Sunday (11/13)

As we continue reading portions of the Major Prophets section of the Old Testament of the Bible, this week we will read selections from the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The Introduction of Jeremiah in The NIV Study Bible states, “The book preserves an account of the prophetic ministry of Jeremiah, whose personal life and struggles are known to us in greater depth and detail than those of any other Old Testament prophet…Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry began in 626 B.C. and ended sometime after 586…Since Ezekiel began his ministry in Babylon in 593, he too was a late contemporary of the great prophet in Jerusalem.” Jeremiah was a priest called by God to deliver the announcement of the destruction of the kingdom of Judah, but the book ends with a glimmer of hope.

 

According to the Introduction of the book of Ezekiel in The NIV Study Bible, “He was among the Jews exiled to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C., and there among the exiles he received his call to become a prophet.” The introduction also shares that this priest-prophet spent “the first seven years of his ministry (593-586 B.C.) relaying a message to his fellow Jews of divine judgment that included the oncoming fall of Jerusalem.” Eventually, “once news was received that Jerusalem had fallen, Ezekiel’s message turned to the Lord’s consoling word of hope for his people—they would experience revival, restoration, and a glorious future as the redeemed and perfected kingdom of God in the world (chs. 33-48).”

 

If you did not read the previous books of Genesis through Isaiah, you are encouraged to watch the Bible Project video about the Old Testament to have a clearer understanding of the full story within the text of the Hebrew Bible. The video summarizes the scriptures of the ancient Jewish people that became the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It is available on YouTube.

TaNaK/Old Testament by the Bible Project:

 

Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:

1. Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.

3. What do these verses reveal about God?

4. What do these verses reveal about humanity?

5. What do these verses teach me about myself?

6. How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?

Which of these characters would I be?

In what ways is their story similar to my story?

7. Read, study, and discuss the verses with another person or small group.

8. Use a Study Bible. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.

 

 

Monday (11/14)

Read the verses from Lamentations that are below to begin your devotional time:

“The faithful love of the LORD never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness;

his mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my inheritance;

therefore, I will hope in him!’” – Lamentations 3:22-24 NLT

 

You are encouraged to watch the Overview: Jeremiah video by the Bible Project that is available on Youtube before reading the verses for the first few days of this week:

Overview: Jeremiah by the Bible Project

 

Read Jeremiah 1:1-10. If you are using a Study Bible, it will be helpful to read the Introduction for this book. As you read the verses for today, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you.

 

Pray using part of a psalm as a guide for thanking God. Read Psalm 139:13-18 and let the words of the psalmist guide your prayer of thanksgiving.

 

 

Tuesday (11/15)

Read Lamentations 3:22-24 as a reminder of the Lord’s fresh mercies for us each morning.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit. If you struggle to listen, focus on the physical sounds you hear. The Spirit of the Lord can use the noises you hear to help you set your thoughts on the One who enables you to hear and perceive.

 

Read Jeremiah 29:1-23. You may find it helpful to read the section headings in chapters 1 through 28 before reading the verses for today. Choose questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time. If you are using a Study Bible, you may want to read the study notes to understand the chapter more clearly.

 

Pray the way Jesus teaches in Matthew chapter 7:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 NLT

 

 

Wednesday (11/16)

Read Lamentations 3:22-24.

 

Read Jeremiah 36. As you read the bible verses, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you for today.

 

Pray through your day, including for the people you will be with or have been with, as well as what you will do or what you have done.

 

 

Thursday (11/17)

Read Lamentations 3:22-24 as a reminder of God’s faithful love.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend a few minutes or more alone with God silently listening. Be still physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual, knowing that God is in charge and in control (Psalm 46:10). Don’t let your mind drift towards to-do-lists or tasks, but stop long enough to let your thoughts cease so that your only focus is being with the Lord.

 

Read Jeremiah 39:1-40:6. You may want to read the section titles for chapters 37 and 38 to give you a quick overview of what has taken place between the verses you read yesterday and today. Consider choosing a question or questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time. If you are interested in reading the conclusion of Jeremiah before turning to Ezekiel tomorrow, read Jeremiah 52:31-34, which took place after the fall of Jerusalem.

 

Pray in response to God using the ACTS acronym as a guide:

Adoration (praise the Lord)

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication (share your needs & the needs of others)

 

 

Friday (11/18)

Read Lamentations 3:22-24 to set your heart and mind on God.

 

You are encouraged to watch the Overview: Ezekiel 1-33 video by the Bible Project that is available on Youtube before reading the verses today and tomorrow:

Overview: Ezekiel 1-33 by the Bible Project

 

Read Ezekiel 1:1-3:15. If you are using a Study Bible, it will be helpful to read the Introduction for this book. As you read the verses for today, invite the Holy Spirit to reveal a word, phrase, or verse from the biblical text that is specifically for you.

 

Pray however the verses and the Spirit of the living God guide you to pray.

 

 

Saturday (11/19)

How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? The Sabbath is a day each week that is set apart from the others to stop, rest, delight in the Lord and what he has given us, and worship God. Because of our very busy culture and over-scheduled lives you may need to incrementally observe the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day the next weekend, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.

 

Read Lamentations 3:22-24.

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with God seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.

 

You are encouraged to watch the Overview: Ezekiel 34-48 video by the Bible Project that is available on Youtube before reading the verses today:

Overview: Ezekiel 34-48 by the Bible Project

 

Read Ezekiel 37. Choose questions from the Sunday list of this devotional to wrestle with as part of your study time. If you are using a Study Bible, you may want to read the study notes to understand the chapter more clearly.

 

Pray and live in response to our God. You may find it helpful to use the words from the verses you read today as a guide for your prayer.