April 29, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional | ODB for Friday Message was written By Mike Wittmer (Our Daily Bread Ministries).
Read April 29, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional (Friday) and Be Filled With God’s Word.
Our Daily Bread 29th April 2022 TOPIC: Spiritual Diagnosis
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Jeremiah 44:16–18, 20–23
KEY VERSE: We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord. – Jeremiah 44:16
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Kings 6–7; Luke 20:27–47
April 29, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional (Friday) INSIGHT: In Jeremiah 44:1–14, God sent a direct message through the prophet Jeremiah to the Jewish refugees who’d gone to Egypt against His express direction (see 42:7–22). While there, they were “burning incense to other gods in Egypt” (44:8), which brought God’s clear warning (vv. 8–14). But the people saw only what they wanted to see and defiantly rejected God in favor of the false “Queen of Heaven” (vv. 17–19, possibly Ishtar) and other pagan gods. On the face of it, Jeremiah’s mission was a failure. Opposition to his message was extensive. Yet the prophet remained faithful to God despite his unpopularity.
READ: April 27, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional | ODB for Wednesday
April 29, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional MESSAGE
Chemotherapy reduced the tumor in my father-in-law’s pancreas, until it didn’t. As the tumor began to grow again, he was left with a life-and-death decision. He asked his doctor, “Should I take more of this chemo or try something else, perhaps a different drug or radiation?”
The people of Judah had a similar life-and-death question. Weary from war and famine, God’s people wondered whether their problem was too much idolatry or not enough. They concluded they should offer more sacrifices to a false god and see if she would protect and prosper them (Jeremiah 44:17).
Jeremiah said they had wildly misdiagnosed their situation. Their problem wasn’t a lack of commitment to idols; their problem was that they had them. They told the prophet, “We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!” (v. 16). Jeremiah replied, “Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations, this disaster has come upon you” (v. 23).
Like Judah, we may be tempted to double down on sinful choices that have landed us in trouble. Relationship problems? We can be more aloof. Financial issues? We’ll spend our way to happiness. Pushed aside? We’ll be equally ruthless. But the idols that contributed to our problems can’t save us. Only Jesus can carry us through our troubles as we turn to Him.
Reflect & Pray (April 29, 2022 – Our Daily Bread Devotional)
What personal problem has you stumped and how are you tempted to respond in a sinful way? What do you think Jesus might want you to do?
Jesus, I’d rather fail with You than succeed without You.
READ ALSO: Our Daily Bread 28 April 2022 – Growing in Faith
Our Daily Bread 29th April 2022 (Friday) ODB Devotional Message For Today. Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread booklet. Our Daily Bread 29 April 2022
