Daily Encouragement

August 8, 2010 - A Purchase By Faith

Many people like to buy house and land right now when the price is low. These people expect that economy will recover and the value of what they purchase will go up. But Jeremiah bought a piece of land while the city was surrounded by the most powerful army of Babylon. The citizen would have no prospect to get out. God told Jeremiah that the rich and the noble would be taken captive and be carried to Babylon. All the riches in Jerusalem would be plundered. In fact there would be very few people who would still live in the city after it's wall would be destroyed by the enemy. Virtually the land that Jeremiah bough would not worth much at all. Why then would Jeremiah waste what little money that he had?

But God promised Jeremiah that the land would be valuable in the future when the Israeli captive would come back. Jeremiah had to trust the promise of God. He indeed purchased the piece of land only by faith. But the most important aspect of his purchase was to prove to the citizens of Jerusalem that God would bring them back even though they would experience the judgment of God first. If they would turn and trust the word of God, they would be protected and restored.

In the midst of tough time, we better learn to have faith in God. We should invest in the things that would manifest His truth.

August 9, 2010 - The Inspiration of God's Word

Meditation on Jeremiah 36

This passage gives us a description of the process of the inspiration of God upon Jeremiah to record God's word. Notice how God's word came upon his prophet and told him to record it in verse 1-2. The period of God's word recorded was from the days of King Josiah of Judah until the fourth year of the reign of King Jehoiakim. That was from approximately 640 BC to 604 BC. As the Holy Spirit breathed unto Jeremiah (2 Timothy 3:16), he spoke God's word and the scribe, Baruch wrote those words down on a scroll of a book. (v. 4)

The purpose for the word of God was to make the Israelites see the coming judgment and perhaps would repent of their sins so they could receive forgiveness. (v. 3)

After the people heard the reading of God’s word through Baruch in the temple, the officials of the King heard them too and decided to read it to King Jehoiakim. Hearing some of it, the King was furious. He used a knife to cut the scroll to pieces and throw them into the fire.

But Jeremiah took another scroll and spoke again according to God's inspiration as Baruch once again recorded all the words that were spoken by God to Jeremiah before. God even added some more. When God's word moved upon his servant, it was like a mighty, mighty wind that drove a ship on the sea. The inspired person was totally under the control of the wind. The Holy Spirit is this mighty wind that directed the person what to say or write. Therefore it was God's word and not man's idea. (2 Peter 1:21)

Do you believe the Scriptures is God's word today? Do you follow it?

August 10, 2010 - Which Do You Listen To, God Or The People?

Meditation on Jeremiah 38

King Zedekiah was the king who was afraid of his officials. He dared not object to his princes' arrest of the prophet Jeremiah. Yet quietly rescued him later from the miry dungeon through an Ethiopian eunuch. He recognized that Jeremiah was God's spokesman and asked him quietly for God's word. However he did not listen to Jeremiah's advice of surrendering to the king of Babylon. He and his leaders rather stood against the enemy whom God had sent to conquer them. As a result he and his family suffered terribly in the hands of the Babylonian army.

Whatever circumstance we may fall into, we should obey God's direction. People may urge us to follow the logical or seemingly patriotic path. But God knows what the best way is for us in His will. In the case of Zedekiah, he and his city could have survived peacefully if they listen to the prophet's voice. But Zedekiah chose to listen to the people's voice rather than God's command.

How about you? Are you easily swayed by the opinion of the masses? Or can you stick with the revelation of the word of God?

August 11, 2010 - Do You Mean It When You Promise To Obey God?

Meditation on Jeremiah 42-43

The people who were left after the destruction of Jerusalem were poor and desperate. Yet they still killed each other among themselves due to the political differences whether to serve the Babylonian or not. Now the military remnant and their families came to ask Jeremiah for God's will for the future. It was awkward that they first address to God as "your God" when they approached Jeremiah. (v. 2-3) Jeremiah had to remind them that God was their God. (v. 4) Then they promised to Jeremiah that they would obey God no matter what God instructed them to do, they would follow.

After ten days, Jeremiah told them that God wanted them to remain in the land without going into Egypt as they had intended. Then God would bless them. Otherwise, they would be destroyed by sword, pestilence and famine even in Egypt.

Did they follow Jeremiah's instruction? No. They turned around and accused Jeremiah for lying to them. They did not believe God had spoken to Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 43) How sad it was.

These people were indeed "desperately wicked, who can know it?", "Their hearts were deceitful above all things," as Jeremiah said earlier in Jeremiah 17:9. Their promise to God meant nothing. They were asking Jeremiah to pray just to hope that God would agree with their formed decision.

How do you pray today? Asking for God's sovereign will sincerely or hoping God would agree with you?

August 12, 2010 - Daily Food

Meditation on Jeremiah 52

Beginning from chapter 46, Jeremiah the prophet proclaimed God's judgment against a list of nations neighboring Israel. In the middle of those fiercely prediction of disasters, God did not forget His people. Jeremiah often mentioned that God would forgive and restore the remnant of Israel after a period of punishment.

Then at the end His oracle, Jeremiah mentioned the captive King of Israel, Jehoiachin. After many years of captivity, he was brought out of prison. He was treated above all other captured kings. He did not wear prison clothes but ate with the king of Babylon all the days of his life. And he was given a regular portion by the King everyday. (v. 31-34)

God remembers those who belong to Him. He would give them their daily bread physically even through their enemy. For spiritual food, God certainly will provide for His people who turned to Him daily so their souls will be satisfied. Are you rejoicing in the presence of the King of Kings today?

August 13, 2010 - Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Meditation on Lamentations 3

God has moved Jeremiah to write Lamentations to expose the terrible consequences of departing form the living God. No matter of what kind of religious heritage one may have or what what God have done for His people in the past, the judgment, defeat, cruelty, and helplessness are unbearable.

But literally right in the middle of the Lamentations, Jeremiah inserts hope: "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'" (v. 22-24 NIV)

Regardless of the circumstance you may be in today, God will be your portion if you turn back to him because of his compassion and faithfulness. God's compassion will never fail to sustain you. His unconditional love and mercy will come to you in an unexpected and surprising way; He is always faithful to what he has promised in his word in spite of our unfaithfulness. He is simply great! Would you join me in praising Him today.

August 14, 2010 - Seeing The Glory Of God

Meditation on Ezekiel 1

Before Ezekiel received his call from God, he saw a vision of the glory of God like Isaiah did. (Isaiah 6) The interpretation of this vision has been various. As I meditate upon it, I catch a glimpse of the nature of God as the following:

The fire and gold through out this vision indicates the holiness and divine nature of God. The four creatures is similar to the four described by the Apostle John in Revelation. These beings near the throne of God seem to reflect the nature and images of the Son of God as the man, king (lion), servant (bull), and divine (eagle). Their movement is like bolts of lighting. (v. 14) Their wheels can go anywhere without turning. These seem to portray that God is omnipresence. The four wheels are full of eyes portrays that God is omniscience. The Spirit is in the wheels indicates that the Holy Spirit is in the Trinity. The sound of the movement of these living beings was awesome like the mighty water and army. They are like the voice of God. This indicates the omnipotence of God. Verses 26 to 28 show the throne of God with the image of a man above. There is radiance and rainbow around it. These show the divine mercy and loving kindness of the Son of God.

When God calls a person to be his spokesman vocationally, He usually reveals Himself to the servant in a mysterious way. A minister of God should have experienced the majesty of God even it may be in a tiny way. Then he will never depart from his calling.