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

But it is the Lord who did just as he planned. He has fulfilled the promises of disaster he made long ago.

But I called on your name, Lord, from deep within the pit. 56You heard me when I cried, “Listen to my pleading! Hear my cry for help!” 57Yes, you came when I called; you told me, “Do not fear.”

Lord God my Father,

Your plan is perfect even when I don’t understand it. Give me a peace I can follow to stay close to you. Lord God, protect me and expose to me your desire so my decisions please you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.

Lord God my Father,

Restore your people, humble those who laugh at the destruction of relationships. Bring unity under your authority and restore you plan to the desire of all hearts.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 Perhaps the Lord will be gracious and do a mighty miracle as he has done in the past. 

I myself will fight against you with a strong hand and a powerful arm, for I am very angry. You have made me furious! 

Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor.

Lord God my Father,

You are creator and sustainer; you carry everything in your hand. Lore God, bring a stillness to me that allows me to hear only your desire and use me for your Glory. Keep me from your wrath and disappointment. Protect me from desiring anything other than you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you! 18You show unfailing love to thousands,

Even though I diligently taught them, they would not receive instruction or obey. 34They have set up their abominable idols right in my own Temple, defiling it.

For I will restore the prosperity of this land to what it was in the past, says the Lord.

But this is what the Lord says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky. 

Lord God my Father,

You are God, all powerful, ruler over all. Thank you for who you are, cause me to seek to be under your authority and not my own. My way is sinful, yours is delightful. Give me the focus and desire to restore this temple to your delightful design and ability to do your will in all things. Direct me without compromise weakening my actions. I want to be restored and I pray restoration over your people.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Because you are all worthless slag, I will bring you to my crucible in Jerusalem. 20Just as silver, copper, iron, lead, and tin are melted down in a furnace, I will melt you down in the heat of my fury. 21I will gather you together and blow the fire of my anger upon you, 22and you will melt like silver in fierce heat. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my fury on you.’”

From your room came the sound of many men carousing. They were lustful men and drunkards23:42 Or Sabeans.

Lord God my Father,

You are my all, your Truth and Grace define me and give me hope. Keep me close and protect me from sinful desires.

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

O city of murderers, doomed and damned—city of idols,22:3 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung; also in 22:4. filthy and foul— 4you are guilty because of the blood you have shed. You are defiled because of the idols you have made. Your day of destruction has come! You have reached the end of your years.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me close so I don’t earn your wrath, use me to encourage the lost to seek you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said!”

Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. 

“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.

Lord God my Father,

You are God, everything knows this. Help me to be strong in my desire to do your will and protected from my sin nature. I want to represent you well and allow the lost to see you in me and desire to find you. Use me as you wish and keep me from thinking about your desire and just be obedient.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

I, the Lord, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. 8I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

You used the lovely things I gave you to make shrines for idols, where you played the prostitute. Unbelievable! How could such a thing ever happen?

“But someday I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and Samaria, and I will restore you, too. 54Then you will be truly ashamed of everything you have done, for your sins make them feel good in comparison.

Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me so close that I am aware of wandering off, come and get me and discipline me before I get lost. Help me to use your gifts wisely and bring Glory to you alone. Restore the broken so we can delight together in your healing. Help me to be ever mindful of my motives.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 For you have refused to obey my decrees and regulations; instead, you have copied the standards of the nations around you.”

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart,11:19 Hebrew a heart of flesh. 20so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

So I did as I was told. In broad daylight I brought my pack outside, filled with the things I might carry into exile.

“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because what you say is false and your visions are a lie, I will stand against you, says the Sovereign Lord. 

For I will rescue my people from your grasp. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

Lord God my Father,

Give me a heart that will not stray from you, keep me protected in your will. I want to be obedient and only desire what is good and never bring darkness to your name. Your rescue is all that matters.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen