Daily Devotional for October 29, 2015
Jeremiah 17
Scripture:
5 This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.
6 He will be like a bush in the wastelands; he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.
7 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Observation:
When I am traveling, I hope that my plane takes off on time and I hope that it arrives in time to catch my next flight. The reason that I hope is because I don’t always trust the airline and all the fine details needed to make that a reality. Similarly, I hope that my car starts every morning. There are no guarantees that it will start regardless of how new it is or how few miles it has.
Hoping and believing are words that can have two very different meanings. The difference between hoping for something and believing in something is found in the measure of trust you have in it. If your trust is high, then you will believe; likewise, if your trust is low, then you can only hope. Would you rather hear your doctor say, “I hope I am right” or “I believe I am right” concerning a diagnosis?
When it comes to the Lord, our hope must move to the level of belief. I believe that my God loves me and knows what is best for me. My circumstances may be difficult but I believe that God is—and will be—there for me. At times, certain situations and circumstances can cause our trust to fade. In these moments, we must pray the prayer of the Father in the Book of Mark chapter 9, “I believe, help my unbelief.” This passage declares the blessings that come to a man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. As Spirit-Empowered men, our confidence should be securely planted in the Lord. To hope, yes, but also to trust and believe in our Lord.
Application:
- Personal Application: Putting our confidence in the Lord enables a Spirit-Empowered Man to be let by the Spirit. As we trust in the Lord in every area of our life, we will be more willing to respond as the Spirit gives direction. In many ways, this builds the foundation for a Spirit-Empowered life—trust in the Lord.
- Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Discuss with them the importance and the blessings that come from putting your full trust in the Lord. Tell a story of a time when this was difficult to do, how you responded, and what the result was. Encourage them to fully trust in the Lord. Ask them in which areas of their life does it seem difficult to do this. Pray with them about those areas.
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: Pray the prayer of the Father in the Book of Mark 9, “I believe, help my unbelief.” Ask the Lord to help you build your trust and confidence in Him.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray for your family to learn to trust in the Lord regardless of circumstances and situations in life. Ask that God will give you the ability to model and teach this to them.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, October 25 – Sunday, November 1:
- Sunday, October 25: Jeremiah 13
- Monday, October 26: Jeremiah 14
- Tuesday, October 27: Jeremiah 15
- Wednesday, October 28: Jeremiah 16
- Thursday, October 29: Jeremiah 17
- Friday, October 30: Jeremiah 18
- Saturday, October 31: Jeremiah 19
- Sunday, November 1: Jeremiah 20
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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