“Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”” (Jeremiah 25:15–16, ESV) NormallyContinue reading “Cup of Wrath”
Tag Archives: hope
Good Versus Foul Food
“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. . . But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten,Continue reading “Good Versus Foul Food”
A Righteous Branch
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by whichContinue reading “A Righteous Branch”
Two Ways, Two Outcomes
“And to this people you shall say: ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.” (Jeremiah 21:8, ESV) I used to know a businessman who would say, “There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything.” There were just two ways toContinue reading “Two Ways, Two Outcomes”
Broken and Unrepairable
“Then you shall break the flask in the sight of the men who go with you, and shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it can never be mended. Men shall bury in Topheth becauseContinue reading “Broken and Unrepairable”
Forgotten
“But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway,” (Jeremiah 18:15, ESV) One Christmas, we were in the middle of a move from a Chicago suburb to Savannah Georgia. All the householdContinue reading “Forgotten”
Contrasts
“Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.’” (JeremiahContinue reading “Contrasts”
The Greatest Rescue Mission
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all theContinue reading “The Greatest Rescue Mission”
A Nonconformist
“I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone, because your hand was upon me, for you had filled me with indignation.” (Jeremiah 15:17, ESV) As I have been in the pastoral ministry for many years, I look back and realize the power of behavior patterns. We establishContinue reading “A Nonconformist”
Slip Sliding Away
“Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O Lord, for your name’s sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.” (Jeremiah 14:7, ESV) When I was in college, I had a 1967 Toyota Land Cruiser. This four-wheel drive vehicle could go just about anywhere. I remember taking it on the sandy beachContinue reading “Slip Sliding Away”
Renewing the Heart 