Real Peace – And No Peace

The proclamation of peace with God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1) must be carefully dissociated from a proclamation which says, "'Peace, peace', when there is no peace" (Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11).

Preaching God’s Word – our joyful privilege and our solemn responsibility

Jeremiah 51:15-64; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 119:97-104 The Word of God is to be preached, even if it is a difficult message. In face of the judgment pronounced upon Babylon, God says to His messengers, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud” (Jeremiah 51:61). Paul calls on Timothy to “preach the …

Jeremiah

JEREMIAH 1:1-19  –  To understand Jeremiah’s story, we must look ‘behind the scenes’: ‘The Word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”’ (4-5). To understand our own story, we must go …

God’s Word is always relevant.

Jeremiah 50:11-51:14; 2 Timothy 3:1-17; Psalm 119:89-96 This part of Jeremiah’s prophecy is concerned with God’s judgment upon Babylon. God sets Himself against those who set themselves against Him. We live in times when “evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). In such times, we …

The best thing I can tell you is God loves you.

"He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap" (Ecclesiastes 11:4). "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). Like everything else in our world, the weather can be so changeable.  The love of God is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. What's so different about God's love? …

May God help us to be faithful and fearless preachers of His Word.

Jeremiah 46:1-47:7; 1 Timothy 6:3-21; Psalm 119:73-80 The judgment of God is upon those who set themselves against Him. This is the message which emerges from Jeremiah’s preaching regarding Egypt. The Lord sets Himself against those who teach false doctrine which “does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to …

Let us keep on choosing God’s way, not the world’s way.

Jeremiah 46:1-47:7; 1 Timothy 6:3-21; Psalm 119:73-80 The judgment of God is upon those who set themselves against Him. This is the message which emerges from Jeremiah’s preaching regarding Egypt. The Lord sets Himself against those who teach false doctrine which “does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to …

Let us praise the Lord with great joy.

"Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm. On that day they will say to Jerusalem, ‘Do not fear, Zion; do …

Do not go to Egypt.

Jeremiah 40:7-42:22; 1 Timothy 4:1-16; Proverbs 25:11-20 “Do not go to Egypt” (Jeremiah 42:19) - Here is a Word from the Lord which is more than geographical directions. It is a Word concerning our walk with God. In Scripture, “Egypt” is not simply a particular geographical location. “Egypt” is symbolic of a proud, unbelieving hardness …

Our God is greater than our problems.

Jeremiah 38:1-40:6; 1 Timothy 3:1-16; Psalm 119:57-64 The difficulties faced by Jeremiah were great - “bound in chains” (Jeremiah 40:1). They were not insurmountable - “the commander ... let him go” (Jeremiah 40:5). The Psalmist says, “Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law” (Psalm 119:61). Whatever difficulties we may …

When things are difficult, keep on praying.

Jeremiah 35:1-37:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Psalm 119:49-56 Life was not easy for the prophet Jeremiah. The king and his attendants did not pay “any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet” (Jeremiah 37:1-2). We must pray for “kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). They have so much …

Jesus – what a great Saviour he is!

"But I have been the Lord your God ever since you came out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Saviour except me" (Hosea 13:4). Here, God is saying to the people, "Here's something you must never forget. I brought you out of Egypt the land of bondage." He's saying to them, "Never forget how much …

God says, “I am with you. I will save you.”

Jeremiah 14:1-15:21; Colossians 3:1-4:1; Proverbs 24:15-22 Our spiritual warfare is both outward and inward. We have enemies coming at us from without and from within. Concerning the enemies from without, God says, “This people will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you… I will …

Sin, salvation and service

Jeremiah 7:30-9:16; Colossians 1:1-23; Psalm 116:12-19 There is a great contrast between sin - “Do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver... and no-one speaks the truth” (Jeremiah 9:4-5) - and salvation - “the holy and faithful brothers in Christ... the Word of truth, the Gospel... has come to you” (Colossians 1:2,5-6). …

Faith – Conflict and Victory

Jeremiah 11:18-13:27; Colossians 2:6-23; Psalm 118:1-16 The life of faith is a life of conflict. We live among “the faithless” – God is “always on their lips, but far from their hearts” (Jeremiah 12:12). We are called to maintain the faith in the face of “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and …

The ancient paths… the good way… and rest for your souls

"This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.' But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'” (Jeremiah 6:16). We want to move forward into the future. What are we getting …

The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers… and Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord

"Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no …

Don’t Try To Fool God.

