Philippians 2:5-8 (English Standard Version)

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Be humble because we are human. Be obedient because that connects us to Christ.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

I was small in stature in high school but I had a really large big brother. When he had my back I was not afraid of anyone. Just because he had my back did not mean I was strong. That was physical strength. Ephesians 6:10 is talking about spiritual strength.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Fighting an enemy that cannot be seen is a difficult thing and it seems counterintuitive to say humility is the key to putting on our spiritual armour. We must look at it from the standpoint of being still and allowing Christ to dress us for this battle. He will not hand us the next item for warfare if we say “I got this!” Overconfidence is the leading edge of pride.

Another analogy is when joining the Army I was given a weapon. Having it does not mean we are proficient in its use. Being equipped in one thing, being trained is another. 

• Matthew 13:52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
• Luke 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
• 1 Timothy 4:6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.
• Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Those who have ears, let them hear. AMEN

Jeremiah 18:7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,

Jeremiah 18:9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it,

Many of us will decide that this prophetic word given to Israel only applies to Israel. Looking closely at the wording the term “at any time” is not limited to a specific time and if that is true then the nations and kingdoms involved are not limited either.

If God would do this for Israel and God loves all of His creation, then what applies to one, applies to all. We should not ignore a warning just because we believe it does not apply to us.

Jesus came through the line of David for two specific reasons, to fulfill prophecy and to tell everyone that the only true God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Matthew 21:12-13 English Standard Version

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. 13 He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

What is not made clear is what has been stolen from God. That market place for Jews only, to buy and sell sacrifices to travelers from outside Judea. It was the only place in the temple where non-Jews were allowed to come and worship God. In effect they were robbing God of worship.

This ties into the issue of nations and kingdoms in Jeremiah 18 because God is the God of all His creation, not just Israel.

Given that Jesus said as much by sending His apostles to the gentile nations with the good news, then at any time, even now, the warnings of Jeremiah 18 apply just as much to us as anyone.

Warning: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ 

But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

Does any of this sound familiar?