JEREMIAH

Well, it's Sunday!  Praise God for Sundays!!  Sundays help us make it through the week.  It is the day we worship together.  It is the day we sing God's praises together.  It is the day we fellowship with God's people.  It is a wonderful day!!  We serve a risen Savior on Sunday!! I'm reading in Jeremiah and my what a book it is.  It takes longer because the chapters are longer and the verses are full of words.  It is one of the longest books to read in the Bible.  Each chapter has a lot of words.  But, full of great truths as well!  Here are some: 1) IS THIS AMERICA?  In Jeremiah 7:28, it says: "But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction:  truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth."  Is this America or what?  Sad to say we fit into this description rather well.   But, we can make the difference.... we may not change a nation, but we can change our lives.... we can listen to the LORD,  we can receive His correction, and we can lift up and exalt, and speak His truth!  It may be America, but it need not be us! 2) THE WEEPING PROPHET- This is the title that is given to Jeremiah.  He is the weeping prophet.  It breaks his heart to see his nation turn from God and pay the consequences.  I wonder if it ever breaks our hearts.  What does it take to make us weep anymore?  Have we see too much and are we so hardened that our hearts are not heavy and tears never fill our eyes?  Jeremiah said in chapter 9:1- "Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!"  Jer. 14:17 "Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease:"  My, my... he wept for his people and their pain.  May we shed some tears from time to time ourselves. 3) THE CURSE AND THE BLESSING- These both are found in chapter 17.  Verse 5 says: "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD."  This man curses himself by his actions of trusting himself.  This does not mean that God curses this man, but that his actions curse himself!  It means that this man will reap what his actions produce and the results will be a curse not a blessing.  Let us never trust in ourselves or man's abilities, but only trust in the LORD, and let us not depart from Him.  Verse 7 says: "Blessed is the man that trusted in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is."  Wow!  What a contrast.... this man's actions bring a blessing into his life, not the curse.  What do you choose?  Let us choose wisely? Thank you for being with me today on this wonderful LORD's day!  May God richly bless you!   Dr. Mike Mutchler 3)