Strayed, Repented, Disciplined, Rebuilt

It is interesting to fathom a little piece of God's plan. We are individually part of the great plan, the novel that has zillions of chapters and plots and scenes. Can we really fathom it. No, not really, but we do know from scripture and God's promises that he will not give us too much to handle, and we all are sinners. We stray, we repent, we are disciplined...and we are rebuilt. We are loved by an awesome God.

Jer 31:3 "..I have loved you with an everlasting love ;
I have drawn you with loving-kindness.
I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O virgin Israel"

Jer 31:18 " ..You disciplined me like an unruly calf, and I have been disciplined
Restore me, and I will return because you are the Lord my God,
After I strayed, I repented....."

God continues to love us, despite our inadequacies...despite our pitfalls. Yes there are consequences to our actions....it isnt groundhog day with a lollipop everyday - a reward....there generally is a ramification to our sin, a learning (that is what we are supposed to get from it), but we dont always learn......we sometimes just refuse to "get it".

Prayer: "God, please allow me to get it. Forgive me for my sins and shortcomings. Please strengthen my patience and quick response...allow peace and lessen my aingst in situations. Amen.".

Halloween Week Bible Reading Plan

October 27, 2008 Monday Jeremiah 32 - 33
October 28, 2008 Tuesday Jeremiah 34 - 37
October 29, 2008 Wednesday Jeremiah 38 - 42
October 30, 2008 Thursday Jeremiah 43 - 47
October 31, 2008 Friday Jeremiah 48

Jeremiah's Obedience

Imagine being Jeremiah during this time. He was prophesying to the people of Israel, but not to a people who embraced what God was speaking through him. He was delivering truth and great news of despair and wrath. He was not a popular person, and it was incredibly difficult to deliver God's words to the people. I bet he felt alone, outcast, and not liked. Although God was speaking directly to him, socially I bet he was discarded. He was not in favor of the people, and when he brought the clay jar and smashed it to pieces to illustrate God's prophesy of breaking the people....man....could you imagine how nervous you would of been.

God asks each one of us to step out in faith and obedience to live his commands and spread his truth. He doesnt want us to feel ashamed when confronting brothers and sisters of the great evils that they may be involved in. Courage. Jeremiah's complaint (Jer 20:7) sums up his worldy status:

"O'Lord you deceived me and I was deceived,
you overpowered me and prevailed,
I am ridiculed all day long,
everyone mocks me.
Whenever I speak, I cry out
proclaiming violence and destruction"

Prayer: Lord, use me for your glory. I ask that you continue to transform my life and the lives around me for your plans. In times of despair I ask that I continue to praise you, and that your holy spirit lives inside of me...strengthening me for your glory. Amen.

This Weeks Bible Reading Plan

October 20, 2008 Monday Jeremiah 17 - 19

October 21, 2008 Tuesday Jeremiah 20 - 22

October 22, 2008 Wednesday Jeremiah 23 - 25

October 23, 2008 Thursday Jeremiah 26 - 29

October 24, 2008Friday Jeremiah 30 - 31

Skirts Pulled Over Our Heads - Ashamed?

Jeremiah 11-13

The prophet Jeremiah was questioning God in not yet taking action against the people of Israel. 

Jer 12:2-3..."You are always on their lips but far from their hearts; Yet you know me O Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you".  

Do you ever question God regarding our enemies in our lives? I know when I encounter difficult people who put God in the backseat and are sinning flagrantly, using the Lords name daily, but living empty hearts for him...I often ask "Please Lord...do something!".  Recently, I have wondered...can we declare enemies, as the old testament refers to them?  Or do we need to simply turn the cheek and pray to God that I will get through the situation, etc. Can I ask God to squash my enemies.  It is an interesting topic, however, as of any hardship we cant be certain that enemy wasnt in our life because God planned it to be? Nonetheless...it is clear that our actions, whether public or hidden behind the seens are ALL SEEN by God, and we cannot run away from that fact.  

Jeremiah 13:26 : "I will pull up your skirts over your face 

that your shame may be seen

Your adulteries and lustful neighings,

your shameless prostitution!........How long will you be unclean?".

Prayer: Lord, please forgive me for some temptations today.  I looked too intently at some girls today at work, and I watched a music video on YouTube that was luring and sexy.  It is not a healthy direction to go in, because I know Satan will try to grow a small seed.  Although this is not as serious as pornography, etc, it can be a start as many men get lured into unhealthy addictions to sexual stuff.  Lord, I also praise you for taking away a thorn of mine in regards to sex with my wife.  I didnt really need sex daily, and nor should I of ever demanded of established frequencies, etc.  With your patience, love, and teachings...I can honestly, publicly say that I do not think of that sexual need daily....it was such a burden and I was carrying that around and creating tension in my early days of our marriage.  Thank you.  Amen.

Sin and Punishment

I think the bottom line in Jeremiah 8, is "What prompted Israel to turn away from God?".  People became to worldly, selfish, and driven to idols rather than focusing on the Lord.  Even worse, they seemed to proclaim that they are wise and have the law of the Lord.  But, they ultimately were rejecting God through their deceit, sins, and idolatry.  It was scary to read on in Jeremiah 9:4 "Beware of your friends; do not trust your brothers, for every brother is a deceiver and every friend a slanderer.  Friend deceives friend and no one speaks the truth".  What a sad place to be in (sometimes we can all relate in events through our lives), and the people displaced God from their hearts, minds, and the worldly desires dominated.  Do we have such troubles during our time...we sure do.  I have had my moments of lamenting on money, or too busy with work, or gone to a party and was a drunkard.  It is so easy to become of the world, and not the heavenly.  How can we avoid such lures.  We can focus on God's truth - the Bible, we can start a blog to keep our reading and journaling documented and accountable, we can pray throughout the day (its a great reminder to focus on what's really important), we can have contact with our battle buddies and care group members, etc.  I guess what I am trying to state is that we all need to individually find the correct habits or tools to build that relationship with God in such a busy and changing world.  We need to each find our balance and remember the priorities of God, Spouse, Family (including children), Work...etc.... It's being disciplined spiritually.  God will punish, and that punishment maybe harsh or it may be missing out on the peace of God's love and relationship while we are on this planet!

An excellent you tube skit to watch is the following.  I was shedding a little water if you know what I mean., it was emotional.

Lifehouse ' Everything' Skit

Prayer: God, please give me the discipline to develop spiritual habits that help build the kind of relationship with you while on Earth.  You have brought me so far these last 4 years.. and I am a changed man....Thank you. Amen.

PS.  I am listening to Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson, good stuff!  Work was great today, lots to do.  Craig and I met this morning for Bible Study and I must say the Battle Buddies are back in action...Wed AM this winter!

This Is Your Life

I listened to Switchfoot's "This is your life" today...

Are you who you want to be?  Am I living an upright life...in all areas of my life?  Am I oblivious to the sins I carry.  Do I repent of these sins, do I invite God into my heart, or is it hardened?  Do I refuse to repent, have I been struck with by God..have I felt pain.  Disturbing as it may sound and as much as we dont want to admit, God does inflict situations for correction.

Jeremiah 5:3: "Lord, do not your eyes look for truth? 

You struck them, but they felt no pain;

you crushed them, but they refused correction"

Jeremiah 5:15 " O house of Israel, I am bringing a distant nation against you -- " 

I can think of many times throughout my life, I have wondered in retrospect, was that "event" because of random acts and others decisions OR did God just step in and throw the zinger? Does God do that.  This soul believes he does.  I have needed correction in my life.  I am NOT UPRIGHT, PERFECT, OR THE PUREST.  I praise God for his corrections in my life, and because I mature (God not giving too much, just enough that I can handle - yes - he knows this...) I can know that he loves me and I am learning something.  I am not saying God goes around hurting everyone as like a game, but he is our father....and like a good father, discipline is necessary at times.  Israel experienced this.

Today - Looking at today, is the USA a western Israel...are we being corrected?  Hasnt America, being blessed beyond any other nation in the world, living a life of pride, swearing falsely, idolizing our own idols, lustful, greedy, selfish....I feel that this nation is falling to a similar level to a people that Jeremiah witnessed.  Isnt that scary? The question is in this life of ours, are we trying to live like Jeremiah despite what is around us...with good hearts?

My Prayer: Lord, please correct me with your mercy and grace when I am fallen.  May I repent of my sins and not let the burdens of this worldly life overcome me and harden my heart.  AMEN.

Please Pray For: - My relationship with my ex-wife to be better and that our communication and alignment be improved.  I pray for a Godly man in her life.  I also pray for Gods touch of her heart to realize that Ethan is yearning for more time with his father (me) and Jacob.  I also pray for Ethans continued calmness and peace with the situation and that I can answer his questions with wisdom and in a loving manner (not hurting his mother or saying bad things against her).   

Praise God!

Jeremiah - Prophet Videos on YOU TUBE

Check out the videos on YouTube (10 of them) for a Jeremiah Prophet of God series.  FYI.  Going to read Jer 5-7 now... :)

I Surrender

As I began this post, I realized that a good start would be with some worship music. So, while I was preparing to read Jeremiah 3,4 for tomorrow, I opened with "I Surrender". Todays sermon at Sunset was really uplifting. It was helpful for me to turn over my issues and sins to God. By nailing the little piece of black paper (Pastor Ron said I needed two pieces, funny...how did he know?) on the cross... I felt the burdens lifted. Some of my favorite passages from tomorrow's/todays reading plan:

Jer 3:12 "Return, faithless Israel...I will frown on you no longer..."

Jer 3:13 "Only acknowledge your guilt - you have rebelled against the Lord your God"

Jer 3:22 "Return,faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding"

Jer 4:4 "Circumsize yourselves to the Lord, circumsize your hearts"

This Christian ride is a roller coaster. For me, I have had ups and downs...times where I rely on God, and times where...nah, Jason can take over now..."God, hang out in the copilot seat and watch how its done". Really...I ignore God at times. How I repent of this Lord! It is hard to keep yourself on track day after day, year after year. But God loves us and he yearns for our hearts. We must remind ourselves throughout many different ways, that God accepts us, broken and all. He will cure us! He desires our hearts to be split from the worldly things that distract us from our relationship with him.

My prayer: "Lord, please forgive me of putting you behind the many things that I make priority. I ask for your mercy and accept a heart that does desire you and truly yearns for a stronger relationship with you. Help me return to you O'Lord, faithfully....consistently....passionately. Amen."

Oct 13-Oct 17 Reading Plan (KickOff)

Oct 13th Jeremiah 3,4

Oct 14th Jeremiah 5-7

Oct 15th Jeremiah 8-10

Oct 16th Jeremiah 11-13

Oct 17th Jeremiah 14-16