He made all. He will bring up and restore. He breaks yokes. He has a plan. He remains the same. He keeps His promises. He will be found. He listens. He gives understanding. He is faithful and for us. He is a firm foundation. We are His. He grants us repentance and takes us in.
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. – 2 Timothy 2:22-23
God pursued Israel and Judah persistently. Sending them his servants and prophets. But they sinned before Him, the God who knows, the God who is witness. May we see the grace of God who persisted after us, despite witnessing our deepest rebellion and filthy sin.
I think Jeremiah 27-29 is just a really great reminder of how no one and nothing, can or will, stand in the way of God’s will! If He’s ordained something to happen, He’s going to see to it that it does. I think that’s something that can be related to our everyday life and just our calling. There’ll be people or “haters” who are jealous of God’s call on your life and can see that He’s destined you for greatness, and they’ll try to throw you off track. But it’s important to be surrounded by people who are going to speak life over you, and that you remain rooted in His Truth. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy!
Thank you ladies for these encouraging comments. I too find Jeremiah very comforting and edifying. He faced so many struggles and the opposition of everyone. Yet Jeremiah is called to stand strong and the people are called to hopeful obedience. Timothy too is called to stand strong in the face of difficulty.
As I stand at a crossroad in life and wait on God’s direction, I am strengthened by His word and by this community of sisters in the Lord. Thank you
I also was struck by the context of Jer 29:11. It’s the verse my parents chose for me when they dedicated me as a baby, unsure if I would live. (I was diagnosed with the CMV virus, as well as cerebral palsy. I’m 38 now, grown up and married.) Reading this verse today in the context of exile made me think of my own daily struggles with life and health and faith. I realized I can choose to live and thrive where I am to the best of my ability, and even though my life doesn’t look the way I thought it would when I was younger, I can still know God’s favor in the “land” I am in.
Even in ‘exile’, perhaps the place we thought we’d never be in if we thought we followed all the rules (but still fell short of His holiness), the place where He led us because WE needed the lesson or our pride addressed…even here, the Lord wants us to live, thrive, be fruitful and productive, not moping around wishing for the ‘good old days’.
There is purpose and intention and a plan behind things not going my way. It’s for my good, for His glory, as I seek him in a new way that is more real and raw than it was when life was easy & smooth. And He promises to be found here…even in the exile. He is everywhere. No situation takes us away from being able to seek Him and find Him. He just wants all our hearts in the process.
I love the way you worded that. It is eye opening to read Jeremiah 29:11 in context to get a full understanding of the circumstances God’s people were in – God was willingly sending them into exile because of their pride and refusal to turn back to Him. For 70 years!!! Which means most of them would not live to see the day that God was talking about here, when they would come out of exile. Yet, He is calling them to flourish and thrive amidst living under a yoke of slavery, to have hope and trust in His plan for their lives. I am challenged today that if God is asking His people to have hope when they are being led into slavery for 70 years, I can certainly have hope in the valleys of life I find myself in. God is allowing me to walk through these for purposes beyond my understanding, and we are called to trust Him daily and find contentment in His promise of life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I’m so thankful to have you ladies to share in this journey with, like many of you, I often find myself wondering why did things happen the way they did but I shouldn’t because God has a hand in everything and I just need to trust him because he will never steer us wrong. I’m so thankful to have gotten my life back on track for the lord.
I’ve only been on this journey for a little over a month, but it’s amazing how much love and mercy I’ve already seen. Regardless of the situation, we serve an incredible God. Like in Jeremiah, he has a plan for us that we may have to wait for.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself.” This verse has been embedded in me for 6 months. Love the fact he is so faithful to us. He is a rock. His goodness is not dependent on us. He keeps his covenant with his people not because we deserve it but because he cannot deny himself – as the maker of the covenant. Praise Him!
2 Timothy 2:4 really spoke to me today. Focusing on pleasing God instead of “civilian matters” just seems so inspiring to where I am right now. Being a stay at home mom, I rely on my girlfriends (most of who are moms too) to keep me socialized and not stuck under a rock. I have a mom group I am a part of over social media, most of us have known each other almost four years when we were all pregnant around the same time. Recently I had found myself caught up in the “mommy wars” or finding myself feeling “less than” when I wasn’t doing what everyone else was doing or my life didn’t look as picture perfect as others. It was so draining. I was feeling defeated, unworthy and unimportant. I knew these feelings weren’t from my Father so I decided to take a social media break. These women are my friends. I know they’re not trying to one up me or make me feel bad. But I also know that I needed the time away to regroup and refocus my attention on the Lord. Comparing myself to other moms, my parenting to other parents or just my overall life picture to someone else’s is civilian. I’m not meant to be or look like anyone else and that is incredibly freeing. I don’t need to please my social media followers but my father in heaven. And Hallelujah, I don’t need to filter, crop or edit anything because He knows me, my heart and my life. Have a wonderful Monday everyone!
I resonate with everything you are saying and this verse hit me like a ton of bricks today. Comparison is something that has been on my heart for quite awhile now as something I struggle with. I decided to give up Instagram for lent and realized how powerful it was. Thanks for sharing your heart and struggles. I stay at home as well and it can be so isolating…social media seems like an easy way to not feel lonely but I have realized how much more damaging it can be for my heart (I know this is not the case for everyone). Thanks again for your powerful words…they are an encouragement to me to press into the Word and keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. So thankful for SRT where I can connect with others and feel understood!
2timothy 2:9 “But Gods word is not in chains.” AMEN! Our God and his word are both boundless and mighty to save! His word will accomplish what it sets out to accomplish because it is God breathed. Love that verse!
For many of the people in the exile, Babylon would be all they ever knew. 70 years was a whole lifetime, and thinking that you could go back to Israel sooner than that would make for a miserable, discontented life. We don’t always know why God allows us to get into the circumstances we do, but it never means that He isn’t working, and it never means He doesn’t love us, it just means that His plans are better than ours whether we understand them or not. Very difficult to remember some days!
Jeremiah 29:11 makes so much more sense in context! God is speaking to His people who have been/will be exiled, and saying “settle in, it’s going to be a long ride, but that’s okay because I’m in control and have this all figured out, even to the day, when you’ll be able to return home.” That’s so much more comforting to me than just throwing around the phrase “God has a plan…”
agreed! I think most people who throw around the phrase have no idea what the context is.
that’s one more thing that is so great reading the Bible from cover to cover…we get the whole picture…not just snippets taken out of context. and God’s message becomes even more meaningful and more powerful.
I was just thinking that same thing! We always put a rose-colored glasses spin on Jeremiah 29:11. So when you don’t have a rose-colored glasses life happening on the moment, it gets a bit harder to see how He has a plan for you. The context just made this so much more powerful to me.
Having nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversy. It is so easy to get caught up in petty controversies in this world. I find myself distracted at times. I must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone. That’s a challenge also. I pray that Jesus will help me stay focused on him and kind today.
He made all. He will bring up and restore. He breaks yokes. He has a plan. He remains the same. He keeps His promises. He will be found. He listens. He gives understanding. He is faithful and for us. He is a firm foundation. We are His. He grants us repentance and takes us in.
Even when we are not faithful God is faithful
❤️
❤️
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. – 2 Timothy 2:22-23
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11
15Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
✝️
That 29:11 is addressed to a people in exile puts it in a whole new light!
God pursued Israel and Judah persistently. Sending them his servants and prophets. But they sinned before Him, the God who knows, the God who is witness. May we see the grace of God who persisted after us, despite witnessing our deepest rebellion and filthy sin.
1You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,
I think Jeremiah 27-29 is just a really great reminder of how no one and nothing, can or will, stand in the way of God’s will! If He’s ordained something to happen, He’s going to see to it that it does. I think that’s something that can be related to our everyday life and just our calling. There’ll be people or “haters” who are jealous of God’s call on your life and can see that He’s destined you for greatness, and they’ll try to throw you off track. But it’s important to be surrounded by people who are going to speak life over you, and that you remain rooted in His Truth. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy!
13if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.
Thank you ladies for these encouraging comments. I too find Jeremiah very comforting and edifying. He faced so many struggles and the opposition of everyone. Yet Jeremiah is called to stand strong and the people are called to hopeful obedience. Timothy too is called to stand strong in the face of difficulty.
As I stand at a crossroad in life and wait on God’s direction, I am strengthened by His word and by this community of sisters in the Lord. Thank you
I also was struck by the context of Jer 29:11. It’s the verse my parents chose for me when they dedicated me as a baby, unsure if I would live. (I was diagnosed with the CMV virus, as well as cerebral palsy. I’m 38 now, grown up and married.) Reading this verse today in the context of exile made me think of my own daily struggles with life and health and faith. I realized I can choose to live and thrive where I am to the best of my ability, and even though my life doesn’t look the way I thought it would when I was younger, I can still know God’s favor in the “land” I am in.
You girls move my heart and soul today with your comments! Truth. Grace. Mercy. I’m deeply grateful.
Even in ‘exile’, perhaps the place we thought we’d never be in if we thought we followed all the rules (but still fell short of His holiness), the place where He led us because WE needed the lesson or our pride addressed…even here, the Lord wants us to live, thrive, be fruitful and productive, not moping around wishing for the ‘good old days’.
There is purpose and intention and a plan behind things not going my way. It’s for my good, for His glory, as I seek him in a new way that is more real and raw than it was when life was easy & smooth. And He promises to be found here…even in the exile. He is everywhere. No situation takes us away from being able to seek Him and find Him. He just wants all our hearts in the process.
I love the way you worded that. It is eye opening to read Jeremiah 29:11 in context to get a full understanding of the circumstances God’s people were in – God was willingly sending them into exile because of their pride and refusal to turn back to Him. For 70 years!!! Which means most of them would not live to see the day that God was talking about here, when they would come out of exile. Yet, He is calling them to flourish and thrive amidst living under a yoke of slavery, to have hope and trust in His plan for their lives. I am challenged today that if God is asking His people to have hope when they are being led into slavery for 70 years, I can certainly have hope in the valleys of life I find myself in. God is allowing me to walk through these for purposes beyond my understanding, and we are called to trust Him daily and find contentment in His promise of life through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I am so excited to start this journey! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
I’m so thankful to have you ladies to share in this journey with, like many of you, I often find myself wondering why did things happen the way they did but I shouldn’t because God has a hand in everything and I just need to trust him because he will never steer us wrong. I’m so thankful to have gotten my life back on track for the lord.
I’ve only been on this journey for a little over a month, but it’s amazing how much love and mercy I’ve already seen. Regardless of the situation, we serve an incredible God. Like in Jeremiah, he has a plan for us that we may have to wait for.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful because he cannot deny himself.” This verse has been embedded in me for 6 months. Love the fact he is so faithful to us. He is a rock. His goodness is not dependent on us. He keeps his covenant with his people not because we deserve it but because he cannot deny himself – as the maker of the covenant. Praise Him!
❤️
2 Timothy 2:4 really spoke to me today. Focusing on pleasing God instead of “civilian matters” just seems so inspiring to where I am right now. Being a stay at home mom, I rely on my girlfriends (most of who are moms too) to keep me socialized and not stuck under a rock. I have a mom group I am a part of over social media, most of us have known each other almost four years when we were all pregnant around the same time. Recently I had found myself caught up in the “mommy wars” or finding myself feeling “less than” when I wasn’t doing what everyone else was doing or my life didn’t look as picture perfect as others. It was so draining. I was feeling defeated, unworthy and unimportant. I knew these feelings weren’t from my Father so I decided to take a social media break. These women are my friends. I know they’re not trying to one up me or make me feel bad. But I also know that I needed the time away to regroup and refocus my attention on the Lord. Comparing myself to other moms, my parenting to other parents or just my overall life picture to someone else’s is civilian. I’m not meant to be or look like anyone else and that is incredibly freeing. I don’t need to please my social media followers but my father in heaven. And Hallelujah, I don’t need to filter, crop or edit anything because He knows me, my heart and my life. Have a wonderful Monday everyone!
I resonate with everything you are saying and this verse hit me like a ton of bricks today. Comparison is something that has been on my heart for quite awhile now as something I struggle with. I decided to give up Instagram for lent and realized how powerful it was. Thanks for sharing your heart and struggles. I stay at home as well and it can be so isolating…social media seems like an easy way to not feel lonely but I have realized how much more damaging it can be for my heart (I know this is not the case for everyone). Thanks again for your powerful words…they are an encouragement to me to press into the Word and keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. So thankful for SRT where I can connect with others and feel understood!
I needed this reminder and encouragement today! Thank you for sharing, and what wonderful reassurance we have from God’s Word!
2timothy 2:9 “But Gods word is not in chains.” AMEN! Our God and his word are both boundless and mighty to save! His word will accomplish what it sets out to accomplish because it is God breathed. Love that verse!
Never turn away from the lord, always look to him!
For many of the people in the exile, Babylon would be all they ever knew. 70 years was a whole lifetime, and thinking that you could go back to Israel sooner than that would make for a miserable, discontented life. We don’t always know why God allows us to get into the circumstances we do, but it never means that He isn’t working, and it never means He doesn’t love us, it just means that His plans are better than ours whether we understand them or not. Very difficult to remember some days!
Your so right. I never thought of that. ❤️
Jeremiah 29:11 makes so much more sense in context! God is speaking to His people who have been/will be exiled, and saying “settle in, it’s going to be a long ride, but that’s okay because I’m in control and have this all figured out, even to the day, when you’ll be able to return home.” That’s so much more comforting to me than just throwing around the phrase “God has a plan…”
agreed! I think most people who throw around the phrase have no idea what the context is.
that’s one more thing that is so great reading the Bible from cover to cover…we get the whole picture…not just snippets taken out of context. and God’s message becomes even more meaningful and more powerful.
Yes! My thoughts exactly…
I was just thinking that same thing! We always put a rose-colored glasses spin on Jeremiah 29:11. So when you don’t have a rose-colored glasses life happening on the moment, it gets a bit harder to see how He has a plan for you. The context just made this so much more powerful to me.
Having nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversy. It is so easy to get caught up in petty controversies in this world. I find myself distracted at times. I must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone. That’s a challenge also. I pray that Jesus will help me stay focused on him and kind today.
Yes it is also easy to slip into “stinkin’ thinkin’ ” Thanks for the reminder .. Have nothing to do with foolish ignorant controversy .