For Reading and Meditation:      Jeremiah 9:17-24Let';s review what we have said about God's character. We began by recognizing that in today's Church we seem more interested in knowing about ourselves than in knowing God. The result of being more man-centered than God-centered is increased anxiety, depression, and a hundred other ills. Quietly we have worked through the Scriptures and have seen that the God who is "there" for us to know is the God who has revealed Himself in many different ways: as powerful, personal, plural, having holy love, a God of wrath, trustworthy, gracious, all-knowing and all-wise. It's interesting isn't it, as our passage for today shows, that when the Lord talks about Himself in the Scriptures it is usually in terms of His attributes or character traits: kindness, justice, righteousness, and so on. And there is a clear and definite purpose in this: the more we know of God the more established our lives will be here on the earth. I myself am convinced that there is nothing more important than knowing God through contemplation of Him. And it must be understood that the knowledge I am talking about is not mere intellectual knowledge. The knowledge of God that comes through contemplation of Him is the ability to see life from His perspective, through His eyes. It means to look out at life's circumstances through the lens of faith, bearing in mind God's plan, to accept that whatever is happening is allowed by God and that everything comes under His personal surveillance. That kind of God-understanding and God-awareness is our only hope for coping with twentieth-century problems.Father, I am convinced. I see that if I am to operate in a context of confidence I can only do so as I look out at life through Your eyes. Help me to do more than glance at You occasionally. Help me to gaze on You continually. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Philippians 3:1-11</li><li>Colossians 1:9-10</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What was Paul's desire?</li><li>What did Paul pray for the Colossians?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

" I am the Lord, who exercizes kindness, justice and righteousness on earth " (v. 24)

For Reading and Meditation:      Jeremiah 9:17-24A minister speaking at a recent conference of a well-known denomination said: "The reason why there is so much depletion of spiritual energy in people nowadays is due to the rush of modern-day life." But is this really true? If it is then it puts the blame for our condition outside of us rather than inside us - the place (in my opinion) where the fault really lies. No, the real reason for the spiritual dullness in so many lives is that we have lost our sense of priority. One of my favorite poets is Wordsworth, and I simply love the lines that go thus: The world is too much with us; late and soon Getting and spending we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away  The world is too much with us! Therein lies our problem. Other things, other issues, other problems, other priorities have been allowed to press in upon us, and the consequence of all this is that God has become marginalized. If we were to pay as much attention to the things that pertain to God as we do to the things that pertain to the world then the spiritual health of the Church (generally speaking) would not be such a cause for concern. Through the prophet Jeremiah God speaks to us and shows us that His greatest desire is that we should come to know Him. When we lose God we lose touch with reality, for reality, as one great Christian put it, is Jesus' other Name.O God, forgive me that so often my desires are at cross-purposes with Your desires. My desire is to know more about me; Your desire is for me to know more about You. Help me bring my desires in line with Your desires. In Jesus' Name. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Jeremiah 2:1-13</li><li>Jeremiah 17:13</li><li>Isaiah 53:6</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What 2 sins had Israel committed?</li><li>What broken cisterns does the Church drink at?</li></ul></div></div>

" but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me " (v. 24)

This is a good question because it reduces us all to size. We do not have anything that we did not receive. We received our physical and mental equipment through birth. What we look like and how brainy we are is something too far beyond our control to justify pride. It is an accident of birth.All that we know is a result of our education. Others have poured information into our minds. Often when we think we have had an original thought, we find it in a book we first read twenty years ago. Emerson said, "All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients."What about our talents? Some talents definitely run in the family. They are developed by training and by practice. But the point is that they did not originate with us. They were given to us.Pilate was inflated by the authority he wielded, but the Lord Jesus reminded him, "You would have no authority over Me unless it had been given you from above" (John 19:11, NASB).In short, every breath man draws is a gift from God. That is why Paul goes on to ask in 1 Corinthians 4:7 (Phillips), "If anything has been given to you, why boast of it as if it were something you had achieved yourself?"And that is why, for instance, Harriet Beecher Stowe refused to take any credit for writing Uncle Tom's Cabin: "I, the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin? No, indeed, I could not control the story; it wrote itself. The Lord wrote it, and I was but the humblest instrument in His hand. It all came to me in visions, one after another, and I put them down in words. To Him alone be the praise!"The constant realization that we have nothing that we did not receive delivers us from boasting and self-congratulation, and leads us to give God the glory for anything good that we are or have done.So, "let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

With reverence, humor and skill, William MacDonald wove a daily devotional tapestry that challenges the reader to think deeply and Biblically, and apply God's Word to their lives.

Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time

"…what hast thou that thou didst not receive?…" (1 Corinthians 4:7)

This is an intellectual age. Of nothing do men boast more than of their stupendous knowledge and sublime wisdom. They play with worlds, the worlds of geology and astronomy. But there are a great many competitors for fame; and out of thousands that seek to be glorified of men, scarce two or three succeed in attaining an eminent place in the world's regard. It is surprising that among the vast numbers doomed to disappointment there should be so few led to inquire whether there may not be honor to be obtained in some other quarter. What think you - we would say to such a one - what think you of gaining honor in the presence of the angels of heaven, of clothing yourself with distinction among the sinless ones, of obtaining an understanding that will qualify you to stand close to the very throne of God? Imagine a temple of fame; upon lofty seats are seen Plato, Cicero, Goethe, Kant, Arago, Lamartine, Byron, Dante and many others of the world's immortal ones; an angel descends from heaven with a chaplet of unfading glory; goes from one to another of these applauded ones and finally leaves the temple, chaplet in hand; at the foot of the steps he sees a poor despised creature eating a crust of bread and softly murmuring, with a heart full of joy, the name of the Crucified Friend of man; he greets him with the utmost respect and bestows on him the chaplet.

A daily devotional written by a Baptist Missionary to India, Reverend George Bowen (1816-1888) over 150 years ago.

Bowen's Daily Meditations

''Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he under standeth and knoweth me." - Jeremiah 9:24. 

Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, 
or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in 
this alone: that they truly know Me and understand that I am the Lord. 
(Jeremiah 9:23,24 NLT)
Why does not the Lord do this and that, which we think He ought to do? It is 
simply this soul-craving to have proof and demonstration; and this is why, if 
there is anything built up in Christian work which is obvious, big, impressive, 
where there is a great thing being organized and a great movement on foot and 
all is in the realm of something that can be seen, crowds of Christians flock 
after it; or if there are manifestations, things that seem to be clear proofs, 
the crowds will be found there. The enemy can carry away multitudes by imitation 
works of the Holy Ghost in the realm of demonstrations and proofs. We are so 
impressionable, we must possess; and 
that is exactly the same principle as that which governed the rulers. They were 
not prepared for the principle of the Cross to be applied in this way – an utter 
self-emptying, being brought to an end of everything but the Lord Himself....
What was the one thing the prophets were always talking about? It was about knowing 
the Lord. The thing that was lacking amongst the Lord's people in the days 
of the prophets was the knowledge of the Lord. There were plenty of people who 
were prepared to have the Lord for what He could do for them, but as for the 
Lord Himself... ah, that was another matter. What is the Lord after with you and 
with me? Is He first of all wanting us to do things? The idea of what is of God 
today is chiefly associated with the things which are being done for Him, the 
work we are engaged in, and so on – that is, with what is objective and outward. 
But the Lord is not first of all concerned about how much we do. He is far more 
concerned that, whether we do little or much, every bit of it should come out of 
a knowledge of Himself. Any amount can be done for the Lord in Christian work 
and activities, just as you do other work, but it may not proceed from your own 
deep knowledge of God. The Lord is concerned above all else that we should know 
Him.

This devotional contains short daily portions from a selection of Mr. Austin-Sparks' messages. In his own words, “Perhaps this is just like a window opened into heaven. If you get the right window you can see quite a lot. You can see great things and you can see far things. But the best that I can hope is that this has just opened a window, and that as you look through it you are seeing one thing - how superior is Jesus Christ to all else, and how superior is the dispensation into which we have come, and how superior are all the resources at our disposal to all that ever was before!” Open Windows messages have been selected and compiled by Austin-Sparks.Net from the works of T. Austin-Sparks. In some cases they appear in abridged form. The introductory verse and its associated Bible version have been selected by the editor and did not always appear within the original message.

Open Windows

Prophetic Ministry - Chapter 5

 An Utter Self-Emptying 

Whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favor from the Lord. Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might … but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord.” § The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. § In [Him] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. § Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I am understanding, I have strength. § Christ Jesus … became for us wisdom … and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. § He who wins souls is wise.

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. 

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord. I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. § I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. § I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. § My heart rejoices in the Lord … I rejoice in Your salvation. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.

Evening Daily Light

 He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. 

24 <poetry>but let the one who boasts boast about this: <indent>that they have the understanding to know me,</indent> that I am the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>, who exercises kindness, <indent>justice and righteousness on earth,</indent> <indent>for in these I delight,”</indent> declares the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.</poetry>

but let the one who boasts boast<cr>1</cr> about this: <indent>that they have the understanding to know<cr>2</cr> me,</indent> that I am the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>,<cr>3</cr> who exercises kindness,<cr>4</cr> <indent>justice and righteousness<cr>5</cr> on earth,</indent> <indent>for in these I delight,”</indent> declares the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.

Jeremiah 9:24

 24 but let the one who boasts boast   about this: that they have the understanding to know   me, that I am the Lord,   who exercises kindness,   justice and righteousness   on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

<poetry>but let the one who boasts boast about this: <indent>that they have the understanding to know me,</indent> that I am the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>, who exercises kindness, <indent>justice and righteousness on earth,</indent> <indent>for in these I delight,”</indent> declares the <smallCap>Lord</smallCap>.</poetry>

 but let the one who boasts boast   about this: that they have the understanding to know   me, that I am the Lord,   who exercises kindness,   justice and righteousness   on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.

Bible Verse of the Day

April 10, 2019

Jeremiah 9:24 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

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