August, 2008 Devotions
August, 2008 Devotions
Friday, August 1
Matthew 25:31-33
Judgment of the Nations
KEY VERSE: “And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats,” Matthew 25:32.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will return to planet Earth some day. This truth is the most glorious and thrilling teaching in the Word of God. It is mentioned in the following books of the Old Testament: Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Micah, Amos, Zechariah and Malachi. These men of God looked beyond the first coming of Christ to His return to planet Earth.
The New Testament clearly states this great truth. In the twenty-seven books of the New Testament there are over three hundred references to Christ’s return. It is the theme of the book of Revelation. The words of Jesus Himself are the greatest proof we have of this event. (See John 14:1-6.)
Immediately after Jesus returns, all nations will be gathered before Him to be judged. While all nations will be there, only the people of those nations will be judged. There will be a division of the people who make up those nations. This division will be similar to a shepherd’s dividing the goats from the sheep. The Lord will separate the sheep (the saved nations) from the goats (the unsaved nations), placing them on His right hand and left hand respectively. In light of this glorious truth, all people are to make sure they are saved or born again.
JUST A THOUGHT: The second coming of Christ is as sure as His first coming!
Gene C. Smith
Saturday, August 2
Revelation 6:14-17
The Great Day of Wrath
KEY VERSE: “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Revelation 6:17.
The time period of this Scripture is commonly called the Tribulation Period. This time period is seven years in duration, but it is divided into two equal parts of three and one-half years each. The last half of the Tribulation Period is known as The Great Tribulation. It will begin when the anti-Christ takes over the world empires and begins his reign of cruelty.
With the breaking of the sixth seal (Rev. 6:12) a worldwide catastrophe (a great earthquake) affects all who dwell upon the earth (verses 12-14). Society will be panic stricken. People will flee to the mountains and cry out to the rocks and mountains to fall on them to hide them from the face and wrath of the Lamb of God (verses 15, 16). The great day of God’s wrath will occur (verse 17). The question is then raised. “Who shall be able to stand?” This indicates that there will be a moral and political upheaval of that time.
The worldwide panic will then cease and the aftermath will find people more hardened in heart than ever before. There will be a terrible subversion of all governmental authority and terror will reign supreme. It is evident from the Scriptures that these things will soon occur, perhaps in this present generation.
What sorrow awaits this poor Christ rejecting world!
JUST A THOUGHT: All unsaved people are hereby alerted to their need of salvation.
Gene C. Smith
Sunday, August 3
Hebrews 9:27, 28
After This, the Judgment
KEY VERSE: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” Hebrews 9:27.
Every funeral home, every hearse, every graveyard and every funeral are evidences of the stark reality of death. Death is sure! God has so appointed that all mankind will face death. It is a reality that we do not like to face. Yet, it will come to one and all in due time.
At the time of death, the soul or spirit of a person leaves the body. That spirit will either go to Heaven to be with God forever, or to hell and its horrible toments forever. This is a plain truth one cannot avoid. However, one can be prepared for this occurrence.
This preparation is commonly called “salvation.” Salvation occurs in one’s soul when that person repents of sin and receives Jesus Christ as Savior. (See Matthew 3:2, 3).
This truth is clearly set forth in Luke 7:36-50 as a sinful woman approached Jesus in the house of a Pharisee. Her actions reflected her repentance (verses 37, 38). Jesus forgave her sins (verse 48). Her faith in Jesus Christ brought her salvation and she went away in peace (verse 50). This woman was not saved because of her love for Jesus Christ, instead she loved Him because He had forgiven her of all her sins. She was not ready to meet God at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
JUST A THOUGHT: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).
Gene C. Smith
Monday, August 4
Jeremiah 27:16-22
Prophesying Lies
KEY VERSE: “Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you,” Jeremiah 27:16.
The people of Israel faced a monumental problem. Certain prophets had arisen, prophesying that the vessels of the Lord’s house that had been taken to Babylon would be brought back shortly. This was not true! Thus, Jeremiah said they had prophesied a lie. Lying is a sin! It is a real vice that hurts others.
In a recent research, it was revealed that ninety-one percent of Americans lie routinely. Thirty-six percent confess to dark, important lies. Eighty-six percent lie regularly to parents, seventy-five percent to friends, seventy-three percent to siblings, sixty-nine percent to spouses, eighty-one percent about their feelings and forty-three percent concerning their income.
A psychologist at Rutgers University says “there are three types of lies: (1) Lies to protect feelings, such as saying a gift is nice when you actually hate it; (2) Lies to avoid punishment; and (3) Lies of self-deception.” The latter could be why so many people reject the gospel. They have lied to themselves about their need of forgiveness of sin.
Remember who is the father of lies (John 8:44), and who promised to give the truth that shall make you free (John 8:32).
