Jeremiah 3

Verse Of The Day: V10 “And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.”

Have you ever wonder why you are not joyful and victorious in your Christian walk?
The answer is found in this precious verse when God commanded His people not to pretend in their walk with Him. Indeed, we are guilty before God when we pretend to give Him our whole heart! It is tragic and sad for Christians to live a double life, and no wonder we have no joy or victory in our Christian walk!

1.  Labor Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your labor or study or work?

Whether we are students, executives, managers, doctors, church staff, etc., we are studying, working and serving not just for our employers, or for ourselves, but for God!

Colossians 3:22 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:”

Some people believe that the most spiritual Christians are those who serve God as church full-time staff or pastors or missionaries in a foreign field. How far from the truth can they be! We are serving God when we are studying in a school, or working in a company, or in a church, and there is no separation of secular and spiritual work as some would want to believe. Where ever you are and whatever you do, you are doing it for God in singleness of heart and with your whole heart!

2.  Love Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your relationship?

How do you express your love for your loved ones, family, friends, classmates, etc? When a man expresses his love to the woman he loves, he will not say, “I love you with half my heart!” This is a sure way to end their relationship. Yet many times, we do not love with our whole hearts or all our hearts in our marriage, relationship and friendship.

Luke 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

3.  Live Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your life?

Let us not pretend or live a double life because one day, we shall meet God our Judge!

Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please help me to labor, love and live whole heartedly for You.

JEREMIAH 2

Verse Of The Day: V13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

1.  Man Commits Evil

V13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, ...”

Someone commented the other day, “Pastor, it seems that whatever the world philosophy is, it seems so convincing and true that there is no God.” Indeed since the fall of man, man has refused to acknowledge his creator and thinks that he knows all the answers in life. Man has become so proud that he believes that he is his own destiny and no one can tell him what to do! Man has failed to realize that God is the Fountain of Living Waters and when he drinks God’s Living Water or he believes God’s Living Word, the Bible, he shall never thirst but shall be satisfied all the days of his life and through all eternity.

John 4:14 “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

2.  Man Commits Another Evil

V13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Man not only commits evil by forsaking God but he commits another evil by worshipping idols. Why do man worship idols? Man is created by God in His image and with a soul that thirst for God. However, instead of worshipping his creator, man chooses to worship nature, things made by man, or things or people he places above God. These idols can be the sun, the moon, his loved ones or they can be his material possessions and even his thirst for power or fame. Sadly, these idols can never truly satisfy the spiritual thirst of man. Only God, the Fountain of the Living Waters can truly satisfy man’s thirst!

3.  Man Commits Good

Unless man acknowledges and worships God, his creator, he shall always be a miserable and purposeless man living in a selfish and godless life and committing the two evils of forsaking God and worshipping his idols.

Psalms 42:1-2 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please help me always to do good and thirst after You.

JEREMIAH 1

Verse Of The Day: V5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

1.  God Forms You

V5 “Before I formed thee in the belly ...”

Just like God told Jeremiah that He had prepared him as His Prophet or spokesman, He also tells you that He is with you even when you are in your mother’s womb! God gives you the breadth of life as you live in this world. In fact, God created and formed the first man from dust and breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soul.

Genesis 1:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

2.  God Knows You

V5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; ...”

God not only forms you but He knows you! God knows your inner thoughts, your greatest fear, your happiest moment, your deepest desires and secrets of your heart.

Psalms 44:21 “Shall not God search this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart.”

3.  God Sanctifies You

V5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, ...”

God not only forms you, knows you, but He sanctifies or separates you to serve Him as His ambassador or representative to tell others of His great love and to reconcile them to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

4.  God Ordains You

V5 “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

God not only forms you, knows you, sanctifies you but He ordains or empowers you to be His ambassadors.

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, thank You that You form me, know me, sanctify me and ordain me to be Your ambassadors and tell others of Your great love.

ISAIAH 66

Verse Of The Day: V1 “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? And where is the place of my rest?”

In the days of Prophet Isaiah, many people have put themselves above God. They worshipped God with their lips but not their hearts. They loved themselves and their houses more than they loved God and His house. Today, the people are also worshipping God with their lips but not their hearts. They worship themselves, their family, their career and their possessions more than they worship the true and living God.

