JEREMIAH 16:16 - 18:23
WORSE THAN YOUR FATHERS: No one can blame their parents for the path they choose. These people took what their parents had done, and spiraled downward from there. They "inherited lies", embroidered on them, and now trust in vain things (empty, worthless, impotent). Their evil is so deeply entrenched, that God will cause them to experience His power when He topples it all. Nothing short of His judgment is going to break them loose.
THE SECRET OF LIFE: There are only two ways to do anything: God's way and the wrong way. The wrong way is to "trust in man" and you will be "cursed". (17:5-6) Your life will dry up and shrivel. Nothing temporary has any value or worth. God's way is to "trust in the Lord" (17:7-8) and be "blessed". To be "blessed" is to be "empowered". When everyone else is giving up, you stay strong because you have a hidden reservoir (you are "watered").
MISERY EXPLAINED: Why? Why am I so miserable? Why is everything always so hard? (17:9) Because your heart has two things wrong with it: It is desperately corrupt. It has a fatal disease and cannot be cured. There is only one way to cure what ails you - death. Your heart is deceitful above all else and so you have a poisoned well. Don't just paint the pump! (hiding the poison that is in your heart) There is no hope for man without God.
HOW CAN I RUN MY OWN LIFE? If my heart is diseased and is hiding its poison, then how does God expect me to run my life? (17:10) God will allow you to manifest what is in your heart so that you can see it for yourself. It's like that game, "Whack-a-mole" - stuff just pops out, and you whack it with Truth. (v.11-12) Your well will produce water according to its nature. (James 3:10-11) You discover that you can't trust natural wisdom or natural goodness (like the partridge). BUT...(17:12) Here is where you will find answers: "the glorious throne...our sanctuary". Authority and Life. God is the Source of both.
SABBATH REST: This is the picture of the "rest of faith" - trust in God. Keep your circumstances on the outside, and YOU enter into your sanctuary of rest. And when everything dries up, you will be "watered" (17:19-27). Our hope is in God.
THE POTTER'S HOUSE: We are the clay being shaped. We have no choice. Our only decision is to cooperate with God or to harden ourselves against Him. The potter is God. He shapes His vessels according to His "eternal purpose". (In Jeremiah's case, he understood the clay to be Judah, the nation, being shaped to fulfill God's purpose.) The pressure and the "letting up" are to mold the clay, forcing it UP into the shape God's wants. When it yields, God sighs, and when it needs more pressure, God does what He has to.
GOING AGAINST NATURE: (18:12-15) Judah responds with stubbornness. Even snow melts in the sun, and even water runs in the meltdown. It would be contrary to nature otherwise. But, "my people have forgotten Me". Instead of repenting, Judah decides to kill the messenger. So, what does God do? He smashes the clay down to a lump and starts again.
RESPONSE: What is it going to take to get us to repent? We can come easy, or we can come hard. In a way, that's good - God doesn't give up on us. On the other hand, when we try to live independent of God, we are miserable. All the apples in our basket rot until we pull God out of the periphery of our lives and get Him into the center of our focus again. We must orient our lives around God. Anything else is wasted effort and a wasted life.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:1-5:3
LIVING TO PLEASE GOD (Practical holiness): The opposite would be living to please ourselves. A life that pleases God is "sanctified". "This is the will of God." "Sanctification" is re-orienting your life around God and to form a new way of living by the Life of Jesus within. We form a new series of habits that become our NEW "normal". When we make it a new habit to always go to God about everything, we will begin to change. This comes about through growth and maturity of the New Creature, and the weakening and death of the Old Nature. So sanctification is two-sided: the growth and maturity of the "new man", and the weakening and killing of the "old man".
PRACTICALITIES: Abstain from sexual immorality (Gr. word "porneia"). Sexual immorality is also called "uncleanness" (4:7) and included all sorts of behavior, thoughts, and speech. "Possess your vessel" means "control yourself!". When we belong to God, our bodies are not ours to use however we choose. Sexual immorality "defrauds" (takes advantage of, oversteps personal boundaries), because without a marriage covenant in place, you are just exploiting one another. Rom 13:8-10 says it puts you in the position of "owing" the other person.
Mind your own business: (4:9-12) To really love one another, we have to necessarily stop being self-involved and self-serving, without getting into someone else's "business". This is "leading a quiet life" - one that is unhurried, not anxious, not obnoxious; just powerful and unnoticed. "Minding our own business" means to quit criticizing and DO SOMETHING. Oftentimes we use criticism as a form of "participation" . Instead, "work with your hands". When we are busy doing what we are supposed to do, we don't have time to mind someone else's business!
The goal is to have integrity with "outsiders" (non-believers). Non-believers need to know that we genuinely care, and that we don't need to be noticed. Our lifestyle should not draw criticism because of being UNholy. Our lifestyle should not draw criticism because we have "co-dependent" behaviors: are emotionally NEEDY, panic when things go wrong, give up when we meet hindrances, are critical and unloving, form unclean relationships that benefit us in some way.
THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM: At the end of each chapter in 1 Thessalonians, the "coming of the Lord" is mentioned. WHY? The overall theme of 1 Thessalonians is definitely NOT about "end times", or even about death and resurrection. Also NOTE: It doesn't say that we are GOING, but that He is COMING. This letter, probably Paul's first, is actually to help these young believers to know "How to Live for God", especially when they were being persecuted and jailed by the Jews (because they were Gentiles and because they weren't even converting to Judaism!) The effect of the "coming of the Lord" should be holy living, new values, sanctification, the fear of God, hope beyond death. And so, in this letter about living holy in an UNholy world, the "coming of the Lord" gives us COURAGE.
