God instructs Jeremiah to take a linen girdle (a tight fitting belt or sash) and bury it by the Euphrates River. Later he is told to dig it up again. The result is predictable: one ruined girdle, unit to wear any longer. And the parallel is painfully clear. Selected by God for a place of intimate fellowship (just like the girdle), Judah would now be cast away in judgement for her corruption.
Moses, the servant of God and Samuel, the first prophet in Israel. What do these two great men have in common?
The answer may shock and disturb you. God declared that their combined prayers would not be suffiecient to avert the disaster soon to come upon rebellious Judah (15:1)
There is time to pray... to repent...to come to God on your knees. But there is coming a day when it will be too late to avoid Him, to acknowledge your need or sidestep the issue. Today many people may be praying for you: your spouse, children, parents, friends, minister. And you may choose to scoff at those prayers. But the alternative to getting right with God is getting left- waking up to a day in which even Moses and Samuel could not move God in prayer on your behalf.
Isaiah 55:6 states, "Seek ... the Lord while he may be found." And when you obey that command, you'll find a wonderful promise waiting on you in Hebrews 11:6!
For Fun-
Jeremiah was known for his visual representations for prophecy. The rotten girdle was just the first in a series of ten. Can you identify all 10? I'll give the answer in the next series in Jeremiah 16-20.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
Tolerance and Idolatry
Today's Passage: Jeremiah 1-3
Key Focus: 1; 2:13-19
When I study the Prophets I usually think of these passages as warnings that are applicable to us in the present. God always sent a prophet or messenger to His people when they were being disobedient. Are we being disobediant today?
In this passage Jeremiah was called to announce Judah's condemnation. They were about to be given over to the Babylonians for being "Indifferent" and for their "Idolatrous" ways. I'm sure that many of you took a science course in your life at one time or another. Remember when the teacher poured water on a pile of sand? What happened? Right! The sand began to crumble. It was a study in weathering and erosion. Weathering is the process of breaking down rock. Erosion is the carrying away of these particles. These are a great lesson in the Christian walk. When we look at something that we know dishonors God it begins to weather our hearts and eventually it begins to erode and we are carried away. In other words, we become tolerant. Ever hear this word being used today? I think people have weathered and eroded hearts as I see bumper stickers that read "COEXIST" using different religious symbols. In the news you hear of "hate crimes" against different religions. Or, people that say "How dare they push Christianity on us!"
This passage can even be applied to our personal lives. How are we tolerant in our relationships? Our business practices? Although erosion is slow and we can ignore it for a while, we can't escape its destructive power. Here in Texas, every homeowner MUST water the foundation. Especially during the hot summer months. If ignored the foundation will crack and slide and cause more damage to the rest of the house. A simple regular watering prevents this from happening.
Jeremiah's warning to Judah was simply this; Get ready for Judgement (Chapt. 1), Remember where you came from (Chapt. 2), and Return to the Lord (Chapt. 3)
Are you toying with defection or defilement in your Christian life, confident that God's patience will last? Then hear what God says by reading the penetrating reminder in Exodus 34:6-7.
To err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you're overdoing it.
For more reading on Jeremiah
Key Focus: 1; 2:13-19
When I study the Prophets I usually think of these passages as warnings that are applicable to us in the present. God always sent a prophet or messenger to His people when they were being disobedient. Are we being disobediant today?
In this passage Jeremiah was called to announce Judah's condemnation. They were about to be given over to the Babylonians for being "Indifferent" and for their "Idolatrous" ways. I'm sure that many of you took a science course in your life at one time or another. Remember when the teacher poured water on a pile of sand? What happened? Right! The sand began to crumble. It was a study in weathering and erosion. Weathering is the process of breaking down rock. Erosion is the carrying away of these particles. These are a great lesson in the Christian walk. When we look at something that we know dishonors God it begins to weather our hearts and eventually it begins to erode and we are carried away. In other words, we become tolerant. Ever hear this word being used today? I think people have weathered and eroded hearts as I see bumper stickers that read "COEXIST" using different religious symbols. In the news you hear of "hate crimes" against different religions. Or, people that say "How dare they push Christianity on us!"
This passage can even be applied to our personal lives. How are we tolerant in our relationships? Our business practices? Although erosion is slow and we can ignore it for a while, we can't escape its destructive power. Here in Texas, every homeowner MUST water the foundation. Especially during the hot summer months. If ignored the foundation will crack and slide and cause more damage to the rest of the house. A simple regular watering prevents this from happening.
Jeremiah's warning to Judah was simply this; Get ready for Judgement (Chapt. 1), Remember where you came from (Chapt. 2), and Return to the Lord (Chapt. 3)
Are you toying with defection or defilement in your Christian life, confident that God's patience will last? Then hear what God says by reading the penetrating reminder in Exodus 34:6-7.
To err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you're overdoing it.
For more reading on Jeremiah
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