TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Jeremiah 20:9
Read: Jeremiah 20:9-10
Listen: Jeremiah 20
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Jeremiah is at a low point. He shares the message from God, and it is not well received. He receives a beating and time in the stocks. It was painful and embarrassing. At this low point, Jeremiah talks about giving up. He considers not speaking for the Lord anymore but realizes he can’t do that. The message from the Lord is deep in his bones like a fire, and he simply cannot hold it in. He knows that he must obey God and share his message with the people of Israel.
According to the teachings of the New Testament writers, every person who places their faith in Jesus and becomes a follower of Jesus receives the Holy Spirit. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of sin and point us in the right direction. So, if we experience a sense of warning or guilt when thinking about doing something wrong or after we have done something wrong, it is likely the Holy Spirit convicting us of sin. Yet, like Jeremiah, we can be tempted to ignore God and disobey him—especially at our breaking points. But this is a critical time to listen to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit and do what is right. If we are unsure what is right, a great place to start is to seek counsel from godly people in our lives while immersing ourselves in the truth of the Bible.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Evaluate where you are in listening to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit. Be honest with yourself and assess how you handle conviction. Then, consider what steps you can take to grow in this area.
2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.
September is COMMUNITY. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
