Weekly Guide：Week 50
January 06, 2019
Forward
Happy New Year!
We continue reading the first and second book of Peter.
The meaning of suffering is fully portrayed in the first book of Peter. In this Christmas season, it brings the thought on how those of us who are suffering may be helped by Jesus’ suffering. We persevere and strengthen our hearts to wait for Jesus’ coming just like those early believers who suffered persecutions to experience His presence in difficult circumstances. Living without peace is caused by the gap between God’s promise and the harsh reality. However, God is capable of closing that gap to display the meaning of His son’s birth in the humble manger.
Humbly accept life’s hardships, patiently face the suffering, do not give up and be consumed, but by the name of God and His promises, carry on through the turbulence with tenacity. Like precious metals, we are being refined by fire. Like grains in the fields, we await patiently for the spring rain to come. We declare victory by Jesus’ love.
May you all be renewed in His word each day!
Question
What kind of relationship with others can be seen in those who have reborn life?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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We as foreigners and exiles, shall abstain from sinful desires, live good lives, so others may see our good deeds and glorify God.
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Submit ourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority, to the emperor or the governors; In reverent fear for God, submit to our masters, whether they are harsh or good and considerate; For the Lord’s sake, wives shall submit to husbands, dressed in pure heart and reverent live, if any of their husbands do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives.
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For people of God, husbands shall be considerate living with their wives, and treat them with respect.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - We are foreigners and exiles of this world. How is such identity like? What is the focus of my life in this world? Am I seeing this temporary tent as a permanent house?
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Integrity - Abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. What is the meaning that it “wages war against your soul?” Do I have a real-life example? Abstain from sinful desires is done once or is it a continuous process? What is my experience with that?
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Integrity - Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God. Why do the pagans accuse me? What is the purpose of my good deeds?
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Integrity - What is our relationship with our country’s authorities and bosses at work? What about relationship with our spouses? Think about my attitude and conduct according to this passage. Ask for the Lord’s help to change me to know my identity, so that my attitude and conduct are commensurate to the grace I receive.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What should be the attitude toward suffering for doing good?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Use whatever gift you have received to serve others with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing.
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If you suffer for what is right, you are blessed. In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
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We shall obey God’s will for our suffering and follow Jesus’ example.
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Arm ourselves with Jesus’ attitude to suffer for righteousness so that our bodies are done with sins.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - What shall be my attitude toward suffering for doing good? What examples did Lord Jesus Christ give us? What spiritual benefits does suffer for righteousness bring?
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Integrity - How should we treat one another? Repay evil with evil, insult with insult, do not purify us in front of God because this is no different than doing evil. What does this remind me of? What does it mean that love covers over a multitude of sins? Have I experienced such love? Or, would I cover their sins if I love those who are unlovable?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What should be the attitude toward suffering for being a Christian?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Rejoice in the suffering for being a Christian as it is a participation in the sufferings of Christ, so that we may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
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Elders shall be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them-not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be. Not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. When Christ appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
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You who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders.
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Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. Cast all your anxiety on him. Be alert and of sober mind, stand firm in faith and resist the devil.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - What are the possible scenarios where Christians might suffer for their Christian identity? In this time of peace and freedom and within my own circumstance, how might I suffer for being a Christian? Have I ever been in a situation where I might suffer for being a Christian? Have I had such opportunity but covered up my Christian identity and felt guilty? How does this passage (4:12-19) encourage me?
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Integrity - What did God urge through Peter those who are church elders? Let me pray for the elders and pastors in my church. How shall I respond to their shepherding? How shall I treat them? How did Peter describe the works of devil? How shall I respond to the devil’s attack?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How may we become productive in our spiritual lives?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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God has given us everything we need for a godly life, his very great and precious promises, so that we may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
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Make every effort to add to our faith goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love, to keep ourselves from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, to confirm our calling and election, never stumble, and to receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, witnessed by Peter in his own eyes and foretold through completely reliable prophetic message, is true and trustworthy.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - God has given us everything we need for a godly life along his very great and precious promises are sufficient for us to grow our lives to be like Jesus’. Peter was speaking to those who believed in additional mysterious knowledge and false teachings. What does it remind me of that God has already given is sufficient? We can find answer to everything we need, so, how shall I find the answer to grow my life in the new year?
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Integrity - What are “these qualities” that appeared several times in the passage? Think about the meaning of each quality. What benefits does it bring me by making every effort to achieve these qualities?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What do the false teachers do and what will be their end?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
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God’s response to those lawless, men or angels, has always been the same since ancient time. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
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The false teachers blaspheme in matters they do not understand; Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They left the straight way, never stop sinning, are experts in greed, seduce the unstable; They mouth empty, boastful words, and they entice people by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - The false teachers will appear. Do not be surprised when hearing or seeing them. We must know God has already determined how they’d end. This passage made examples of judgement brought about the sinned angels and ungodly people of the ancient world. The righteous Lord will not delay such judgement. The heresies and depraved conducts from the false prophets and false teachers of this age caused blasphemy of Jesus’ truth. How does that disturb me? Has today’s passage bring certainty and hope to me? Why?
