Today's Readings and Stuff -- Thursday, 04 October 2018

Rainy and gray today.  Tonight to see the lower 40's.  Trees are having the leaves "turn" and losing some.  Not my ideal situation.  But perhaps it is an unwelcome reminder that I am into the Autumn  of my life, and green growing things are, while possible, not to be expected.
But the Lord is in the miracle business, and we limit His reach wrongly. 
I had another of my "weird" nights.  Perhaps it was my own conscience, perhaps it was the Lord's prodding, I do not know.  But a night with several and rather strong reminders that much of my own "down" is a direct result of my own less than wonderful prayer life.  I haven't been seeking the Lord like the deer panting for the water.  (Song here ).  When we, when I put ANYTHING before Him, the results won't be good.  In fact, they can't be. 

Do we hunger and thirst to be in the real presence of the Lord?  In The Presence of Jehovah.


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Today's readings are taken from the Christian Standard Bible.  I'm starting to really like it.


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More today in Jeremiah.  Throughout Scripture, and particularly in sections of the Old Testament, the relationship between the Lord and His people is likened to a marriage.  Still applicable today, of course.  Do you respect and admire adulterers?  Most of us don't.  Indeed, the prohibition against adultery is found in the 10 Commandments, and also an integral part of many cultures. 
Yet, the record is clear that the people of Israel and Judah soon threw off the Lord's will and commands in an effort to be like the nations around them.  Don't slam them too hard, it's going on all around us too, and being celebrated by some supposed Christian organizations.  Didn't turn out well for the Hebrews, and it won't turn out well for our civilization either.  Indeed, it can't.


Jeremiah 3

Wages of Apostasy

1If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him to marry another,

can he ever return to her?

Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled?

But you!

You have prostituted yourself with many partners  —

can you return to me?

This is the Lord’s declaration.

2Look to the barren heights and see.

Where have you not been immoral?

You sat waiting for them beside the highways

like a nomad in the desert.

You have defiled the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.

3This is why the showers haven’t come  —

why there has been no spring rain.

You have the brazen look of a prostitute

and refuse to be ashamed.

4Haven’t you recently called to me, “My Father.

You were my friend in my youth.

5Will he bear a grudge forever?

Will he be endlessly infuriated?”

This is what you have said,

but you have done the evil things

you are capable of.

Unfaithful Israel, Treacherous Judah

6In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there. 7I thought, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to me.’   But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself. 9Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with all her heart  — only in pretense.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

11The Lord announced to me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. 12Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,

‘Return, unfaithful Israel.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not look on you with anger,

for I am unfailing in my love.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not be angry forever.

13Only acknowledge your guilt  —

you have rebelled against the Lord your God.

You have scattered your favors to strangers

under every green tree

and have not obeyed me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

14“‘Return, you faithless children  — this is the Lord’s declaration — for I am your master, and I will take you,one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15I will give you shepherds who are loyal to me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. 16When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days — this is the Lord’s declaration — no one will say again, “The ark of the Lord’s covenant.” It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. Another one will not be made. 17At that time Jerusalem will be called The Lord’s Throne, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord in Jerusalem.They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. 18In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel,and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.’”

True Repentance

19I thought, “How I long to make you my sons

and give you a desirable land,

the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations.”

I thought, “You will call me ‘My Father’

and never turn away from me.”

20However, as a woman may betray her lover,

so you have betrayed me, house of Israel.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

21A sound is heard on the barren heights:

the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,

for they have perverted their way;

they have forgotten the Lord their God.

22Return, you faithless children.

I will heal your unfaithfulness.

“Here we are, coming to you,

for you are the Lord our God.

23Surely, falsehood comes from the hills,

commotion from the mountains,

but the salvation of Israel

is only in the Lord our God.

24From the time of our youth

the shameful one has consumed

what our fathers have worked for —

their flocks and their herds,

their sons and their daughters.

25Let us lie down in our shame;

let our disgrace cover us.

We have sinned against the Lord our God,

both we and our fathers,

from the time of our youth even to this day.

We have not obeyed the Lord our God.”

Jeremiah 4

Blessing or Curse

1If you return, Israel —

this is the Lord’s declaration —

you will return to me,

if you remove your abhorrent idols

from my presence

and do not waver,

2then you can swear, “As the Lord lives,”

in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,

then the nations will be blessed by him

and will pride themselves in him.

3For this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:

Break up the unplowed ground;

do not sow among the thorns.

4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord;

remove the foreskin of your hearts,

men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem.

Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire

and burn with no one to extinguish it

because of your evil deeds.

Judgment from the North

5Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:

Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land.

Cry out loudly and say:

Assemble yourselves,

and let’s flee to the fortified cities.

6Lift up a signal flag toward Zion.

Run for cover! Don’t stand still!

For I am bringing disaster from the north —

a crushing blow.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket;

a destroyer of nations has set out.

He has left his lair

to make your land a waste.

Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins.

8Because of this, put on sackcloth;

mourn and wail,

for the Lord’s burning anger

has not turned away from us.

9“On that day” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless.”

10I said, “Oh no, Lord God, you have certainly deceived this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, ‘You will have peace,’while a sword is at our throats.”

11“At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, ‘A searing wind blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to my dear people. It comes not to winnow or to sift; 12a wind too strong for this comes at my call. Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’”

13Look, he advances like clouds;

his chariots are like a storm.

His horses are swifter than eagles.

Woe to us, for we are ruined!

14Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem,

so that you will be delivered.

How long will you harbor

malicious thoughts?

15For a voice announces from Dan,

proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.

16Warn the nations: Look!

Proclaim to Jerusalem:

Those who besiege are coming

from a distant land;

they raise their voices

against the cities of Judah.

17They have her surrounded

like those who guard a field,

because she has rebelled against me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

18Your way and your actions

have brought this on you.

This is your punishment. It is very bitter,

because it has reached your heart!

Jeremiah’s Lament

19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in agony!

Oh, the pain in my heart!

My heart pounds;

I cannot be silent.

For you, my soul,

have heard the sound of the ram’s horn —

the shout of battle.

20Disaster after disaster is reported

because the whole land is destroyed.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed,

my tent curtains, in a moment.

21How long must I see the signal flag

and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?

22“For my people are fools;

they do not know me.

They are foolish children,

without understanding.

They are skilled in doing what is evil,

but they do not know how to do what is good.”

23I looked at the earth,

and it was formless and empty.

I looked to the heavens,

and their light was gone.

24I looked at the mountains,

and they were quaking;

all the hills shook.

25I looked, and there was no human being,

and all the birds of the sky had fled.

26I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness.

All its cities were torn down

because of the Lord

and his burning anger.

27For this is what the Lord says:

The whole land will be a desolation,

but I will not finish it off.

28Because of this, the earth will mourn;

the skies above will grow dark.

I have spoken; I have planned,

and I will not relent or turn back from it.

29Every city flees

at the sound of the horseman and the archer.

They enter the thickets

and climb among the rocks.

Every city is abandoned;

no inhabitant is left.

30And you, devastated one, what are you doing

that you dress yourself in scarlet,

that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry,

that you enhance your eyes with makeup?

You beautify yourself for nothing.

Your lovers reject you;

they intend to take your life.

31I hear a cry like a woman in labor,

a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child.

The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands:

“Woe is me, for my life is weary

because of the murderers!”

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Proverbs 28

1The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2When a land is in rebellion, it has many rulers,

but with a discerning and knowledgeable person, it endures.

3A destitute leader who oppresses the poor

is like a driving rain that leaves no food.

4Those who reject the law praise the wicked,

but those who keep the law pit themselves against them.

5The evil do not understand justice,

but those who seek the Lord understand everything.

6Better the poor person who lives with integrity

than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.

7A discerning son keeps the law,

but a companion of gluttons humiliates his father.

8Whoever increases his wealth through excessive interest

collects it for one who is kind to the poor.

9Anyone who turns his ear away from hearing the law —

even his prayer is detestable.

10The one who leads the upright into an evil way

will fall into his own pit,

but the blameless will inherit what is good.

11A rich person is wise in his own eyes,

but a poor one who has discernment sees through him.

12When the righteous triumph,

there is great rejoicing,

but when the wicked come to power,

people hide.

13The one who conceals his sins

will not prosper,

but whoever confesses and renounces them

will find mercy.

14Happy is the one who is always reverent,

but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.

15A wicked ruler over a helpless people

is like a roaring lion or a charging bear.

16A leader who lacks understanding

is very oppressive,

but one who hates dishonest profit

prolongs his life.

17Someone burdened by bloodguilt

will be a fugitive until death.

Let no one help him.

18The one who lives with integrity will be helped,

but one who distorts right and wrong

will suddenly fall.

19The one who works his land

will have plenty of food,

but whoever chases fantasies

will have his fill of poverty.

20A faithful person will have many blessings,

but one in a hurry to get rich

will not go unpunished.

21It is not good to show partiality  —

yet even a courageous person may sin for a piece of bread.

22A greedy one is in a hurry for wealth;

he doesn’t know that poverty will come to him.

23One who rebukes a person will later find more favor

than one who flatters with his tongue.

24The one who robs his father or mother

and says, “That’s no sin,”

is a companion to a person who destroys.

25A greedy person stirs up conflict,

but whoever trusts in the Lord will prosper.

26The one who trusts in himself is a fool,

but one who walks in wisdom will be safe.

27The one who gives to the poor

will not be in need,

but one who turns his eyes away

will receive many curses.

28When the wicked come to power,

people hide,

but when they are destroyed,

the righteous flourish.

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2nd Timothy 2

1You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in the concerns of civilian life; he seeks to please the commanding officer. 5Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to get a share of the crops. 7Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

8Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead and descended from David, according to my gospel, 9for which I suffer to the point of being bound like a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. 10This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. 11This saying is trustworthy:

For if we died with him,

we will also live with him;

12if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he will also deny us;

13if we are faithless, he remains faithful,

for he cannot deny himself.

An Approved Worker

14Remind them of these things, and charge them before Godnot to fight about words. This is useless and leads to the ruin of those who listen. 15Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth. 16Avoid irreverent and empty speech, since those who engage in it will produce even more godlessness, 17and their teaching will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are among them. 18They have departed from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and are ruining the faith of some.19Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, bearing this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.

20Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. 21So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a specialinstrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

22Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lordfrom a pure heart. 23But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels. 24The Lord’sservant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, 25instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth. 26Then they may come to their senses and escape the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.