October 26

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Jeremiah 49:23-50:46
1. Covenant. Why are covenants so grossly ignored as the means by which we connect, relate, commune & abide not only with each other but with God?:

They will ask the way to Zion
and turn their faces toward it.
They will come and bind themselves to the LORD
in an everlasting covenant
that will not be forgotten.

2. Bad shepherds, lost sheep:

My people have been lost sheep;
their shepherds have led them astray
and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
and forgot their own resting place.

7 Whoever found them devoured them;
their enemies said, 'We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture,
the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'

3. God's faithfulness...even when His people are a nation at ease,
which lives in confidence...:

Yet their Redeemer is strong;
the LORD Almighty is his name.
He will vigorously defend their cause
so that he may bring rest to their land,
but unrest to those who live in Babylon.

and

In those days, at that time,"
declares the LORD,
"search will be made for Israel's guilt,
but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah,
but none will be found,
for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

Titus 1:1-16
1.Qualifications for elders:

a) An elder must be blameless,

b) the husband of but one wife,

c) a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.

Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work,

d) he must be blameless—not overbearing,

e) not quick-tempered,

f) not given to drunkenness,

g) not violent,

h) not pursuing dishonest gain.

i) Rather he must be hospitable,

j) one who loves what is good,

k) who is self-controlled,

l) upright,

m) holy

n) and disciplined.

o)He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine

p)and refute those who oppose it.

Psalm 97:1-98:9
1. The Terror of God's Holiness:

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.

Proverbs 26:13-16
Oh, the Sluggard.

Here described & identified by four traits: (1) imagined terrors & thus cowardice; (2) self-indulgent, "in love with his ease"(Henry); (3)laziness & sloth & (4) outspoken self-conceit.

Henry comments:

it intimates, in general, his aversion to business; he has tried, and his hands are not used to labour, and therefore he hugs himself in his own ease and cares for nobody. Note, It is common for those that will not do their duty to pretend they cannot. I cannot dig, Lu. 16:3. 2. The prejudice he sustains by his slothfulness. He himself is the loser by it, for he starves himself: It grieves him to bring his hand to his mouth, that is, he cannot find in his heart to feed himself, but dreads, as if it were a mighty toil, to lift his hand to his head. It is an elegant hyperbole, aggravating his sin, that he cannot endure to take the least pains, no, not for the greatest profit, and showing how his sin is his punishment.

And again:

His slothfulness is the cause of his good opinion of himself. If he would but take pains to examine himself, and compare himself with the laws of wisdom, he would have other thoughts of himself. Indulged slothfulness is at the bottom of prevailing self-conceitedness....So wretchedly besotted is he that he takes his slothfulness to be his wisdom; he thinks it is his wisdom to make much of himself, and take all the ease he can get, and do no more in religion than he needs must, to avoid suffering, to sit still and see what other people do, that he may have the pleasure of finding fault with them. Of such sluggards, who are proud of that which is their shame, their is little hope, v. 12.

Years Read
2010, 2025