family devotional – week three: vision for the future
Day Five – Seeing the God Who Is Greater
Who knows the full extent of what God has in store for our church? Only God does! But He longs to reveal more and more of His plan to us as we act in faith and see that He is greater than all.
Acts, chapter 4, describes the bold ministry of Peter and John, and the price they paid for proclaiming the Message. Because they would not keep quiet about their Lord…because they were convinced that their silence would carry eternal consequences…because their faith was in the one whose name is above all others…they didn’t give up or give in. Although the authorities demanded that they cease to teach about Jesus or even to speak His name, they refused and were persecuted.
When Peter and John were released that day, they returned to their fellow Christians and joined them in praying to the God who is Greater. All the believers recognized the risks they were taking, but in the larger context, the threats didn’t matter. Consequently, their prayer was not filled with expressions of anxiety; instead, it overflowed with the promises of Scripture. Their emotions and thoughts were anchored in the reality of who God is. No one pretended that the circumstances were pleasant, but everyone confessed two essential truths — that God is sovereign and that He is forever the Creator.
The same God to whom those first century disciples devoted their lives, that same sovereign Lord and creator, is our God. And when we pray to Him we are confessing confidence in the One who is greater. In response to our prayer He can create new dispositions in the hearts of our opponents. He can create a thirst for Jesus in the hearts of those who once rejected the Gospel. He can create circumstances to override the prevailing circumstances. And He can do all this because He is greater than all.
We face mountainous challenges. How must we respond? With the spiritual vision to see that He, as the God who is greater, can cast those mountains into the sea or reduce them to a plain path. Pray with someone today about a “mountain” you are facing, and pray also about the “mountain” we face in our important capital campaign. Let’s believe God together!
Eat This Book
Read Proverbs Chapter 4
Jeremiah 31
1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
7 For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither.
9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
11 For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
15 Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.
16 Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border.
18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.
19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.
21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
23 Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.
24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.
25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
27 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.
29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.
30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
35 Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; TheLord of hosts is his name:
36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.
37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.
38 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.
40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the Lord; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
The POFW Daily Bible Reading 
17.AND THERE IS HOPE IN THINE END, SAITH THE LORD, THAT THE CHILDREN SHALL COME AGAIN TO THEIR OWN BORDER.
Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. (Jeremiah 31:3 NLT)
His love is overwhelming. This is why we have grace. When my nieces do something wrong, I don’t throw them out. I discipline them and instruct them. God does the same with us.
Everlasting love has no end. It is deep. My love for God is a rain drop and his love for me is an ocean that has no sea floor. It is endless.
Why will you be condemned for your failure? The devil is a liar. Rejoice not against me oh my enemy for when I fall I shall arise. When I sit in dark places The Lord shall be a light into me.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
WRITE IT IN THEIR HEART
The Lord said he would make a covenant with the house of Israeli. If we can get God’s law in our hearts, not just there ,but written there by the blood of Jesus. When we take on the name of Jesus and apply the blood to our lives. We must have the law written in our hearts and understand what the law means to us.
When we reach this place we will be at the place that God will say, I am now ready to be called their God.
37 Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord.
Not gonna happen…
Scientists estimate that if you had a craft that could travel 186,000 miles per second, it would take you abou 47 billion (yes, with a B) years to reach the ‘observable’ edge of the universe. They estimate that the ‘actual’ edge of universe is 10 to the 23rd power times farther than that. Then, to cover themselves in case that’s not a big enough estimate, they say that the universe is expanding at a rate that would prevent ever reaching the edge…Measure it? I think not!
JESUS!
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33 KJV)
He is referring to Christ! Hallelujah, Amen!!
No more sorrow
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
He loves us so very much that He can forgive and forget; not only that He restores all. He puts Joy back into our hearts and takes the sorrow out. No more tears, Joy everlasting Joy. If I were lost in the world I would come running to His Mercy seat; knowing that He will clean me and adorn me, He will put laughter in my life, Joy in my heart, and He will clean all my tears away. God is Good ALL THE TIME and ALL THE TIME HE IS GOOD.
