Jeremiah 46
Do not Fear!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, May 16.
One of the most frequent commands in the Bible is, “Do not Fear!” God knows we become afraid when life isn’t going the way we think it should, so He reminds us that He is sovereign, assuring us of His presence in our difficulties. Jeremiah 46 is an oracle of judgment against Egypt, yet it concludes, in verses 27-28, with a word of hope to Israel:
“But as for you, O Jacob My servant, do not fear, nor be dismayed, O Israel! For, see, I am going to save you from afar, and your descendants from the land of their captivity; and Jacob will return and be undisturbed and secure, with no one making him tremble. O Jacob My servant, do not fear,” declares the Lord, “For I am with you. For I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you, yet I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you properly and by no means leave you unpunished.”
Twice, God commanded His people, “Do not fear!” He acknowledged that He was punishing them, but He clarified that His intent was to correct them. Ultimately, He promised to not destroy them, but to return them to a place of peace and rest after their long season of exile. This is the intent of all godly discipline, as explained in Hebrews 12:11, “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” Whether for a short time or a long season, embrace it as an opportunity to learn from God, because His desire for you in His discipline is to “share His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10).
Seize the moment and do not fear the discipline of the Lord! It is for your good!
God bless you!
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YOUTUBE:
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