JUST A THOUGHT: We often err either by ascribing too much or too little power to the father of lies.
Gene C. Smith
Tuesday, August 5
Jeremiah 28:1-4
Hananiah’s False Prophecy
KEY VERSE: “Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon,” Jeremiah 28:3.
Jeremiah had repeatedly prophesied of the impending captivity of the Jewish people. At the time of chapter 28, this captivity had occurred in part. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had come up against Jerusalem, besieged it and carried most of the Jewish people into captivity, including the princes, men of valor, craftsmen and the smiths. Only a few people of the poorest sort remained in Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:14).
Many false prophets had arisen among the people who remained in Jerusalem. They grossly misled the remaining citizenry of Jerusalem. Among these false prophets was a man by the name of Hananiah. He presumed to be speaking for the Lord of hosts. He stated that the God of Israel had broken the yoke of king of Babylon. Furthermore, he stated that, within two years, God would deliver all the captives of Judah from the Babylonian captivity. This was not true! Jeremiah spoke to them giving them the true message from God. This message would give them comfort and hope.
The world in which we live is under the dominion of Satan. This makes it a hostile environment. Truly, the world system is against God and His people.
JUST A THOUGHT: Christians are to live a quiet and peaceful life being obedient to the powers which be. (See 1 Timothy 2:1, 2.)
Gene C. Smith
Wednesday, August 6
Jeremiah 28:5-11
The Test of True Prophets
KEY VERSE: “The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him,” Jeremiah 28:9.
Although Jeremiah may have wished that the Lord would fulfill the words of Hananiah, nevertheless Hananiah’s prophecy was false. The ultimate test for true prophets was whether their prophecies were fulfilled. A prophet was known to be sent by God only if his prophecy (prediction) came true. (See Deuteronomy 18:20-22.) Time would tell whether Jeremiah or Hananiah was the false prophet.
As if to convince the people that he was right, Hananiah took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck (Jer. 27:2) and broke it apart (Jer. 28:10). This was a dramatic visualization of his prophecy that God would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar within two years (verse 11, 12).
Rather than opposing this open insult from Hananiah, Jeremiah went on his way. Jeremiah’s action reminded the people of the folly of the false prophet Hananiah. The false prophets gave out false prophecies in the name of the Lord, but this caused some people to sin against God. Not only did they so prophesy, but they also taught the people to sin by the example they set.
Men and women in places of leadership are to realize they teach by example as well as by precept. What one does often speaks louder than what that one says. Be true to God. He takes note of it!
JUST A THOUGHT: Obey God because you want to, not because you have to.
Gene C. Smith
Thursday, August 7
Jeremiah 28:12-17
Hananiah’s Death
KEY VERSE: “So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month,” Jeremiah 28:17.
In this world, unless you are a celebrity, your passing in death will soon be forgotten by all but a small circle of relatives and close friends. This thought came to me recently at the funeral of my older brother. The church leaders, his family and a few business associates extolled his compassion, kindness and generosity. After the funeral service, the people who knew him in a business relationship came by and spoke well of him. He and I grew up together and did many things with each other. We were very close to each other. I look forward to seeing Him again in Heaven some day.
Death is a grim reality! The devotional reading for today presents to us the death of Hananiah. He called himself a prophet, but he is identified as a false prophet. Jeremiah blatantly told him that the Lord had not sent him and that he caused the Jewish people to trust in a lie. Because he rebelled against the Lord, his life would flee from him.
Although my brother’s name was just one among many in the newspaper’s obituaries, his death was a matter of great loss to us who knew him and loved him. It is comforting to know, however, that God did not take his passing without feeling our pain. God shares in our sorrows!
JUST A THOUGHT: Because Jesus Christ lives in believers, we will live with Him forever in Heaven. (See Revelation 21:1-8.)
Gene C. Smith
Friday, August 8
1 Timothy 6:20, 21
Avoid Vain Babbling
KEY VERSE: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called,” 1 Timothy 6:20.
One final time Paul urged Timothy to keep (guard) the trust he had passed on to him. This is a reference to the body of Christian truth which in some way was under attack in the city of Ephesus where Timothy was ministering. Paul was concerned that Timothy would not give himself wholly to the truth and would not reject even the most subtle inroads of error.
Thus, Timothy was to turn away from profane and vain babblings, or the empty and profane godless chatter regarding any opposing ideas of so-called science. Such knowledge was the key to the mysterious religions which had already begun and which would mature into a full-fledged gnosticism. Gnosticism was regarded as a heresy by the early church. It was a heretical system of thoughts, at once speculative and elaborate. It claimed a higher knowledge of truth than what the early church taught. It was a strange, obscure movement, partly intellectual and partly fanatical. The proponents of this false teaching flooded the early churches with this dangerous doctrine, and many people wandered from the true faith.
Hence, the apostle Paul urged young Timothy not to be engulfed by these false teachers and their false doctrine.
False teachers also plague the present-day churches. Beware of any doctrine or teaching that is not Bible based!
JUST A THOUGHT: To worship God in spirit and in truth always pleases and glorifies God. (See John 4:24.)
Gene C. Smith
Saturday, August 9
Lamentations 2:14
The Danger of False Hope
KEY VERSE: “Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment,” Lamentations 2:14.
The word lamentation means “an outward expression of grief.” This grief may be expressed by a person crying out an exclamation of grief or some byword that some people use in times of distress.
The focus of Jeremiah’s attention moved from the city of Jerusalem to the punishment inflicted upon the citizens of the city. The first ten verses of chapter 2 depict the anger of God as He systematically dismantled the city by His judgment upon it. Verses 11-19 contain Jeremiah’s cry of anguish as he wept over the destruction of the city he loved so dearly.
The Key Verse sets forth a sketch that Jeremiah drew of false prophets hastening rather than hindering Jerusalem’s downfall. God had threatened to destroy Jerusalem because sin was abounding. The prophets were to disclose this impending disaster and exhort the citizens to repent. Unfortunately, the false prophets were tickling the ears of the people with rosy predictions of peace and prosperity. The people chose to ignore the true prophet’s warnings and listened to the flattering false prophets, which was misleading.
The citizens of America would do well to become aware of how far from God our nation has drifted. We must repent of sin and turn back to God.
JUST A THOUGHT: America was established as a Christian nation. Let us keep it that way.
Gene C. Smith
Sunday, August 10
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
The Test of a True Prophet
KEY VERSE: “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him,” Deuteronomy 18:22.
The prophets were men of God whom He raised up when His people drifted away from Him. God called them to be revivalists, turning the straying people back to Him. Their messages primarily had to do with three subjects. (1) The nature and character of God. (2) God’s relationship to His people—Israel. (3) God’s requirements of their service to the people. Two tests were used to determine whether a prophet was speaking in behalf of God. First, the prophetic message had to be in accordance with God and His Word. Second, his prophecy must come true.
As in the days of ancient Israel, some people today claim to have messages from God. He still speaks to His people, but He does so through the Bible. However, we must be cautious before saying that the Lord has spoken through a prophet. How then can we tell when people are speaking for the Lord? (1) We can see whether or not their prophecies come true—the ancient test for judging prophets. (2) We can check their words against Scripture. God never contradicts Himself, so if someone says something contrary to the Bible, we can know that this is not God’s message.
JUST A THOUGHT: The prophets were God’s representatives to the people of Israel.
Gene C. Smith
Monday, August 11
Jeremiah 29:20-32
Lying in the Lord’s Name
KEY VERSE: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes,” Jeremiah 29:21.
During the time that the people of Israel spent in Babylonian captivity, they experienced much conflict with false prophets. Hence, Jeremiah wrote letters to those exiles in Babylon. In the main, these messages dealt with how they were to deal with the false prophets. The devotional reading for today deals with the false prophets lying in the Lord’s name. To tell a lie is a sin because the messenger is not truthful.
Jeremiah singled out two men (Ahab and Zedekiah) who were evidently the ringleaders of the false prophets in Babylon. Nothing else is known about these men, but they were prophesying lies in the name of the Lord. Such brazen lies are not to go unpunished.
False teachers are currently teaching and preaching lies in the name of the Lord to deceive people.
God’s people are to study the Scriptures to know the truths set forth in them. In knowing the truth, God’s people are in a position to walk in God’s ways and thereby glorify Him. God’s children will profit greatly by having a daily time of prayer and Bible study. This will keep them in touch with God.
JUST A THOUGHT: Monitor your heart daily to avoid wandering from God’s truths.
Gene C. Smith
Tuesday, August 12
Jeremiah 30:1-24
The Time of Jacob’s Trouble
KEY VERSE: “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it,” Jeremiah 30:7.
In the area where this writer once lived, a Baptist pastor had an early morning telecast. On this telecast, he daily read a promise of God from the Bible and commented briefly on it. God has made many promises to His people in the Bible. They must number in the thousands, although this writer has never counted them all. The Bible states that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Therefore, His promises are as sure as if they were already fulfilled.
One of God’s promises deals with the future restoration and conversion of Israel in the kingdom age, otherwise known as the Millennium. (See Jeremiah 31:31-34; Revelation 19:11-21; 20:1-6.) These promises will be fulfilled in God’s own way and time.
Prior to God’s establishment of His kingdom here on earth will be a seven-year period known as the Tribulation Period. Jeremiah referred to it as the time of Jacob’s trouble. Jeremiah was referring to the yet future Tribulation Period when the remnant of Israel and Judah will experience a time of unparalleled persecution. (See Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15-22.) This time period will end when Jesus Christ returns to planet Earth to establish His kingdom. (See Revelation 19:11-16; 20:1-6.) The saints of God will then rule and reign with Christ in His kingdom.
JUST A THOUGHT: Eternal life is offered to every believer as a free gift from God (Rom. 6:23).
Gene C. Smith
Wednesday, August 13
Jeremiah 31:1-26
God’s Everlasting Love
KEY VERSE: “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee,” Jeremiah 31:3.
The motivation for God’s future restoration of the nation of Israel is His everlasting love which He will freely bestow on His people. This act of God’s love is commonly referred to as the salvation of the soul.
God’s salvation, which comes by the new birth, is available to all mankind. God is not selective in His love, but is all inclusive in it. The word world in John 3:16 comes from the Greek word kosmos and means “mankind.” God loves everyone, and therefore He made salvation available to everyone. This salvation comes to the repentant and trusting person by means of the new birth.
1.All mankind needs to be saved. All mankind, however gifted, cultured, educated, morally upright or religiously inclined, needs to be born again. (See John 3:7.)
2.Salvation comes when one repents of sin and believes in Jesus Christ as Savior. Salvation is not in joining a church, being baptized, doing good works, nor reforming one’s life. None of these things will result in the salvation of one’s soul. Therefore, everyone must repent of sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
3.The salvation of the soul results in a changed life-style. Nicodemus was an unsaved sinner. When he received Jesus as his Savior, his life was completely changed.
JUST A THOUGHT: The future is secure in the hands of a loving God.
Gene C. Smith
Thursday, August 14
Jeremiah 31:27-40
Israel’s New Covenant
KEY VERSE: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah,” Jeremiah 31:31.
A covenant is a binding and solemn agreement made by two or more individuals to do or keep from doing a specified thing. God has always dealt with mankind through a covenant. In fact, God has made several covenants with mankind. Some covenants are conditional and some covenants are unconditional.
This devotional reading contains the greatest of all Jeremiah’s prophesies. This has been called the high watermark of Old Testament prophecy. Jeremiah had come to the conclusion that the heart of man was deceitful and above all things desperately wicked. He also concluded that man could no more change his heart than a leopard could change his spots, or the Ethiopian his skin color (Jer. 13:23). Evil people are accustomed to doing evil; they cannot do good. They must be changed on the inside; their hearts must be changed.
There must be a new covenant. This covenant was a covenant of grace that secures pardon and peace to the recipients. God said, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer. 31:33). This does not mean God will save one against his will, but that grace and pardon of sin are secured from God when one accepts the conditions of this new covenant.
JUST A THOUGHT: One must have a personal experience with God to have forgiveness of sins.
Gene C. Smith
Friday, August 15
Zechariah 1:2-6
God Always Keeps His Word
KEY VERSE: “But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the Lord of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us,” Zechariah 1:6.
The postexilic prophet Zechariah was a Levite born in Babylon (Neh. 12:1, 16). He was the son of Berechiah and the grandson of Iddo the prophet (Zech. 1:1). Zechariah was a contemporary of Haggai the prophet (Ezra 5:1, 2), Zerubbabel the governor (Zech. 4:6) and Joshua the high priest (Zech. 3:1; 6:11).
When the Babylonian empire fell to the Persian empire (536 BC), Cyrus, the king of Persia, decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4). However, only a small minority of about fifty thousand Jews, including Zechariah returned in the second year of the reign of Darius, the king (Zech. 1:1). Thus, the words of God were confirmed (verse 6).
In our day, we have the complete Word of God—the Bible. There are two major divisions in it—the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament contains thirty-nine books, 929 chapters, 23,214 verses, 592,493 words and about 2,728,100 letters. The New Testament contains twenty-seven books, 260 chapters, 7,959 verses, 181,253 words and about 838,380 letters. Millions of people have read the entire Bible through many times. Try reading it through this coming year.
JUST A THOUGHT: A Bible that is falling apart probably belongs to someone who isn’t.
Gene C. Smith
Saturday, August 16
Leviticus 26:42-45
The Land’s Sabbaths
KEY VERSE: “The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes,” Leviticus 26:43.
The Israelites were to return to their homeland after the Babylonian captivity which lasted seventy years. The bleak prospects described in Leviticus 26:14-39 were bathed in a ray of hope by God’s gracious promises. If they were to confess their sins (verse 40), then God would remember the covenant He made with Abraham and return them to their land (verse 42). They would then enjoy their lives as they lived in God’s will (verses 43-46).
The Lord set before the Israelites two pathways. The first pathway was one of blessings. The Lord told them that He would bless them under certain conditions (Lev. 26:1-13). There were four things the Lord required of them for Him to pour out His blessings upon them: (1) to refrain from idols (verse 1), (2) to regard the Sabbaths (verse 2), (3) to reverence His sanctuary (verse 2), (4) to respect His laws (verse 3).
