Dear Ones,
Hope you wake to a beautiful day. Such lovely weather for refreshing walks. Snow is melting so we will soon be able to walk again on the Paul Bunyan trail.
Today is women’s Bible study and Al is Emoji as I also made Finnish pasty yesterday to have for our dinner today.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  Are we seeking truth in the way we think and live or do we accept the lies of our culture?  Pastors who preach to make people feel good but refuse to talk about sin and truth miss the mark. They may be popular but cheat their congregation of the life of truth and peace God wants for them. It’s much like putting on a bandage in regard to sin, but the way of truth cuts to the heart of the matter and brings wholeness.
   Some go to church to feel happy and good about themselves, and others because they desire to know God and let Him direct their lives and become whole. It’s not really about what we want but to become what God wants, which is a big difference.
  In Jeremiah’s time, Pashur was a popular eminent preacher and had a following. Everyone liked to hear him, and he preached everything positive to make the people feel good. But Jeremiah couldn’t stomach him because Pashur doctored up truth and people didn’t see their sin or need of God. On the other hand, God wants us to deal with our selfishness and sin and seek forgiveness. He wants us to become mature people in the Lord.
   We all need to live by the truth, not by what the culture says or preachers who tell us only positive things and want us to applaud. We are to test everything against scripture and to face our lies and sinful behavior and seek forgiveness. It’s not like polishing our outward behavior but experiencing inward truth, seeing ourselves as God sees us. To illustrate the seriousness of sin Jeremiah took a pottery water jug and threw it to the ground, smashing it in the presence of the leaders; he told them how God was going to smash the people and the city who had wandered from God, but he ended up in stocks for telling them. For him, the most important thing was living for God and not the applause of men. Are we passionate for God and truth seekers or do we go along with the world?
  Challenge for today: Dare to ask the Lord of ways you value comfort and applause of men over living for Him, and purpose to go God’s way!
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy