Daily Devotional for November 4, 2015
Jeremiah 23
Scripture:
3 “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.
4 I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD
5 “The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
6 In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.
7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’
8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”
Observation:
God is so good. Day after day we have been reading about the people of Judah and how they have turned their back on the Lord. In the midst of declaring judgment, God promises that one day He will gather His people and bring them home. This once again shows us how much God desires to have a relationship with us. God is so good!
As I read verses 7-8, I thought back to the encounters with God that transformed my life. As I retraced these moments, from the time I gave my heart to the Lord, to the time I felt God’s call into ministry, and all the encounters that bring to where I am today, I realized how significant each one was. As Spirit-Empowered Men we embark on this discipleship journey to become more like Jesus. Along the way we need fresh encounters with the Lord to keep us reminded of who He is. This passage reveals the next chapter in the story telling of the people of Judah. They will no longer think back to when God delivered them from Egypt. Instead, they will have a much more current encounter to talk about, the time when God gathered His people from all the countries they were banished to.
When was the last time you had a significant encounter with the Lord that change the way you talked about Him? If it has been a while, I encourage you to continue seeking God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Application:
- Personal Application: Yesterday’s experience with God is good, however, we need new encounters with God on a regular basis. Never stop searching and seeking the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
- Family Devotional: Read this passage to your family. Remind them of how important it is to spend time with the Lord daily. Encourage them to make the time in their lives to seek God. Pray with them
Prayer:
- Personal Prayer Focus: As the Lord for a fresh revelation of Himself as you seek Him and travel this discipleship journey.
- Family Prayer Focus: Pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to your family and they will see the goodness of God all around them every day.
Three Year Reading Plan for Sunday, November 1 – Sunday, November 8:
- Sunday, November 1: Jeremiah 20
- Monday, November 2: Jeremiah 21
- Tuesday, November 3: Jeremiah 22
- Wednesday, November 4: Jeremiah 23
- Thursday, November 5: Jeremiah 24
- Friday, November 6 Jeremiah 25
- Saturday, November 7: Jeremiah 26
- Sunday, November 8: Jeremiah 27
—TOM GROOT is National Director of Men’s Ministry and Christian Education. Connect with Tom on Facebook or Twitter @TomGrootJr.
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