The second pathway might be labeled the pathway of disobedience (verses 14-31). If the Israelites were disobedient to the Lord, He would chasten them. There are five different chastisements listed in verses 16-31. If they persisted in their disobedience to Him, He would scatter them among the heathen (verses 32-46).
JUST A THOUGHT: God’s people are accountable to Him as His stewards.
Gene C. Smith
Sunday, August 17
Deuteronomy 30:1-5
Repentance Brings Restoration
KEY VERSE: “And the Lord thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers,” Deuteronomy 30:5.
The Palestinian Covenant gives the conditions under which the people of Israel entered the land of promise. It is in seven parts: (1) dispersion for disobedience (verse 1), (2) the future repentance of Israel while in the dispersion (verse 2), (3) the return of the Lord (verse 3), (4) the restoration to the land (verse 5), (5) National conversion (verse 6), (6) the judgment of Israel’s oppressors (verse 7), (7) national prosperity (verse 9).
However, because of the people of Israel’s disobedience God allowed them to go into Babylonian captivity for seventy years. After spending seventy years in captivity, they were allowed to return to Israel and rebuild the Temple. They enjoyed the blessings of the Lord in the land God gave them.
Stonewall Jackson, the great confederate general, lost an arm in one of the early battles of the Civil War. A chaplain exclaimed, “Oh General, what a calamity!” Jackson replied, “You see me wounded, but not depressed, not unhappy. I believe it has been according to God’s holy will...and I acquiesce entirely in it. You may think it strange, but you never saw me more perfectly content than I am today, for I am sure my heavenly Father designs this affliction for my good. I am perfectly satisfied that either in this life or in that which is to come, I shall discover that what is now regarded as calamity is a blessing.”
Though the Jewish people were not resigned to God’s will while in captivity, it turned out a blessing for them and the entire world.
JUST A THOUGHT: The future is secure in the hands of a loving Heavenly Father.
Gene C. Smith
Monday, August 18
Jeremiah 32:36-44
The Everlasting Covenant
KEY VERSE: “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me,” Jeremiah 32:40.
God has always dealt with mankind by means of covenants. A covenant may be defined as a solemn and binding agreement between two individuals or parties to do, or keep from doing, a specific thing or things.
The Key Verse sets forth an everlasting covenant which the Lord God made with the Israelites. There were four specific stipulations in this everlasting covenant.
1.He would not turn away from them. He promised a gathering of the people of Israel from all the lands where they had been in exile and bring them back to their native land of Israel where they would live safely. He did not turn away from them, but remained loyal to them.
2.God would never stop doing good to His people. He would faithfully provide for them and prosper them abundantly.
3.The Israelites would be restored to fellowship with their God. He promised to put His fear (a wholesome respect) in their hearts.
4.The Israelites would never turn away from their God because of His blessings upon them.
As believers in Christ, when pondering our blessings from God, we are to realize that God will never stop doing good to His people. (See Philippians 4:19.)
JUST A THOUGHT: God has given us the pattern for His blessings. Be sure to follow it.
Gene C. Smith
Tuesday, August 19
Jeremiah 33:3
Call unto Me
KEY VERSE: “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not,” Jeremiah 33:3.
Jeremiah was still confined to the courtyard of the prison (Jer. 33:1) when the Lord suddenly appeared to him again. He identified Himself to Jeremiah by stressing both His power and His character (verse 2). He is the Lord who formed the earth and the things contained in it (verse 2). In revealing Himself to Jeremiah, He emphasized His covenant keeping faithfulness on behalf of His people. (See Jeremiah 32:18.)
Jeremiah did not understand how the Lord God could restore a nation that was destined for destruction (Jer. 32:24, 25). Thus, the Lord challenged him to call to Him for understanding. He also promised to answer Jeremiah by revealing to him great and mighty things. He further shared with Jeremiah the things the prophet did not know or understand about the people of Israel’s future status. The Key Verse reminds God’s people in this generation that He does hear and answer their prayers.
When God made this promise to the people of Israel, Jerusalem had been devastated by war. The need of prayer was apparent. God’s people are to be people of prayer. We are to feel free to call unto the Lord as our need impels us to call upon Him. Be assured that He will hear and answer your prayers. We often forfeit a great loss because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
JUST A THOUGHT: God answers prayer in three ways—yes, no and wait awhile.
Gene C. Smith
Wednesday, August 20
Jeremiah 33:15, 16
Our Righteousness
KEY VERSE: “In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness,” Jeremiah 33:16.
The first aspect of the fulfillment of God’s gracious promise to the Israelites was to be the restoration of the monarchy. The Branch of righteousness that will sprout from the lineage of David will rule over the restored nation.
