Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us.”

Do not fear the king of Babylon anymore,’ says the Lord. ‘For I am with you and will save you and rescue you from his power. 12I will be merciful to you by making him kind, so he will let you stay here in your land.’

‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and live there, 16the very war and famine you fear will catch up to you, and you will die there.

For you were not being honest when you sent me to pray to the Lord your God for you. You said, ‘Just tell us what the Lord our God says, and we will do it!’

To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you.

 For in those days we had plenty to eat, and we were well off and had no troubles! 18But ever since we quit burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and stopped worshiping her with liquid offerings, we have been in great trouble and have been dying from war and famine.”

“Besides,” the women added, “do you suppose that we were burning incense and pouring out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven, and making cakes marked with her image, without our husbands knowing it and helping us? Of course not!”

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from lying to you and give me a sincere heart that desires only your will. Release my strongholds that are not delightful to you, give me your power to transform my sin nature to your blessing. Use my stubborn nature to lock only on you and build strength to overcome my idols. Help me allow you to completely have your way and stand under your authority only.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen