Dear Church Family, One thing I know is God keeps His promises! It’s been sad reading through Jeremiah and observing God’s patience as He pleads through the prophet Jeremiah for the people to repent, yet they stubbornly refuse. He warns them over and over again, yet they won’t repent. In chapter 32, as the city is under siege by Nebuchadnezzar’s forces, God gives Jeremiah a strange command. I was moved by God’s instructions during this dark time, with Jeremiah even receiving them as he’s imprisoned by Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. Jeremiah 32:6-8 (ESV)
Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
It’s strange to be buying land when the city is under siege and about to be destroyed. In fact, Jeremiah can’t understand why God has asked him to do this, so prays to Him for understanding. He tells God of all the evil that the people have done and how they rightly deserve the doom coming upon them. God answers and agrees with Jeremiah’s assessment, but also declares, “Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27b ESV). He goes on to declare all the good that He will eventually do for His people and will keep His promises to them, despite their unworthiness. I love His concluding words: Jeremiah 32:42-44 (ESV)
“For thus says the Lord: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them. 43 Fields shall be bought in this land of which you are saying, ‘It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ 44 Fields shall be bought for money, and deeds shall be signed and sealed and witnessed, in the land of Benjamin, in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb; for I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord.”
God will always keep His promises; we can bank on it! Even when things look grim, we can trust in His faithfulness, despite our own unworthiness. I love Joshua’s conclusion at the end of his life: Joshua 21:45 (ESV)
“And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.”
What’s Happening at Gospel Life:Youth Group: Join us for youth group this Sunday, August 20th from 5-7 pm at the Aults’ house. Prayer Night: Our next prayer night is coming up next Tuesday, August 22nd at 7 pm at the Kropfs’ house. We have the privilege of bringing our needs before the Lord and praising Him for Who He is and what he has done for us. Youth Back to School Bash: We want to celebrate the start of school with a special night on August 27th from 5-7 at the Bronleewes’ house. Join us for swimming, games, dinner, worship, and a new Bible study. Request Prayer: It’s important for us to be praying for each other as a church! If you ever need prayer, we would love to come alongside you. You can always turn in a prayer request on Sundays using the Connection Card, but you can also submit a prayer request online at any time:
https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/people/forms/368653 Life Groups: Life Groups are an important way to connect and grow at Gospel Life. We have several exciting groups for men, women, or both. If you’re looking for a group to join, you can sign up below or stop by the Welcome Table on Sunday.
https://gospellifebiblechurch.churchcenter.com/groups/small-groups This Coming Sunday:
A Faithful Savior and a Painful Denial – We’re continuing our series the Gospel According to Mark and looking this Sunday at Mark 14:53-72. We’ll see the contrast between Jesus’ faithfulness and Peter’s painful denial. Watch Previous Worship Services
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW5IMNeRoI99I-QNoGMnuWDy6Y5svTt_c | 
