Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, cared about his people. God gave him the difficult job of warning Israel of impending judgment for deliberately setting Him aside for falsehoods. The Word of God is our guide. It is truth to be believed and applied, not denied.
What does the weaponry of the Christian look like? What comes to mind is faith, love, a prayer life, a walk that honors our Savior, and a run that exhibits endurance. It has nothing to do with a battering ram, mace, and guns. How many battles do we read about in the Old Testament where God alone defeated the enemy! May we honor the One whom David recognized as the God of the Armies of Israel and the One whom Joshua knew as Commander of the army of the Lord and do what's good!
Animal instinct serves the donkey and the ox. They know they'll find safe haven in their master's stall. We should know where we can find refuge. We should know to whom we belong and live in His will.
As we realize time is flying by, we appreciate that God has given us the choice to pilot through life and avoid some of the turbulence that results from bad decisions. There's no need to fly blindly. God has provided ample instruction and guidance. We are all getting closer to landing this vessel we're in, so why not study the manual God has given.
Do we believe there is a hell? Is the battle for the souls of our loved ones real? Do we have to be like John the Baptist who removed himself from the mainstream of his day to reach those who'd come and listen to him in the desert? What's coming out of us? Is it honoring to God? Are we salt? These are things to consider as we look at the book of Mark.
Love songs, the world has an abundance of them. The Bible contains them as well. In Song of Solomon, we have a beautiful picture of God's love for the believer. Though we are flawed, when we are covered by the righteousness available to us in Christ, God only sees that. Keep Him close. His love is one you can rest in.
Wasted years under the sun is what Solomon is warning the reader about. Gold - glamour- Solomon had it all, but he called those things vanity and challenged the reader to "remember now his Creator in the days of his youth." Things under the sun perish; things stored up in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt are eternal.
This is Paul's last communication, that we know of, with Timothy, a servant of the Lord, and the church. Timothy was to help the believers in Ephesus grow in the faith and meet the challenge of abiding in truth when false teachers did their best to bring in fables. Paul knows Timothy's tears and reminds him to renew his commitment and free himself of entanglements that weigh one down.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs contains wisdom which can keep us on the straight and narrow and away from danger. Dig in and meditate on these ageless truths.
Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to remind the church there of its real mission. In this letter, Paul emphasized the truth that each believer is only a sinner saved by grace and, as such, he or she should be concerned about rescuing other sinners. Losing sight of that mission can lead to shipwreck. What a tragedy!
