F O O T H O L D

READING

86 BETTER THINGS AHEAD

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PRAY Ask God to help you really see the point of this important

selection.

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READ Jeremiah 31:23-34.

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THINK What was God's promise to his people?

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FOCUS Jeremiah's promises were not all of doom and gloom. There were

signs of hope.

1. BACK HOME (23-30). here we read of the restoration of the

people to their land. God was going to bring them back from exile

in Babylon. And he did!

2. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY (27-30). It's always easy to blame our

parents or genes or the way we were brought up! And certainly the

hereditary or environment factors cannot be ignored. But, we do

each have a will and are each finally responsible for our own

lives.

3. A NEW GOVERNMENT (31-34). This must be nearly the most

important section of Jeremiah. It leads quite naturally into the

marvellous salvation themes of the New Testament. God had made a

'covenant' or 'agreement' with the Israelites at Sinai . . .

highlighted in the Ten Commandments. This failed because of the

people's disobedience. Jeremiah looked ahead to a new covenant

written not on stone but on the heart. This one would not fail.

It all comes down to our relationship with God. Is it a knowledge

based on rules or ideas or a code of decency? Or is it knowing

God in a close, personal way with an inward dynamic to make the

contract effective?

The people who have the privilege to live in the A.D. span of

history have seen the new agreement become a reality in Jesus'

death and resurrection.

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PRAY Think of someone who needs to hear this news. Pray for him or

her. Maybe you will be able to answer your own prayer!

 


Index - Foot Hold in the Bible

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