JEREMIAH 5-14

Today is Sunday!  I sure love Sundays!  I'm so looking forward to being with God's people today and teaching and preaching God's Word.  I trust you love Sundays too!  I read ten chapters in Jeremiah and here are three thoughts to share:

1) SPARED... FOR WHAT?  In Jeremiah God is telling Israel why they are not being blessed.  Why His judgments are falling upon them.  In Jeremiah 7:9,10 it says:  "Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not:  And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?"  God is saying will I deliver you to do all these things: stealing, murdering, adultery, swearing, lying, idol worship, etc.?  NO!  God will not deliver them to do evil.  Nor will He deliver us to do evil as well.  We must be delivered by God to do right, to worship Him, to obey Him!  These things motivate God to deliver us.  Oh how our nation needs to hear this.  We need to hear this too!

2) WHAT TO GLORY IN- Jeremiah 9:23,24 says:  "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD wich exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:  for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."  God wants us to glory in the knowledge and the relationship that we have with Him.  Wow... not our wealth, not our wisdom, not our might.... but, in HIM!  Lord, teach me to glory in You, and You alone!

3) THE PROBLEM WITH SELF-REFORMATION- Jeremiah 13:23 speaks to the core of the problem with all self help groups.  AA, NA, and all other groups that seek to turn us from our ways.  Here is what the Bible says:  "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?  then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil."  The problem is that we cannot change what we are accustomed to doing without God's devine intervention.  God has to help, God has to deliver!  So that is why our efforts at change, and self reformation doesn't work.  We need to cry out to God daily to help us be what HE wants us to be.

Well, my time is gone.  Hope you have a great Sunday!  Pastor Mike Mutchler