The New Covenant
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jesus was slain from the foundation of the earth. The covenant was new to us because we don’t always see the big picture. We have been taught up till now that sin is death and every year the atonement carries your sin forward. This new covenant will surely not make since to us. Doctrines will be created, destroyed, and forgotten. The church will turn on each other and it will be broken into thousands of peices of doctrinal conflicts….
What us the answer?
Vs 33
If the law is truly in our inward parts and he has written in our hearts our opinions don’t matter! The truth is in us!
We go far and wide trying to find a great move of God, the whole time he is waiting on us to move. He positioned himself inside of us so that he is always available. He doesn’t have to move. We do! Stir up the Holy Ghost inside of you with prayer and righteousness. God is always available.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thank you Jesus for the new covenant.
THE COVENANT OF THE HOLY GHOST
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thank you JESUS for the Holy Ghost!
The LORD in his infinite or unending wisdom knows the carnal weakness of mankind and in the depth of his love and compassion for man makes this covenant with man.
We understand the WORD of GOD is JESUS.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
We also understand that JESUS is the Holy Ghost.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
GOD has made HIMSELF available to us; that he will abide with us and be in us and flow through us. To speak and guide our very own hearts so that we will not have reason to stray from his great name.
iPraise
iPray
iWork
iGIve
iReap
15-17 Again, God’s Message:
“Listen to this! Laments coming out of Ramah, wild and bitter weeping.
It’s Rachel weeping for her children, Rachel refusing all solace.
Her children are gone, gone—long gone into exile.”
But God says, “Stop your incessant weeping, hold back your tears.
Collect wages from your grief work.” God’s Decree “They’ll be coming back home! There’s hope for your children.” God’s Decree.
I’m thankful for the promises of the Lord that are yeah and amen. All of our children at one time or another have gone astray, but God has been faithful and we have seen two of those return to walk in truth and are leading their families in truth. We still have two that are wayward. One we see making strides every week toward home, one still wandering in deception. But today, I have the promises of the Lord of their return to the fullness of truth. God’s word cannot lie and will not return void and we can stand on His word. I see them coming home. I see them rising up in the spirit, being restored, the latter being greater than the former. I see God granting them mercy and grace and writing a new covenant with them just like in Jeremiah 31.
33-34 “This is the brand-new covenant that I will make with Israel when the time comes. I will put my law within them—write it on their hearts!—and be their God. And they will be my people. They will no longer go around setting up schools to teach each other about God. They’ll know me firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart and the slow. I’ll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I’ll forget they ever sinned!” God’s Decree.
For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
He will comfort us and turn sorrow into joy
NLT 16 But now this is what the Lord says: “Do not weep any longer,
for I will reward you,” says the Lord.
There is no need to be discouraged, be worried or see no hope. God hears your cries, knows your needs, he will deliver his blessings to you. Your reward is coming, the Blessings of Goshen are coming!!
33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” (NLT)
Thank you Jesus for Your word and your forgiveness; continue to instruct me Lord and write Your word to be in my heart forever.
Verse 17 CEV “So don’t lose hope. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Psalm 25:5 NLT “Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.”
So many tend to lose hope whether it’s because someone tells them that their a lost cause or certain circumstances of life come about. Either way, the Lord is in control of all things. We simply have to tell that “mountain” of hopelessness:
I have been loosed
I’ve been set free
So pardon me a moment
While I have a jubilee
I feel the joy of the Holy Ghost
It’s all over me
Jeremiah 31:17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, That thy children shall come again to their own border.
29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you An expected end.
Hosea 11:10-11 They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion:
When he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the West.
They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, And as a dove out of the land of Assyria : And I will place them in their houses, saith the Lord.
For the lord hath redeemed jacob,and ransomed him from the hand of him that was strongerthan him
26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
I want to show Jesus through my actions and words. Talking negative and about other people won’t get that across.
