Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile
from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses
and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
Take wives and have sons and daughters;
take wives for your sons, and give your daughters
in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters;
multiply there and do not decrease.
But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent
you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf,
for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
...
For thus says the Lord: When seventy years
are completed for Babylon, I will visit you,
and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back
to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil,
to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:4-7, 10-11 ESV
This letter can speak to us too... because really... all God's people currently residing on planet Earth... live in exile...
We too temporarily reside in enemy territory... until Jesus returns...
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ...
Philippians 3:20 ESV
We too are called to live... plant... produce... multiply...
"...Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you. ..." ---Jesus
Matthew 28:19-20 ESV
We too are called to pray for the nations where we live... their authorities... and welfare...
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
for kings and all who are in high positions,
that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life,
godly and dignified in every way.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV
We too have a limited time in which we will be in exile...
the duration of our seventy-plus years...
or when He comes to fix all things...
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven
with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel,
and with the sound of the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive, who are left,
will be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will
always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 ESV
He also knows the plans He has for each one of us...
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand,
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10 ESV
And everything He allows in the life of a Believer... is for good... and His glorification...
And we know that in all things God works for the good
of those who love him, who have been called according
to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the likeness of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
And those he predestined, he also called;
those he called, he also justified; those he justified,
he also glorified.
Romans 8:28, 30
He also offers us hope... that never fails...
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has
poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
whom he has given us.
Romans 5:5
His Word... helps us to successfully live out our time in exile... jump into The Journey this week... and see what instruction... revelation... and encouragement... you can find...
This week's readings...
Monday Jeremiah 32:16 - 33:13
Tuesday Jeremiah 33:14 - 34:22
Wednesday Jeremiah 35-36
Thursday Jeremiah 37-38
Friday Jeremiah 39-40
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