire".
1 TIMOTHY 1:1-20
"PURSUE GODLINESS & FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH": The thing that makes this letter (and 2Tim, and Titus) different from the other NT letters is that it is written to a person rather than to a church. On Paul's last circle-tour of the churches, he left Titus on Crete, and Timothy in Ephesus, then travelled on to Macedonia. Timothy had his work cut out for him! False teachers had taken over the church at Ephesus, and so Paul instructs his spiritual "son" , Timothy, to "Follow after (relentlessly pursue) righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, and fight the good fight of faith..."
"GODLINESS": UN-godliness is a defiant attitude toward God and God's Word. Godliness is an attitude of submission to Truth and the fear of God. The "power of godliness" is the ability to change lives. Godliness is not a "fruit of the Spirit", but a strenuous pursuit on our part. We must "train ourselves" (1Ti 4:7) so it requires commitment and repetition. Godliness is a practical awareness of the sanctifying Presence of God in our lives. Godliness is a lifestyle of pleasing God.
CHAPTER ONE: "FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT" - Perseverance and godliness are the answer to internal opposition. Two men were ex-communicated so they wouldn't infect the others. By being put out of the church, the men were out from the spiritual protection of the church, and so Satan was able to harrass them. And take it from an old blasphemer - Paul - (1:13), mercy and grace will ALWAYS "trump" the Law. The law is for law-BREAKERS: for the disobedient, the unholy, the ungodly, sinners, murderers, whoremongers, etc., etc., for those who live "contrary to sound doctrine." And so, God "made an example" out of Paul, that the "chief of sinners" can be and was saved by grace! Not law! What is "good warfare"? V.19 says it is "faith and a good conscience". What is meant by "faith" here is a lifestyle of trusting God. It is a life that has been radically re-oriented toward God at the center, an absolute commitment. I give more loyalty to what God wants than to what my circumstances tell me. This is a clear-headed and relentless choice. Faith is outwardly expressed as obedience ("works"). A "good conscience" is my inner monitor that judges me, then tells me when God is pleased or displeased. It is that inner knowing that someone is watching you! Our conscience is what makes us aware when we have gone outside the parameters of Scripture, and therefore outside of faith ("whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom 14:23). We can "sear” (scar over) our conscience by going against it over and over, until it becomes numb. This is why our faith can be "shipwrecked" - the promptings of our conscience were rejected and we went ahead anyway and hit the rocks. Acts 24:16 says, "And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men." An impure conscience hinders our faith. Try praying when you are bothered by something bad you have said or done. It is difficult. If you continue to go against your conscience, it's "voice" gets softer and softer, until you don't know whether you are living by faith any more or not!
RESPONSE: I LOVE Paul's song at the end: "To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever Amen." When I need to calm my heart down from something upsetting, I sing this over and over. It anchors me to God and lifts me above it all. It keeps me from damaging my conscience because I want to spout off. It helps me enter into the "rest of faith" (Heb 3-4) and strengthens my faith. I think Paul inserted this ON PURPOSE.
PSALM 86:1-17
IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE (86:7): We have to make up our minds whether or not we believe God if we are going to go through anything in faith. Troubles can make us wonder if God is willing to help us, and even whether or not God can do anything. This Psalm answers those questions: (v.5) God is "good, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy". He is willing. (v.10) God is "great and does wondrous things." He is able. So now "my help" pivots on this one thing: WALKING SINGLEMINDEDLY IN TRUTH. "Teach me Thy way, O Lord, I will walk in Thy truth; unite my heart to fear Thy Name." "God's ways" are the way of Truth, and redemption, and sacrifice. Evidence of God's mercy toward me: (v.13) "You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell."
PROVERBS 25:17 See yesterday.
RESPONSE: As long as I "sit on the fence" about whether or not God can be trusted to help me, I will fail. It will leave me feeling guilty and inadequate, and every temptation to sin will create a war in my head, because I am still "doubleminded" - undecided about a radical commitment to God. This is why the Psalmist cried out "unite my heart" - make me of one mind and one intent. It means that my SELF must die, in order to release me from the desire to have things my way. Then God can lead me and can show me His way. 
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