The Simple Life

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, "'Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.'" Jeremiah  3:12-15  (ESV)   The shepherds of God's people need to have a heart for God. They need to see the importance of feeding the sheep entrusted to them with knowledge and understanding. To feed the sheep with knowledge and understanding, they need to have found an abundance of it and be willing to share it.  ...

Thus says the Lord: "What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? They did not say, 'Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?'" Jeremiah 2:5-6 (ESV)   Why would anyone exchange the valuable for the worthless? You would think I was crazy if I asked you to exchange Monopoly money for real money, and then I got excited about it. You would be even more amused if I took the Monopoly money and told all who were with me about my good fortune and persuaded them to exchange their real money for Monopoly money as well.   We could convince ourselves that we have done well when, in reality, we have traded something of value for something worthless. Really, our thinking is what is worthless. Right living always starts with right think...

“And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me. They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you." Jeremiah  1:16-19  (ESV)   God is the judge, and we are judged. When we judge, we mess up. Our focus should be on obedience. We were not made to be a judge. We were made to be followers of the one who judges, for He alone knows how well we followed.   Those who listen to God will never be alone or disappointed with the final results.   https:...

But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 1:7-8 (ESV)   There is always a "good" reason to ignore God: I'm too young, I'm too old, I'm not experienced enough, I'm lacking resources, and so on. Successful people focus on and listen to God. They realize that their inadequacies allow them the opportunity to point to God, and thereby fulfill the reason for which they were created. Excuses demonstrate the fact that we do not trust God.   Sometimes it seems as if we do our best to eliminate God from our lives. We think that we need to get good enough, rich enough, powerful enough, or smart enough to make it without Him, hoping that will yield more stability than trusting in our sovereign, most powerful, all-loving God.   Amazingly, we can think such bizarr...

Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." Jeremiah 1:4-6 (ESV)   Those who desire to teach evolution also attempt to hide the fact that man was made, on purpose, in the image of God. There is no human being who has ever been an accidental blob of protoplasm. God is deliberative, purposeful, and perfectly capable of carrying out His work.   Those who want to ignore the evidence will not, because they cannot, find their purpose in life. Purpose always begins with God and will end with Him judging as to whether or not the intended purpose was achieved. Therefore, the most essential thing in life would be to align ourselves with His thoughts and purposes.   If we do that, even if we do not understand everything, everything will make sense. For now, we...

Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:1-2 (ESV)   God honors those who honor Him. When we think correctly, we think in terms of the all-powerful God and the non-powerful man. We think about the mercy God has extended to us, the grace He has made available, and we respond in harmony with both.   The older I get, the dumber I am. The older I get, the less powerful I feel. There will come a time when, as it was in my beginning, I will be helpless and realize that I can do nothing without help.   I am not self-perpetuating. I cannot control my destiny, but I can love the one who can, and will, and I can rest in the fact that He loves me. https://www.podbean.c...

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8 (ESV) God makes it clear who has the authority in this life. Clay has no way to claim authority over the potter, and for man to do such a thing is ludicrous.   It is interesting that Adam, the first man, was formed from clay, and this sculpted clay was lifeless until God breathed the breath of life into it. In a way, man is nothing more than living, breathing clay, and when his breath runs out, he goes back to clay.   The prophet continues to talk of the craziness of some people by saying this: "I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices…." Isaiah 65:2 (ESV)   Created clay listening to its own advice and ignoring the creator's directives--there may be nothing crazier.   Yet, how often do I listen to my "advice?" How frequently do I even acknowledge God in my ever...

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. Isaiah 53:7 (ESV)   It is incredible to hear of the one who is all-powerful using that power to die for us, to redeem us, and to demonstrate His love to us. He did not use His power or authority for himself. He used it on our behalf.   There will always be authority and authoritative people. Authority will always have some "power" that comes with it. Those who understand life and leadership also recognize that the only legitimate use of power is for the benefit of others.   Power becomes abusive when it is used to benefit the one who holds the power. Those who have any power need to examine Christ's example of how power is used correctly, and then adjust their lives accordingly.   Jesus did not need to die. He chose to die.   Power is never the purpose, and always needs to ...

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:1-6 (ESV)   Long before Jesus came, we knew He would come, and why He would come. We need not defend these statements. We need to be awe...

I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? Isaiah 51:12-13 (ESV)   God is the only one who can comfort. All others can only numb our pain. The people in our lives can temporarily ease our pain using methods such as medication, entertainment, and conversation, but God alone can comfort us in our pain.   The Godless have gotten used to seeking and finding temporary comfort in the things of this world. It is possible to get lost in a movie, a splendid meal, or find relief in drugs, alcohol, or sex. Yet, when the effects of such wear off, the desperate situation remains.   Without God, there is no absolute comfort or purpose in your pain and in ...

