From the Heart by B.Demaere

I must apologize for the past few days as I have not posted anything. I was a bit confused about thinking that I had posted when I did not. I am back now with a passage in Jeremiah 32 that I found very encouraging.   The chapter starts (Jeremiah 32:1-15) with Jeremiah having to buy a field in the city of Jerusalem from his cousin. What is strange about that is that the city is about to be under siege by the Babylonians and they burn the city completely, turning it into a desert. It is simply God’s judgment against his people for disobeying him and turning their back on him.   Why purchase in this city? Jeremiah 32:25   Jeremiah asked a legit question to God. He says: “And yet, O sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy a field--- paying good money for it before these witnesses---even though the c ity will soon be handed over to the Babylonians.   I want to add that sometimes God does not make sense in our lives and Jeremiah was an example of obedience although it did not make sen

Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples.  Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.  But Jesus was sleeping.  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We are going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got us and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked.   “Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:23-27) Unpredictable Situations As soon as they got into the boat they didn’t know there would be a storm, but Jesus knows everything.   There was no way that they were going to die with Jesus there, even if he was sleeping.   He knew the storm would come just as he knows the storms that are coming in your life or even in this world.   We already have gone though a few storms together.   It made us stronger. Helpful Situation This storm is going to help the

  None is Diminished We all go through hard times, even John the Baptist, the cousin of the Lord Jesus ended up in prison and probably wondered why it was happening to him. Nevertheless, as this passage shows neither Jesus nor John had diminished in each other’s estimation.   The situation John found himself in didn’t affect his identity.   Jesus still thought of him to be greater than a prophet and Jesus encouraged John to look at Jesus in the same way because the Kingdom was growing because of Jesus, he was the Messiah. When John who was in prison heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see.   The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.   Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.