"This return to obedience (Jeremiah 34:9) came, alas, too late, and anyhow, it fell through very quickly. It was simply a bribe to God, to induce Him to save them from danger, and when they found it did not work, they lost enthusiasm for God's commands. People still try to fool God that way today, …

Better To Play With Dynamite!

"Jehoiakim started something here that has come into fashion again in our time - cutting up God's Word with a knife! Note Jeremiah 36:24 -  'Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words'! Aye, men might well be afraid when they …

God is waiting to bless you. Will you come to Him and be blessed?

"Remember, God is promising these blessings to a repentant people. That must never be left out. His promises are grace, our response is faith, we are to call upon Him (Jeremiah 33:3) and take from Him what He offers. James say, 'Ye have not because ye ask not.'  Is that why you are unblessed?" (Rev …

Lord, Your Word challenge us to think seriously about ourselves.

Jeremiah 13:1-27 ‘These wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them will be… completely useless’ (Jeremiah 13:10). Lord, Your Word challenges us to think seriously about ourselves: Am I on the way to becoming ‘completely useless’? Each …

A Human Problem That Needs, And Has, A Divine Solutiond

"The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure" (Jeremiah 17:9). What did Jeremiah mean when he said this? The words of the Rev Eric Alexander sum up Jeremiah's point very well: "The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart." When we read Jeremiah's words on their own, we …

"Listen to the Lord’s Word, all you people of Judah who go through these gates to worship the Lord" (Jeremiah 7:2).

We worship the Lord. We listen to His Word. It's His Word that inspires our worship. How can we worship the Lord truly if we're not listening to His Word attentively. We listen so that we might worship.

What does it mean to be blessed?

"Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord" (Jeremiah 17:7). What does it mean to be "blessed"? Sometimes, the words, "happy" and "blessed", are taken to mean the same thing. Is there a difference between being "happy" and being "blessed"? The word, "blessed", makes us think about the question, "Where does the blessing come from. It invites …

According to Your Word

Jeremiah 29:24-31:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17; Psalm 119:33-40 In the Christian life, there is always the problem of the false or counterfeit which opposes the true or authentic. In Jeremiah 29:31, we read about the false prophet. In 2 Thessalonians 2:9, we read about “the lawless one.” There are also the promises of God’s blessing (Jeremiah 31:1-6; …

Faithfulness And Relevance

Jeremiah was not a popular prophet. He didn’t tell the people what they wanted to hear. He wasn’t concerned with gaining their approval. He was determined to keep on speaking God’s Word - whatever the people thought about him, said about him or did to him. The first priority is faithfulness. We must not make …

The human situation, the divine solution

Jeremiah 31:15-20 The human situation, the divine solution  * “She refuses to be comforted” (Jeremiah 31:15). Often, we dig a hole for ourselves.  * “Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears” - This is what “the Lord” says to us (Jeremiah 31:16). If anyone else says this to us, we might well …

Don’t Lose Hope!

"6  “‘Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest? Return to your sheath;  cease and be still.’ 7 But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?” It is all very well to complain about desolation and judgment in the land …

Where do God’s peace and joy come from?

They come from his love. It's the greatest love of all (Ephesians 3:18). There's nothing like the love of God. His peace is great. His joy is great. His love is even greater. This is where his blessing comes from him. He loves us. He loves us with "an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3). It's a …

Times of suffering … and glorious hope

Jeremiah 27:1-29:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12; Psalm 119:25-32 There was a message of hope (Jeremiah 29:11), but, first, God’s people had to suffer seventy years of captivity in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:10). There is a glorious hope - “He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have …

God calls us to be faithful and fearless preachers of His Word.