"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.” Isaiah 51:1-2 (ESV)   Those who desire to seek God should look backward to gain perspective, and they should look forward to gain momentum.   "The remembrance of God's mercy in the past is helpful to us in many ways. Isaiah was led by the Spirit of God to admonish the Israelites to look back that they might be cheered and encouraged in a time of gloom and sadness, and that they might be animated with fresh confidence in God's power to bring them up again from their sad condition, as they thought of all that He had done for them in times past, when they were equally low, or when, peradventure, they were even in a worse plight than they were at present. It is a great thing for people to...

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:10 (ESV)   When there is nothing, there is still something. When there is complete darkness, there is light. Trust is what makes or breaks us in this life. We cannot trust someone we do not know, and we cannot know someone with whom we have never spent time.   There is an old hymn titled "Trust and Obey," and one of its lines says this: "Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey." There is a cycle here that needs to be addressed. One can obey out of fear or out of trust. Either way, obedience is vital to our success. We might have fear, the fear of God, and that fear motivates us to obey. Yet, fear is the beginning of wisdom, whereas love is the end goal.   Fear puts us in a position to love correctly, to see that there is no other way than to trust and o...

Listen to me, O coastlands, and give attention, you peoples from afar. The Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name. Isaiah 49:1 (ESV)   "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5   But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased…. Galatians 1:15     For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13   Evil enjoys destroying what God has created. Those who desire to normalize the destruction of babies in the womb are the epitome of evil. The destruction of a society always begins with a disregard for legitimate authority, and God is the only legitimate authority.   The cycle throughout history is clear. First, we replace truth with lies and validate our lies by consensus. Next, we undermine our detractors' credibility through relentles...

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me." Isaiah 48:17-19 (ESV)   Hindsight is always 20/20. Those who love God, and who walk with Him in reverence and obedience, will one day be successful. Those who choose to ignore Him will regret their actions. Hearing God does not mean we obey Him, but in order to listen to Him, we need to hear Him.   I am thankful that God is willing to guide me. He alone knows what the future holds, and He alone can control every detail of life. I know not the future and can control very little, other than my attitude.   For now, the choices are mine. ...

You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction, there is no one to save you. Isaiah 47:13-15 (ESV)   We often quote the verse about the wisdom available in many counselors. We seldom quote the verse that tells us that we can become wearied by our many counsels. It matters who the counselors are and what they are saying. If the counselors love God and walk with Him, the advice will be golden. If they ignore God and walk in ignorance, their advice will be destructive.   For now, we have the choice of to whom we will listen, and ...

You felt secure in your wickedness, you said, "No one sees me"; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, "I am, and there is no one besides me." But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing. Isaiah 47:10-11 (ESV)   Feeling secure in wickedness is the most insecure security available to man. Those who are wicked will one day be found out. They will be exposed as evil, and all that they supposedly lived for will be exposed as fraudulent. There is no way for the wicked to prosper, because they can never be secure in their wickedness. Wickedness bears the fruit of anxiousness, and anxiousness eventually leads to hopelessness and depression.   If we deal with the wickedness in our lives, the anxious, hopeless depression will disappear. We need no miracle drug or activity; we n...

"Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,' calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it." Isaiah 46:8-11 (ESV)   God said that He has a purpose and that He will do it. He is not random. He will accomplish His purpose no matter what I think, do, or say. If I want to be a part of what He does, I need to choose to be a part of it. If I choose to ignore Him or say no to Him, I lose.   One cannot think that God is random or tied to our personal responses. He is not. My only hope is to be in sync with Him. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:22 (ESV)   The word "saved" in this verse is a primitive root meaning to be proper, to be open, wide, or free (by implication) to be safe.   Everyone can turn to God or ignore God, because God has given them that choice. Even though we have the option of truth or ignorance, we do not have the choice of consequences. Our ideas and actions have consequences, and even though we can choose the path we take, we cannot decide where it ultimately leads.   Paths go somewhere, and only fools think that all paths go to the same place. If I choose to believe lies, then I also choose to look foolish when my lies are exposed. In fact, those who choose to live lies spend enormous energy trying to convince others that their lies are actually "truth," and they can never really enjoy the journey. If I choose to turn to God, acknowledge Him as God, and allow Him to love me, ...

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right." Isaiah 45:18-19 (ESV)   God makes it very clear that He is God and there is no other. The only way this life will make any sense is if we live in this truth. If God can be amazed, I bet He is amazed at man who wants to have Him continually prove that He is God. It would be as if I were around you all the time, and you were constantly asking me to prove that I was Dave.   God has clearly communicated the fact that He is God, that He loves, that He is the creator and sustainer of life, and that those who seek Him, find Him. We need to look for Him honestly.     Learn More at Relate365.com https://w...

For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): "I am the Lord, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, 'Seek me in vain.' I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right." Isaiah 45:18-19 (ESV)   It seems like the theme in Isaiah is that God is God and there is no other. Perhaps if we all really knew that, and lived like that, we would be in a better place. Those who know God know how to love. Those who know God know what to hate (not who, but what). Those who know God know what is essential. They know what to live for and are not afraid to die.   Those who do not know God seem to be forever spinning their life tires in the "mud of life," expending much energy, while going nowhere. Their lives are full of self-inflicted misery. https://www.podbean.com/rela...