April 22, 2016 - CURSED or BLESSED?

April 22, 2016 - Day 113 - Jeremiah Friday (chapters 17-21)  
                                                 
CURSED or BLESSED?

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 17:5 ESV)

These are serious words of warning to all.  Do not trust in yourself.  Do not turn away from God and try to live your life without Jesus!

Most of you who are reading these devotional thoughts have picked up a certain response to the question “how are you today?”  What does it mean to be “blessed by the Lord?”

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.”  (Jeremiah 17:7 ESV)

Jeremiah is teaching us that to be blessed by the Lord means to be trusting in God. In fact, he states that our trust is to be the Lord! This means that it is all about Jesus, and not us.  He has done it all for us, securing our forgiveness, promising to be with us now, and guaranteeing heaven to all who do trust in Him.

So, which will it be, cursed or blessed by the Lord?

I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, Trusting only Thee;
Trusting Thee for full salvation, Great and free.  
(Lutheran Service Book, CPH, 2006, #728)

Lord, please bless me with a deep and abiding trust in You as my Savior and my Lord.  Amen.

Pastor David Paape 

The following link is to the 52 Week Reading Plan Bible upon which these devotions are based.  http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf