Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 40.

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.  Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God promised this calamity against this place;  and the Lord has brought it on and done just as He promised. Because you people sinned against the Lord and did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you.  But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands.  If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will look after you;  but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, never mind.  Look, the whole land is before you;  go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.”  As Jeremiah was still not going back, he said, “Go on back then to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people;  or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.”  So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a ration and a gift and let him go.  Then Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

Now all the commanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon.  So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite, both they and their men.  Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans;  stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you.  Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to stand for you before the Chaldeans who come to us;  but as for you, gather in wine and summer fruit and oil and put them in your storage vessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.”  Likewise, also all the Jews who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all the other countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.  Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?”  But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.  Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know!  Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?”  But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”  Jeremiah chapter 40.

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In our world, it may seem like things are out of control like it seemed to the remnant of Judah in today’s Scripture.  

In the world of the remnant of Judah, they lost their rulers, their military, their businesses, and all of the people in the upper and middle classes.  They lost the temple, the palaces, and all of the structure of the city of Jerusalem.  And, they were about to lose Gedaliah whom the king of Babylon appointed over them to protect them. 

In our world (at least in Florida where I live), we have a category 5 Hurricane Irma headed right for us.  We have the threats of North Korea.  And, we have divisions in our society.

But, things are not out of control.  The LORD was still in control then and is still in control now.  The LORD reigns, and His sovereignty rules over all.

“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty;
The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
² Your throne is established from of old;
You are from everlasting.”  Psalm 93:1-2.

“Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”  Psalm 96:10.

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.”  Psalm 97:1.

“19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
²⁰ Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
²¹ Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
²² Bless the Lord, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the Lord, O my soul!”  Psalm 103:19-22.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 39.

“Now when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it;  in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the city wall was breached.  Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.  When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls;  and he went out toward the Arabah.  But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho;  and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.  Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah;  the king of Babylon also slew all the nobles of Judah.  He then blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon.  The Chaldeans also burned with fire the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.  As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had gone over to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carried them into exile in Babylon.  But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.

Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying, “Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.”  So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sent word, along with Nebushazban the Rab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon;  they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home.  So he stayed among the people.

Now the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying, “Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for prosperity;  and they will take place before you on that day.  But I will deliver you on that day,” declares the Lord, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread.  For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword;  but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’”  Jeremiah chapter 39.

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“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
And rescues them.”  Psalm 34:7.

“He also brought me forth into a broad place;
He rescued me, because He delighted in me.”  2 Samuel 22:20.  Psalm 18:19 is very similar.

“He delivers me from my enemies;
Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me;
You rescue me from the violent man.”  Psalm 18:48.

“⁸ “Commit yourself to the Lord;  let Him deliver him;
Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.”

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”  Psalm 50:15.

In conclusion, Psalm chapter 91 (my mother’s favorite chapter) puts it all together.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
³ For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 38.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+38&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchijah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guardhouse;  and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.  But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, while he was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin;  and Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and spoke to the king, saying, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern;  and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.”  Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take thirty men from here under your authority and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies.”  …  So they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, and Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse.

…

“Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive.  But if you will not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans;  and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hand.’”  Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.”  But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over.  Please obey the Lord in what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and you may live.  But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the Lord has shown me:  ‘Then behold, all of the women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon;  and those women will say,

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 37.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+37&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim.  But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord which He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the Lord our God on our behalf.”  Now Jeremiah was still coming in and going out among the people, for they had not yet put him in the prison.  Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt;  and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem.

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me:  “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt.  The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.”’  Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go.  For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there were only wounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’”  Jeremiah 37:1-10.

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We see in today’s Scripture that God is sovereign:  it is useless to look for assistance elsewhere, and God will accomplish His plan as prophesied. 

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help
And rely on horses,
And trust in chariots because they are many
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!
² Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster
And does not retract His words,
But will arise against the house of evildoers
And against the help of the workers of iniquity.”  Isaiah 31:1-2. 

God accomplishes all of His good pleasure.  Total Perfect Triumph.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken;  truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 35.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+36&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.  Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way;  then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”  Jeremiah 35:1-3.

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Today, we have so much more warning and reason to turn away from our evil ways.  We not only have the words of Jeremiah, we have 65 other books of the Bible.  And, today, we have more than one scroll, we have countless Bibles around the world. 

How great is our accountability to the LORD!

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”  2 Corinthians 5:10.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.”  Matthew 16:26-27.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will warn you whom to fear:  fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:4-5.

What should be our response?

We should repent and turn from our evil ways, and today’s Scripture shows our LORD’s patience and willingness to forgive. 

“Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way;  then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”  Verse 3.

“They refused to listen,
And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them;
So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt.
But You are a God of forgiveness,
Gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them.”  Nehemiah 9:17.

“Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”  Acts 17:30-31.

But, will we repent?

Unless we receive grace from God to repent, we will be like the king and the servants who did not repent.

“Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments.”  Verse 24.

Other doctrine depends on its wisdom and will-power to repent.

But, Reformed Doctrine continually looks to God and depends on God for grace even to repent.

If there is true repentance, then God must have granted it through His Will and Sovereign Power. 

“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”  Acts 5:31.

“When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, “Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.”  Acts 11:18.

“The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,”  2 Timothy 2:24-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 35.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+35&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord.  “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed.  So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command.  But I have spoken to you again and again;  yet you have not listened to Me.  Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying:  ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them.  Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers;  but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.  Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’  Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them;  because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you;  therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”’”  Jeremiah 35:12-19.

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By faith, we obey God. 

By faith, we believe the promises of God for such obedience.

By faith, we tolerate temporary earthly conditions, setting our minds on eternal heavenly conditions.

The Rechabites obeyed God and received the reward as promised by God:  “Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you;  therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”   Verses 18-19.

The Rechabites’ obedience remind us of Abraham.

“By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance;  and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”  Hebrews 11:8-10.

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  Hebrews 11:6.

We should receive great encouragement and motivation that God clearly and repeatedly promises us rewards (also known as blessings) if we obey him.

“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  ² All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God:

³ “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

⁴ “Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.

⁵ “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

⁶ “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

⁷ “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.  ⁸ The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.  ⁹ The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.  ¹⁰ So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.  ¹¹ The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.  ¹² The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand;  and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.  ¹³ The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, ¹⁴ and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”  Deuteronomy 28:1-14.

Who would not want these blessings?!

But, we can not depend on how much sense it is to obey God.

And, we can not stand before God on our own.

We need God’s grace to obey God, and we need God’s grace to stand before God always.

Other doctrine depends on it own wisdom to make good choices to stand before God.

But, Reformed Doctrine depends on God’s choice of us (election) and God’s sovereign ability to make us stand before God always. 

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 1:24-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 34.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+34&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘I made a covenant with your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, saying, “At the end of seven years each of you shall set free his Hebrew brother who has been sold to you and has served you six years, you shall send him out free from you;  but your forefathers did not obey Me or incline their ear to Me.  Although recently you had turned and done what is right in My sight, each man proclaiming release to his neighbor, and you had made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.  Yet you turned and profaned My name, and each man took back his male servant and each man his female servant whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your male servants and female servants.”’

“Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor.  Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine;  and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.”  Jeremiah 34:12-17.

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The context of the quoted Scripture is that “Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities …”.  Verse 1.  The people of Jerusalem should have recognized that their only hope was the LORD.  They wanted mercy from the LORD.  They wanted the LORD to give them release from the siege.  

Moreover, the people were aware of the following blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience in Deuteronomy chapter 28.  

“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  ² All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God: 

…

⁷ “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you;  they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

…

¹⁵ “But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

…

²⁵ “The Lord shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies;  you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.”  Deuteronomy 28:1, 2, 7, 15, and 25.

But, the people were unwilling to obey the LORD.  They were unwilling to show even a little mercy by releasing their own servants.   

And so, we see the results of their disobedience.  “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor.  Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine;  and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.”  Verse 17.

We are reminded of Jesus’ parable on forgiveness.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.  When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.  But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.  So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’  And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.  But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii;  and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’  So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’  But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed.  So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened.  Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’  And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.  My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”  Matthew 18:23-35.

Other doctrine teaches its disciples that they contributed something to deserve mercy from God, and so it is easy to withhold mercy to others because the others should have likewise done something to deserve mercy.

But, Reformed Doctrine teaches its disciples that everyone is in the same boat of “Total Depravity”, and that no one deserves mercy from God, and so there is no excuse to withhold mercy to others. 

Freely we have received mercy.  Freely we should give mercy to others.

“For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  1 Corinthians 4:7.

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.  Freely you received, freely give.”  Matthew 10:8.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 33:14-26.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+33&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth;  and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.  In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety;  and this is the name by which she will be called:  the Lord is our righteousness.’”  Jeremiah 33:14-16.

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In today’s Scripture, we see the works of the LORD.

“In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth;  and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.  In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety;  and this is the name by which she will be called:  the Lord is our righteousness.’”  Verses 15-16. 

Other doctrine prefers to study the works of man and improve them. 

But, Reformed Doctrine prefers to study the works of the LORD and delight in them.

“³¹ Let the glory of the Lord endure forever;
Let the Lord be glad in His works;
³² He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
³⁴ Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord.”  Psalm 104:31-34.

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

“²⁴ “They will say of Me, ‘Only in the Lord are righteousness and strength.’
Men will come to Him,
And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
²⁵ “In the Lord all the offspring of Israel
Will be justified and will glory.”  Isaiah 45:24-25.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”  Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28-29.

“Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
² Great are the works of the Lord;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
³ Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.”  Psalm 111:1-3.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 33:1-13.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+33&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying, ² “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the Lord is His name, ³ ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’  ⁴ For thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword, ⁵ ‘While they are coming to fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness:  ⁶ Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.  ⁷ I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will rebuild them as they were at first.  I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me.  ⁹ It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’

¹⁰ “Thus says the Lord, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, ¹¹ the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,

and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the Lord.  For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.”  Jeremiah 33:1-11. 

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“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:24.

We seek to understand and know the LORD, and so we delight when we learn more about qualities of the LORD.  Today, we learn more about the quality of goodness of the LORD:  “For the LORD is good”.   

“… “Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;  …”  Verse 11.

The Belgic Confession of Faith not only describes God as “good”, but it also describes God as “the overflowing fountain of all good”.

Article 1:  That there is One Only God.

We all believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, that there is one only simple and spiritual Being, which we call God;  and that he is eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, immutable, infinite, almighty, perfectly wise, just, good, and the overflowing fountain of all good.  The Belgic Confession of Faith.

“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”  James 1:17.

But, we also notice the LORD’s goodness and lovingkindness is directed to only His people.  Let not the wicked think they can continually rebel against the LORD and receive His lovingkindness.  As examples, we see similar language of goodness and lovingkindness in the following Scriptures directed to only His people.

“³⁴ O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
³⁵ Then say, “Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us and deliver us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise.”  1 Chronicles 16:34-35.

“For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.”  Psalm 86:5.

“Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
² Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the Lord,
Or can show forth all His praise?
³ How blessed are those who keep justice,
Who practice righteousness at all times!

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 32:28-44.  The next devotion, God willing, will be posted on Monday, August 28, 2017 after I return from a short vacation.

“Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.  The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.   Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth;  for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord.  “Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from before My face, because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.  They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.  But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.  They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

“Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’  Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation;  and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.  They shall be My people, and I will be their God;  and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.  I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good;  and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.  I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.  For thus says the Lord, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.  Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast;  it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”  Men will buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the Negev;  for I will restore their fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 32:28-44.

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In today’s Scripture, we see the justice of God, the lovingkindness of God, and the righteousness of God.  Praise God!

We see the justice of God in punishing the people of Jerusalem and the rest of Judah for their sins in the first paragraph (verses 29-36). 

We see the lovingkindness of God in restoring their fortunes in the second paragraph (verses 37-44).

We see the righteousness of God in putting the fear of God in their hearts so that they would not turn away from God (verses 39-40).

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24.

And so, we are blessed to learn more about God and understand and know Him.

“He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.”  Psalm 33:5.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.”  Psalm 89:14.

“A throne will even be established in lovingkindness,
And a judge will sit on it in faithfulness in the tent of David;
Moreover, he will seek justice
And be prompt in righteousness.”  Isaiah 16:5.

“¹⁹ “I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In lovingkindness and in compassion,
²⁰ And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.
Then you will know the Lord.”  Hosea 2:19-20.