Jeremiah wrote that the people will find God in the search. But they could only do this when they believed that God is good. Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. …
God has long-term plans for His people. As sinful humans, we tend to think in the short term. We like our plans to come to fruition quickly. It was the same with the exiles. False prophets predicted they would be back in Jerusalem in a couple of years. These false prophets were popular because people …
God’s timeout occurred when He exiled the Southern Kingdom of Judah to Babylon 900 years after they entered the promised land. A timeout is an interruption of activity as punishment for misbehavior. Like a good parent, the Lord told the Israelites there were blessings and curses based on their behavior as they entered the promised …
Choosing to rebel against God is a choice to look down and away from God because of our sinful desires. Adam and Eve were the first people to rebel against God when they ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil when told not to. Sin entered our world with …
Jeremiah’s message from God to the people was that they needed to repent to avoid disaster. Jeremiah 18: 11 “Therefore, Jeremiah, go and warn all Judah and Jerusalem. Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am planning disaster for you instead of good. So turn from your evil ways, each of you, and …
God molds and judges nations based on how they respond to the hands of the potter. Throughout history, nations have fallen, and God has restored others. Nations that are disobedient to God eventually find themselves on the scrap heap of history. In God’s mercy, He continually calls nations back to Himself to look up and …
God is the potter, and we are the clay. When we begin to see the Lord and ourselves through this spiritual lens, it gives us insight into the creativity of God. Images described in the Bible are sometimes hard to understand, but even young students have formed Play-Doh. Whether a young sculptor in first grade …
God wants to interact with His children, and the Holy Spirit moves us to pray. Perhaps you can think of a time when the Lord urged you to pray. Not long ago, there was a night when I was awake off and on several times. One of my friends was recovering from major surgery, so …
Grow where you are planted. This can have a profound effect on your life. Like a flower that grows in the cracks in the road, sometimes we must make the best of our situations and bloom where the Lord has placed us. Our family lived 2000 miles from where we grew up for almost ten …
Timely encouragement is one of the essential experiences that we can have and sometimes can come unexpectedly. Life can have difficult seasons, and a word of encouragement can make a huge difference. I remember encouraging a young man, and when I did, he stood up straighter, and a smile came to his face. There is …