Jeremiah 19

Obstinate, stubborn, difficult to lead, haughty, antagonistic, argumentative … these are words to describe being stiff necked.

It’s not a complimentary description. In fact, you would have to be opposite in every category to be a desirable person.

God used Jeremiah to call out His people who were like this.

When a person is full of God’s Spirit, they are the opposite of being stiff necked. Our goal; to become filled with His Spirit and to see our children filled with It also.

Jeremiah 18

As an educator, I always believed strongly in giving warnings to students whose behavior was not acceptable. The warning clarifies the desired behavior and gives the individual a chance to correct themselves. This is a valuable learning process. Consequences of unheeded warnings must be consistent and proportionate to the offense.

God gives warnings. “If you … then I will …” He is long-suffering and wants us to change. He gives us time and space to repent and correct our ways. We should be the same with people.

Jer. 16, 17

This past weekend I flew to Minnesota to go walleye fishing with my son. We only caught ONE WALLEYE and it was my granddaughter that caught it. It was as if God gave us a gift. That 20+ inch fish seemed to be just waiting for Sydney to cast her bait in its direction.

Jesus sent His disciples into the world to become “Fishers of Men.” God may have a big fish out there just waiting for you to bait your hook with the Good News of the Gospel.

Let’s go fishing!

Jer.15

The Lord challenged Jeremiah to be his spokesperson to israel. One critical condition was that Jeremiah would only flavor his message with what God gave him rather than bending to the will and listening fancies of the people.

To speak for God, you can’t tell people what they want to hear. You must always be faithful to the message God gives us in his word.

Jeremiah 13, 14

Jeremiah pointed it out, Jesus detested it, we are wise to avoid it. HYPOCRISY.

It is often a game people play, holding up an outward appearance of goodness with an inner heart that selfishly serves itself. They decieve only themselves.

Jesus said the pure in heart will see God.

Jeremiah 11, 12

The prophet could speak what God told him to speak about the rebellious hearts of Israel. God knew what they were thinking, what their true motives were.

We live in a day when men, especially politicians, speak one thing and do another. It’s called “Spin.” We are foolish to believe what they say. The news media does the same thing … say what they want us to hear, many times entirely omiting the truth when they give their “slant.”

As we focus on what God wants, we can simply ignore the worthless chatter all around us and listen ONLY to God. We can trust His Word. We can find security in His Words, not the words of men.

On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Jeremioah 10

The Christian, through his devotion to the Lord and the study of scripture, begins to understand God’s greatness and the scope of honor and glory that are due to Him.

Simeon and Anna had the insight and spiritual awareness to recognize God’s Pre-eminent Son as his parents brought Him into the temple for the first time. [Acts 2:25-35] They KNEW Who they were beholding and immediately began giving Him the glory due Him.

Jeremiah 9

Jeremiah carried a burden for his contemporaries who lived under the illusion that they were OK despite their sinful lifestyle. He wept openly. He felt God’s pain to see his countrymen leading reprobate lives.

This is rare today. All is NOT OK.

God is looking for intercessors who will cry out in travail.

Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar (positioned between God and man), and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? [Joel 2:17]

Jer. 7, 8

The prophet asked the question, “Is there no balm in Gilead?  Is there no physician there?”

He was foretelling of the Great Physician, Jesus, Who would arrive to heal God’s people. We need that Great Physician right now. Our land needs Him, our homes need Him.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings … [Mal. 4:2]

Jeremiah 6

Covetousness, financial gain flavored by questionable motives, is spoken against by the prophet. He identified this character flaw in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, God’s city.

That’s us.

Christ’s goal for us is to be more concerned with giving than receiving. Instead of always looking out for what we can gain, we are motivated to bless others. It’s a conscious decision to begin with, but soon can be a way of life … a fruit of the Spirit … charity.