The second aspect of this fulfillment will be the restoration of Jerusalem as God’s dwelling place (verse 16). The city that was destroyed shall someday dwell safely. This seemingly has two aspects to its fulfillment.
1.When the people of Israel returned from the Babylonian Captivity.
2.A future fulfillment when Jesus Christ returns to planet Earth to rule and reign in His kingdom on earth.
The expression The Lord our righteousness applies to the citizenry of Jerusalem and the Messiah (Jesus Christ) as He rules and reigns in righteousness during the Millennium. The citizens of His kingdom will take on the same characteristics as the Lord who will dwell within the city.
This proposes a question every person must face honestly. It is, Am I truly saved? One’s future depends on the right answer. If you answer with a yes, you are destined to be with Jesus forever in His kingdom. If your answer is no, you are doomed to an eternity in hell. Be sure you are truly saved!
JUST A THOUGHT: It is not enough to cry out for deliverance, one must seek the Deliverer—Jesus Christ.
Gene C. Smith
Thursday, August 21
Jeremiah 36:21-32
The Indestructible Word
KEY VERSE: “And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth,” Jeremiah 36:23.
God’s Word has suffered abuse in every age. It has been cut, pierced, ridiculed, burned and buried, but it has quenched the violence of the fire, escaped the edge of the sword, stopped the mouth of lions and turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
The Word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah, instructing him to write a roll book containing an abstract of all the sermons that he had preached against the people of Israel and Judah. Jeremiah called Baruch, his scribe, instructed him to write these words in a roll book and sent him to God’s house to read the words to all the people. It was hoped that it would provoke the people to repentance. Baruch did as Jeremiah commanded. Jehudi then took the roll book and read the contents to the king. As Jehudi read three or four leaves, the king cut them off with a penknife. His efforts did not destroy God’s words because God instructed Jeremiah to rewrite them, which he did. There have been many concerted efforts to destroy God’s Word. All efforts to destroy the Bible have failed. It is still triumphant!
JUST A THOUGHT: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away, (Matt. 24:35).
Gene C. Smith
Friday, August 22
Jeremiah 37:11-21
The Two-faced King
KEY VERSE: “Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there any word from the Lord? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon,” Jeremiah 37:17.
The events of this devotional occurred about 599 BC. By this time, Zedekiah had become the king in Judah. Neither he, nor his servants, nor the people in Judah listened to the words of the Lord which came by the prophet Jeremiah who had stated that the Chaldean army would come up against Jerusalem, seize it and burn it with fire. Jeremiah was falsely accused of enabling the Chaldeans to conquer the city of Jerusalem. He was seized and put in a dungeon in the prison to secure his imprisonment.
Zedekiah secretly brought Jeremiah to his house. The king inquired whether Jeremiah had any message from the Lord. Jeremiah replied that there was a message from the Lord. Zedekiah and the Israelites were to be delivered into the hands of the Babylonians. However, the false prophets of Zedekiah had spoken the opposite. The Chaldeans were, in fact, to invade Jerusalem and take the people into captivity. Zedekiah had Jeremiah committed to the court of the prison. He was given bread each day so that he would not starve to death. This arrangement continued until the siege depleted the supply of grain, and all the bread in the city was consumed.
JUST A THOUGHT: Words once released cannot be recalled!
Gene C. Smith
Saturday, August 23
Romans 11:13-24
Branches of the Olive Tree
KEY VERSE: “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree,” Romans 11:17.
Some years ago this writer took a trip to Israel along with several other Christians. There were many exciting and thrilling events that transpired while we were there. One day, while exploring the Mount of Olives, we were descending the western slope when we encountered an olive tree. It was less than ten feet tall and was filled with olives. We plucked some and tasted the fruit.
The olive tree of verse 17 represents the people of Israel as they occupied the place of privilege with God. The wild branches represent the Gentiles who because of the unbelief of the people of Israel, now occupy that place of privilege with God. The root of the tree represents the Abrahamic Covenant which promised blessings to both the Jews and the Gentiles through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ in His atoning death on Calvary’s cross, provided salvation for all mankind—Jew and Gentile alike. Therefore, those who repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ are saved with an everlasting salvation. They are identified as God’s people having been born again into the family of God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, the Jews and the Gentiles are both made partakers of the Lord’s salvation.
Be sure of your salvation!
JUST A THOUGHT: The Word of God is always timely; it speaks to every generation.
Gene C. Smith
Sunday, August 24
Amos 9:13-15
The Restoration of Israel
KEY VERSE: “And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God,” Amos 9:15.
When I was in high school, I broke my right arm. Dad rushed me to the hospital, and the doctor set my arm in place and put a cast on it from my elbow to my wrist. Attending classes was a must. I soon learned to write with my left hand so that I could take notes. Before long the broken arm was healed, and I returned to writing with my right hand. I can no longer write with my left hand. Still I wish that I was ambidextrous so I could write with either hand.
Amos wrote about a time when the people of Israel will be fully restored. A strong endeavor is currently underway for the Jewish people to return to the land of Israel. Israel has been established as a nation, but full restoration will not be completed and enjoyed until God restores the nation of Israel.
The land will be productive and the people will live in peace and enjoy a lavish abundance. The frustration of war will be a thing of the past. The Jews will build houses and inhabit them. They will eat, drink and take pleasure in the labor of their own hands. God will plant them in their own land never to be uprooted and exiled again.
JUST A THOUGHT: God sometimes reveals His will one day at a time!
Gene C. Smith
Monday, August 25
Jeremiah 50:17-20
Israel’s Future Deliverance
KEY VERSE: “And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead,” Jeremiah 50:19.
The nation of Israel in Jeremiah’s day had become like a flock of scattered sheep. The Northern Kingdom, known as Israel, had been conquered by Assyria in 721 BC, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah was devastated by Babylon in 586 BC. The Lord God of Israel vowed to reverse this situation. He was to punish the kings of Babylon and Assyria for the destruction of His people in Israel. He was to also bring the Israelites back to their homeland. The majestic summit of Carmel and the fertile plains of Bashan, east of the Sea of Galilee were to once again belong to the people of Israel. The hills of Ephraim and Gilead on the western and eastern banks of the Jordan River were to also be included in this regathering. Though some will search for Israel’s guilt and the sins of Judah, they will not find any because God will pardon His people.
Israel’s Redeemer is strong. They should recognize and accept Him as a Savior-God delivering them from all that oppressed them. In His love, He will redeem them. He will never give them up, but, in His own appointed time, He will arise to their deliverance. God will do for them what He has promised them.
These events reflect the soon coming of Jesus Christ back to planet Earth.
JUST A THOUGHT: God’s grace will have its full display!
Gene C. Smith
Tuesday, August 26
Jeremiah 51:52-58
Babylon’s Future Destruction
KEY VERSE: “A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans,” Jeremiah 51:54.
Babylon was the capital city of the Babylonian empire, located on the Plain of Shinar or Chaldea (Gen. 10:10). The name Babylon means “gate of God.” It was given this name by Nimrod, the founder (Gen. 10:8-10). It was built around 2300 BC on both sides of the river Euphrates. Babylon was a vast square, fifty-six miles around. The name Babylonia represents the entire kingdom of the Chaldeans with particular emphasis on Babylon the capital city. The empire lasted about fifteen hundred years. (See Jeremiah 25:12-14.) It is now desolate. It has become great heaps of ruin (Jer. 51:37). The land is a wilderness for wild beasts (verses 37-43). Even the Arabs refuse to pitch their tents there, and the shepherds to fold their sheep there (Isa. 13:19-22). This reveals the extent of God’s judgment upon Babylon.
One has only to read the fifth chapter of the book of Daniel to see that, in less than sixty years after Jeremiah prophesied of the downfall of Babylon, it actually happened. This shows the certainty and severity of God’s judgment upon them.
Every person can be assured by this event that he or she will meet God someday in judgment. Ecclesiastes 12:14 teaches that God is going to bring every work into judgment whether it be good or bad.
JUST A THOUGHT: The prophet Amos challenges everyone to be prepared to meet God. (See Amos 4:12.)
Gene C. Smith
Wednesday, August 27
Jeremiah 52:1-16
Judah’s Defeat
KEY VERSE: “For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon,” Jeremiah 52:3.
The history of Judah’s final king, and the overthrow and captivity of Judah is here summarized. Zedekiah became the king when he was twenty-one years old. He reigned for eleven years. He rebelled against “Nebuchadrezzar,” king of Babylon (Jer. 52:12). Nebuchadrezzar began his final siege of Jerusalem in the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign. The battle lasted so long that a severe famine came because the food supply ran out. All resistance was gone, and the Babylonians soon made a breach in the city walls. Zedekiah and his soldiers tried to flee, but they were captured as Jeremiah had predicted. (See Jeremiah 38:14-23.) Zedekiah was then taken captive and was forced to watch the execution of his sons. He was blinded, bound with chains and taken to Babylon where he remained until he died.
The city of Jerusalem fared no better. Nebuchadrezzar burned it down. He also set fire to the Temple, the royal palace and the houses as Jeremiah had predicted (Jer. 22:1-9). Every important building was burned down. Those who survived the siege and remained in the city were carried into exile. Only the poorest were left behind.
Our nation has been blessed in that no foreign power has ever devastated it. America was founded as one nation under God, and we have enjoyed the blessings of God.
JUST A THOUGHT: God has indeed blessed America!
Gene C. Smith
Thursday, August 28
1 Samuel 12:20-25
He Will Not Forsake
KEY VERSE: “For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people,” 1 Samuel 12:22.
