Let’s read Daniel chapters 2 and 3, and Jeremiah 7, Jeremiah 8:1-3. Did you ever notice how close in time and close in proximity Daniel and Jeremiah were?  

“Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us….But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” (Daniel 3:16, 17, 18 MSG)

I think the fast (and the obedience and discipline that helped them complete it) gave them this strength and boldness. Even though God is angry in Jeremiah, He tells the people all He wanted:

“I did say this, commanded this: “Obey me. Do what I say and I will be your God and you will be my people. Live the way I tell you. Do what I command so that your lives will go well” Jeremiah 7:23 MSG

So simple, all He asked for was obedience and relationship. Again, His intention was always kind, but it was man’s sin that created the consequences.

Please read Jeremiah 19 and 20, and also Daniel 1.  What are you highlighting today?  I would love to hear your take-a-way from today’s reading!

Jeremiah tells us how hard it was for him to deliver these prophecies – I know the attitude isn’t right, but he’s human.

“You pushed me into this, God, and I let you do it. You were too much for me.
And now I’m a public joke. They all poke fun at me.” (Jeremiah 20:7 MSG)

Whether it’s easy or hard, we have to be obedient.  Jeremiah felt alone in his convictions at times, and I’m sure most of us can relate to that feeling.  Jeremiah took his difficulty to the Lord, and continued the dialog with God.  God is not afraid of our questions or our feelings – we never have to feel alone with Him on our side.

Daniel’s fast was effective!  When Daniel, along with his friends also taken captive, refused the king’s food, 

“The steward agreed to do it and fed them vegetables and water for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked better and more robust than all the others who had been eating from the royal menu. So the steward continued to exempt them from the royal menu of food and drink and served them only vegetables. God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life. In addition, Daniel was gifted in understanding all sorts of visions and dreams” (Daniel 1:14-15 MSG)

Fasting is such an important discipline, even today.

Today, we are all in Jeremiah.  Let’s read Jeremiah 25:15-38,  Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah 45, and Jeremiah 46. 

“Get a scroll and write down everything I’ve told you regarding Israel and Judah” ….. “Maybe the community of Judah will finally get it, finally understand…. turn back from their bad lives, and let me forgive their perversity and sin” (Jeremiah 36:2, 3 MSG)

God isn’t unkind – and here He even challenges them to review EVERY WORD he had spoken. If they listened to everything and not just picked out certain parts, wouldn’t they see His patience and turn back to Him? It’s the same today, isn’t it? People make decisions without understanding the entire story.

God is not “out to get us” or about punishment.  He’s about relationship and restoration and redemption.

Here we go – several little bits today.  Let’s read: 2 Chronicles 36:1-4, 2 Kings 23:31-37, 2 Chronicles 36:5, Jeremiah 22:1-23, Jeremiah 26, 2 Kings 24:1-4, Jeremiah 25:1-14. Especially on days like today, the YouVersion app or the One Year Chronological Bible can be a time-saver! 

It’s interesting to connect the prophets to the kings, like we can with Jeremiah and Jehoakim. In Jeremiah 22:8-9, the people asked why God destroyed Judah – notice that the answer was a direct consequence of the people’s actions.

“Travelers from all over will come through here and say to one another, ‘Why would God do such a thing to this wonderful city?’ They’ll be told, ‘Because they walked out on the covenant of their God, took up with other gods and worshiped them.’ ” (Jeremiah 22:8-9 MSG)

(Emphasis mine-  I just wanted to notice the “why” and the “because”). Again, God is not acting without cause.

Are you ready?  What’s the best time for you to read?  For me, it’s in the morning, first things first – but I have to admit: I’m a MAJOR morning person!  Do what works for YOU – the true key is being consistent!  Let’s read Zephaniah 2:8-15, Zephaniah 3, 2 Chronicles 35:20-27, 2 Kings 23:29-30, Jeremiah 47, and Jeremiah 48.  

“Yet GOD remains righteous in her midst, untouched by the evil. He stays at it, day after day, meting out justice” (Zeph. 3:5 MSG)

No matter what people do, God remains a righteous judge – that’s a comfort.  Let’s say it another way: no matter what I do, God remains. No matter what you do, God remains.  You can’t do anything to make Him love you more, and you can’t do anything to make Him love you less: God remains, and your best is always in His heart.

Sad to see Josiah go.  We don’t have time in these few minutes to go into a lot of Bible history (sadly!  I do love a history lesson!), but the Battle of Megiddo was significant.  After Necco kills Josiah, Judah (remember the kingdom has been split by this point, while Solomon’s son Rehoboam reigned) falls under Egyptian control.  We’ll meet a new king soon.

Today,  it’s Habakkuk chapters 1, 2, and 3; and Zephaniah 1 and 2:1-7.  Let’s get started!  How are you finding spending these few minutes in the Word each day?  Is this proving to be a benefit to you? It is for me! Let’s get after it this morning!

Life was hard for a prophet. The Message translation opens Habakkuk with the phrase,

“the problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it” (Habakkuk 1:1 MSG)

Look at 1:12 in the New King James translation:

“Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment;
O Rock, You have marked them for correction” (Hab. 1:12 NKJV)

“Marked for correction” – there must be comfort in that phrase for the believer.  A wise parent wouldn’t not allow their child to continue in wrong behavior.  A loving parent offers correction as a means of protection – a parent wants their child to be roundly successful.  Our Father God wants us to be successful in life and in our pursuit of godliness – if correction will help us get back on the right track, then that is what it is: a help to us.

“But oh! GOD is in his holy Temple! Quiet everyone—a holy silence. Listen!” (Habakkuk 2:20 MSG)

No matter what judgement comes down, no matter what consequences the people chose, there’s always God with us.

Today, let’s read together: 2 Kings 23:1-10, 2 Chronicles 34:29-33, 2 Kings 23:21-28, 2 Chronicles 35:1-19, and Nahum chapters 1,2, and 3. Seems like a lot today – but we’re going to make it!  Got any highlights to share?  Leave a comment if you have something to share with us!

Josiah is such a relief – “no king like him” in his obedience (Kings 23:25) is a BIG statement. However, Judah still has to be dealt with – God was still angry. We have to remember that even though sin is forgiven, it still carries consequences. God is still kind, even though consequences can seem harsh. He must be just, and remember: God was doing all of this without the benefit of Jesus’ sacrifice. 

“GOD doesn’t lose his temper. He’s powerful, but it’s a patient power….. GOD is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, No matter how desperate the trouble” (Nahum 1:2, 7 MSG)

It’s hard for us to understand sometimes that we can repent and be forgiven and yet still suffer consequences from our sins. God is a righteous judge and He loves us.  Everything He does is to bring us back into right relationship with Him. Even in the Old Testament, God always welcomed anyone looking for His help!  His character and heart toward us does not change. 

Please read Jeremiah 5:20-31, Jeremiah 6, 2 Kings 22:3-20, and 2 Chronicles 34:8-28. Big day!  Do you have any thought to share? Here’s mine:

I have never connected Jeremiah to King Josiah – have y’all? I love that Hilikiah finds the Law that God gave to Moses and Josiah responds.

“While the money that had been given for The Temple of God was being received and dispersed, Hilkiah the high priest found a copy of The Revelation of Moses. He reported to Shaphan the royal secretary, ‘I’ve just found the Book of God’s Revelation, instructing us in God’s way—found it in The Temple!’ ” (2 Chronicles 34:14 MSG)

God’s word is IMPORTANT and POWERFUL.  Years after the law was delivered to Moses, generations later, Josiah turns back to the same law because God has never changed. What a comfort!

We are reading in Jeremiah today.  Let’s read Jeremiah 2:23-37, Jeremiah 3, 4, and Jeremiah 5:1-19.  God is so kind, and I’m reminded of that over and over again, every day.

In chapter 2, what stood out to me was that God said FIRST: “I remember you” before recounting their history. He was saying, “I know who you really are, even though your behavior reflects differently – I remember YOU.”

“I remember you,
The kindness of your youth,
The love of your betrothal,
When you went after Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.
Israel was holiness to the Lord” (Jeremiah 2:2, 3 NKJV)

Further on down, 2:19 God tells them that their own wickedness and backsliding corrected them.

” ‘Your own wickedness will correct you,
And your backslidings will rebuke you.
Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitterthing
That you have forsaken the Lord your God,
And the fear of Me is not in you,’
Says the Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 2:19 NKJV)

Wouldn’t it be better to be corrected by the Lord than by our consequences? Israel chose to rebel and reject relationship with God, bypassing the benefits of correction and teaching from Him. God is not harsh – people CHOOSE to learn from consequences rather than relationship. 

Let’s choose relationship with our Heavenly Father!

Today is one of those days where the YouVersion app or the one-year chronological bible would be a help for sure! Here we go: 2 Kings 21:1-9, 2 Chronicles 33;1-9, 2 Kings 21:10-17, 2 Chronicles 33;10-19, 2 Kings 21:18, 2 Chronicles 33:20, 2 Kings 21:19-26, 2 Chronicles 33:21-25, 2 Kings 22;1-2, 2 Chronicles 34;1-7, Jeremiah 1, and Jeremiah 2:1-22. Got all that?  🙂 Lots happening, but I’ll just pick one thought.  It’s hard to narrow it down some days!

Sad day. After Hezekiah, I’m discouraged that his son strayed so far. In 2 Chronicles 33, there’s a couple of verses that say he prayed and turned back to God, but the people didn’t change as a result of his repentance. Actions do speak louder than words, and he had spent a lifetime on evil.

Josiah is a relief! It stands out to me how many times age comes up and doesn’t matter to God. Josiah was only 16 when he turned to the Lord (8 when we became king) but made wise and right choices (unlike Manasseh who also became king very young).

Faithfulness to God is what is important.