Daily Reading // Jeremiah 42-46
(Find the daily reading on Pastor Jim’s Blog)
https://jholm5.wixsite.com/pastor-jim-blog
S // SCRIPTURE
Select a verse from today’s reading
Jeremiah 42:6 (NKJV) “Whether it is pleasing or displeasing, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we send you, that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.”
Jeremiah 42:20 (NKJV) “For you were hypocrites in your hearts when you sent me to the LORD your God, saying, ‘Pray for us to the LORD our God, and according to all that the LORD your God says, so declare to us and we will do it.’”
Jeremiah 43:2 (NKJV) that Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men spoke, saying to Jeremiah, “You speak falsely! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to dwell there.’”
O // OBSERVATION
Why did this verse get your attention? Make a simple observation from the text
The leaders of Judah asked Jeremiah to pray to God for direction. They told Jeremiah they would obey whatever the Lord said.
Then, when they didn’t like the answer, they said, ‘The Lord didn’t really say that’ and they did the opposite. How convenient. Selective listening in prayer.
They were trying to have the appearance of spirituality and obedience, but always had the ability to blame Jeremiah and his interpretation of it didn’t go along with their pre-decided plan.
A // APPLICATION
How can I apply this to my life today?
Selective listening in prayer only hurts the one praying. God’s direction, given through His Word or through prayer, represents His best for my life. Disobeying His direction, also known as sin, is always accepting less than His best for my life.
Don’t play games with God. You may get your own way but that is always worse than choosing God’s way.
Don’t ask God for direction if you are not 100% ready to follow it. Don’t read God’s Word unless you are fully committed to living by its instruction. Anything less is self-destruction.
P // PRAYER
Express yourself in prayer
Father, Your thoughts are always higher than my thoughts and Your ways are always far above my ways. Show me where my life is in disobedience to You and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.
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