In a marvelous manifestation of the grace of God, Samuel related to the people that God would bless them in spite of their choice of forsaking the Lord if they would only be steadfast in their obedience from then on. The past could not be undone, but their future was untainted and could be devoted to the Lord. Samuel exhorted them to fear not because of their wickedness. However, he did exhort them to follow the Lord and serve Him with their whole hearts. Samuel, also, as a true mediator pledged to keep praying for the people. Failure to do so would be a sin against God. God’s continued blessings would also be upon their nation, inasmuch as God would not forsake His people.
America was founded by God’s faithful servants who came here so they could serve Him as they had been taught. The early settlers founded this nation because they wanted to remain true to God. They suffered severe-ly that first winter, but God did not forsake them. In the spring, they planted their seed, cultivated their crops, and, in the fall, they secured a bountiful harvest. God did not forsake them, but blessed them abundantly.
We Americans are truly blessed of God. We should never forsake Him inasmuch as He has never forsaken us.
JUST A THOUGHT: God’s faithfulness to us highlights our faithfulness to Him.
Gene C. Smith
Friday, August 29
Isaiah 49:14-16
He Will Not Forget
KEY VERSE: “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee,” Isaiah 49:15.
The first chapter of the Word of God, Genesis 1:1-31, addresses the most fundamental issues of life. It discloses that God brought all things into existence. The writer of the book of Genesis made the declaration that there is only one true and living God. One of the characteristics of God is that He never forgets anything.
The citizens of Zion (Jerusalem) in Isaiah’s day are pictured with heavy hearts that are mournful. They felt that way because they firmly believed that God had forsaken and forgotten them. This was not true then and it is not true today because God does not forget. Isaiah, in dealing with this issue gives a striking illustration of a mother who forgets her nursing child. However, the Lord reminded them (and us) that she might forget her child, but God will never forget His children.
Furthermore, the city of Jerusalem was inscribed, as it were, like a tattoo on the palms of God’s hands. Therefore, whenever God lifts up His hands, He sees the city’s name which reminded Him of her. God used that to illustrate His constant love and care for His people. It is indeed comforting to know that God cares for all His children whoever they are and wherever they may be.
JUST A THOUGHT: God is with His children in whatever trials they encounter!
Gene C. Smith
Saturday, August 30
Isaiah 54:2-17
He Will Redeem
KEY VERSE: “For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called,” Isaiah 54:5.
There are two main thoughts in this devotional reading from the book of Isaiah.
1.Israel was to be restored after being left barren by the Babylonian captivity (verses 2-8). The Lord promised the Israelites that He would pour out His blessings upon them, and He confirmed it with a covenant. Their tent was to be stretched out in the large places in Israel. They were not to fear for they were under God’s care. All of these promises from the Lord were to be fully realized as they returned to Israel and occupied their homeland again.
2.Israel was to be protected (verses 9-17), God’s covenant with the people of Israel to restore them as a nation was as sure as His covenant with Noah (verse 9) and more lasting than the mountains (verse 10). These blessings are in view in verses 11-17.
Follow these rules for a daily walk with the Lord.
1.Begin each day with God.
2.Open the book of God and read a portion of the Scriptures.
3.Go through the day with God, whatever your work might be.
4.Converse with God in prayer and offer Him grateful praise.
5.Conclude the day with God by confessing any known sin.
6.Lie down at night with God, and He will guard and keep you.
JUST A THOUGHT: Our needs will never exhaust God’s supply.
Gene C. Smith
Sunday, August 31
Psalm 94:12-19
Thy Comforts Delight My Soul
KEY VERSE: “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul,” Psalm 94:19.
The psalmist praised God many times in other psalms, but, in this psalm, he regarded the consolation he received from the Lord to be a special blessing. It is apparent from the Key Verse that he found complete satisfaction in the relationship he had with the Lord. Indeed, the Lord is always there to administer comfort to the soul of His people. The Lord’s consolation quiets the anxious heart and gives it joy.
In the year 1931, a homing pigeon was released in France. The home loft of the pigeon was in Indo-china, some seventy-two hundred miles away. The pigeon flew three hundred miles per day, and, in twenty-four days reached Indo-china.
If a little pigeon with its limited power which God has given it can do a phenomenal feat like that, how much more should God’s people do with the great power which He has given us? We are to use it for God’s glory and enjoy His blessings in return.
Almost two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ went to Calvary’s cross! Why? Because someone was lost in sin. Currently each church has a group of faithful Christians who meet together in church capacity. Why? Because someone is lost in sin and needs to be saved. The churches are in the soul-winning business! It is a delight for Christians to be a part of this divine endeavor.
JUST A THOUGHT: The closer one is to God, the bigger his heart is for the unsaved.
Gene C. Smith