Join us for the National Day of Prayer 2024!

Greetings Beloved Ones,

 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 

I am so moved by the life of Jeremiah, who was born into a priestly family and called as a youth to serve the Lord as a prophet to Judah. He faithfully declared God’s message through the reigns of Judah’s last five kings which was over a forty year period. He warned Judah repeatedly, calling them to return to the Lord, but they remained stubborn. Another interesting point in Jeremiah’s story is the Lord did not permit him to marry (Jer. 16:2). Jeremiah exemplifies a life fully devoted to the purposes of God which should provoke us to think…

 

Jeremiah 1:5 enlightens us to the truth that God is intricately involved in each of our lives even before we’re formed in our mother’s womb.  “The Hebrew word translated

I knew you,…covers a greater meaning than that of intellectual knowledge. It refers to the closest relationship possible. God knows each one with complete understanding of the total person as a thinking, willing and feeling being.” (The Passion Translation commentary on Jer. 1:5)

 

“Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬ ‭TPT‬‬)

 

Jeremiah’s life was absolutely a sacred, living sacrifice to God. He did not hold anything back and poured himself out daily in prayer and prophecy. “His life ended after almost fifty years of ministry until he was carried off to Egypt and stoned to death at Tahpanhes.” (TPT online commentary) Jeremiah was a Praying Prophet who lamented over the disobedience and rebellion of his people. His faithfulness was the result of experiencing God’s heart for His people…There’s no other way to live a life of perseverance in a time of crisis, political turmoil and national disasters apart from loving God and those in your nation. Love is the binding force that sustains the servants of God during trying times. 

 

I believe we can glean encouragement from Jeremiah’s life, understanding that we are intimately known by our Father and have been set apart by Him to fulfill what He’s called us to do in our communities and beyond.  Jesus commissioned all His followers saying, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬) 

 

Because our Lord overcame the world, so shall we…“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬) Like Jeremiah, we can take heart in the midst of current day crises, political turmoil and national disasters. If he stood firm in his faith, strong and passionate until the end of his life which was before the Cross of Christ and without the indwelling Holy Spirit, then we definitely can stand strong together as the Body of Christ and overcome the works of the evil one… “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”

(2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬)

 

Personally, Jeremiah’s extravagant love, demonstrated in his radical obedience,  challenges me in a good way! I want my “Yes” to the Lord to be 100% like Jeremiah’s was… I want my life to be a sweet offering to Jesus, not holding anything back. Jesus is worthy of all of our lives; not just the parts that are easier to lay down for Him…

 

Lord Jesus, help us through the power of the Holy Spirit to deny ourselves and daily take up our cross and follow You (Luke 9:23 NIV) …break our hearts for what breaks Yours…increase our love for You, Lord, and all those around us…family, friends, neighbors, community and world! Teach us, Holy Spirit, to lay down our lives for Jesus, just as He laid down His life for us. 

 

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬) 

 

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

 

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” (‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

 

Let’s make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit every day to lead & guide us as beacons of HOPE, TRUTH & LOVE, declaring faithfully His words which bring light and overthrow darkness! We have a daily opportunity to bring God’s Kingdom to our world, one person at a time! 

 

All for Jesus, 

Veronica Leach