As we enter into a new calendar year, assuming that we would all much prefer a year that is ‘blessed’ rather than one which is ‘cursed,’ here are some great things to honestly ask ourselves, based off God’s words in Jeremiah 17 (below) …Where is our trust? What or who does our heart truly seek? The LORD is not confused about any of it, and if we are stuck in sinful patterns of thinking leading to sinful patterns of action because we’re placing our trust in anyone or anything other than our Creator Himself, the outcome will not be good. We do, in fact, always end up reaping what we have sown. But praise His Name, we always have to option to repent, which is to turn away from our own way or following after any “false savior” and turn to His ways, which are written for us in the Bible (1 John 3:4). This was Yeshua’s (Jesus’s) message His entire ministry while He was here…repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. We must turn from our own way and the stubbornness of our own heart & follow Him, because He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one can get to the Father, except through Him (John 14:6)! Listen to what Yehovah (GOD) says in Jeremiah 17:5-10…
5 Yehovah says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from Yehovah. 6 For he will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, an uninhabited salt land. 7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in Yehovah, and whose confidence is in Yehovah. 8 For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It won’t cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it? 10 “I, Yehovah, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
- What is the contrast between those who trust in man (v. 5-6) and those who trust in Yehovah (v.7-8)?
- How does the phrase, “Well, God knows my heart!” actually add up when compared to His own words about human hearts in v.9-10?
- If there’s a true examination of the fruit of our lives from the past year, what does our fruit look like? Good fruit or rotten fruit?
- What sinful patterns of thinking or sinful actions need to be repented of in your own life so that you can be forgiven and made clean?
Yeshua (Jesus) offers that forgiveness to those who repent of their sin and are willing to follow after Him and His ways, which are the perfect ways of His Father (Matthew 5:17-19). I pray that this new calendar year is one where you abide in the Lord, not turning to the right or to the left, but meditating on God’s ways, His laws, His instructions for living, so that you may be prosperous and successful. Be strong and very courageous… (Joshua 1:6-9)