Jeremiah 6

Verse Of The Day: V13 “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.”

What is covetousness? It is defined as a great and intense desire to acquire and amass material possessions. Covetousness or greed is the sin that was in the heart of man since the fall of mankind.

1.  Covetousness is in Every Person

V13 “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; …”

The sin of covetousness is in every person including young children and old folks. Look around you. Children are crying for toys in the shopping centers. They are never satisfied and contented even when their rooms are filled with toys from floors to ceilings! Old folks are queuing up to buy lottery, thinking that this shall be their last chance to strike big, enjoy life with plenty of possessions and eventually die rich!

2.  Covetousness is in Every Prophet and Priest

V13 “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.”

The sin of covetousness was also in the spiritual leaders, the prophets and the priests. The prophets who represented God in teaching the people to live godly and without covetousness were the ones who were ungodly and covetous. They required the people to offer them large sum of money or expensive gifts for their so-called service of God. Even the priests who represented the people before God to sacrifice the offerings in the temple of God for them were also the ones who kept large parts of the offerings for themselves and were ungodly and covetous.

3.  Covetousness shall be Punished

V15 “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.”

The saddest truth was that the people themselves were not ashamed of their covetousness. They thought that life consisted of the abundance of possessions. They failed to realize that their possessions were transient and would one day vanish away and that God shall punish their sin of covetousness. The only thing that is of great gain and shall last forever is their relationship with God and to be contented with life!

1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please help me to be contented with You and the simple things of life.

Jeremiah 5

Verse Of The Day: V4 “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.”

God commanded His prophet Jeremiah to find a man who was pure in heart and sought the truth and He shall forgive the entire nation of Israel. Imagine just one man yet Jeremiah could not find that man! Today, God is also looking for a man who is pure in heart and seeks the truth.

1.  The Man in the World of Immorality

V8 “They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.”

After God had fed the nation of Israel with a great harvest, they committed immorality instead of thanking God and keeping themselves pure. Today, immorality is also rampant. Even the youth as young as 12 years old, has committed immorality. Indeed, when God finds His man who has kept himself pure from immorality, He shall surely bless and keep him forever!

2.  The Man in the World of Rebellion

V23 “But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.”

The people in Jeremiah’s time had no respect for authority. Everyone did what was right in their eyes. Even the young children were rebelling against their parents. Today, rebellion is also rampant. Many parents and teachers have lost control of their young people. In some countries, the children physically abused and beat their parents at home while students abuse and beat their teachers in schools. Indeed, when God finds His man who has kept himself pure from rebellion, He shall surely bless and keep him forever!

3.  The Man in the World of Deceit

V27 “As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.”

God richly blessed the people in Jeremiah’s time yet they were deceitful in their worship of God. The people offered sacrifices and worshipped God in the temple yet their hearts were far away from God. Today, many people worship God with loud music, dancing, shouting and praises but their hearts are far away from Him. Indeed, when God finds His man who has kept himself pure from deceit, He shall surely bless and keep him forever!

Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please keep me pure in heart so that I shall see You in heaven one day.

Jeremiah 4

Verse Of The Day: V4 “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.”

How you are today is how your heart is today. The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. When your heart is evil, you shall be evil no matter how hard you try to be good. Conversely when your heart is good, you shall always be good, and people around you can feel and experience your goodness from your good heart.

1.  God Rewards Good Hearts

V4 “Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: …”

God rewards you when you circumcise your foreskins of your hearts or when you keep your heart pure and holy. God shall surely draw near to you and bless you with peace and joy when your heart is pure and holy before Him.

James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

2.  God Punishes Evil Hearts

V4 “… lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.”

God punishes the evil hearts and cut down or destroy them like grass and green herbs. Many times, we get upset when we see evil doers got off scot-free and injustice prevails. We fail to realize that God shall certainly punish the evil doers though it may not be swift it is sure, as God hates evil.

Psalms 37:1-2 “Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”

3.  God Loves All Hearts

God loves all hearts as He warned the people of Judah and Jerusalem to purify their evil hearts lest His fury come upon them like fire. God desires all hearts to repent and turn to Him and be saved.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please clean my heart and make it pure and holy.

Jeremiah 3

Verse Of The Day: V10 “And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.”

Have you ever wonder why you are not joyful and victorious in your Christian walk?
The answer is found in this precious verse when God commanded His people not to pretend in their walk with Him. Indeed, we are guilty before God when we pretend to give Him our whole heart! It is tragic and sad for Christians to live a double life, and no wonder we have no joy or victory in our Christian walk!

1.  Labor Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your labor or study or work?

Whether we are students, executives, managers, doctors, church staff, etc., we are studying, working and serving not just for our employers, or for ourselves, but for God!

Colossians 3:22 “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:”

Some people believe that the most spiritual Christians are those who serve God as church full-time staff or pastors or missionaries in a foreign field. How far from the truth can they be! We are serving God when we are studying in a school, or working in a company, or in a church, and there is no separation of secular and spiritual work as some would want to believe. Where ever you are and whatever you do, you are doing it for God in singleness of heart and with your whole heart!

2.  Love Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your relationship?

How do you express your love for your loved ones, family, friends, classmates, etc? When a man expresses his love to the woman he loves, he will not say, “I love you with half my heart!” This is a sure way to end their relationship. Yet many times, we do not love with our whole hearts or all our hearts in our marriage, relationship and friendship.

Luke 10:27 “And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.”

3.  Live Whole Heartedly For God

Are you giving your whole heart to God in your life?

Let us not pretend or live a double life because one day, we shall meet God our Judge!

Ecclesiastes 12:14 “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

Prayer of the Week

Dearest God, please help me to labor, love and live whole heartedly for You.