Isaiah 29:13 “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:”
 
1.  God is King In Your Life

V2 “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”

The judgment of God is coming soon and one day, everyone of us, whether young or old, rich or poor, shall meet Him. The good news is that those who are poor and contrite in  spirit, or those who do God’s commandments, and have chosen God as the King in their lives, shall meet Him as His faithful, and shall enter into the gates of the city of God.

Revelation 17:14 “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

Revelation 22:14 “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

2.  God Is Nothing In Your Life

V4 “I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.”

The bad news is that those who refuse to believe in the true and living God and continually do evil before Him, their names shall not be found in the book of life and shall be cast into the lake of fire and burnt forever and ever.

Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Prayer Of The Week

Dearest God, I believe in You, and You are right in the center of my heart and life.

ISAIAH 65

Verse Of The Day: V17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

What a glorious day it shall be when Christians or the saints of God meet their Creator and Almighty God in the new heaven and the new earth!

1.  No Death

In the new heaven and the new earth, there shall be no more death and every Christian or saint of God shall serve their Almighty God.

Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

Revelation 22:3 “And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him:”

2.  No Sorrow

V19 “And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.”

In the new heaven and the new earth, there shall be no more sorrow nor weeping nor crying as the saints of God shall rejoice and reign with Him in His everlasting light forever and ever.

Revelation 22:5 “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

3.  No Hurt

V25 “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”

What a great and glorious day it shall be for the saints of God in the new heaven and the new earth as there shall be no more hurt nor destruction but peace and worship!

Revelation 22:9 “Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

Prayer Of The Week

Dearest God, I believe in You and I shall be with You in the new heaven and the new earth.

ISAIAH 64

Verse Of The Day:  V8 “But now, O LORD, Thou art our father; we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.”

1.  You Are Filthy Rags

V6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; ..."

If you think you are a Somebody, think again.
If you think you are a graduate and a successful professional, think again.
If you think you are a Pastor and the most spiritual person, think again and again.
The prophet Isaiah openly and boldly described men as filthy rags; those rags that you use to clean dirty tables or floors! Indeed, in the sight of a holy and righteous God, we truly fall short of His holiness and righteousness.

2.  You Are A Leaf

V6 “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

What do you know about a leaf?

It is something that you see everywhere on the tree, and on the ground as they fall from the trees. The fallen leaves shall turn dry and subsequently decay and become dirt. Again Isaiah described man as a leaf. In the sight of God, our lives are transient and we shall die because of our sins. Unless you repent of your sins and believe in Jesus Christ, you shall die in your sins and be condemned into hell. However, if you believe in Jesus Christ, when you die, your soul shall live forever in heaven with God!  

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
 
3.  You Are The Clay

V8 “But now, O LORD, Thou are our father; we are the clay, and Thou out potter; and we all are the work of Thy hand.”

Do you know that you are a mud ball?
We are truly nothing without God, just like the clay is nothing with the potter. However, once the potter starts to mould and make the mud ball or clay into his masterpiece of art, the clay becomes an important piece of creation. Similarly, when you believe in God as your Saviour, He shall take hold of you and make you His masterpiece for His glory.

Ephesians 1:12 “That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, thank You that You are my potter and I am Your clay.

ISAIAH 63

Key Verse: Isaiah 63:4 “For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.”

Have you been deeply hurt by others and you cannot forgive and forget the hurt? Many times, you say you forgive but deep down in your heart, you can never forget the hurt. It is time that you forgive and forget and commit your hurt to God.
 
1.  God Knows Your Hurt

God knows your hurt as the Lord Jesus Christ had experienced the deepest hurt when one of His disciples, Judas, betrayed Him and sent Him on the cruel cross.

Luke 22:47-48 “And while He yet spake, behold a multitude, and He that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”

2.  God Forgives Your Sins

In spite of Jesus’ suffering on the humiliating cross at Calvary, His last breath was His prayer to God, His Father, to forgive Judas who betrayed Him as well as all who hurt and crucified Him.

Luke 23:33-34 “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted His raiment, and cast lots.”

3.  God Vindicates Your Hurt

V4 “For the day of vengeance is in Mine heart, and the year of My redeemed is come.”

