Scripture Read: Jeremiah 25; 29
Title: Judah's Exile

H.E.A.R.
(H) Highlight verse: "'For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed fir Babylo, I will visit you, and I will fulfill my promise and bring you back to this place. Fort I kniw the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:10,11

(E) Explian: Jeremiah the prophet has spent many years calling Judah to turn from their evil ways. His warnings from God fell on deaf ears, thus Gods judgment was going to break the nation. It is prophesied that Judah would be in captivity for 70 ywars in Babylon. God tells the exiles to take up residency in the city of their captivity, build homes, get married, and pray for the city. However, when The 70 years are completed God promises to restore Judah and bring then back to their land. When this happens The nation will once again call upon God and hervwill be their God and they will be his people once again.

(A) Application: Throughout Jeremiah the message of repentance is prominent, but unfortunately this message goes unheard by the inhabitants of Judah. The nation has fallen into idolatry and God calls them from this evil. Since they do not repent God punishes them by allowing them to go into exile.
When we stray from God or fall into sin, God calls us back to him. He calls us to repentance and desires for us to get back into a right relationship with him. Unfortunately, we don't always heed his call and we continue in our rebellion. When this happens God will discipline us. As hard as it may be at times to face his discipline it it always for our good and God's glory.
if you are walking in rebellion today, take heed to God's loving voice that is calling you back to him. He does have a plan for you and is a plan to bring you back to his presence where he can be your God and you can be his child.

(R) Respond: God search me and bring to my attention any ways that I may be waking in rebellion to you, and allow me to hear your voice calling me to repentance.

Scripture Read: Jeremiah 1 - 3:5
Title: The Calling of Jeremiah
 
H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "'Before I formed you in your mothers womb I chose you.  Before you were born I set you apart.  I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.' I answered, 'Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young. ' The LORD said to me, 'Do not say I am too young.  But go to whomever I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,' says the LORD."  Jeremiah 1:5, 6
 
(E) Explain: Jeremiah was a man called by God to be a prophet.  Jeremiah, like many of us, had excuses as to why he couldn't do what God was calling him to do... He couldn't speak well enough and that he was too young.  However, God assured Jeremiah that He would give him the authority to speak in His name and the message he had to proclaim was dismal.   God's message was one of judgment on the nation of Judah.   

(A) Application: ​God has a plan for his children.  So many of us, when we are called, question our ability to do what god has called us to do.  The reality is that we are all unqualified to do God's work, but He gives us the authority and ability to do the task he has called us to.  In fact, God has chosen each one of us before we were born.  I have met so many followers of Jesus who do not fully understand that God has a calling and a plan for their lives. 
There is a saying I heard and I'm not sure who said it, but it goes, "God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called."  This is true for you and me today.  God has a calling on your life, whether you believe it or not He has given you the authority and ability to fulfill the calling on your life. 

(R) Respond: God I am unworthy of the calling you have placed on my life, but I know that through Jesus we are made worthy, not because of my ability but because of your grace and glory.

Scripture Read: 2 Kings 19 - 21
Title: The Faithfulness and Healing of Hezekiah
 
H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "Turn back and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people , Thus says the LORD , the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears.  Behold I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, and I will add fifteen years to your life.  I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the King of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David's sake.:  2 Kings 20:5,6
 
(E) Explain: In the previous chapters we read about Hezekiah, the King of Judah, and his faithfulness.  In chapter 20 Hezekiah prays to the LORD and asks for protection against Assyria's attacks.  On the night that Isaiah prophesies about the desruction of Assyria an Angel of the LORD struk down 185,000 Assyrians.  Senacherib, the king of the Assyrians, was later killed by his own sons.
Soon after, Hezekiah finds out he is sick and will die.  He prays to the LORD and the LORD heals him and adds fifteen years to his life.  About three years later Hezekiah has a son named Manasseh and he becomes heir to the throne.  At the age of twelve he becomes king and reigns for fifty five years.  He was an evil king as he erected all the altars his father destroyed.  He burned his son as an offering to Baal and Asherah.  Thus the downward cycle of evil kings begins in the southern kingdom.

(A) Application: ​Prayer is a powerful tool for believers.  As we see in todays passages that Heezekaih was a man of prayer.  He prayed for deliverance from Assyria, and he prayed for healing from his terminal illness.  In both cases God heard and answered his prayers in a positive manner.  This should encourage us to make prayer a priority in our lives.  We are told in the New Testament to ask God for what we need.  However, God doesn't always give us the things we want, but he will give us what he thinks we need.  Commit today, if you haven't already, to make prayer a part of your everyday life.

(R) Respond: Prayer is a wonderful gift given to us by you.  Thank you for your gift and may I never neglect it, because the is power in prayer.

Scripture Read: 2 Kings 17 - 18Title: The Exile of Israel 
 
H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "And this occured because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drowve out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced "  2 Kings 17:7
 
(E) Explain: These two chapters are a tale of two nations.  At this point and time Israel had divided into two nations Israel (the northen kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom).  Israel had turned its back on God and they "did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger, and they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, 'You shall not do this.'"  As a result of their rebellion against God, they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians.  
Judah, however, remained faithful to God under the leadership of Hezekiah who trusted in God and there were none like him among all the kings of Judah after him.   We read that "The LORD was with himwherever he went, and he prospered.   

(A) Application: ​These passages are the classic tale of what happens when you are disobedient to God verses when you remain faithful to Him.  Israel was doomed because they chose to walk in the ways of the rest of the world.  They chose to ignore the God of their fathers who made a covenant with them and follow after ofther gods and walk in the ways of evil.  The result ended in exile and bondage.  This still holds true today.  When we decide to walk in the ways of the world and ignore the commands and teachings of God, He will allow us to go into exile and bondage.  If we choose the path of rebellion and wickedness, God will discipline and it may be harsh.
However, if we remain faithful and obedient to God, and walk in His ways, we will prosper everywhere we go.  This doesn't mean we will gain wealth, have comfort and live carefree lives, this is not the proseperity that God speaks.  The prosperity we will have will be God's favor,  we will be blessed in our daily endeavors, we will know true freedom and joy.  We will know and experience freedom, peace and victory in our lives.  So, you have a choice today... Will you choose the way of rebellion and bondage like Israel did or will you choose the way of victory and freedom as Judah did?

(R) Respond: Lord, I choose to walk in your ways and keeps you commands and statutes.  I choose to walk in the prosperity of the LORD and in the freedom that you bring through Jesus Christ.

Scripture Read: Micah 1; 4:6 - 13; 5
Title: Judgment, Hope and Mercy 
 
H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."  Micah 5:2
 
(E) Explain: Micah is a prophet who was a contemporary of Isaiah, but his prophecies were aimed at the southern kingdom of Judah.  Judah, just like Israel, had fallen into the sin of idolatry.  The chosen children of God had turned their backs on the God who has delivered them from Egypt and made great promises concerning his kingdom, had given themselves to false gods.  Thus much of Micah is a prophecy of judgment against the people of Judah.  However, God in His great mercy also speaks of a future hope in the coming Messiah.  In the second part of the prophecy Micah speaks of a ruler (the Messiah) coming from the small town of Bethhlehem and he continues to talk about the hope that would come from this person. The passage also talks about his second coming and his eternal reign.  Of course, Micah is speaking a prophecy about Jesus.  We see in this prophecy, much like the others, that God will not allow the sin of idolatry to go unpunished but we also find that his discipline and judgment is always intended to bring his children back to Him.  Although judgment and punishment were imminent for the nations, there was hope because Jesus Christ would one day come to the earth and set things right through his life, death, resurrection and ascension.

(A) Application:  I hope, and believe, that we are getting the picture that God will not tolerate idolatry among his people.  We are told numerous times that He is a jealous God and He will not take the back seat to any other god.  This applies to us today, God desires our allegience to Him.  He gone to great lengths to show that He loves us and desires to be in relationship with us through Jesus Christ.  We have the hope and promise of redemption through Jesus Christ, who was prophecied centuries before He came onto the scene.  The prophecies of Jesus throughout the Old Testament should give us assurance that God is a faithful God who always fulfills His promises.

(R) Respond: Thank you for the promise of life through Jesus Christ.  Thank you that redemption through Jesus Christ your "Plan A" since the beginning of time.  

Scripture Read: Isaiah 52 - 53
Title: The Suffering Servant
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H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted." Isaiah 52:13
 
(E) Explain: These passages are part of a messianic prophecy that has been titled "The Servant Song" and it is also known as the suffering servant passage.  These chapters are probably one of the most well-known messianic prophecies in the Old Testament.  When it is read it is almost eery as to how accurate this prophecy is in regards to Jesus Christ and His death on the cross.  We are privy to information that we don't have in the New Testament such as Jesus' appearance, "he had no form of majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him."  This tells us he was an average man.  He had no distinct qualities, just an ordinary average person.  We also read the graphic and brutal details of Jesus' death on the cross, "his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance."   There are also specific points like being despised and rejected by humanity; bearing our griefs and carried our sorrows; being wounded for our sins.  He was oppressed and afflicted; He did not open his mouth to speak; His pain and suffering was for our healing;  and in all this, it was the LORD's will. 

(A) Application:  I find it hard to fathom that one could read these chapters and not see the great love that Jesus has for you.  This prophecy of Jesus on the cross of Calvary was spoken many centuries before it occured and it gives great detail as to what our Lord and Savior went through, so we could have abundant life now and forevermore.  I would encourage you to read these chapters again, and as hard as it may be, visualize in your mind what Jesus went through to bring life, redemption and salvation to the world.  This brutal and graphic display of love was God's plan from the beginning of time. It was not so because God was angry and He took delight in it, He allowed it because it was necessary for salvation and the redemption of humanity. ​

(R) Respond: Jesus you gave everything for me, so may I give my all for you in life.  Thank you for willingly going to the cross of Calvary so that you could redeem that which was lost and make things right once again.

Scripture Read: Isaiah 44 -45
Title: There is None Other Besides God

H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse:  "I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God.  I equip you, though you do not know me, that peoplemay know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other " Isaiah 45:5 - 6
 
(E) Explain: The theme of today's passages is clear to me.  Six times in chapter 45 (in the ESV Bible) God declares that He alone is God and there is none besides him.  This is significant because repetition in the Bible means that it is truth and it is important to know.  In our readinig for today God is showing that He is the only sovereign God in the universe.  He alone is God and there is none beside Him.  This was something that Israel needed reminding often.  They were prone to following other gods.  They had given themselves to idolatry and false gods and God is calling them back.  He is calling his rebellious false god worshiping children back to Him and reminding them, there is no God except for me.  

(A) Application:  We need reminding daily that God is God and there is no other God.  We may not be idol worshiping people in the sense that we have little statues that we carved out of wood, or formed out metal that we bow down and worship.  But we certainly are prone to worshiping false gods and we may not realize that we are giving our allegience to something other than God.  An idol is anything we place before God.  This could be anything from, but not exclusive, money, sex, power, family, work, school, people, material possessions and so on.  Let us continually be reminded that all false gods/idols lead to emptiness.  They may seem to be full of promise and happiness, but in the end leave us unfulfilled and empty.  Only God is God and there is none besides him. 

(R) Respond: LORD, may you be the only God in my life.