The Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 26, 2022
The Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 26, 2022
Saturday, February 26, 2022
TOPIC: "BEHOLD, EVEN I HAVE SEEN IT"
TEXT Jeremiah 7: 1-20
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 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. 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 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?
11 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.
12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. 15And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. 16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. 19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? 20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
The Daily Fountain Devotional Saturday, February 26, 2022
INTRODUCTION TEXT
God's Prophet was asked to 'stand at the entrance to the Temple (Church) in order to proclaim to the worshippers (Christians) who come into the Temple (Church) to worship God' (v.2). The message was "Amend your ways and your doings (v.3a). Why would such a message come from God to those who go to the Temple to worship Him?
God is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. Before Him, all is naked and nothing can be hidden from Him (Heb. 4:13). He knows the heart of every man and the intent and purpose/motive behind every act of worship. His eye is too holy to behold sin (Hab. 1:13). He is so loving, not wanting any man to perish; He warns us saying "Behold, I, even I, see your deeds and motives, I know those who go to Church as a cover-up for their evil thoughts and ways, I also know those whose hearts are steadfast towards me.' Therefore, for it not to be for us as it was for 'Shiloh' (unbelievers), we must heed the warnings in verses 5b-18 seriously. We must ask for God's grace to amend our ways so that we can dwell in the land God has given to our fathers (v.7).
Prayer: I plead for your mercy and forgiveness, Oh Lord, grant me the grace to worship You in Spirit and in Truth. Amen.