KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Friday, August 24, 2018
Chapters: Jeremiah 51-52
Message: In Awe Of God’s Splendor
Hello My Friend,
On August 21, 2017 thousands of people gathered together to look up into the sky as the sun, moon, and earth lined up perfectly. Depending on what area of the country you were in you could see them completely aligned or partially, but regardless of where you were there was no doubt that you knew something incredible was going on, the skies turned dark, there was a yellowish hue all around, and although when I went outside to see it it was only directly above my house, it was truly a sight to see, one that only happens once in a lifetime. To the world this is some phenomenon that only happens once every few decades, but to the one who loves God, it is the amazing work of our Creator. How sad that the world spends so much time ogling creation when they are blind to its Creator, and yet God loves them just the same as He does His faithful. He sent His Son to give all a chance at eternal life, but He only grants it to those who truly believe. “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:16-19.
“and men loved darkness rather than light,” I have never admitted this before, but there was a time in my life when I was so ashamed of the life I was living that I wanted everything dark, even painted my room dark. I was depressed, angry, did not want anything to do with God, and in fact, even dabbled in witchcraft. Darkness becomes us when we are not right with Jesus because He truly is the Light and blinds us when we look at Him. Thank God that He knew my heart, and got me out of that mess before something worse happened. God often gets accused of being this cruel force that strikes anyone down if they look at Him wrong, they pick through the Bible, take every verse that talks about judgment and become defensive God haters. It is the God haters of this world are the very people that are cruel. God is a just God, He will not hesitate to use the world to chasten His people, but His people are His people, He will never forsake them, and when He is done chastening them, He will return to not only judge the entire world, but destroy the God haters as well. Although God used Babylon to judge Israel, they were still His people, He would have mercy on them, but since Babylon wanted nothing to do with God it would be to their destruction. God sends word for Israel to get out of there at the appointed time.
“Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets. For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed. We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.” – Jeremiah 51:4-9.
“We would have healed Babylon,” You see, the reason why God allows His people to be exposed to the world is because it lets the world to see Him for who He truly is, all His mercy and grace, all His power and might. God gives all a chance to know Him and be saved, but it us up to each of us to accept that there is only one way to Him, and that is Jesus Christ. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.” – John 14:6-7.
I admit it, sometimes I read through the Bible and wonder why God is so angry, why we suffer so much when we are just trying to make something out of this life He has given us. Then I realize something, this is God, our Creator, He built us from the ground up, naturally, if you built something you would want total control over its matters. It is not a matter of God controlling our every move, that is why He gave us freewill, it is a matter of keeping things in check, making sure we truly are getting the best out of the life He has yet to give us. Through Jeremiah, we are reminded that God is in control of everything, except man, they have the freewill to choose.
“He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding. When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures. Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them. They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.” – Jeremiah 51:15-19.
“and Israel is the rod of his inheritance:” Salvation has always been about freewill redemption, Christ made redemption permanent when He went to the cross, suffered and died a sinless death, was buried, then resurrected. All who are saved are one with Israel, they are the rod of His inheritance, yes, they will face some chastening if they live in sin, and sometimes when they are not, but we belong to Him, He will never leave nor forsake us, and one day there will be an end to all suffering. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” – I Peter 4:12-16.
God may allow suffering, He may chasten His people, and let them fall into trouble sometimes, but He never stops loving them, and if you look carefully you will see that He never lets you down when you put your faith and trust in Him. It is not about being perfect, we will never be perfect until we get to heaven, it is about having a relationship with Him that separates us from the world and brings others to Him. The last chapter of Jeremiah, gives an account, four-thousand and six hundred Jews were carried into captivity while Nebuchadrezzar was king, but during their seventy year captivity something incredible happened, it brought them to God.
“And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.” – Jeremiah 52:31-34
“And changed his prison garments:” This is an example of a soul that receives Christ as its Saviour, we are no longer covered in filthy rags, and have put on the righteousness of Christ. God’s mercy and grace are endless for the saved, we can mess up a million times, but He will never stop forgiving us, if we come to Him with a humble heart, there is no sin that can separate us. Sin hurts, it destroys us, and literally is the death of us, but Christ is eternal, and literally the life of us. “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” – I John 5:10-12.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.” – Jeremiah 51:57.
Today’s Prayer: God, There is no amount of words that can describe just how merciful and forgiving You are no matter what we have done. To think of the things we have allowed in our lives or been caught up in due to others influencing them is astounding, but You are always there to catch us, to pick us up, to mend the wounds, and heal everything from a broken heart to a broken ego. Lord, give us your power and strength to set free anything that we have brought into our lives, whether we are imprisoned by it or held captive to it. Lead us and guide us, give us Your mercy and grace, and keep us looking to You through all of our trials, and suffering as we await the joyful day that Your Son comes to get us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2018 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.