Jeremiah 3
God is angry with the Israelites because they have prostituted themselves to other gods.
I feel that in this context maybe the Israelites were into some occults that has sexual practices. 

Because of this, the land is defiled.
Thus, the rains have been withheld. Even though they have done wrong, they still dare tell God

'You are my father!10 You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.  5You will not always be angry with me, will you? You will not be mad at me forever, will you?'11

But then after saying that, they still continue to do wrong.

God says that even though Israel received punishment from God because of their sins, Judah saw God's judgement on Israel but they too continued to sin against God. God said that they had pretended to turn back to Him but without any sincerity.

The Lord calls on Israel and Judah to repent. 
God is a forgiving God. Even though Israel and Judah have both turned away from Him and worshipped other gods, He still called them back and ask them to repent. But however, He said that they must confess that they have done wrong.

Even though God wants to punish them already, He still so compassionate. Still give chance and ask them to repent before He carries out the punishment. 

Jeremiah 4
Warning of Coming Judgement


Jeremiah 5
Judah is justly deserving of coming judgement
God told Jeremiah to look around the streets of Jerusalem and find a single person who deals honestly and tries to be truthful. And if he can, then God will not punish Jerusalem. God says that some of the people make empty promises to Him.

When we promise God something, we need to fulfill it. If not, He would be upset. 


Jeremiah told God that everyone refuse to be corrected even when God nearly destroys them. They are described as hardheaded as a rock- VERY STUBBORN. And at first he thought that only the ignorant poor people are stubborn but even when Jeremiah went to the leaders, they also refuse to submit to God.

God commanded the enemy to ruin Israel and Judah. Even though He is punishing Israel and Judah, He still had compassion for them . He commanded :

"March through the vineyards of Israel and Judah and ruin them. But do not destroy them completely. Strip off their branches for these people do not belong to the LORD.

God said to Jeremiah that He will put the words in his mouth like fire and the people like wood so that when Jeremiah speaks, the fiery judgement he speaks will burn up. (so metaphorical i dont know what it means)

God will send a nation (Babylon) from far away to attack Israel.

It will be a nation that was founded long ago and has lasted for a long time. It will be a nation whose language you will not know. Its people will speak words that you will not be able to understand.

18Yet even then57 I will not completely destroy you," says the LORD.  19"So then, Jeremiah,58 when your people59 ask, 'Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?' tell them, 'It is because you rejected me and served foreign gods in your own land. So60 you must serve foreigners61 in a land that does not belong to you.'

04.20.2011

Jeremiah's name means "Yahweh exalts". One of the main prophets of the bible. Jeremiah was also known as the weeping prophet (also written Lamentations) BECAUSE his job was to reveal the sins of people and explain the reason of impending disaster (which is destruction by Babylonian army and taken into captivity into Babylon) 


Jeremiah 1
The Superscription
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah in the 13th year of the reign of king Josiah (King of Judah)
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah during Jehoiakim reign, Son of Josiah (King of Judah) until -->
the 11th year of the Zedekiah's reign, son of Josiah (King of Judah)

This is the period where the people of Jerusalem taken into exile.
Jeremiah is a prophet who has seen both God's favour (during King Josiah's reign) and anger (During Jehoiakim and Zedekiah's reign. ) 


Jeremiah's Call and Commission
God has called Jeremiah even when he was in his mother's womb.
And even though Jeremiah felt that he was too young to do God's work, God assured him.

7The LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' But go13 to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you.  8Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you,14 for I will be with you to protect15 you," says the LORD. And even assured him that He will give Jeremiah the words to speak. In our context, I feel that God has called us to be His even when we were in our mother's womb too. And sometimes, perhaps, we feel inadequate to do God's work (be it serving in Youth or Children ministry) But God says that He will give us the words to speak. So we must seek Him to ask Him to teach us how to teach our young ones!  Also, I feel that God is saying like how we shouldnt be afraid of sharing the gospel with people older than us (example our parents). Because He is there to protect us.  Visions Confirming Jeremiah's Call and Commission.  - The branch of an almond tree which means that God is watching that His threats are carried out (His anger towards the people during Jehoiakim and Zedekiah time) - The pot of boiling water tipped towards them from the north which means tht there will be destruction from up north on all who lives in the land. God is passing His judgement on people of Jerusalem and Judah because they have turned away from Him. 2 Kings 24 1During Jehoiakim's reign,1 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked.2 Jehoiakim was his subject for three years, but then he rebelled against him.3  2The LORD sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets.4 2 Kings 25 1So King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came against Jerusalem with his whole army and set up camp outside1 it. They built siege ramps all around it. He arrived on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign.2  2The city remained under siege until King Zedekiah's eleventh year.  3By the ninth day of the fourth month3 the famine in the city was so severe the residents4 had no food.  4The enemy broke through the city walls,5 and all the soldiers tried to escape. They left the city during the night.6 They went through the gate between the two walls that is near the king's garden.7 (The Babylonians were all around the city.) Then they headed for the Jordan Valley.8  5But the Babylonian army chased after the king. They caught up with him in the plains of Jericho,9 and his entire army deserted him.  6They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah,10 where he11 passed sentence on him.  7Zedekiah's sons were executed while Zedekiah was forced to watch.12 The king of Babylon13 then had Zedekiah's eyes put out, bound him in bronze chains, and carried him off to Babylon. Even though Jeremiah has such scary visions about the country that he lives in, God still assured him that He will be with him. And that, He will protect him.  Jeremiah 2 The Lord Recalls Israel's Earlier Faithfulness The Lord reminds them of the Unfaithfulness of their ancestors I feel that Israel is kinda like us. LIke sometimes, we can be faithful towards God but sometimes we are unfaithful when we turn away from Him and turn to the other "gods" in our life. E.g. school/dance,, etc,,, And God remembers all these times when we are faithful and unfaithful. God, today I come before You and acknowledge that there are times when I am unfaithful towards You when I spend so much time studying my schoolwork but none to study Your word. I am sorry for these times. God, help me be faithful towards You and that I'll be so excited to spend time with You each and every day. Thank You God. In jesus name, amen. The Lord charges Israel with Spiritual Adultery Israel's Reliance on Foreign Alliances The Lord Expresses His exasperation at Judah's Persistant Idolatry

