JEREMIAH

I have a cup of coffee by me and I'm sure enjoying it while I read in Jeremiah.  Jeremiah is a book with long verses and many verses per chapters.  It is harder to read 20 chapters each morning when you read in Jeremiah, so it takes longer.  Here are some thoughts I put an @ sign besides as I read: 1) BACKSLIDDEN- We call ourselves and others "backslidden" when we have not gone forward in the Christian life, but backwards.  But this is a biblical term.  In Jeremiah 7:24 it says:  "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."  Also in Jeremiah 8:5 "Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding?  they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return."  We must keep going forward as a Christian, or else, we are backsliding on God.  2) I MUST BEAR IT- Jeremiah 10:19 says:  "Woe is me for my hurt!  my wound is grievous:  but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it."  There are so many things in life that hurt us.  So much of it is self inflicted.  We hurt ourselves by the consequences of our actions so much of the time, and yet there are the other times that it is just life, just tragedy, or people, or circumstances that we have no control over, and it causes us deep pain.  It is a wound that will not heal.... it is a hurt that stays there, and has no recovery seen for the future.... So, how to deal with it?  Jeremiah had to say to himself:  "Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it."  Yes, so many time we have to realize that the hurt, is just going to hurt, but that we must bear it and go on in life.  WE cannot focus on the hurt, but must press on in the midst of it.  I must bear the hurts of my life, and you too must do the same.  3) LIFE AND DEATH- Jeremiah 21:8 says:  "Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death."  Please choose Life.... Israel chose death.  God gives us choices and we have consequences.  Our path is known, but not predetermined.  God never forces us into the wrong path, we choose it over the right path that He provides.  God is there if while on the wrong path, we repent and turn to Him, then we will find forgiveness and direction to get back on the right path.  May God give us the wisdom to choose Life! Well, so much for today.  Hope you have a wonderful day in the LORD.  Thank you Jesus for this day!  Help me to reflect my love for you in all that I do today.  Help me to help others throughout the day.  Thank you Lord, Amen.  Pastor Mike Mutchler