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Today's Devotional

Already Decided

October 23, 2026 ●
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
Jeremiah 42:6
"Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God."

After Jerusalem fell, the people who were left came to Jeremiah with a request that sounded right. “Pray for us unto the LORD thy God,” they said, “that the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk.” Then they made him a promise: “Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God.”

Jeremiah prayed, and after ten days the answer came. Stay in the land, God said, and do not go down into Egypt. If they would stay, He would build them and not pull them down.

But they did not like the answer. They told Jeremiah, “Thou speakest falsely,” and went down to Egypt anyway. God had already seen it coming. “Ye dissembled in your hearts,” Jeremiah told them. Their minds were made up before they ever asked.

I am afraid we can do the very same thing. We pray, “Lord, show me what to do,” when what we really mean is, “Lord, bless what I have already decided.” We ask for direction, but we are only willing to follow it if it agrees with us.

So what are you asking God about right now? Are you ready to hear “no” as well as “yes”? Pray this morning with an open hand, and mean it when you say, “whether it be good, or whether it be evil,” I will obey.

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Application

Bring one decision to the Lord today. Before you pray about it, settle it in your heart that you will do what His Word says, whether it is the answer you want or not.

Victory Verse

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." — John 14:1

Additional Verses
"And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before thee, and pray for us unto the Lord thy God, even for all this remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold us:) That the Lord thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do."
"For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray for us unto the Lord our God; and according unto all that the Lord our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it."
"Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:"

Daily Scripture Reading

Join us as we read through the Bible in one year, growing together in God’s Word day by day. Click on any underlined verse to access Pastor Burns’ helpful study notes and deeper insights.

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Pastor Burns' Study Notes

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This Week's Radio Program

Week Eighteen  •  May 3, 2026

Trust in Him
Trust in Him

Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 3)

In this final part of the message, “Trusting God with Tomorrow,” we are brought face to face with a powerful truth from Scripture—while we often plan our days and assume the future, the Bible teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain, and completely in God’s hands. As James reminds us, our life is “even a vapour” that appears for a little time and then vanishes away . The issue is not planning, but planning without God—living as though we are in control of what only God knows.

This message walks through the heart of biblical trust: having a proper perspective of tomorrow, a humble posture before God today, and a surrendered plan that says, “If the Lord will.” Whether facing uncertainty, fear, or the illusion of control, we are called to draw near to God, rest in His care, and trust that His will is good, even when tomorrow is unknown. Because Christ has risen, our future is secure—not in our plans, but in His perfect hands.

Listen to Past Programs

Trust in Him Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 2) Week Sixteen  •  Apr 19, 2026
Trust in Him Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 1) Week Fourteen  •  Apr 5, 2026
Trust in Him Trusting God in the Storms (Pt. 3) Week Twelve  •  Mar 22, 2026
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Trust in Him Trusting God in the Storms (Pt. 2) Week Eleven  •  Mar 15, 2026
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Trust in Him Trusting God in the Storms (Pt. 1) Week Nine  •  Mar 1, 2026
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