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<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">December 31, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
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</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>AUG
3 - JEREMIAH 21-24 - DENUNCIATION OF SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>1.
22:8-9 (21:1-22:9, ESV) JEREMIAH: AGAINST ZEDEKIAH. <font size="3">And
many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his
neighbor, “Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?” </font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1">9
</font><font size="3">And they will answer, “Because they have
forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and worshiped other gods
and served them.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">O
Father, we take warning from Judah, and crown You King of Your
Kingdom in our hearts! </span><b><i>Hallowed be your :name.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>2.
22:10 (22:10-12) JEREMIAH: AGAINST SHALLUM. <font size="3">“Weep
not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for
him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native
land.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Father, You
had Jeremiah pray Your will against his countrymen. May Your will,
not ours, ever be uppermost in our hearts. </span><b><i>Your
:kingdom come!</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>3.
22:15 (22:13-19) JEREMIAH: AGAINST JEHOIAKIM. <font size="3">“Do
you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your
father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was
well with him.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Teach
us Father, this truth from Josiah. Teach us that our daily bread
comes automatically when we walk in Your statutes. </span><b><i>Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>4.
22:29-30 (22:20-30) JEREMIAH: AGAINST CONIAH (JEHOIACHIN). <font size="3">O
land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD! </font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1">30
</font><font size="3">Thus says the LORD: “Write this man down as
childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his
offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David and ruling
again in Judah.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Here
is a man who has sinned a sin unto death. Father, let us not sin this
sin, but receive from You forgiveness of sin. </span><b><i>Our
:daily :bread, Give us this day.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>5.
23:5 (23:1-8) FAITHLESS PASTORS VERSUS FAITHFUL PASTORS. <font size="3">“</font><font size="3">Behold,
the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for
David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely,
and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
You bind us together in Jesus to form the completed Christ, stem and
branch (1 Corinthians 12:12). Jesus becomes our armor inward and
outward in this remarkable relationship! </span><b><i>And forgive us
our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>6.
23:28-29 (23:9-40) JUDGMENT ON PROPHETS: REASON. <font size="3">“Let
the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my
word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat?
declares the LORD. </font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1">29 </font><font size="3">Is
not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that
breaks the rock in pieces?” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
Your Word brings us to repentance. It divides between soul and
spirit. It leads us to contrition. In reconciliation with You, we
find </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">You</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
are our hedge! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
24:6-7 (24:1-10) SIGN OF THE FIGS. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“I
will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this
land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them,
and not uproot them. </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">7
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">I will
give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my
people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with
their whole heart.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
we bless You that in Christ You are so well able to do this! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
23:18 (23:9-40) A PLEA TO HEAR GOD’S WORD! </b></span><b><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“For
who among them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and to
hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?”
</span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
You desire </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Your
Word</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
to be shared, </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">not</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
the imagination of our own hearts. O the danger of speaking in Your
Name </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">when You have
not spoken</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
</span></span></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">C.H.
Spurgeon Quotes: </span></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">We
are one in Christ; let us be friends with one another; but let us
never be friends with one another’s error. If I be wrong, rebuke me
sternly; I can bear it, and bear it cheerfully; and if you be wrong,
expect the like measure from me, and neither peace nor parley with
your mistakes. </span></span></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>Our
Psalm for the day: 33:12 (33) THE STEADFAST LOVE (CHEsed) OF THE
LORD. <font size="3">“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.” </font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">Father,
we can praise You for Your Sovereign choices. Because we know You as
</span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Jehovah</span></u><span style="font-weight:normal">,
we </span><b><i>hallow Your :name!</i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:1.
<i><b>Rejoice in the Lord. </b></i>To rejoice in temporal comforts
is dangerous, to rejoice in self is foolish, to rejoice in sin is
fatal, but to rejoice in God is heavenly. He who would have a double
heaven must begin below to rejoice like those above.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:3.
<i><b>Pl</b></i><i><b>a</b></i><i><b>y skilfully. </b></i>It is
wretched to hear God praised in a slovenly manner. He deserves the
best that we have. Every Christian should endeavor to sing according
to the rules of the art, so that he may keep time and tune with the
congregation. The sweetest tunes and the sweetest voices, with the
sweetest words, are all too little for the Lord, our God; let us not
offer Him limping rhymes set to harsh tunes and growled out by
discordant voices. <i><b>With a loud noise. </b></i>Heartiness
should be conspicuous in divine worship. Well-bred whispers are
disreputable here. It is not that the Lord cannot hear us, but that
it is natural for great exultation to express itself in the loudest
manner. Men shout at the sight of their kings: shall we offer no loud
hosannas to the Son of David?</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:4.
<i><b>For the Word of the Lord is right; and all His works are done
in truth. </b></i>God writes with a pen that never blots, speaks
with a tongue that never slips, acts with a hand which never fails.
Bless His Name! </font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:5.
<i><b>The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. </b></i>Come
hither, astronomers, geologists, naturalists, botanists, chemists,
miners, yes, all of you who study the works of God, for all your
truthful stories confirm this declaration. From the midge in the
sunbeam to leviathan in the ocean, all creatures own the bounty of
the Creator. Even the pathless desert blazes with some undiscovered
mercy, and the caverns of ocean conceal the treasures of love. Earth
might have been as full of terror as of grace, but instead within it
teems and overflows with kindness. He who cannot see it and yet
lives in it as the fish lives in the water deserves to die. If earth
be full of mercy, what must heaven be where goodness concentrates its
beams?</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:6.
It is interesting to note the mention of the Spirit in the clause:
<i><b>and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. </b></i>The
word <i><b>breath</b></i> is the same as is elsewhere rendered
“Spirit.” Thus the three persons of the Godhead unite in creating
all things. How easy for the Lord to make the most ponderous orbs and
the most glorious angels! A word, a breath could do it. It is as easy
for God to create the universe as for man to breathe, nay, far
easier, for man breathes not independently but borrows the breath in
his nostrils from his Maker.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:7.
<i><b>He lays up the depth in storehouses. </b></i>May not the text
refer to the clouds, and the magazines of hail and snow, and rain -
those treasuries of merciful wealth for the fields of earth? These
aqueous masses are not piled away as in lumber rooms, but in
storehouses for future beneficial use. Abundant tenderness is seen in
the foresight of our heavenly Joseph, whose granaries are already
filled against earth’s time of need. These stores might have been,
as once they were, the ammunition of vengeance; they are now a part
of the commissariat of mercy.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">33:16.
<i><b>There is no king saved by the multitude of an host. </b></i>Mortal
power is a fiction, and those who trust in it are dupes. Serried
ranks of armed men have failed to maintain an empire, or even to save
their monarch’s life when a decree from the court of heaven has
gone forth for the empire’s overthrow. At the Battle of
Arbela, the Persian hosts numbered between five hundred thousand and
a million men, but they were utterly put to the rout by Alexander’s
band of fifty thousand; and the once mighty Darius was soon
vanquished. Napoleon led more than half a million men into
Russia, but the terrible winter left the army a mere wreck, and their
leader was soon a prisoner on the lone rock of St. Helena. All along
the line of history, this verse has been verified. The strongest
battalions melt like snowflakes when God is against them. <b>(From
“The Treasury of David” by C.H. Spurgeon, abridged by D.O.
Fuller)</b> </font></font></p>
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