Lord search me and cleanse me of anything that isn’t right in your eyes!
Vs.11, “For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.”
I Cor. 6:20a and 1 Cor.7:23a says, “For ye are bought with a price…”
Col.1:13-14 says, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son; In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
Jesus paid a price, (we were ransomed), with his own blood and his own life, so that, we could be delivered, (redeemed), from the hand of the enemy and be forgiven of our sins. The enemy had us bound in sin and was to strong for us, and God knew we needed a Saviour.
Thank You Jesus for saving me, for forgiving me,and for delivering me!
6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God.
The cry of the a Watchmen
Strongs Concordance defines a watchman as: 6822 tsaphah (tsaw-faw’); a primitive root; properly, to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, await: KJV–behold, espy, look up (well), wait for, (keep the) watch (-man).
Brown Drivers & Briggs defines watchman as: 6822 tsaphah- to look out or about, to spy, to keep watch, to observe, to watch a) (Qal) to keep watch, to spy b) (Piel) to watch, to watch closely.
1.Watchmen simply report what they see and hear. Watchmen report the approach of an enemy or the approach of the king.
2. They report to the authorities who sit in the gates.
3. They are usually stationed at every gate and along the walls at various points. However, they can be stationed other places as well.
4. They are under command.
Watchmen are to WATCH and PRAY and REPORT ALL THAT THEY SEE AND HEAR. A watchman will not always understand all that he hears or sees, but that is OK. Their job is just to report what they see and hear. A watchmen is a servant!
THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING!THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING!THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING! THE KING IS COMING!
This is very important*******
He had to see Him coming before he cried out. He was intentionally looking. Are we that intentional?
This chapter illustrates self. They at one time paid as a whole for sin, which would no longer be; “But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge”. One will answer for one’s self one day, which one is wise to make it right before that day; “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. What a mighty God we serve! May the good Lord Bless you all in Jesus name, Amen
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Praise God for the new covenant! With the infilling of his Spirit, his law is written on our hearts.
ILove to eat the Word
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
After everything, all the backsliding and all the threatening, all of Israel’s treachery, God still reveals his heart to his people. Jesus really loves us!
10 Hear the word of the Lord, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.
Nations need to be aware of what God is saying. He’s not just speaking so that he can have something to say, but every word of God is important. If God is saying it, them you better believe it’s for a good reason and the enemy doesn’t want you to hear it.
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We can get a head start by reading and studying the word.
David said thy word have I his in my heart that I might not sin against thee
1 At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
Thank God that we are built upon foundation of the word of God.
Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
New
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.
5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.
The enemy would count us out: too broken to live, hopeless, used up. But God makes all things new and He has a plan for us. His plan transcends our pain, our brokenness, our failures, our weakness. He has divine Authorship to rewrite the apparent ending while the devil has already closed the book.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
It ain’t over til God says it’s over. No matter what is going on, God is in control, and He has the final say.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Proverbs 30:2-5
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. 3 I neither learned wisdom,
nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? 5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Women Surrond Men
22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
Using incisive language, Jeremiah presents an unusual picture in this verse. This is something new, he says, something not seen before on earth: “A woman will surround a man” (Jer 31:22). In Hebrew culture, the men “surround” and “protect” the women. But women are now in a new position- that of being the proctector instead of the protected. Some scholars think this verse points to the role of Mary as the mother of Jesus, a virgin who bore a devine God wrapped in flesh. Others say it refers to the love that Israel will finally have for her Lord afer years of faithfulness. Whatever the interpretation, it serves to spledidly elevate and bring revelation the value the Lord places on women. No second-class citizens, not just a figure with a womb, or mantel trophy- women play an important role in the story of God’s plan for salvation. Women birth children, a good mother mentors her child, a virtuous mother will train her daughter’s to surround men in warfare, work the sickle, and reap the harvest.
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
I thank God for His unfailing love. There’s no love like God’s love. It fills your soul, it gives life abundant life in Him.