Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

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.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 32:1-27.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+32&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“¹⁶ “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the Lord, saying, ¹⁷ ‘Ah Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too difficult for You, ¹⁸ who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God.  The Lord of hosts is His name;  ¹⁹ great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;  ²⁰ who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind;  and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day.  ²¹ You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror; ²² and gave them this land, which You swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.  ²³ They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law;  they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do;  therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them.  ²⁴ Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it;  and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence;  and what You have spoken has come to pass;  and behold, You see it.  ²⁵ You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”

²⁶ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, ²⁷ “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh;  is anything too difficult for Me?”  Jeremiah 32:16-27.

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“‘Ah Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too difficult for You,”  Verse 17.

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh;  is anything too difficult for Me?”  Verse 27.

Whatever the LORD promises, He can perform.  Nothing is too difficult for Him.

“And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?’  Is anything too difficult for the Lord?  At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”  Genesis 18:13-14.

“Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed;  all came to pass.”  Joshua 21:45.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 31:35-40.

“³⁵ Thus says the Lord,
Who gives the sun for light by day
And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
The Lord of hosts is His name:
³⁶ “If this fixed order departs
From before Me,” declares the Lord,
“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”

³⁷ Thus says the Lord,

³⁸ “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city will be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.  ³⁹ The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb;  then it will turn to Goah.  ⁴⁰ And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord;  it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”  Jeremiah 31:35-40.

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The LORD compares His devotion to His elect to His devotion to the order of the universe.  We can take great hope in that revelation in today’s Scripture.

“Thus says the Lord,
Who gives the sun for light by day
And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,
Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;
The Lord of hosts is His name:
“If this fixed order departs
From before Me,” declares the Lord,
“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”  Verses 35-36.

Other doctrine prefers the flaky god who bases his devotion on the frail, fleeting, and alleged free-will of man.

But, Reformed Doctrine sees the God of Scripture Who based His devotion for His elect and their eternal security on His own Same, Sovereign, and Almighty Will that established the order of the universe.

“³⁴ “My covenant I will not violate,
Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.
³⁵ “Once I have sworn by My holiness;
I will not lie to David.
³⁶ “His descendants shall endure forever
And his throne as the sun before Me.
³⁷ “It shall be established forever like the moon,
And the witness in the sky is faithful.”  Selah.”  Psalm 89:34-37.

“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 31:27-34.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+31&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.  “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it;  and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.  They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”  Jeremiah 31:31-34.

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“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you;  and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27.

“I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”  Psalm 40:8.

Q. 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

A.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with His precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto Him.”  Heidelberg Catechism.

“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For this reason He (Christ) is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”  Hebrews 9:14-15.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.  And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us;  for after saying,

He then says,

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 31:15-26.

“¹⁵ Thus says the Lord,
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because they are no more.”

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord,

²³ Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their fortunes,

²⁴ Judah and all its cities will dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks.  ²⁵ For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”  ²⁶ At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.”  Jeremiah 31:15-26.

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“Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a delightful child?
Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,
I certainly still remember him;
Therefore My heart yearns for him;
I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.”  Verse 20.

“For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”  So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.”  So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.”  Romans 9:15-18.

“for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger.”  Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”  Romans 9:11-13.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:4-9.

“just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.”  Ephesians 1:4-6.

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah 31:1-14.

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 30.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+30&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, ² “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.  ³ For behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah.’  The Lord says, ‘I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.’”

…

⁸ ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will break his yoke from off their neck and will tear off their bonds; and strangers will no longer make them their slaves.  ⁹ But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

…

¹⁸ “Thus says the Lord,
‘Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob
And have compassion on his dwelling places;
And the city will be rebuilt on its ruin,
And the palace will stand on its rightful place.
¹⁹ ‘From them will proceed thanksgiving
And the voice of those who celebrate;
And I will multiply them and they will not be diminished;
I will also honor them and they will not be insignificant.
²⁰ ‘Their children also will be as formerly,
And their congregation shall be established before Me;
And I will punish all their oppressors.
²¹ ‘Their leader shall be one of them,
And their ruler shall come forth from their midst;
And I will bring him near and he shall approach Me;
For who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?’ declares the Lord.
²² ‘You shall be My people,
And I will be your God.’”

Today’s devotion comes from Jeremiah chapter 29.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+29&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“⁴ “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ⁵ ‘Build houses and live in them;  and plant gardens and eat their produce.  ⁶ Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters;  and multiply there and do not decrease.  ⁷ Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf;  for in its welfare you will have welfare.’  ⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream.  ⁹ For they prophesy falsely to you in My name;  I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.

¹⁰ “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.  ¹¹ For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  ¹² Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  ¹³ You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.  ¹⁴ I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’”  Jeremiah 29:4-14.

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“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”  Verse 11.

We also notice that the LORD of hosts identified Himself as “the God of Israel”.  Verse 4.

In the midst of seventy years of captivity in Babylon, the exiles were given this wonderful promise by “the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel”, their God.  The exiles were commanded by God to build houses and families, to plant gardens and eat their produce, and seek the welfare of Babylon, for in its welfare they too would have welfare.  And, this wonderful promise of their God (that He has plans for welfare for the exiles to give them a future and a hope) gave them additional motivation to do all of these things.

We too may be in the midst of troubles and trials, even afflictions.  But, we too can be patient and prosper.  We too can rejoice that the LORD of hosts is our God and that this wonderful promise of our God is for us today.  

The righteous live by faith.  The righteous Abraham lived by faith.  The righteous exiles lived by faith.  And, the righteous today live by faith.

And so, we too live out our lives abundantly and joyfully, believing that God will bless us.

“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”  Hebrews 6:13-14.