Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

December 27
Friday


THE CHALLENGE
Of CONFINEMENT

READ:
Jeremiah 29:4-14
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Grow in the grace and
knowledge of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
__2 Peter 3:18
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At the age of 86, Ken Deal concluded more than 3 decades of volunteer jail and prison ministry with a final Sunday sermon. His message to the inmates was about serving the Lord while incarcerated. Many of the examples he used came from prisoners, some serving life sentences. In a place everyone wants to leave, he encouraged them to grow and to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

After the people of Judah were taken captive by King Nebuchandnezzar and deported to Babylon because of their disobedience to God, the prophet Jeremiah sent them this message from the Lord: "Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands... that you may be increased there, and not diminished" (Jer. 29:5-6).

We may face some limiting circumstance today. Whether it is the result of our failure, or through no fault of our own, we can "go" through it or seek God's strength to "grow" through it. The challenge of every confinement is to increase rather than decrease; to grow and not diminish. The Lord's goal is to give us "a future and a hope" (v.11). __davi McCasland

```````````````I know, Lord, that You can use the circumstances`````````````````````
``````````````````I am in for my good. Change me, and grow``````````````````````
``````````````````me in my knowledge of You and intimacy```````````````````````
``````````````````````with You. Give me Your strength.`````````````````````````
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A limited situation may afford the soul
a chance to grow.

**************************Today's Bible Reading __ Jeremiah 29:4-14**************************

4 Thus says the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel, to
all who were carried away
captive...: 5 Build houses
and dwell in them; plant
gardens and eat their fruit.

6 Take wives and beget sons
and daughters...that you may
be increased there, and
not diminished. 7 And seek
the peace of the city where I
have caused you to be
carried away captive, and
pray to the LORD for it; for
in its peace you will have
peace. 8 For thus says the
LORD of hosts, the God of
Israel: Do not let your
prophets and your diviners
who are in your midst
deceive you, nor listen to
your dreams which you
cause to be dreamed. 9 For
they prophesy falsely to you
in My name; I have not sent
them, says the LORD.

10 For thus says the LORD:
After seventy years are
completed at Babylon, I will
visit you and perform My
good word toward you, and
caue you to return to this
place. 11 For I know the
thoughts that I think toward
you, says the Lord, thoughts
of peace and not of evil, to
give you a future and a
hope. 12 Then you will call
upon Me and go and pray to
Me, and I will listen to you.

13 And you will seek Me and
find Me, when you search
for Me with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you...
and I will bring you back
from your captivity; I will
gather you from all the
nations and from all the
places where I have driven
you, says the LORD....

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Jeremiah ministered to Judah about 40 years before the Babylonian
exile. He repeatedly warned of impending destruction if the Jews
continued in their idolatrous ways. Sadly, Jeremiah witnessed the
destruction of Jerusalem and the exile (Jer. 52; Lam. 1-5).