“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? ‘I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.’” (Jeremiah 17:9–10, ESV) Statistics tell us that heart disease is the leading cause of death annuallyContinue reading “Heart Disease”
Tag Archives: israel
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”
Our Refuge
“O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble” (Jeremiah 16:19, ESV) We have many battles in life. Some come at the hands of other people. Some through illness. Some through natural disasters and calamity. These are sometimes spiritual attacks. Some are clearly from spiritual forces of evil. Yet allContinue reading “Our Refuge”
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”
Spiritual Erosion
“What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have doneContinue reading “Spiritual Erosion”
Fortified Walls
“And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 15:20, ESV) When in the United States Army, I was stationed in the Federal RepublicContinue reading “Fortified Walls”
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”
Sweet Food or Bitter
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16, ESV) Growing up, one of the great breakfast foods that I ate was cereal. My grandmother used to purchaseContinue reading “Sweet Food or Bitter”
Spiritual Weeds
“I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the Lord: the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh theContinue reading “Spiritual Weeds”
Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Then I said: ‘Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did IContinue reading “Liar Liar Pants on Fire”
Renewing the Heart 