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Walking with God - The proto-Gnosticism of the time may be the reason Peter mentioned false teachers several times in this chapter. Let me summarize the false teachers’ characteristics through the description of their conducts in the chapter to help me distinguish them.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How shall we prepare ourselves for the day of the Lord’s coming that He had promised?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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There will be scoffers in the last days scoffing the Lord’s promise is not real.
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The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
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The day the Lord comes, all elements will be destroyed by fire; There will be a new heaven and a new earth where the righteous dwells by His promise.
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We shall make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him; Do not distort what Paul wrote in his letters and other scriptures, or be destroyed; Be on guard not to be carried away by the error of the lawless, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - How shall I prepare myself to face the Lord at peace? Bible should not be interpreted erroneously. What does it mean to interpret erroneously? What is the result of erroneous interpretation? How to avoid erroneous interpretation? How does this remind me about studying Bible and devotion?
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Integrity - The promise of the Lord’s coming is real. He is not slow but patient, wanting all to come to repentance, and not wanting anyone to perish. Do I have the same merciful heart toward others? The day of His coming, all elements will be destroyed by fire and there will be a new heaven and a new earth. How does this promise contradict with things I am pursuing?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Who is Christ? Do you know Him?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Christ is prophet, high priest, king, and all of God's mysteries.
+ Christ is the Son of God, is the radiance of the glorious God, is the exact representation of God's being, and superior to the angels.
+ Christ is the creator and through Him the universe was made.
+ God is the one in control that the universe follows His plan, not to the left, not to the right. Jesus is the appointed heir of all things.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Think about the miracle of God's creation and my understanding of His glory with the knowledge that Jesus is the creator of the universe. How does this affect my identity and value?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did Jesus accomplish the salvation?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ We must pay careful attention to God's word as it is crucial to our eternal lives.
+ The salvation was first announced by the Lord, then confirmed by those who heard Him, then testified by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and by the gift of Holy Spirit distributed by His will.
+ Do not ignore God's salvation. Willingly missing it will cause the utmost regret.
+ Mankind was made a little lower than the angels, but still God gave mankind the authority over all creations.
+ Jesus is our savior. He suffered death of flesh and blood so that we may be saved and freed from the slavery of our fear of death.
+ Jesus' resurrection dissolved the power of sin and won over the authority of death.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - How does keeping in my mind the Lord's grace and paying careful attention to God's word help me strengthen my identity and value?
+ **Identity** - How does the knowledge that we were made little lower than the angels, but still God gave us the authority over all creations helps me with my identity and value?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
In what does Jesus surpass Moses?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Moses was a servant of God in the old testament, but he fell far short of Jesus who is the Son of God.
+ Jesus builds the house of eternity.
+ We ought to make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following the example of disobedience.
+ The word of God is alive and active.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Have I entered God's rest? What is impeding me from entering God's rest?
+ **Community** - Am I often encouraging and lifting up others so that they would not be deceived?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How to understand Jesus' duty as the great high priest
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord is the source of growth of our spiritual lives, we shall depend only on Him and make Him the goal of our focus.
+ Jesus is the great high priest of grace and faith, the priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
+ Jesus can empathize with our weakness, has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet He did not sin.
+ Jesus completely obeyed God's will to bear for us our suffering.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - How am I willing to accept and understand those who are weak in faith or have already fallen to encourage them to get closer to God?
+ **Integrity** - Bible teaches us to move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. Am I mature or still in the infant stage of my spiritual growth? How would I move forward in the knowledge of truth?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are the differences between the priesthood of Jesus and Aaron?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jesus is the great high priest in the order of Melchizedek, not of the Aaron's.
+ Jesus is eternal and His priesthood is forever and permanent so that He is able to save completely those who come to God through him.
+ Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Jesus surpasses any man and blesses all mankind.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - What role does Jesus, the great high priest, play in my relationship with God? Jesus is worthy of all praises and glories. How am I worshiping Him every day?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why is the new covenant superior?
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jesus' ministry is superior as He is the mediator of the superior covenant.
+ We may reconcile with God only through Jesus as He is the mediator of the new covenant which we shall have faith in.
+ God writes His laws on man's heart and makes Himself known, forgives his wickedness, and remembers his sins no more.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I understand the meaning of "I will be their God, and they will be my people?" Do I often remind myself of my identity as God's people?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2020.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Who is Christ? Do you know Him?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Christ is prophet, high priest, king, and all of God's mysteries.
+ Christ is the Son of God, is the radiance of the glorious God, is the exact representation of God's being, and superior to the angels.
+ Christ is the creator and through Him the universe was made.
+ God is the one in control that the universe follows His plan, not to the left, not to the right. Jesus is the appointed heir of all things.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Think about the miracle of God's creation and my understanding of His glory with the knowledge that Jesus is the creator of the universe. How does this affect my identity and value?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did Jesus accomplish the salvation?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ We must pay careful attention to God's word as it is crucial to our eternal lives.
+ The salvation was first announced by the Lord, then confirmed by those who heard Him, then testified by signs, wonders, and various miracles, and by the gift of Holy Spirit distributed by His will.
+ Do not ignore God's salvation. Willingly missing it will cause the utmost regret.
+ Mankind was made a little lower than the angels, but still God gave mankind the authority over all creations.
+ Jesus is our savior. He suffered death of flesh and blood so that we may be saved and freed from the slavery of our fear of death.
+ Jesus' resurrection dissolved the power of sin and won over the authority of death.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - How does keeping in my mind the Lord's grace and paying careful attention to God's word help me strengthen my identity and value?
+ **Identity** - How does the knowledge that we were made little lower than the angels, but still God gave us the authority over all creations helps me with my identity and value?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
In what does Jesus surpass Moses?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Moses was a servant of God in the old testament, but he fell far short of Jesus who is the Son of God.
+ Jesus builds the house of eternity.
+ We ought to make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following the example of disobedience.
+ The word of God is alive and active.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Have I entered God's rest? What is impeding me from entering God's rest?
+ **Community** - Am I often encouraging and lifting up others so that they would not be deceived?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How to understand Jesus' duty as the great high priest
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord is the source of growth of our spiritual lives, we shall depend only on Him and make Him the goal of our focus.
+ Jesus is the great high priest of grace and faith, the priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
+ Jesus can empathize with our weakness, has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet He did not sin.
+ Jesus completely obeyed God's will to bear for us our suffering.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - How am I willing to accept and understand those who are weak in faith or have already fallen to encourage them to get closer to God?
+ **Integrity** - Bible teaches us to move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity. Am I mature or still in the infant stage of my spiritual growth? How would I move forward in the knowledge of truth?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are the differences between the priesthood of Jesus and Aaron?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jesus is the great high priest in the order of Melchizedek, not of the Aaron's.
+ Jesus is eternal and His priesthood is forever and permanent so that He is able to save completely those who come to God through him.
+ Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Jesus surpasses any man and blesses all mankind.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - What role does Jesus, the great high priest, play in my relationship with God? Jesus is worthy of all praises and glories. How am I worshiping Him every day?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why is the new covenant superior?
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ Jesus' ministry is superior as He is the mediator of the superior covenant.
+ We may reconcile with God only through Jesus as He is the mediator of the new covenant which we shall have faith in.
+ God writes His laws on man's heart and makes Himself known, forgives his wickedness, and remembers his sins no more.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Do I understand the meaning of "I will be their God, and they will be my people?" Do I often remind myself of my identity as God's people?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2022.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the Lord comfort the people of Jerusalem?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord comforted His people, spoke tenderly to Jerusalem.
+ In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
+ The glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
+ The Sovereign Lord comes with power, He tends his flock like a shepherd:
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever. How may I establish my priority and identity from God word?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What has the Lord done?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ With whom will you compare God? To what image will you liken Him?
+ God brings out the starry host one by one.
+ God will lead all Israel. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
+ God said to Israel: "You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you." So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
+ Idols, you are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless; whoever chooses you is detestable.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Where do I seek strength? How may I be strengthened by God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What should the Lord's chosen servant do?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Lord has already chosen His servant. He will bring justice to the nations.
+ The Lord have called him in righteousness, to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.
+ Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands.
+ You have seen many things, but you pay no attention; your ears are open, but you do not listen.
+ Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
+ Foretold the downfall of Babylon.
+ The Lord is doing a new thing.
+ I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - The Lord had said: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." I shall remember this fact and let it strengthen me in difficult times.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How may we praise the Lord for what He is doing?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The God of Israel is the first and the last; apart from Him there is no God.
+ Do not tremble, do not be afraid. You are my witnesses.
+ All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless.
+ Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, He displays His glory in Israel.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - No idol worshiper has the knowledge or understanding that a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" What idols am I still worshiping?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why did the Lord raise up Cyrus?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ I am the Lord, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself.
+ This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him.
+ I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness. He will rebuild my city and set my exiles free.
+ Turn to the Lord and be saved, all of us ends of the earth; for He is God, and there is no other.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Does the clay say to the potter, "What are you making?" Does your work say, "The potter has no hands?" We shall obey under God's sovereignty knowing He had created us and is the source of our peace. What doubt do I still have for Him and wondering why something happens not to my liking? Call out to God and try to accept His sovereignty over that "thing."
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What was the end of Babylon?
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
### Meditation: God's Story
+ The idols of Babylon cannot be saved, they will all go off into captivity.
+ Listen to me, Israel, I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
+ With whom will you compare God or count Him equal?
+ God make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
+ Babylon will be defeated. They showed Israel no mercy. Even on the aged they laid a very heavy yoke.
+ Babylonians are lovers of pleasure, lounging in their own security and saying to themselves, "I am, and there is none besides me." Therefore, woe to them.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - God promised: "Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born." These loving words have encouraged many, given them hope. Put these words into my heart and become my strength.
+ **Integrity** - God condemned Babylon: "You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'" Do I believe no one sees my improper behavior? Let me repent before God without reservation, because He knows everything and sees my heart.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
{% include BibleLinks2024.html %}
Prayer
Notes and Responses