Jeremiah 25:15-26:24; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-28; Psalm 119:17-24 The word of judgment is not an easy word to speak, yet it must be spoken in every generation. It was spoken by the Old Testament prophets (Jeremiah 25:15). It was spoken by the New Testament apostles (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The wrath of God is part of the …

Always seeking, never finding

"The word is very near you" (Deuteronomy 30:14). Some people are always searching - but never finding. They look here, there and everywhere ... and, then, they start again ... and so, the search continues ... always searching, never finding. They tell us, "It's all about the search." Jesus tells us something very different. He …

Where is the Word of the Lord?

“Where is the Word of the Lord? Let it come!” (Jeremiah 17:15). The Word of the Lord comes. It comes from above. It comes from the Lord. The Word of the Lord - This is God at work. He is speaking to us. He is working in us. We cannot create the Word of the …

The Lord is enthroned.

Jeremiah 16:1-17:25; Colossians 4:2-18; Psalm 118:17-29 “A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary” (Jeremiah 17:12). The Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people - “Jesus, we enthrone You ... We lift You up with our praise. And as we worship, build Your throne. Come, Lord Jesus, and …

How are our lives to be changed?

Jeremiah 23:9-25:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18; Proverbs 24:23-34 How are our lives to be changed? They can be changed by God - “I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord” (Jeremiah 24:7). Knowing God makes a difference. Those who do know not Him live “in passionate lust” (1 Thessalonians 4:5). …

Hear the Word of the Lord.

Jeremiah 21:1-23:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13; Psalm 119:9-16 “O land, land, land, hear the Word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 22:29). When we truly hear the Word of the Lord with attentive hearts, there will be an “increase and overflow” of “love” and a strengthening of holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). This is the teaching of Psalm 119:9 …

The Highway

Jeremiah 31:21-30 “Set your hearts toward the highway; keep the highway in mind” (Jeremiah 31:21) - “the highway of holiness” (Isaiah 35:8): A call to the “backsliding daughter” (Jeremiah 31:22). “The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied” (Proverbs 14:14). Here’s a breath prayer (breathe …

God is calling us to be faithful in the ministry of His Word.

Jeremiah 49:7-50:10; 2 Timothy 2:1-26; Proverbs 25:21-26:2 Jeremiah speaks of a time of judgment upon Babylon (Jeremiah 50:1-3) and a time of blessing upon the people of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4-5). If the blessing, and not the judgment, is to come in our own day, we must be faithful in the ministry of God’s Word (2 …

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord… your labour in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Jeremiah 48:1-49:6; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:81-88 “A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through …

“Is there any word from the Lord?” (Jeremiah 37:17).

There are different ways of asking questions. "Is there any word from the Lord?" This is a question which invites Jeremiah to speak the Word of the Lord. In Genesis 3:1, we have a very different way of asking questions - "the serpent ... said to the woman, Did God really say ... ?" The "ancient serpent …

Nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Jeremiah 31:15-32:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18; Proverbs 25:1-10 Jeremiah 32:17 tells us that nothing is too hard for the “Sovereign Lord”, the Creator of “the heavens and the earth.” He is able to deliver us “from wicked and evil men”, to “strengthen and protect us from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3). We are enabled to …

Love For God Is More Than Love For His House.

“Will you … come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, We are safe” – safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears My Name become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 7:8-11). We must take …

Set free

Jeremiah 32:26-34:22; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 119:41-48 The slaves were to be set free (Jeremiah 34:8-9). The setting free of slaves is a form of imagery which is used in Scripture to declare the wonder of God’s saving grace. We do not deserve to be set free, yet, in grace and mercy, the Lord saves us (see …

Set free

Jeremiah 32:26-34:22; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 119:41-48 The slaves were to be set free (Jeremiah 34:8-9). The setting free of slaves is a form of imagery which is used in Scripture to declare the wonder of God’s saving grace. We do not deserve to be set free, yet, in grace and mercy, the Lord saves …

When our love for the Lord gets very weak

"Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:30). What a mighty deliverance! They had come out of Egypt. Now, they were crossing the Red Sea. We think of what God did for his people, Israel - and we give thanks to him. We think of what he has done for …

Love For God Is More Than Love For His House.

