When the weather is wonderful, temperatures are pleasant, and a gentle breeze blows, people will sing: “This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

But-
When the weather is horrible, temperatures are at the extremes, and perhaps the wind is a gale force, people aren’t as likely to sing.

Yet-
God makes both kinds of days! We need to remember that God is good all the time. His goodness is not dependent on how much we like our current situation! That must have been Jeremiah’s perspective.

At a time when his soul was “downcast” within him-
– he could look beyond the immediate to the eternal! (Lamentation 3:20).

Rather than allowing his circumstances to drag him down-
– he focused his attention on God’s faithfulness and said, “I have hope” (v. 21).

You probably know the next verse: “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (v. 22).

It’s easy to sing the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” when things are going well!

Yet-
– the verses from which that theme is taken do not come from a time of smooth sailing for the prophet.

Instead, it was a time of extreme difficulty. Jeremiah knew that God is good all the time!  And that even in the worst of times He is faithful.

Even when life looks hopeless-
Remember that looks can be deceiving. Hope in the ever-faithful God.

Ask God today to help you be a person of hope.
Don’t let the immediate cloud your view of the eternal. Hope in the ever-faithful God!

Read Lamentation 3:19-26

(PR)

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“But I will deliver thee in that day, says the Lord; and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid” (Jeremiah 39:17).

When the Lord’s faithful ones are suffering for Him-
– they shall have messages of love and deliverance from Himself,
– and sometimes they shall have glad tidings for those who sympathize with them and help them.

Ebed-melech was only a despised Ethiopian.
But he was kind to Jeremiah.
And so the Lord sent him this special promise by the mouth of His prophet.

Let us be ever mindful of God’s persecuted servants!
And He will reward us!!

Ebed-melech was to be delivered-
– from the men whose vengeance he feared.

He was a caring and humble man.
The Lord would take care of him.
Thousands were slain by the Chaldeans.
But Ebed-melech could not be hurt!

We, too, may be fearful of some harsh ones who are bitter against us.
But if we have been faithful to the Lord’s cause in the days of persecution-
– He will be faithful to us!

After all, what can a man do without the Lord’s permission?
He puts-
– a bit into the mouth of rage and
– a bridle upon the head of power.

Let us fear the Lord!
And we shall have no one else to fear!!

No cup of cold water given to a despised prophet of God-
– shall be without its reward.
If we stand up for Jesus-

Jesus will stand up for us!

(PR)

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“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—’and let us serve them, ‘you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). 

It is not uncommon to read of a police department-
– working on a baffling case to consult a psychic!

The “just the facts” approach to crime-
– moves to an “I have a feeling” process of investigation!

Sometimes it works!
The psychic leads the police to a key piece of evidence!

How should a Christian respond to those times-
– when the paranormal is portrayed as normal?

Realize that sometimes they may be right.
God’s Word tells us that and gives examples of prophets and magicians whose advice was taken and signs believed.

Deuteronomy 13:2 says, “And if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place…”
Refuse to follow that path.

God’s instruction is “you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer”.v. 3.
In other words, do not add Tarot cards to your daily reading.

Skip the horoscope.
Recognize that it is a test.

Our hearts are tested through these seemingly inexplicable happenings.
But God explains them.

He says they is a test to see if you love Him with all your heart.
Review your commitment to read and learn the Bible.

Stay true to God and His Word!
Do not let appearances deceive you.

The better we know the Word-
– the better we can discern truth and error.

(PR)

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“And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever” (1 Kings 11:39). 

In the family of grace there is discipline!
And that discipline is severe enough to make it an evil and a bitter thing to sin.

Solomon, turned aside by his foreign wives,
– had set up other gods and grievously provoked the God of his father.

Therefore, ten parts out of twelve of the kingdom were rent away and set up as a rival state.

This was a sore affliction to the house of David.
And it came upon that dynasty distinctly from the hand of God-
– as the result of unholy conduct.

The LORD will chasten His best beloved servants-
– if they cease from full obedience to His laws.

Perhaps at this very hour such chastening is upon you!
Humbly repent and return unto the Lord!

See the sweet saving statement!
– “but not for ever”!

The punishment of sin will follow!
But the fatherly chastisement of it in a child of God is but for a season!!

The sickness, the poverty, the depression of spirit…will pass away-
– when they have had their intended effect on the repenting child!

Our present grief is meant to bring us to full repentance-
– that we may not be destroyed with the wicked.
“…we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32).
“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

(PR)

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“The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves” (Psalm 93:3).

What do you do when you find yourself threatened by the floods of wickedness?

What did the psalmist do?
He looked at God’s throne!
“The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.” v. 1.

No waves or floods can disturb the throne of God.
But often we don’t look high enough.
We see the floods, but we don’t see God.
We see the waves getting higher and higher, and we don’t lift up our eyes by faith and see the eternal, established, secure, strong throne of God.

He heard God’s testimonies!!
He didn’t listen to the sound of the waves.

Today, you might hear a lot of threatening sounds.
Don’t pay any attention to them.
“Your testimonies are very sure.” v. 5.

The psalmist heard God’s testimonies and said, “I can trust the Word of God.”
He remembered God’s trust-worthiness!!!

Peter when he walked on the water.Matt. 14:28-31.
He took his eyes off the Lord and forgot His promise.

Jesus said to him, “Come!”
That’s all Peter needed.

He should have said to himself, “If Jesus says, ‘Come,’ I can come!”
Because-
His commandments are always His empowerments!

God’s throne is established!
And His testimony is sure!!

When you see the flood approaching-
Lift your eyes higher to see the throne of God.
Open your ears to hear His Word.

Fearing any flood?
Put your faith to work and trust His promises of power and protection!

(PR)

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“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him.” (2 Samuel 22:31).

When bewilderment enshrouds you,
– and despair looms at your door,
– when trials storm the beaches of your life-
– you may want to ask God:

“Why?”
You may never understand why things are happening the way they are in your life.

But that’s not your job.
It is not necessary for you to know why.
That is God’s question!

Your response is all that matters.
When we can’t feel His hand-
We must trust His heart!

Our job is-
– to simply trust and obey!

Is there something happening in your life-
– for which you have no explanation?

But longing for answers?

Ask God to give you peace and grace to trust Him!
He is working out the details of your deliverance!!

(PR)

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Job asked God why many times when he went through suffering. But God did not answer his questions but asked him many questions.

David asked Him why!
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” Psalm 22:1.
But no answer!!

Jesus, the Son of David asked the same question to God His Father.
“From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”
– which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matt.27:45, 46.
The Father God gave no answer!!!
He just trusted His Father and committed His life into His hands.

When we are faced with confused situations-
– our question should not be why but what.

Do not ask God-
“Why did You allow this to happen?”

But ask God-
“What do You want me to learn through this?”

That’s what Saul on the road to Damascus asked Jesus whom he was persecuting.
When Saul was out of God’s will-
-he had a fall and he became blind and humbled.

He asked Jesus:
“Lord, what do You want me to do?” Acts 9:6.

May God reveal His will to you-
-that you may please Him to bless you!

(PR)

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“But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

When new Christians begin memorizing Bible verses-
Philippians 4:4 is almost always included:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

But when those young Christians discover that Paul wrote that verse while confined to prison, shackled in chains-
– it suddenly takes on a whole new meaning:

Rejoice always, even when your faith might cost you your life!
Crises have a way of forcing us to clarify what we actually believe.

Paul was excited (Philippians 1:12) when his faith landed him in prison-
– because he discovered that the Gospel was being preached even more.

In other words-
His crisis was not a crisis of faith.
It was a crisis because of his faith.

And it was a crisis that resulted in his faith-
– being strengthened,
– not weakened.

When Peter was charged with being friends with Christ-
– he denied the relationship existed. Matthew 26:69-75.

The shame he felt caused him to clarify his faith.
And it never failed him again.

The next time you face a crisis-
Your faith will be clarified one way or the other.
– either strong or weak.

Plan to be pleased with what that crisis reveals!

(PR)

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“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

Has God performed a heart test on you lately?
There are times in our lives when God leads us into the desert!
– in order to let us find out what is in our heart.

These times can be very difficult and humbling.
They can test our mettle like no other time.

Desert times often mean we are living without those things we are normally accustomed to: water, food, limited supplies-and with few comforts.

These desert times may mean-
– experiencing new ways of provision from the Lord.

Like manna from Heaven, it may mean seeing miracles we’ve never seen before.
Like clothing that never wears out, it may mean seeing your normal capabilities expanded.
Like walking hundreds of miles without pain, desert experiences provide new lessons and new experiences that only these times can teach us.

What desert experience has He brought into your life lately?

Perhaps it is a lean time in business or job…
Perhaps it is a new environment or a transfer….
Perhaps it is a unexpected suspension or an unwanted situation…
Perhaps it is a loss of a person, privilege or a property…
Perhaps it is a lonely life or monotonous moments…

Whatever it is-
When God decides to bring new disciplines into our lives by bringing us into the desert, do not fear the heat that is sure to come.

He is walking beside you in order to test you and find out what is really in your heart.
Ask for His grace to pass the test.
He wants to bring all of His children into the Promised Land.

(PR)

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“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2)

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