No matter how much people have hurt you, do not bear grudges or seek revenge or take matters into your own hands, but commit them to the Lord. God has promised that the day of vengeance is in His heart and He shall vindicate you.

Hebrews 10:30-31 “For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

You need to commit all hurt to God and forgive those who hurt you as Christ has forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Action of the Week

Forgive and forget the wrongs that others have hurt you as God has forgiven you.

ISAIAH 62

Key Verse: Isaiah 62:4 “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.”

Today, there is nothing much we see in the land of Israel, the city of Jerusalem and its suburbs, however, one day, they shall be a great and glorious land and all the people of God, the saints of Christ, shall dwell together in the new Israel and new city of Jerusalem!

1.  Delightful Land

V4 “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah, …”

What is Hephzi-bah? Hephzi-bah means “Delightful”. Today, Israel is a land of tension and conflict, a land forsaken by God and desolate by war and violence, however, one day, it shall be a delightful and peaceful land where God dwells among His people.

2.  Married Land

V4 “… and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.”

What is Beulah? Beulah means “Married”. Today, the land of Israel is separated from God, however, one day, the LORD shall delight in it and they shall marry and be one!

3.  Holy Land

V12 “And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.”

One day, all believers of God shall be called The holy people and The redeemed of the LORD, dwelling in the holy land called “Sought out”, a city not forsaken by God.

Revelation 21:2-3 “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”

Today, the church is the bride and Christ is the Bridegroom. However, one day, Israel together with the church shall be the bride dwelling with God forever in heaven!

Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it;”

Action of the Week

Stay faithful to GOD and His church as one day we shall dwell forever in the Delightful, Married and Holy Land of GOD.

ISAIAH 61

Key Verse: Isaiah 61:6 “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”

Why are Christians dismayed and depressed when God has empowered and enthroned us with bountiful blessings?

1.  You Are Priests

V6 “But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: ...”

Exodus 28:43 “And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statue for ever unto him and his seed after him.”

Who are the Priests of the LORD? The Priests are the mediators between God and man. Aaron and his descendents were the chosen ones to serve in God’s holy tabernacle. Today, we are the Priests of God because the Lord Jesus had paid for the penalty of our sins by His death. We are now the Priests of God set apart to serve and worship Him.

Hebrews 7:26-27 “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself.”

2.  You Are Ministers

V6 “… men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”

Do you know that Christians are Ministers of our God, just like we have the various Ministers in the government of our country? Indeed, Christians are chosen by God to be His Ministers in representing God in bringing peace, prosperity and progress in His Kingdom, just like the Ministers of our country representing our government in bringing peace, prosperity and progress for our nation.

3.  You Are Joy

V7 “For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.”

Not only God empowers you as His Priest and Minister but He also gives you everlasting joy!  So cheer up, keep your chin up and rejoice in the LORD always even in rough times!

Action of the Week

Rejoice always as you are the Priest, the Minister and the Everlasting Joy of God!

ISAIAH 60

Key Verse: Isaiah 60:19 “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.”

1.  You Shall Be Glorious

V19 “… the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.”

Are you discouraged and distressed by the constant difficulties and struggles in your health, family, relationship, work, career, ministry, etc? Hope in God and keep on doing your best and leave the rest to God. God shall lead and deliver you in all your challenges and one day you shall be glorious before Him!

Romans 5:2 “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

2.  You Shall Be Rejoicing

V20 “Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.”

What a day it shall be when we see God face to face in heaven glorious day! There shall be no more mourning or weeping but there shall be great rejoicing and celebration with God and all His saints who have gone ahead of us. I greatly rejoice that one day I shall see my beloved father who went to be with the Lord on 11th October 2003.  I miss him very much. Though he has weaknesses, he also has strengths and one of which was his humor and wit. Praise God, I shall be with him one day and enjoy his humor and wit forever!

Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

3.  You Shall Be Strong

V22 “A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.”

Are you weak and wearied? One day the weak, the wearied, the sickly and all who hope in God shall be strong and shall reign with the Lord God forever!

Revelation 22:5 “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”

Action of the Week

Always hope in God as one day you shall be glorious, rejoicing and strong in the LORD.