"Will you ... come and stand before Me in this house, which bears My Name, and say, We are safe" - safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house, which bears My Name become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord" (Jeremiah 7:8-11). We must take …

The fire of love

"But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:9). When the going gets tough, what is it that keeps the …

We thank You, Lord, that You have so much blessing to give to us. Help us to come to You and receive Your blessing.

Jeremiah 33:1-26 ‘I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against Me... Then this city will bring Me renown, joy, praise, and honour before all nations on earth...’ (Jeremiah 33:7-9). What great blessing lay ahead …

A Word Of Warning

"It was jealousy that moved Ishmael to murder Gedaliah. The Bible has a habit of revealing the fateful consequences of human passions. Who amongst us really believes that that jealous spirit within is capable of this? Believe the Bible rather than your own feelings, and be on your guard. Root it out!" (Rev James Philip …

Called into the service of God

Jeremiah 1-3 Jeremiah was called into the service of the eternal God: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart for My holy purpose. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). Jeremiah called the people back to the Lord, “the …

More Than Head-Knowledge

“Your father … defended the cause of the poor and needy … Isn’t this what it means to know me? asks the Lord” (Jeremiah 22:15-16).   True knowledge of God is more than head-knowledge. It changes the way we live.

A Faith That Is Personal – But Not Private

Jeremiah 16:1-21 ‘O Lord, my Strength and my Stronghold, my Refuge in the day of trouble, to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth… They will know that My Name is the Lord’ (Jeremiah 16:19,21). Give us, Lord, a faith that is personal – The Lord is my Strength, my Stronghold, my …

Through the power of the Spirit of God

Jeremiah 48:1-49:6; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 119:81-88 “A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through …

The Return Of God’s Blessing

"Once the stroke of God is past, the air clears and a better spirit pervades the community,under Gedaliah's kindly governorship. God's blessing on the land again appears (Jeremiah 40:12). How quick He is to turn His anger away. He doth not willingly afflict the children of men. Slow to chide, and swift to bless is …

Conviction Of Sin, Conversion To The Saviour

Jeremiah was fearless in his preaching of God’s Word. He spoke the truth. He spoke the Word which had been given to him by the Lord. When God speaks the Word of His holiness, the Word which exposes sin for what it really is, there is no place to hide. When we read Jeremiah’s words …

Empowered by the Holy Spirit

Jeremiah 18:1-20:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:16; Psalm 119:1-8 “The Lord is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail” (Jeremiah 20:11). This is a tremendous Word of encouragement when the battle is at its fiercest. In this battle, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5), empowered to …

Our past, God’s future

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). Is our life being controlled by our past? Or, is God preparing us for his future? We look back on our past. What are we to say about …

Watch Where You’re Going!

"Now see where one man's jealousy has led! The remnant feel themselves forced to go down to Egypt. Egypt has ever spelt doom to God's people, from Abraham downwards. There is a pull towards Egypt in all our hearts. That is where the battle lies for us. Resist!" (Rev James Philip on Jeremiah 41:11-18, Gardenstown …

Make Sure That You’re On The Lord’s Side!

"Doom comes at last, and all that Jeremiah had prophesied came to pass. Note verses 11 and 12. In the midst of the turmoil, Jeremiah is preserved. How wonderful! God honours His servant's faithfulness, and moves the heathen invaders to treat him courteously. It pays to be on the Lord's side. It is the only …

When things are difficult, keep on praying.

Jeremiah 35:1-37:21; 1 Timothy 2:1-15; Psalm 119:49-56 Life was not easy for the prophet Jeremiah. The king and his attendants did not pay “any attention to the words the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet” (Jeremiah 37:1-2). We must pray for “kings and all those in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). They have so much …