RESURRECTION, NOT RAPTURE: (4:13-18) refers to the dead as being "asleep". THIS DOES NOT REFER TO "SOUL SLEEP". Dan 12:2 tells us they "sleep in the dust of the earth" , so they aren't just taking a nap! The metaphor "sleep" is used because a person does not cease to exist when the body sleeps, and just so, a person does not cease to exist when his body dies either! When Lazarus, Jesus' friend, died, in John 11:11 Jesus said he was "sleeping". In fact, his body had already begun to decompose and it "stinketh". 2 Cor 5:1 says that our earthly body will "dissolve" (destroyed, come to nothing, disintegrate), but ALL of Scripture says that we DO NOT CEASE TO EXIST WHEN WE DIE. Ecc 12:7 says that "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Paul reiterates that in 2 Cor 5:6-9 where he declares that "whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:" and "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." Add to that, Philippians 1:23 where he said that when he died he would be "with Christ". In fact, when our bodies die, return to the dust, EVERYONE goes on living, either with Christ in heaven, or in hell (Dan 12:2; Rev 20:12-15).
"THE DAY OF THE LORD": When it talks of coming "as a thief in the night", it doesn't mean SNEAKY, because just 3 verses earlier it says there will be trumpets and shouting, and John 5:28 says it will wake the dead. The thief comes unannounced - suddenly, unexpectedly. It is with "sudden destruction". In other places, it is described as "great and terrible". But in ALL accounts, "the day of the Lord" was brought on by our own sin, it was local, inescapable, and not always the same identical event in history. It was so-named because it identified the day when the Lord intervened in judgment and vengeance. So what is the occasion referred to here? I believe that the occasion is referred to back in 2:14-16 as "the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost." : the destruction of the Jews, their Temple, and their glorious city, the earthly Jerusalem. At the same time, the elect (believers in Jesus), the martyrs and those who suffered wrongly will be avenged and proven to be the real sons of God - the true Temple of the Holy Spirit, and the heavenly Jerusalem.
PERSONALLY, this refers to our own "day of the Lord" when our rebellion is shown up for what it really is, and the fear of God comes on us. It is our SALVATION DAY! Thank God for it! It is a day that comes on us unexpectedly and unannounced. We don't escape, and either repent or harden our hearts.
RESPONSE: The fact of our resurrection to eternity either with Jesus Christ or in hell, is only one motivator for holy living. Our true motivation is the love of God and wanting to please Him. We have been CALLED to live holy, to manifest God's glory to the earth. Making new habits takes time, though, and it takes a renewing of the mind (Eph 4:23). In fact, Rom 12:21 says (Amp), "Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good." This means we must form a NEW habit to REPLACE the OLD habit. It is not possible to "break" habits. Try it sometime! BUT, habits are not who we are. They are not an inherent part of us. So they can be REPLACED! We replace complaining and criticism with THANKS! Thanks to God first, and then appreciation for others. We replace uncleanness with WORSHIP of God for His goodness and greatness, becoming accustomed to filling our great hunger with Him and with His benefits. We could go on and on, but you get the picture. Over time, the Holy Spirit will talk to us about what needs to be "crowded out" with godliness. We focus on Jesus and what He is doing - not on our sin and failure.
PSALM 81:1-16
All the Psalms teach us to worship and to be honest with God, but Psalm 81 tells us WHY we praise Him (other than for His goodness and greatness and glory). (v.1-4) It's the law of God. (v.5) It is our testimony to God. (v.6-7) It brings deliverance from bondage. (v.7-8) It expresses gratitude that God answers our prayers. (v.14) It subdues our enemies. (v.15) God fights our battles. (v.16) God abundantly satisfies our hunger and thirst. The most fearful punishment for rebellion: (v.11-12) being "given up" (Rom 1:24,26,28) in bondage to our own appetites, which can never be satisfied.
PROVERBS 25:6-7
Self-denial and humility is the life of the servant of God. Jesus gave up His rights, reputation, and dignity (Philippians 2) to live among us. We must do the same if we want to successfully manifest God to the fallen world.
RESPONSE: One humbling experience that stands out in my mind whenever I read these verses is this: Our church (about 30 years ago, not where we live at this time) was having "special meetings" with a great speaker. My husband and I got there real early and sat in our accustomed seats. Granted, they were in the fourth row, on the center aisle. Just before the meeting started, a couple we didn't know, walked up the aisle to where we were sitting and told us that we had to move because they wanted our seats! They then proceeded to tell us "who they were". When our pastor saw what was happening, he was very embarrassed because of the other couple, and asked us to please let them have our seats. I found out later that the woman had a local "Christian" radio program and felt she deserved to be honored with a front seat. But I have never forgotten her behavior that night. I committed to NEVER act like that - - - - no matter how famous I get! (ha-ha)
JEREMIAH 14:1 - 16:15
THE KING IS DEAD: King Josiah is dead, and now Jeremiah's troubles have really started! Josiah's first son was deposed by Egypt, and now evil brother Jehoikim is in charge. Jeremiah was not allowed to pray for Judah because prayer delays judgment. And now, just like the nation drinking from "broken cisterns" instead of satisfying their thirst with the Lord, everything has dried up and there is drought in the land. When he finally prays, (14:19-22) he eloquently pleaded with God: if You won't save us for our own sake, then save us for Your sake! When someone strikes one of us, God takes it personally. Why not now? When Jeremiah finds out that God won't budge in His judgment, he prayed for himself.
WHEN MY FAITH IS WEAK BECAUSE OF PROLONGED OPPOSITION: When God doesn't answer prayer with what we want, it feels like He doesn't even hear us. Will He prove false? Am I believing a myth? (15:19-21) God's tender answer: "YOU repent and I will restore you." Everything around you will collapse, but GOD won't. He will prove sufficient and stable and strong. God is reliable. BUT.... you have to separate "the precious from the vile". You dig out what is precious and meditate on that, and just leave the MAD, SAD OR BAD thoughts where they lay. AND STICK TO YOUR CALLING. God's promises concerning you are still in effect.
FORBIDDEN: The ban on marriage could be one of two things: (1) God was sparing him greater pain because of the threats of war, famine, disease, and his family members would suffer. (2) His marital state illustrates Judah, God's "virgin daughter" with no hope of marrying God. He was also forbidden to mourn the loss of Judah or to feast with them either. He had only God now. He wasn't to encumber himself with anything or anyone. It is all ripe for judgment.
RESPONSE: When I feel persecuted or victimized, I know my husband will always hold me and speak softly to me. I can run to him for comfort and encouragement. Jeremiah didn't have kind words, soft touches, and a place to "let down". It was God or nothing. He had to pursue his calling with an all-or-nothing attitude. It must have felt like pressing to the goal with the whole opposing football team hanging from your ankles!
1 THESSALONIANS 2:10 - 3:13
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: If we want to impact the world around us, it will take sacrifice on our part. Big-shot leaders can't connect with people over the long-haul, but we see people every day that we can influence for Jesus. How?
(2:10) Consistency. What we say is how we live. We don't just "believe" the Gospel, but are committed to obedience. Because we are consistent (we "walk the walk, and don't just talk the talk"), people know what to expect from us and can trust us. We can be counted on to do or say the right thing.
(2:11-12) Encouraging, comforting, urging. A good parent never gives up on his children. God has called us to "His kingdom and glory". We need to be people who will urge everyone forward in that calling. Whatever it takes, we will sacrifice to help them. What is that "worthy walk" ? It is a life that appropriately manifests what God is doing on the inside in producing "His kingdom and glory" in us. So we are positive, as opposed to negative, people - letting others know that they can do this!
(2:13) Submission to the Word of God. This means that we don't just read it, but we think about it, we think about the implications, we think about how it will manifest in our lives. Because it is, indeed, the Word of God, then it is the final authority. It is our "bottom line". When the Bible says that it "works" in us who "believe", it means that the Word of God is able to manifest itself in our lives because it has power and the ability to achieve results. We don't apply the Word of God like paint on the outside. We put it in us, and it changes us to reflect what we are reading! (Like a "funky" mirror - James 1:22-25).
(2:14-16) Endurance. The transforming power of the Gospel manifests itself under pressure and persecution. This is when our faith really has an impact. This persecution and pressure was a real threat; and notice where it came from! It doesn't come from out-and-out heathens, but from so-called "good" people, religious leaders, the defenders of the status quo, in this case, the Jews. (Here we have the Word of God telling us that they "killed the Lord Jesus, their own prophets, and persecuted Paul, pleased not God, opposed the Gospel, forbid preaching to the Gentiles, fill up the measure of their sins." And as we know from history, the Jews finally managed to martyr all the original 12 apostles except for two: Judas and John.) But these circumstances did not change the message, or stop the preaching of the Gospel! We must hold to our faith in God and endure no matter that the world throws at us. God was about to destroy His enemies, Jerusalem, and the Temple. He would no longer inhabit a city or a building, but His dwelling-place would be with His elect: those by faith in Jesus Christ. But in order to impact others for Jesus that they would be saved, our lives must manifest "God in us". We can be unshakeable in crisis because God is in us.
(2:17-3:10) The heart of God. Paul called these people his "glory and joy". They were important to him and dear to his heart. He was "torn away from" them - reluctant to leave them behind. The "heart of God" is a "fatherly or motherly" heart. To have this kind of concern for people, will bring us into conflict with Satan and bring "tribulations". Life gets difficult. When we see people struggling like that, we must "strengthen, comfort and encourage" when at all possible. That's the heart of God. The greatest accomplishments of our lives will be the people that we have influenced for the Kingdom of God. Our greatest joy and "comfort" is in seeing others stand in their faith.
(3:11-13) Prayer: The most powerful way to use our influence is with prayer - is that too obvious? It should be to us, but most of the time we forget or just don't take the time. But look how prayer works: first of all, we want the will of God and so we submit ourselves to His plan and schedule, asking God what He wants. There are things we really desire, but our "bottom line" is to desire the will of God. Then second we must pray that our love would increase. Our love should overflow from our Infinite Source inside. We want to grow in our ability to love others. Third, pray for hearts to be "stablished .. .unblameable". That we would have higher standards than those who don't love God. That we would have no regrets because of what we "could have" or "should have" done because of the love of God.
RESPONSE: Paul can sure pack a lot into a few short verses! I must admit that I usually just read right over stuff without really seeing it. That's not how we should read a personal letter like this one. Paul congratulated them on the fact that they got saved and didn't revert back to their heathen behavior when he left and the pressure began. They pressed on to know God and were growing, even under terrible opposition. Their actions were heroic. They were making a reputation for themselves and were impacting the whole world! When Paul was there, he was accused 
of "turning the world upside down" (Acts 17:6) and now it seems that the Thessalonians were carrying on his tradition!!! Which leads me to this question: Are we turning anyone's world upside down? If our influence isn't strong enough to get a reaction, maybe we need to look at how to make an impact: consistency, being a person who encourages, comforts and urges forward, being submitted to the Word of God, endurance in crises, having God's heart for people, and praying.
PSALM 80:1-19
"TURN US": Cause us to repent, to turn away from our substitutes and turn toward God. Unless God draws us to Himself, we will be castaways. "Cause Thy face to shine" means for God to have mercy on us and act to bring us to Himself. We are obstinate and will self-destruct if God doesn't intervene. So we ask Him to "visit us" to restore life and purpose to us. And in turn, (v.18-19) we will be obedient and never allow our circumstances to drive us from God again.
PROVERBS 25:1-5
THE HEART OF A KING: The glory of God consists of making a mystery of things; and the king's glory is to figure them out. The king's heart is impossible to predict - and he can change his mind without preamble. (So don't flatter yourself if the king favors you today.) Wicked men are the dross and scum of any nation. Reform the court and you reform the nation.
RESPONSE: "Our enemies laugh among themselves." When we behave shamefully, our enemies mock us. Being vulnerable to that kind of attack is pure misery. It can even get physical, as noted in v. 12-13. God didn't save us, only to let us languish in failure. And so, we promise to "be good", if He will just bring us back to Himself again. Until we learn that we truly can't help ourselves, try harder, fight longer, or whatever we think will help - - - until we learn those things, we are destined to fail. It is only in KNOWING GOD and believing what He has said, that we can find our way out of our mess. If we think it doesn't take all that, then we are naive about our true condition. WE NEED GOD. And we must re-orient our lives around Him at the center - forming new habits of sanctification - meditating on the Word, giving thanks to God IN EVERYTHING, rejoicing because God is in control, serving wherever the Spirit takes us. This is the formula for being happy.
JEREMIAH 12:1 - 14:10
WHY DO THE WICKED PROSPER? And why does God allow some of them to be happy? God favored them and was very indulgent with them. They cared nothing for God, but talked like they knew Him . But God is just fattening them up for the slaughter! But why are they allowed to take the whole country with them? The whole creation is groaning under the curse of vanity (Rom 8:19-23).
GOD'S ANSWER - apples and oranges. Rather than address what was actually asked, God says, if you are discouraged by this little detail, what will you do when the going gets really tough! There is worse to come! By letting yourself get "down" and your faith weakening, and not wanting to go on, you actually weaken yourself for what's ahead! If we patiently bear the trouble we are in, we strengthen ourselves for greater trials. If your relatives can discourage you, what will you do when the chief priest and the King come after you? This life is not a sprint, but a marathon. It is also called a war zone. We should expect trouble. Expect to "contend with horsemen". Keep our integrity and peace in small things - in order to prepare for further and greater trials. Hold fast to the promise of God, keep our eyes on the prize. Little things matter. What we REALLY need is not an answer to our questions, but an answer to our needs. We must learn to overcome ever-increasing difficulties.
DIRTY, HOLEY UNDERWEAR: The white linen underwear (worn next to the skin) symbolized the closeness OF Jehovah, in clothing Himself with Judah, once beautiful and glorious, as close as anyone could get to Him. Jeremiah was told to wear the loincloth for a period of time without taking it off or washing it. Then Jeremiah wore it up north - to the far side of the Euphrates River (which symbolized Judah going there in captivity) and hid it in the cleft of a rock. After a considerable length of time God told the prophet to retrieve the loincloth. When Jeremiah found it, it had become filthy dirty, full of holes, and was fit for nothing, least of all to be worn. Judah (the loincloth) had made herself unfit and God loosed her and cast her off, defaced her beauty, destroyed her excellency. God dealt with Judah's pride - pride of place, pride of Temple, pride of being "chosen".
FILLED TO THE BRIM: Wine jars filled to the top represented the country's drunkenness and ruin. Drunk with pride, drunk with deceit, drunk with hypocrisy. Pride is the ultimate ruin of anyone before God, when he is too proud to humble himself and repent. Meanwhile the minister "weeps in secret" for those who will not weep for themselves.
CAN A LEOPARD CHANGE ITS SPOTS? A "confirmed sinner" who is held by his habits, cannot get free by himself. But that is no obstacle for the Holy Spirit of God!
THE DROUGHT: NOW Judah is ready to pray! NOW they cry out to God to help them, send rain and save them. Don't leave us, we are called by Your Name! BUT, they still "love to wander". They still sin willfully and intentionally. God won't compromise His holiness. If they won't repent and pray for themselves, then Jeremiah better not pray for them either.
RESPONSE: I am as close as my underwear to God! When I am prideful and arrogant and independent, I am like dirty, holey underwear! Ewwww!
1 THESSALONIANS 1:1 - 2:9
GENERAL REMINDERS: Taken together, the Old and New Testaments are a self-interpreting volume. It is one Divinely-contructed document. The Old and New Testaments were not intended to be treated separately. The Bible is one revelation, in unity and with One Author, the Holy Spirit. We need both Testaments in order to fully understand either one. Every important doctrine of the New Testament is found in seed form in the Old Testament. To help us interpret Scripture, we compare one Scripture to another - not search out extra-Biblical materials. We must gather from the Scriptures themselves, the meaning that the writers intended to convey. And so, the meaning of verses in 1 Thessalonians are more easily arrived at when we know the purpose for the letter. Not just that, but what does God want us to glean from there?
LIVING STRAIGHT IN A CROOKED WORLD: The founding of the Church in Thessalonica is described in Acts 17. Right from their beginning, they were persecuted, hunted down, arrested, and even killed by the Jews. The Jews accused them of "turning the world upside-down." (Acts 17:6) Paul must have made a huge impact on society! That church was characterized by three things that are foundational Christian living (1:3): (1) "faith which works" (2) "love which labors" (3) "hope which is persistent". These points also serve as an outline of 1 Thessalonians.
(1) "faith which works". Faith makes us turn from our false "gods" (counterfeits and substitutes for God), and turn toward God. This was manifested (v.9) when they turned toward God and away from their idols. Their faith changed their lives. Faith is ACTIVE and always provokes action. They "made their election sure" (v.5, 2Pet 1:10). The first work of faith was when they believed the Gospel and clung to God.
(2) "labor of love". First, love changes our attitude toward "affliction" to that of "joy of the Holy Ghost." They bore suffering for His Name's sake. They stopped complaining and started rejoicing! Rejoicing in the Lord is a labor of love. Secondly, when we love God like that, we spread the news. Without fanfare, we just share at every opportunity. Everyone around them knew about that Church! And third, we must walk in our faith. We can't just talk about it. No one should have to tell people that we are Christians - our walk should manifest it.
(3) "hope that perseveres". Our hope is for resurrection (1:10). Because Jesus lives, (John 14:19), we too, shall live. Our ultimate victory is the resurrection in which we participate if we are born again. "the wrath to come" probably refers to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. Even death does not sway us or cause us to fear like some do. "Hope" is not a strong wish. "Hope" is the "anchor for the soul". (Heb 6:19) Hope holds us in place when we are buffeted about by storms. When life appears to be out of control, we know (are anchored by the fact) that God loves us, God is in control, and there is more to life that what we SEE.
A FAITHFUL WITNESS: (2:1-2) Does not give up when the going gets tough. Paul's preaching in Thessalonica provoked a riot and he had to sneak out of town! (2:3-8) Loves people and deals with them honestly. If you truly love people, you don't scam them or flatter them to cover up your own greed. In fact, love does not manipulate or coerce people at all. Paul was not motivated by greed, but he truly loved people, "as a nursing mother cherishes her children". ("cherishes" - "thalpo" - to keep warm - like a dove brooding her nest). A faithful witness who manifests Jesus, gives up their "rights" in order to serve people and give the Gospel credibility. In fact, servants don't have rights; they have obligations. (2:4) A faithful witness is motivated by one thing: pleasing God. And God will even test those motives from time to time, seeing if you are staying on track, keeping your focus on God.
RESPONSE: A faithful witness genuinely manifests Jesus. From the example of Paul and of Jesus, we can state that a faithful witness "mans up" when opposed or insulted. We don't quit! Since we are not looking for "credit" or praise or popularity or payment of any kind, we don't have to be worried about pleasing people. When we present the Gospel, we must never use deceitfulness, or trickery, or coercion. Our only motivation is to please God and to love people.
PSALM 79:1-13
TRIALS THAT FORM CHARACTER: My mother always said, "What you are when you are offended, is what you are." Affliction is an opportunity to die to SELF and live to God. Self-preservation is a nasty dictator, and unfortunately, will cause us to betray the Lord if it isn't dealt with. Its opposite is not to die to self, but to TRUST GOD in total abandonment. This takes a lot of instruction. We must teach our hearts every day that God is worthy of our trust. He is faithful, He is righteous, He is just, He is full of mercy and lovingkindness toward us, He loves us with overwhelming love. Our best hope when everything is falling in ruins around us, is to cling to God, thank Him for His goodness and His greatness, and trust Him to work His purpose. We need to repent continually - turning our hearts and our minds toward God in trust. Verses 10-11 give reasons for God to avenge the elect: because the heathen have challenged God's authority, and because of "the sighing of the prisoners" (Rom 8:18-28) - all creation AND the Holy Spirit moaning for the revelation of who truly are the "sons of God". (His elect)
PROVERBS 24:30-34
A lazy man will be a poor man. Let's not get too proud here. Our own souls and our "estate" (what we have influence over - home, family, church positions, communities, etc.) are our vineyard that we are told to "occupy until He comes". "thorns and thistles",(evil habits) are the yield of fleshly fields and will be burned in the end. "Broken down walls" are places where we are vulnerable to our enemies: unforgiveness, bitterness, envy, disarray. Our world got that way from OUR "sloth" (laziness) and from being "void of understanding" (indecisive, disinterested, neglectful). Eternal lack (NO righteousness, peace, or joy) and ruin comes on the whole vineyard. Matt 25:26-30 tells us that the "wicked and slothful servant" is cast into "outer darkness". He is ruined.
RESPONSE: The only way to die to SELF is to trust God totally. And the only way to trust God totally is to renew our minds to the Truth about God. We have to replace our distrust with confidence in God. We can't break a bad habit of distrust and self-preservation. We must REPLACE it with a sanctified habit of always looking to God. We can FORCE our hearts to settle down, feel secure with God, be happy with just God. We instruct our hearts with the Word of God. We thank Him and praise Him at ALL times and IN everything (1 Thess 5:16-18) for all His goodness, all His mighty power and glory, all His kindness, His mercy, His love, etc. etc.
JEREMIAH 10:1 - 11:23
"THE WAYS OF THE HEATHEN": When threatened, people start casting around for something to hang onto! Sometimes any old thing will do if it looks secure. Don't be trained in the lifestyle or ways of thinking of non-believers. Valuing the things that they value is "vain" - useless, worthless, empty, a waste of time and a waste of money. Are v 3-4 talking about a Christmas tree? I hope not! Just remember: v.5 says that it intrinsically cannot do either evil or good. Just don't allow it to become a substitute for God. V. 10 "The Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an everlasting king..." Any substitute of counterfeit for God that we are depending on, that has never created anything on earth or in heaven, cannot save us because they are perishing too (v.15).
EXILE IS CERTAIN: To be in exile is to be in a hostile environment, thrown entirely on the Lord for safety and for provision of every kind. If you are not part of God's remnant, (those who come through, not escape or "survive intact") then you will be nothing but the world's slave. But God's remnant are still under God's watch, still able to perform His purpose. Which will we be? No one can direct his own steps. You can be God's servant or the servant of sin.
WARNINGS & REBUKES (chap 11-23)!!!
CHAP 11: OBEY GOD OR DIE: The prophet must walk up and down the roads and streets and call out to people and hold out the "constitution" by which the nation was formed (their covenant with God). Compare yourself with the original agreement and see how you've failed. Obey God and be blessed. Disobey God and be cursed. Those were the terms under which God gave them the Land (living in the care and presence of God). V.8 says they breached the agreement and now they are subject to the curses.
CONSPIRACY: They conspired to overthrow God! They did all they could to subvert the authority of Scripture. They tempted people to follow their gods (themselves). Who did this? People inside the church! Remember Rev 13 shows us two beasts: a "world" beast and a "church" beast! The church-beast looked like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon! (13:11). It looked like a Christian, but was beastly (antichristian) in nature and in purpose. It's plan is to put its followers under the power of the world-beast. So we blend in. Then there will be no more witness to Truth. BUT - - - the punishment has already been set in motion, and God won't change His mind. Their prayers won't be heard. Their gods(substitutes and counterfeits) can't save them. Jeremiah's prayers can't help them.
What did they think they were doing? God's "wife" was practicing lewdness in His house! He will no longer shelter her in His house. They partook of the holy flesh from the Temple offerings, threw a pinch of incense to Baal's altar, and then rejoiced like nothing was wrong. (covering all their bases?)
MISUNDERSTOOD: Jeremiah was a priest, from the priestly family, living in a town of priests - - - Anathoth. Those are the people who are plotting to kill him for prophesying in the Name of the Lord. Silence him or slay him. God decided He would "visit" them.
RESPONSE: There is a conspiracy afoot in America today. A conspiracy to overthrow God. When I put it into writing, the very idea looks stupid. But in practice, it isn't even subtle any more. How does it work inside the church? With people refusing to hear the Truth of God's Word. With Christians too intimidated to practice their beliefs in public, outside their home or outside their churches. Silence us or slay us. That's their plan.
COLOSSIANS 3:18 - 4:18
HOUSEHOLD OF "AGAPE": "Agape" characterizes the core of our personality as Believers. "Agape" is an ATTITUTE and ACTION WORD for "love" in the NT. It means to give up one's self-interest to serve and care for another. It is neither grudging or demeaning. The testing ground for our new walk of faith is the home. The goal here is to do what the Lord expects, not what our society accepts. Men are to hold their wives in highest esteem, viewing them in the same way Christ views the Church! Just as men "agape" their wives, the wives "hupotasso" their own husbands (to place herself at the disposal of another - much like "agape"). What is interesting is that neither word means "affection"! The point being that knowing Jesus transforms all our relationships.
WISDOM TOWARD "OUTSIDERS": Everything we do, we do it in gratitude to God. When we react to what is going on around us, we do it God's Name, because that's Who we represent. Our lives are dead, and hidden in Christ. He indwells us and wants to express Himself through us, so we must live WISELY - navigating through a fallen world like Jesus would. Use our influence where we can, interfere when we must, and intercede always. We must "redeem the time" - use every opportunity. If we give ourselves to prayer, then we can recognize the opportunities when they come. Otherwise, it is difficult to know an open door when it's there. The important thing to remember is that ALL OF LIFE IS LIVED IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. Our lives must be integrated - all of one piece. Because of the Cross (sufferings, death and resurrection) of Jesus, both FOR us, and AS us, we can strip away our old disgusting behaviors and live like He would.
RESPONSE: I know that there are some things that I would ONLY do for Jesus! In fact, many of the things I do every day, are things I wouldn't do if He weren't looking! But, because I love Him, I get the dirt in the corners too. Because I don't want to do a sloppy job for Jesus, I chop the onions real small in the casserole. Because I want to please God, I am always gentle and uncondemning with vulnerable people when I help them. I don't take shortcuts when I clean Mom's feet and clip her toenails. I think about the woman washing Jesus' feet with her tears because of her gratitude. Jesus rescued me, set me free, healed me, washed me, loves me, is faithful to me ... gave me His grace, His Spirit, His power, His Word, His Name. I want to do a "BANG-UP" job at whatever He gives me to do!
PSALM 78:56-72
When Israel disobeyed and forgot their history, God chose Judah instead. He forsook the tabernacle in Shiloh, gave the Ark of His Presence to our enemies, burned the town and the people in it, and started over in Jerusalem. "Moreover" He abandoned the tribe of Joseph and Ephraim, and set His love and affection on Judah and Mt. Zion. And DAVID the faithful shepherd of the sheep, became the faithful shepherd of the nation.
PROVERBS 24:28-29
As an immature Christian, I could stay mad at someone for several weeks - even years! If an opportunity opened up to get even with them, I'd take it! And you know what? It never satisfied anything. It was never enough, never "evened things up". This is because with "fairness" doctrine, the goal keeps moving. There are a lot of emotions involved and so the bottom line keeps scooting around. Jesus said "resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Mat 5:39) This means that when someone offends us, we continue to be vulnerable enough that he can do it again.
JEREMIAH 8:8 - 9:26
"IS THERE NO BALM IN GILEAD"? (8:20-22) "The summer is ended and we are not saved." False prophets have insisted that Jerusalem was in no danger ("peace! peace!") and became Jeremiah's most difficult problem. The truth is that things will get so bad that people will choose death rather than life. Jeremiah is pouring out his soul in grief. Rebellion is the serpent's venom. Bitterness is the adder's strike, and "cannot be charmed". But Jesus will bruise his head! YES! THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD. HIS NAME IS JESUS!
JEREMIAH 6:15 - 8:7
"THE OLD PATHS": (6:16) "There you will find rest for your souls". Return to the Cross of Jesus - start over. But no one would listen! Threats did no good. They tried to manipulate God with outward rituals of worship (their hearts weren't in it). God wants our hearts, not our stuff.
"THE FRUIT OF THEIR THOUGHTS": (6:18) (the results of all their scheming). They thought they could be better, stronger, richer, prettier, more famous, more loved, more popular, - by their alliances with earthly things. Now those earthly alliances will be what destroyed them. The strumblingblocks didn't cause them to fall into sin - they had already purposefully stepped into it. Now they would FALL into trouble. No matter what they do, they won't be able to avoid it. They won't be able to look for help from each other, because they will all go down. The enemy is cruel and has no mercy - you'd better be watching over your shoulder. He's already on his way and will pounce without warning. Like King Saul of old, they have been rejected.
WATCHMEN: YOU be a "tower and a fortress". Be someone that truly repentant people can come to for help. Unfortunately, nearly everyone is "grievous revolters" and will fly at you in their hardness of heart.
ON MY WAY TO CHURCH: There stood Jeremiah in the gateway to the churchyard, calling us: "if you change your ways and return to God, you will be allowed to escape judgment." First they were deceived by their leaders, then they became self-deceived. After all, they were on their way to church. But they had exchanged the God of goodness and greatness, for gods who did nothing for them. Then, they came and stood before Jehovah God pretending to be sorry and claiming to be delivered so they wouldn't feel guilty. They thought they could hide behind their church-attendance. But God said, "I have seen it."
TAKE A LOOK AT SHILOH: Shiloh was the old-days worship center, where the Ark was kept and the people worshipped. When the people acted like Jerusalem is now, God forsook Shiloh (wrote "Ichobad" over it - "the glory has departed") and the Ark went into captivity. The land was laid waste. Being a church-goer won't save you! "Do not pray for them...because I won't hear you." That is a scary thought! (prayer delays judgment) Their doom is sealed. All your sacrifices won't save you either when you persist in disobedience. They had set up their own will in competition with God's and they actually went backwards! They are worse off than their fathers.
"TRUTH HAS PERISHED": (7:28) Everyone is deceived - they have surrendered Truth. They have lost their bottom line! They live disoriented to Reality. God has "rejected and forsaken" them.
VALLEY OF HINNOM: An OT type of HELL. The NT word is "Gehenna" and designates the place of eternal punishment of the wicked. Judas is buried there. It was where Molech worship took place and children were sacrificed and burned at the altars. Rubbish fires burned continually out there for convenience in dumping offal and garbage. Because the people are polluted and have polluted all God gave them, and have actually participated in worship by sacrificing their babies, the valley will be filled with their dead bodies. There will be nothing to rejoice in any more. Even after you are dead, you won't rest. Your graves will be dug up and robbed of anything valuable.
WHY DO PEOPLE PERSIST IN CLINGING TO THEIR DECEIT? Why do some persistently backslide? No matter how many times they come to the altars, they walk away unchanged. What's up? Even animal and birds are smarter than that! These people don't appear to be embarrassed by their behavior either. They reject the Word and prefer their own reasonings and opinions. They seem to believe that God's grace and mercy will extend to them forever, and they can "change" when they want to! They talk about how good God is, and how wonderful He is to them, when God is actually taking everything away from them! They flatter each other with how wonderful they are and what good things they are doing. They think they can justify everything and laugh at their accusers. They ruin themselves thru deceit and go into slavery (bondage).
RESPONSE: People that I love and care about act just like this! They prefer their sin to the Presence of God! They seem to think they are free from all the rules that bind me! The truth is that I don't WANT to do what they are doing! It is self-destructive and grieves the Holy Spirit, Whom I love and to Whom I owe everything. Nothing feels as good as pleasing God feels. Nothing feels as good as a clean conscience either! Yes, it is work to come clean. But it is fueled by joy! It is pure misery to be governed by THUGS, who have no bottom line!
COLOSSIANS 2:8-23
THE ANSWER TO PHILOSOPHY AND VAIN DECEIT: We all know what "philosophy" is - "the love of knowledge" - but actually today it has come to be used to describe our foundations for how we live. So we have a "philosophy about God", a "philosophy about marriage", etc. Here, it says ”philosophy...that is according to the elements of the world, and NOT after Christ." Gal 4:3, 9 call it "beggarly elements of the world". They are deceptive and are an empty sham, with no substance. They are according to something that the Bible says is already in the process of "passing away" (Luke 21:33; 2 Peter 3:10). Heretical philosophies are a danger because they form a barricade against Trust and are misleading and seductive.
What is "True philosophy". . . which is "according to Christ"?
(1) All the fullness of deity lives in Christ Jesus (2:9). The word "fullness" strongly affirms His deity. Because He possesses "full deity", Jesus is completely equal with the Father and the Spirit . And it lives there "bodily" - Jesus was fully human while He was fully God the Divine without diminishing either part of Him. This means He was fully qualified to make atonement for us. He is our exclusive Head. There is no other.
(2) Believer are complete in Christ Jesus (2:10-14). Jesus possesses "fullness of deity", and Christians have fulness of Life from Him. We are identified with Him "who is head over all rule and authority". Jesus is fully sufficient, and we need no other. "Complete" means "fulness." How close is our identity with His? (v.11-12) Water baptism is NT circumcision. It is the SIGN of covenant (marriage). It is a virgin man coming into a virgin woman, thereby consummating the marriage covenant. When we are water baptized, we consummate our relationship with Jesus. It alters our spiritual makeup. We are no longer plain, natural humans. Additionally, when we entered the baptismal waters, as we went under the water, it was like burying the old man (stripping him off). When we rise up out of the water, it is a resurrection to "newness of life" (Rom 6:4). We ALREADY participated in Jesus' death and resurrection. No further charge can be brought against us.
(3) Redemption is complete because Christ has all Authority. (2:13-15) Christ's death on the cross "cancelled the written bond...." That is, the legal demands of the Law, which exposed sin and demanded satisfaction. It was like picking up all our IOU's and paying them. Our forgiveness is finall. "Thrones, dominions, rulers or authorities." have been stripped of their authority, disarmed, and left naked and defeated by Jesus. They have been "made a show of "- paraded through the streets of heaven, naked and in chains. Nowhere in the NT is Satan seen in heaven, following the ascension of Jesus. This is a reality settled in heaven and Satan can no longer accuse us to God.
LOGICAL OUTCOMES: (2:16-23) Regarding man-centered philosophies - rules and regulations puff up the flesh, producing self-righteousness and arrogance. People may "browbeat" us into feeling obligated to participate in these rites - but all those rituals and ceremonies and special days, in reality, point to Jesus Christ, by whom we are already "filled" - "complete".
RESPONSE: Any connection between sin and a believer is an unnatural one. We only sin because we WANT to. And as we grow closer to the Lord, we really don't even WANT to! We become "dead" to sin. It loses its appeal. Darkness has no claim on me. I owe it no obligation, because I have been bought back from the darkness.
PSALM 78:1-31
"DARK SAYINGS": (V.2) These are difficult parables, that demand the fear of God. These "dark sayings" ask two questions: (1) How could anyone have been so stubborn and rebellious again and again? (2) Why is God so amazingly patient and merciful to such a miserable bunch of people? The purpose of these "dark sayings" is to WARN against unfaithfulness.
To avoid apostasy or falling away of our children and grandchildren, we must teach them the goodness, greatness and glory of God, and to OBEY Him. NEVER PANIC (like Ephraim). And NEVER SETTLE for what we already have of God. The next generation will be either better or worse than this one.
PROVERBS 24:26
The truth is as good as a kiss on the lips! Especially coming from a guilty 6-year-old!
RESPONSE: Jeremiah accused the people of Judah of being "worse than their fathers", because they had "built" on the evil their fathers had already done. I have many regrets for the way I lived as an immature, inexperienced Christian in front of my children. It really hurts when I see my children doing or saying things I used to. I am grateful for good Churches and good friends who act as a rear guard when we "mess things up".
JEREMIAH 4:19 - 6:14
MY BOWELS! MY BOWELS! (Don't you just love King James English?) Jeremiah is in agony as he experiences "the fellowship of His sufferings" (Phil 3:10). God's heart is broken at being abandoned by His wife (Judah). "My people are foolish", and behaving like spoiled children, but note that they are still "MY people". They are sinning and won't be persuaded to repent. They are miserable but won't take the only way out! Their destruction will be sudden (without warning) and total. There won't be an opportunity to repent then - it will be too late! The fight took place at the borders for many years, but ended up from house-to-house, on the inside! The whole place became a wilderness because of "God's fierce anger". God will not help them. They are helpless. So, they make themselves look as good as they can to their enemies (like harlots). But "thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life." Addictions and obsessions turn against us after awhile. They are governed by a law of diminishing returns and don't make us happy any more. They are killing us.
ONE HONEST MAN: You won't find him in Jerusalem in the time of trouble! (He won't be in a "dishonest", counterfeit church.) When we forsake the claims of Truth, we turn ourselves over to thugs. And they have "refused to accept correction" and "hardened" their heart to Truth. Rich and poor alike are "whores" - forsaken God to take up with substitutes. How can God forgive them for this?
LIONS, WOLVES & LEOPARDS: They will be ravaged without mercy. If you forsake God, then you will be someone else's slave. They deserve their punishment and correction. They THINK they are getting away with their rebellion. They say "Peace, peace, when there is no peace." They don't believe what God spoke to Jeremiah, and have lost their fear of God. The enemy will tear down their walls - they will be vulnerable. The enemy will "eat up the harvest" - leaving famine in their wake, which is the "reward" of hypocrites.
"Why is God doing this to me?" (5:19) (5:21)They are spiritually deaf and blind - they are calloused toward God and like it that way. (5:22)They have lost their fear of God - which means they believe they live without consequences. (5:23-24)They are stubborn and rebellious. (They live by the "mind of the flesh" - which is hatred toward God, Rom 8:7) and are unrestrained.
(5:25) Their sins and iniquities have PREVENTED the good things of God. (5:26) They have become spiteful and malicious. (5:27) They are deceitful and treacherous. (5:28-29) They are powerful and corrupt. (5:30-31) Their leaders are misleading them with counterfeits, and the people want it that way. God's judgment is necessary. They've made it so.
HOW JUDGMENT COMES: (6:1) They will have to shift for themselves. God won't help them. (6:2-5) The attacks by the enemy will be vicious and when we feel most vulnerable (kicking us while we are down). (6:6-7) They had brought this on themselves. (6:8) The only way to prevent judgment is to repent and return to God. (6:9-17) Restates the above, only now Jeremiah is MAD (v.11)!
RESPONSE: Same song. Second verse. I think that people got accustomed to hearing Jeremiah spout off and just wrote him off as a cuckoo. They weren't listening to him anymore because they didn't agree with what he was saying. They would rather listen to some politician tell them what they wanted to hear. Then, when they are finally destroyed, they will be surprised. When God holds off judgment, it is so more people have time to repent. That doesn't mean that judgment isn't coming! And it doesn't mean that well-meaning, sanctified, good-living Christians won't suffer. We go down with the ship! That's real love, tho' - we don't abandon our stations just because we don't like what's happening. We stay and fight. Believers became slaves too - look at Ezekiel, Daniel, Shadrach, etc.
COLOSSIANS 1:21-27
ALIENATED BY IGNORANCE: Sometimes something you don't know can kill you. In our "former" condition, we were alienated from God - and that made us His enemies, "hostile" toward God. Our sinful minds are manifested by "evil deeds".
PURPOSE OF RECONCILIATION: "Yet now...." He has reconciled us "in order to present us..." "HOLY, BLAMELESS, BEYOND REPROACH". And our Christian walk ought to manifest this, just like our sinful minds manifested evil deeds. "IF you continue in the faith..." continuing in the faith is the test of the reality of our conversion. If you are, indeed, reconciled, then your faith will continue.
A MINISTER OF THE MYSTERY: There are some "woo-woo" people in the church who are always looking for mysterious or secret knowledge of the heavenlies. Well, here it is: Christ lives in all Christians: Jew and Gentile. The indwelling of the Messiah and its accompanying glory are incorporated into God's purpose for us to be an expression of God's glory. Christ's suffering is still a mystery to parts of the world, and as such, Paul is making sure that that suffering is known and understood and accepted. Because the happiest people in the world are those who know the mystery of Christ in them the hope of glory, satisfying their deep longings.
RESPONSE: When we really SEE and understand what God has done, our hearts should be grateful. I can feel my spirit jumping up and down, and if I could, I would turn a cartwheel. I will get one of my grandchildren to take care of that right now, then I'll feel better!
PSALM 77:1-20
STOPPING THE SLIDE INTO UNBELIEF: When God doesn't answer our prayers when and how we think He should, our emotions can carry us away into unbelief. Delay is a test of our faith in God. If we continue to focus on our problems, God gets pushed to the periphery and then our emotions can make us stupid. We can slow the momentum of trying to live without God with praise and thanksgiving. We "meditate" on God's goodness and God's greatness and God's glory - definition: "to mutter, to talk out loud to our own heart, self-talk". What we decide to tell our hearts will make or break us. Going through this kind of test forces growth and weans us from living by our feelings. God is sovereign over human events, and whatever has made me afraid is, in turn, afraid of God. My inability to understand how God is working is no sign that He is not at work. I just can't see His footprints. (v.19) He is actually leading me THRU the trial, not around it, and underneath are the care, concern and watchfulness of the Shepherd.
PROVERBS 24:23-25
When you are in a position to deal with evil, and are swayed instead by your own agenda, eventually "the people" will get rid of you, if God doesn't do it sooner.
