30 Days in the Word Day 13

Jeremiah 3:1 "If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, should he return to her again? Would not the land be completely defiled? But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers— would you now return to me?" declares the LORD.

I stopped short as I read the first verse of this chapter in Jeremiah. How could I just keep reading after that? I had to stop and gawk. Wow. I think God just used a two by four to smack me in the face.

I have never thought of myself as a prostitute...far from it. But isn't that what we are? We are just prostitutes. We have gone from one thing to another replacing God, who is supposed to be our first love. I have replaced him with friends, family, objects, internet, facebook, addictions, lust, books, makeup, movies, tv shows, my phone, myself...I could go on and on.

I have had many lovers. How can I even begin to be worthy of God? How can I come to him and not be horribly ashamed? How can I face him? How can I speak to him? How can I call him father when I have replaced him so many times?

Jeremiah 3:19-20
"I myself said, 'How gladly would I treat you like sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.' I thought you would call me 'Father' and not turn away from following me. But like a woman unfaithful to her husband, so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel," declares the LORD

He wants to be our father. He wants us to be his children. He wants to give us so much that we don't even deserve. When we turn away from him, he wants us back. He wants us. He is waiting for us. Let us fall at his feet..

30 Days in the Word Day 4

Jeremiah 2:23-35 says: "How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there, a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving—in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her. Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, 'It's no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.' "As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced—they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets. They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!' Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble!For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah. "Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me," declares the LORD. "In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. "You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD : "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'? Does a maiden forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number. How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways. On your clothes men find the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' but I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.'"

God is telling Jeremiah what to say to Israel in these verses. Israel is far from God. This passage reminds me of this culture. We worship other things besides God...cell phones, texting, facebook, money, power, the internet, celebrities, porn, friends, television, fashion, fame, ect. We call them "father" and "Lord" and "god". We might not even notice it.

And yet, whenever we are in trouble we call out to God to help us and to save us. God is pointing out how stupid israel is; how they have fallen away from God and how they have replaced him. They are hypocrites and fools. It breaks my heart to read this. Is He really talking about israel?

Is this generation the new israel?

30 Days In the Word Day 2

What if God spoke to you right now? What if He spoke to you loud and clear? What if He said, "*your name*, I knew you before you were even born. I formed you in your mother's womb and I knew who you were going to become because I set you apart from everyone else and I have wonderful plans for you." And the, what if He began to tell you those plans and what He wanted you to do? What would you say? What would you do?

I would probably be amazed and enthralled and speechless honestly. It awes me just thinking about it. If it happened I would probably cry or faint because I'd be so overcome. But I would wonder, why me? Why did you set me apart? Why do you have this plan for me? I'm only 17. I'm only a little girl, a teenager.

This is exactly what Jeremiah said when it happened to Him. God spoke to Him and told Him all of this and He told him that he is annointed as a prophet. Jeremiah said: "Ah, Sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak; I am only a child." (Jeremiah 1:6)But God rebuked Him: "Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command to you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you." (1:7-8)

Ahhhh!! God's going to send me to people and I have to listen and obey exactly? What if I forget what to say? What if the people don't like me or what I have to say? What if they want to hurt me or kill me? Is God crazy?? But He says do not be afraid. He says He will be beside me no matter what and He will rescue me. He says He will tell me what to say and when to say it.

We can't use excuses because God uses EVERYONE; even children. Don't say you aren't the right guy because God chose YOU. Don't say you don't know how to speak because God will give you the words to say. After God told Jeremiah not to say that he is just a child, God then reaches out His hand and touches Jeremiah's mouth and tells him that He has now put His words into his mouth. How cool and crazy is that? God hand-delivered His words. Excuses are not allowed with God because nothing is impossible without Him, so there shouldn't be any excuses. Just say yes sir, because you will always succeed with Him. God doesn't just have a plan for Jeremiah. He has a plan for every single one of us. God's plan for Jeremiah was to be a prophet. And God has a plan for ME and for YOU too.

Jeremiah 1:17-19 says: "Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I ahve made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land--aggainst the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with yhou and will rescue you," declares the Lord."

How amazing is that? How awesome is our God? Yes, awesome.