JEREMIAH 29:4-7
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I
carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle
down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and
daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage,
so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there;
do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which
I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it
prospers, you too will prosper.”JEREMIAH 29:8-12
8 Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not
let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the
dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in
my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. 10 This is what the
LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come
to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I
know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will
call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.JEREMIAH 29:13-14
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I
will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from
captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have
banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place
from which I carried you into exile.”
THE ABNORMAL IS THE NEW NORMAL.
JEREMIAH 29:4-6
4 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I
carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 “Build houses and settle
down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and
daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage,
so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there;
do not decrease.JEREMIAH 29:15-19
15 You may say, “The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”
16 but this is what the LORD says about the king who sits on David’s
throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who
did not go with you into exile 17 yes, this is what the LORD Almighty
says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague against them and I will
make them like figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue
them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent to
all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse and an object of horror, of scorn and
reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not
listened to my words,” declares the LORD, “words that I sent to them
again and again by my servants the prophets.’
THE ABNORMAL IS THE NEW NORMAL.
Death-day is better than birthday.
ECCLESIASTES 7:1
1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of
death better than the day of birth.JEREMIAH 29:7
7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have
carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it
prospers, you too will prosper.
Funerals are better than parties.
ECCLESIASTES 7:2
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house
of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living
should take this to heart.ECCLESIASTES 7:3
3 Frustration is better than laughter, because a sad face
is good for the heart.