A Lesson for Today

Aug. 16, 2019 - Read Jeremiah 7-10


The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Stand in the gate of the Lord's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the Lord (Jeremiah 7:1-2).
When we read through the Book of Jeremiah we often view it as a book of history detailing the misadventures of people that lived long ago. We shake our heads at their stubborn worldly behavior, and we wonder why they did not heed the warnings of the LORD. This is not the manner in which God wishes us to read His WORD. The Bible consists of the living WORD (Heb. 4:12), and it is active and applicable to modern life as it was on the day it was first uttered and recorded. Keeping that fact in the forefront of our minds, let us now re-read the message that Jeremiah delivered as he stood in the gate of the LORD’s house.
It was in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah (Jer. 26:1), during one of three major Feasts (Festivals) to which all Jewish males were required to come to Jerusalem, that God instructed Jeremiah to stand in the Temple’s entrance and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. On what was normally a day of joyful celebration, Jeremiah pronounced a most severe and harsh accusation from the LORD: Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord (Jer. 7:9-11).
These words infuriated all those that heard them. After all in their opinion they were worshiping God in accordance with His directives. The priests, prophets, and people would not tolerate condemnation by ‘narrow-minded’ Jeremiah. Ne was publicly calling them out for sins that they felt had nothing to do with their worship in the Temple
What would happen if Jeremiah stood in the entranceway of our churches today? Would we be able to face his truth as we passed by him on Easter Sunday? As he ran through his list of sins including adultery, lying, greed and idol worship (Remember, an idol is anything that you hold in higher esteem that God), how would we react? Would we examine our hearts before approaching God, or would we angrily push past him and accuse him of trying to ruin our Easter Celebration with his vile and vicious accusations?
Through God’s living Word, Jeremiah is indeed standing at the doorway of every church. Although to the unrepentant sinner his presence presents an unwelcome accusation, to the child of God it should serve as reminder that we are accountable to God for everything that we do, whether it ‘officially’ pertains to worship or not. He has been placed there to convict us of our sins, not out of malice, but out of a sincere desire to turn our hearts back to God.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates (2 Corinthians 13:5)?

Thought for Today: It is foolish to focus on our perceived superiority to acient peoples, rather it would be wise to reflect on our similarities with them in the eyes of God.

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The Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional has truly been a blessing to my life for over 28 years now. I would pray that this message would be a blessing to all today.

Please, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, wake up to the evils which surrounds us... Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints (Ephesians 6:11-18).

If you haven't made a decision for Christ today, it is well pass the time of getting serious with your faith. We know that no man knows the hour of Christ return but we can know the season of His return and all indications points to this time we are living in now; thus, today is the day of Salvation.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25). This meaning, many may claim to be Christian, yet they never attend church where they could possible strengthen others in the faith or to be strengthen by others themselves.
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No Worries and No Fears

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust (Psalm 91:1-2).

Absolutely security. Unwavering trust. The complete and total lack of fear. How amazing would it be to live our lives cocooned in these emotions and utterly supported by the hand of God? As we contemplate the words of the psalmist here in the 91st Psalm, we can take comfort from the realization that such a life is open to us, right here and right now, if we fully surrender ourselves to God and willingly place ourselves in His shadow.

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judges. 17:6). We live in fallen world. Ambition, greed, self-pride, contempt, anger and hate are often the emotions that hold the greatest sway in today's society. Biblically defined concepts of absolute right and wrong have been obliterated, replaced with expectations for us to accept the current nebulous and ever changing societal norms. As the climate of popular morality slides further and further from the will of God, confusion and chaos reigns. It is easy for those of us who still cling to His WORD and His promises to feel alone and vulnerable as we are seemingly attacked from all sides at once. Yet we are not alone, and, if we are truly standing in the shadow of God, we will never be vulnerable. His protection is complete and unwavering, and if we make our home with Him we have nothing to fear. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling (Psalm 91:9-10).

The promises laid out here in the 91st Psalm are both wondrous and comforting, but in order to full benefit from them we must first understand what is being promised. As much as we might wish it to be so, God's promise here is not for an earthly life free of all trouble, conflict , or sorrow. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). What He is promising us is that with Him we are stronger than any trouble we will face. As we follow in His footsteps and remain in His shadow, we have nothing at all to fear. Any pain we encounter and any suffering, but even as they fall we will stand. God's promise is that He will bring us through to stand with Him on the other side - triumphant, whole, and at peace.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:6-9).

Thought for Today: Suffering for God is temporary, but damnation without Him is eternal.

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This was Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional lesson early this week which I thought would be a good message to share. To learn more about this amazing ministry and to visit Bible Pathway Ministries website please, "Click here."

Whether you wish to believe this or not, we Christians have been in a spiritual battle against many leaders in our government for our Christian faith here in the United States and it is a battle that we are loosing in several areas.

We see the confusion and trouble minds of many of our own family members and in the lives of many of our friends, trying to cope with politicians who are clearly out of control, seeking to disrupt our lives and our children's education, our health care, our workplaces, our churches and the invasion which is happening on our Southern border; however, even all of this is nothing compared to the lack of concern many of our government officials are showing over the subject of terrorism not only here in this country but also around the globe.

The Clarion Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the dangers of radical Islam that every American patriot should listen to. Please, click on the follow link to read their latest message to all of us, "Clarion Intel EXCLUSIVE: Nationwide Militant Islamist Network.

Please understand this, a well informed Christian needs not to worry because our LORD Jesus is our worldly protector in whatever we must go through. I believe it will be just as it was shown to me in a vision while in a Sunday morning service in Glen Avon, California when Pastor Johnny Bunch suddenly stopped in the middle of his sermon, Pastor Bunch took one step forward and pointed at me and said, "If you are a born again Christian who happens to be in Sodom or Gomorrah when He allows their destruction, He will take you up in the blink of an eye!" No one saw nor heard Pastor Bunch speak this message to me that morning.

Toay's Reading

Never have I seen this nation in such a demoralized condition as it is today. Many choosing to decide what is right or wrong within their very own moral guidelines rather than what our laws or even the WORD of God says. Many Christians and liberals supporting genderism, homosexuality and even abortion up to the moment of birth.

We have groups in United States which claims to be transgender, groups claiming there are more than two genders and politicians' agreeing with whatever the people are saying just to get their votes..
The hatred that was present at the time of our Civil War very nearly destroyed this nation and unless this nation turns back to the WORD of God we will see the greatest division ever seen with no possible recovery in sight.

Note: Read Romans 1:18-32


The follow is The Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional guide lesson for today..

May 6 Read 2 Kings 14-15

For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash ( II Kings 14:26-27).

Our God is merciful God. Since the split from the southern kingdom of Judah, Israel had been a nation in decline. Her kings had ranged from overtly evil to weak and foolish, and Israel had suffered greatly as a result. The LORD saw the affection of Israel, and He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. Under the guiding hand of God,he (Jeroboam) restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He spake by the hand of His servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher(14:25).

Jeroboam II ruled Israel for 41 years, and under his leadership the people enjoyed levels of peace, prosperity and political prestige that had not been seen in that country since the days of David and Solomon, Unfortunately, however, this period of national prosperity did not bring with it a wave of national righteousness, Jeroboam's military prowess far exceeded his desire to do the will of the LORD (14L24). The king followed the desires of his heart, and the people followed the ways of their king. As a result, immorality and idolatry flourished.

The Israelites appeared to believe that their prosperity was a sign that God approved of their current lifestyle, and they did not heed the warnings of His prophets that He sent to minster to them. Hosea and Amos both spoke out against the spiritual bankruptcy, religious perversion and moral wickedness that were the hallmarks of Jeroboam's reign (Hos. 1:1; 6:4-10; 10:1-15; Amos 1:1; 2:6-8; 3:13-5:27), but the people turned a deaf ear to their words. They lived in a world of peace and plenty, and they could not fathom a time when the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword (Amos 7:9).

Today, we also live in a land of relative peace and prosperity, a land of that claims to be "one nation, under God." As a nation, we have benefited greatly from the LORD's blessings, but just as was the case with Jeroboam and the citizens of Israel, many have mistaken the love and mercy of God for a blanket 'seal of approval.' Instead of delving into the richness of God's WORD and allowing Him to shape their lives after His will, they are boldly proclaiming to know His will without even bothering to consult Him on it. They back up their claims in the same way the ancient Israelites did. They point to their social, material and political successes and say, "God is happy with me."

Success that has been achieved at the cost of spiritual neglect is not success at all; it is failure of the worst kind. In His permissive will, God a​llows us to experience these hollow victories in order to test our loyalty and humility before Him. But rest assured, any earthly success that does not have God at its core is nothing more than an illusion. And, like all illusions, it will eventually fade away into nothingness, revealing the cold, hard truth of a wasted life.


For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself (Gal. 6:3).


Thought for Today: We live to seek God's Blessing, not the other way around.

Wealth, Idols or God?

With each year passing this world is becoming more violent than ever before. The lies are being called the truth and the truth is being called a lie by the vast majority today. With the thoughts of the coming fulfillment of the End Times prophecies one should carefully re-examine their relationship with God today before it is too late. If it isn’t apparent to others that you are living for Christ than you are living for your own selfish desires and in danger of missing God’s plan for your eternal Salvation.

To distinguish between the truth of good and that which is evil there must be a guide in which we are instructed to best understand the differences of this truth. God has given us the Bible as a guide by which all nations and all people should be governed by that, that we may live a long and blessed life.
God’s WORD says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it (Jeremiah 17:9)? We are also warned in the Bible, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2).”

Using the Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional Guides one can read through the Bible in one year with approximately fifteen minutes of reading per-day to learn the details of achieving this long and blessed life which God provides.


The following is the Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional guide for February 23, 2018.

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Read Numbers 23 - 25

Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his (Numbers 23:10)!


Whatever his faults, we must acknowledge that Balaam was a prophet of God. And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak (23:5. Balaam was endowed with far more than ordinary knowledge of the one true God. He received marvelous prophetic revelations and inspiration directly from the LORD. In fact, it was from the mouth of Balaam that we received one of the earliest direct prophecies of the coming Messiah. I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth (24:17). Despite all of this, the wealth and prominence of King Balak enticed him to compromise what he knew was God’s Will. He knew he should have refused Balak outright, but he coveted the rewards that were offered him. Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness (2 Peter 2:15).

There are many today that fall into the same category as Balaam. They know the right doctrine, sing the right songs, and can even quote the perfect Scripture to fit any situation. They have no doubt in the sovereignty of God, but they deceive themselves into believing that they can fulfill their own worldly desires while simultaneously following the will of God. They too, like Balaam, expect to die the death of the righteous, but in life they also love the wages of unrighteousness. They want to belong to the LORD in death and for all eternity, but they withhold a portion of the present in order to indulge their own selfish desires.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's (Exodus 20:17). Covetousness comes in a variety of forms, but they can all be recognized by one key characteristic. A covetous person will have something other than Christ and His WORD as their first concern. Most covetous people do not appear to be evil, in fact they may be considered pleasant, successful people by many who know them. Upon closer inspection, however, they can be easily recognized. These people will always measure their worth against the worth of other people, and they will always find themselves lacking. Because of this, they will never pass up opportunities to gain popularity or wealth, even if it means that they have skirt around the edges of God’s law to do it.

Balaam served God because he understood the LORD’s power and he was afraid not to. However, he was constantly looking for the angle that would allow him to receive the greatest reward possible in this world. In order to be a true servant of God, we must let go of selfish ambition. When balanced against eternity with the LORD, the accumulation of wealth becomes meaningless. God must be first!

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth (Luke 12:15).


Thought for Today: Averting our eyes from God for even a single moment can lead to a lifetime of regret.

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Using the Bible Pathway Ministries Daily Devotional one can read through the Bible in one year’s time with an average of fifteen minutes of reading per-day. Click on Bible Pathway Ministries to order the monthly pamphlet and visit Christianity dot com for fun Bible games.