Samson

Samson has blessed HAIR!!!
Imagine my leg hair were as blessed as his head hair.. WAHHHHHH soccer sure pro hahaha

As I look into the beautiful blue sky today

I am reminded that my God is an awesome God.

And how many artists are inspired by Him. Sure, they do paint well, but no one can paint the morning sky as beautifully as He can. And who would have thought of creating all the beautiful creatures and all in the world? Only HIm (:

Our God is an awesome God
He reigns from heaven above
In wisdom, power and love,
Our God is an awesome God.

Psalm 63

This psalm really speaks of how I feel right now, at this juncture of my life.

1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; 
   my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you,
   in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life,
   my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
   and in your name I will life up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
   with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you;
   I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
   I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you;
   your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
   they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God; 
    all who swear by God's name will praise him,
    while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Without God, I have no life. Without God, I have no joy. At this point of my life, I feel empty because I have not been spending enough time with Him. Lord, I pray and ask that You help me be disciplined to spend more time with you. This is so that I have joy in my life. Thank you. In Jesus name, amen (:

Why- Nicole Nordeman

We rode into town the other day
Just me and my daddy
He said I'd finally reached that age
And I could ride next to him on a horse
That of course was not quite as white

We heard a crowd of people shouting
And we stopped to find out why
And there was that man
That my dad said he loved
But today there was fear in his eyes

So I said, "Daddy, why are they screaming?"
"Why are the faces of some of them beaming?"
"Why is he dressed in the bright purple robe?"
I bet that crown hurt him more than it shows
Daddy please can't you do something
He looks as though he's gonna cry
You said  he was stronger than all of those guys
Daddy please tell me why
Why does everyone want him to die

Later that day, the sky grew cloudy
Daddy said I should go inside
Somehow he knew things would get stormy
And boy was he right
But i could not keep from wondering
If there was something he had to hide

So after he left, I had to find out
I was not afraid of getting lost
So I followed the crowd
To a hill  where i know men had been killed
And I heard a voice come from the cross

And it said, Father why are they screaming?
"Why are the faces of some of them beaming?"
Why are they casting their lots for my robes?
This crown of thorns hurts me more than it shows
Father please, can't you do something?
I know that you must hear my cry
I thought I could handle a cross of this size
Fathe remind me why
Why does everyone want me to die
Oh, when will I understand why?

My precious son, I hear them screaming
Im watching the face of the enemy beaming
But soon I will clothe in robes of my own
Jesus, this hurts me more than you know
But this dark hour, I must have nothing
Though I heard your unbearable cry
The power in your blood destroys all of their lies
Soon you'll see past their unmerciful eyes
Look there below see the child, trembling by her father's side
Now I can tell why, she is why you must die.

This song always never fails to touch me. To think of all that Jesus has done for you and for me. Such a painful death. Not just the pain of bearing the cross, but also the pain of seeing the unmerciful eyes of people wanting Him to die. And we are the reason why. We are the reason why He must die, so that we may have life. 

Thank You Jesus for all that You have done for me. Thank You for loving me even before I knew You. Thank You for this huge sacrifice that You have paid, because of love. Thank You Lord that You are victorious. Thank You that You rose again and gave us life anew. Without You. I know that my life would be void of joy and feelings. Thank You Jesus (: 

David inquires and the tearing of clothes.

DAVID INQUIRES.
As I read 1 and 2 Samuel about David, I notice that in everything that he does, he always inquire the Lord of directions or whatever that needs to be done. His relationship with God is so close. That in everything he did, the Lord blessed him and gave him great success (God was with him)

In 1 Samuel 17: 45, David made this statement which I like alot:
" David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

Sucha powerful statement eh? Indeed the name of our Lord is greater than worldly weapons.

TEARING OF CLOTHES.And today as I read 2 Samuel 1-3, this action struck me. Did a mini research and found this. The practise of tearing clothes by people of the Old Testament was to express anger or extreme sadness. (http://www.chc.org.sg/breakthrough_word/bb_2002_21.htm. )
Some interesting points:
- Being clothed in the glory of God and wearing Jesus Christ (:

But not only can we be clothed with the whole armor of God and the Holy Spirit, we are also told, "Put on (clothe yourself with) the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14). No wonder we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), the head and not the tail, above and not beneath (Deuteronomy 28:13) ... we have the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57)!

Kingdom business professionals fight daily in the trenches of commerce, battling the enemy come rain or shine. It is not always easy or pleasant. We are in (but not of, hallelujah!) a dirty, dishonest and depraved arena called the marketplace. Here, the people we mix with are often "lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of God" (2 Timothy 3:2-3).

But as we "shout unto God with the voice of triumph" (Psalm 47:1) we know that we are called to be light in the darkness, and that with the armor of light-the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ—clothing us, we will usher in the Kingdom of God in all its fullness!