Sep 30
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chad_wright added a text contribution Growing rootsI love the picture here of us as trees with roots that grow into the stream that is God. It takes time for firm roots to grow. It takes time for us to grow roots with our faith. We must spend consistent time pleading with our King in prayer and studying His word to discover more of His character. But look at the promises. A man who trusts in the Lord "does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.&q… Read more » -
chad_wright added a text contribution The might of the LordUltimately we'll all worship the might of the Lord. We will bring Him glory, whether through our salvation through Christ, or by our judgement and condemnation. I think a healthy fear of the Lord comes from verses like this. I'm in awe of His power. It's beyond what we can even comprehend. Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution A horrifying textThis is an absolutely horrifying text. God commanded Jeremiah to not even attend funerals as a sign that God had condemned these people. "for I have taken away my peace from this people, my steadfast love and mercy, declares the Lord." Wow. To be at a point where God completely removes His peace, love and mercy. But that's what everyone who is outside of Christ will experience on the day of judgement. Hell is the absence of all things good and right from God. It sounds like the Is… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution God saving us from heartbreakHere, Jeremiah is commanded to not have a wife or a family. That was a huge deal at this time. Ask anyone who has ever tried having children and failed, it is heartbreaking, because you desperately want a family. However, God is clearly sparing Jeremiah even great heartbreak because he has decreed that everyone in that land shall "die of diseases." If God allowed Jeremiah to have a family, they would die horrible deaths, obviously breaking Jeremiah's heart. Sometimes when seeming… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution Doubting the promises of GodThe fact that verses like this are in the Bible give me so much hope. Jeremiah was given some amazing promises by God himself and when things got really tough, Jeremiah doubted. But, he didn't just doubt and walk away, he cried out to God about it. He brought his complaints about God to God. My first instinct when things get really bad is to run from God and do things my own way. I should turn to God, lay my worries and the feet of Christ and truly give them over to Him to handle. I don�… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution Apart from the worldThis verse is the perfect description of what it is to live in the world without being a part of it. If God's hand is on us, we sit apart from the things around us. We recognize things of the world and are separated from them. Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution Israel's prosperity gospelThe false prophets in Jeremiah were preaching that Israel would not have any problems. They wouldn't "see the sword, nor shall you have famine." They were preaching a word that was easy to hear and probably made them popular to hear. And God very clearly refutes their message. He makes it clear He did not send these prophets and what they are preaching comes from their own minds. It sounds an awful lot like the prosperity gospel today. Some of the most popular preachers in the wo… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution My idol worshipThis is an amazing text that perfectly applies to today. Our idol worship looks almost exactly like it did in Israel in this passage. I've spent so much of my life chasing after and ultimately worshipping created things instead of the creator God. We spend our lives chasing new cars, bigger televisions and larger houses. But none of it can fulfill like our great King. I love how this text points out that the things being worshipped were created by the best craftsmen so that it can show how… Read more »
Sep 24
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chad_wright added a text contribution Walking like a foolThis was my life before I was really saved. Oh, I'd been baptized before that, but I wasn't truly saved. Instead of bringing my myriad sins before the feet of Christ and begging his forgiveness, I would simply come to church and assume it was ok because "I was saved." It wasn't until later that Christ truly impacted my heart and saved me that I realized I was doing what this verse points out. How many other people walk in a hope that isn't truly Christ while they c… Read more »
Sep 18
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chad_wright added a text contribution Everything in God's timeThis may be the perfect example of God saving when God wants to save. Right here, the people of Asia begin to hear the word of the Lord and are converted to Christ. A few chapters earlier, it says they tried to go to Asia to preach, but the spirit of Jesus stopped them. God does things on his own time table. It may seem odd to us but it's all part of His plan. Read more »
Sep 17
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chad_wright added a text contribution Standing in God's wayI wonder how often in my life I've stood in God's way because of my own selfishness or lack of understanding. I'm sure I can't thwart any of God's plans (what with Him being God and all) but I'm sure I have probably cost myself some blessings He would have had me enjoy if not for my shortsightedness. Read more »
Sep 14
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chad_wright added a text contribution No better than the mockersIt seems here, no matter what the Lord does on this Earth, there will always be those that mock it. I guess until God does his final works through the return of Jesus we will always have the mockers. But don't discount the mockers. God can just as easily save them as he did us. Ultimately we are no better than they are. Read more »
Sep 8
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chad_wright added a text contribution The pressure is offIt isn't about me and what I do or don't do. It's entirely about the grace and mercy of Christ. If I have failed Him utterly, I can still come before Him and beg forgiveness because even though I stumbled, Christ never does and it's all about Him. Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution "For your own sake"I love this verse because Daniel is begging for mercy from God, but right here he says "for your own sake." Meaning God showing us mercy is for His own glory. How much of our personal faith is centered on us, and how much is centered on the glory of Christ? Any part that is centered on us alone is off target. I pray Christ would eliminate those areas of my life and help me totally focus on His glory. Read more »
Sep 4
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chad_wright added a text contribution Certain defeatAccording to this Satan will have his time to rule. But the hope comes in verses 24 and 25. 24 says "his power shall be great-but not by his own power." God has appointed all of this. All is for His glory. 25 is very clear. Satan will be defeated. But clearly it isn't anything we do, but what God does. We should rejoice in his ultimate defeat at the hands of our great King. If we focus on God's ultimate glory, it becomes easier to take the hard things in life, including the t… Read more »
Aug 21
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chad_wright added a text contribution Our role versus HisThis passage is the perfect example of our role in this world versus God's. Many ministries these days seem to make much of us and what we do. Everything is for the glory of God. We tend to forget that. I pull my eyes off His face too often to look at my life and what I'm doing with it. Everything done in my own strength fails utterly. I pray my life would give Him glory and I would recognize His ultimate power over every aspect of it. Read more »
Aug 18
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chad_wright added a text contribution Capes flapping in the windThis is one of those moments in the Bible that is hard for me to connect with. It's one of those moments where followers of God stand up and say whatever happens, we're more interested in His glory. It's great, but I wonder how the same scenario would play out in my life. Would I be able to stand there, cape flapping in the breeze like Super Christian, and say, "to God be the glory." This goes back (or forward I guess) to "to live is Christ, to die is gain."… Read more »
Aug 17
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chad_wright added a text contribution The stepsI hesitate to even call these steps because then people think, "well if I do A and B, C will come true." In reality, C will ultimately be up to Christ's will. However, we are shown the steps David took here. Once he heard about the problem, he went to his crew, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah and asked them to pray. I love how the NIV translates it and says "He urged them to plead for mercy." As I get older I find myself pleading more than just asking. So he revealed his… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution Very poor godsThroughout the Bible, we are shown instances where God trumps the idols of others. In this case, these men put their faith in their own abilities as sorcerers. That faith in something other than God was about to cost them their lives. Time and time again, God gives us examples of people who worshiped things other than Him and time and time again, it ends badly for them. And yet I find myself worshipping things I shouldn't all the time. I consistently put other things before Christ. Ultimat… Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution Conquered for God's gloryUltimately, everything is about bringing glory to God. It was only through God's doing that these four men were placed in the king's court. Of course, first Israel had to be conquered and plundered for God to receive the glory. I should look at the seemingly terrible things that happen in my life and praise Christ that ultimately it will lead to His glory. Read more »
Aug 13
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chad_wright added a text contribution I'm a PhariseeWhenever I'm reading through the Bible and I'm tempted to look at a passage and decide someone's an idiot, I always stop and lay that over my life. Sure the Pharisees were being foolish. They'd seen so many signs and wonders but they still wanted more. Ultimately they didn't want him to be the Christ. That was their motivation. But I do the same thing all the time. How many blessing has God given me in my life? And yet I still struggle to turn to Him. I'm as foolis… Read more »
Aug 12
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chad_wright added a text contribution Terribly suddenThis is why I think comparing multiple versions of the Bible has a lot of value. The NIV says God will bring a "sudden end." The ASV says a "terrible end." There's a huge difference there. A sudden end sounds painless. A terrible end sounds, well, terrifying. Read more »
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chad_wright added a text contribution All this for nothingThis is such a perfect picture of the futility of most of what we do. We spend out time building wealth and trying to get rich when it all just goes to someone else. Providing for our families is one thing, but how much time is wasted building up things we'll never get to enjoy? Read more »
Jul 24
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chad_wright added a text contribution A terrifying set of versesThe one hope for us in these verses is the word "patient." God is patient. Thankfully he is patient with me. I pray that I wouldn't waste that patience. I pray I would honor Him and use the time he's given me to spread his word to others. Read more »
Mar 6
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chad_wright added a text contribution 12 Years of sufferingThis woman suffered for 12 years. It says she suffered under the care of doctors, only grew worse and lost all the money she had. By today's standards, that would be a really hard life. And yet, it was all for the glory of God. It was all so this story could be told. How much of our suffering do we blame God for, when we should be praising him for? It's all for his glory. Read more »
User Info
Name: Chad Wright
User Since: December 2007
Location: Austin, TX
Website: chadwright.wordpress.c…
Contributions: 81
Tags: 138