The Price of Obedience

“Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”  But that is a good thing.  I’m one of those unique individuals who thinks it OK to not be UP! all the time.  It is OK to be introspective, melencholy, and morose.  These are the times God speaks most clearly to me.

The last two years of life have had more down times than good times.  Our family has faced a number of difficulties.  Unfortunately, we were kind of stranded and alone during this process.  It was very disappointing to have our church family remove us for having a going through hard times.  But, why should it be any different for us than for others.  I happen to believe that God knew it would be a hard time for us, and He sent us to a new church despite that.  I believe the church missed a golden opportunity to live out God’s love.

Scripture:

Luke 1:18-20 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Observations:

I read this today in the contributions section of YouVersion:

He [Zechariah] was a priest who went before God to do his duties and he had an encounter with God through and angel called Gabriel. He was in the midst of a huge transition. Sometimes, when we are in the midst of a huge transition, it confuses us because we have to shift from a traditional way of thinking. We can be hard to be around when we are in a major transition because we are confused and trying to find our way. Zacharias (sic) is the priest who is about to have a son who is a prophet. A prophet is very different from a priest. How could he train his son? For generations, Zacharias’ (sic) family had been waiting for a Messiah, but when the time had finally come, it was hard to receive. Even the angel said his prayers had been answered, but Zacharias (sic) said he couldn’t do it. What do we do when God gives us a challenge and we don’t know how to receive it? God doesn’t call a board meeting with us when he wants to move in our lives. He doesn’t ask our permission. God says, “Surprise, surprise, surprise”.

God spoke to me in this paragraph.  It reminded me of something Henry Blackaby says.  “Obedience to God has a price.  It not only costs the believer, but those around them.”

How would you like to be Elizabeth?  Zechariah goes into the Temple to perform his priestly duties, but when he returns, he can’t speak.  Through sign language, writing on the ground and on tablets, he’s able to convey somewhat of what happened.  She is livid!  Gabriel, himself, appeared to you, and you questioned his words?!  What were you thinking!!?  You idiot!

For the next nine months, Zechariah mopes around, trying to make sense of all of this.  He loses his importance in the community, people stop coming by to ask his advice.  I mean, all this writing, drawing, and hand signals – well, it all seems so confusing.  They go and find another priest to talk with.  In the meantime, Elizabeth is having a really hard time.  They are about to have a baby – a prophet that will prepare the way for the Messiah, but she can’t really “talk” to her husband about it.

Like Moses, or Jesus, in the Wilderness, not only was God silent, but these men had their voices stifled.  They were not able to perform the public duty they were called to perform.  For Moses it was 40 years; for Jesus it was 40 days; and for Zechariah, it was about 270 days – nine months – 39 weeks.  That must have been very difficult – for everyone involved.

Applications:

I’ve noticed that God often speaks through object lessons – almost more than He does with words.  Jesus used parables that often seemed confusing and incomprehensible.  Jeremiah had to walk around naked, sleep on one side, and eat food from dung-fueled fires.  Job went to Hell and back.  Hosea had to marry a prostitute – and love her.

HMS Richards used to say, “Preach always, and if necessary, use words.”

We live in a culture that values words – the spoken word.  We often forget what God is saying via the circumstances around us.

I’m troubled by the troubles my family experienced over the past two years, but I’m more troubled by those who rejected the opportunity.  I’m thankful that I didn’t have to walk around naked, or run and hide by the Brook Chereth; but it was still hard to be terminated.  I’m glad that I didn’t have to love and marry a prostitute – but I’m really thankful that I wasn’t stoned, flogged, or crucified.

We continue to stomp our feet and shake of the dust.  But it doesn’t shake off easily.

Zechariah made a mistake, he questioned God’s #1 messenger, Gabriel.  But look at how many have benefited from that mistake?  We often focus on the miracle birth of his son, John – and all that brought – but how many have stopped to listen to God because they learned from Zechariah’s mistake.

A bigger question I have, and it would be fun to know someday, is this:  Did Zechariah’s peers learn anything during his silence?  Did Elizabeth learn anything?  Did Zechariah’s disciples learn anything?

Or another way of saying this would be, God speaks in a spectrum of voices.  We may see one thing, hear another, and experience another altogether.  He may be saying one thing to me and quite another to you – with the same words and the same experiences.  It is easy for me to focus on what you need to learn, but harder to focus on what I need to learn.  Red, yellow, ultraviolet, infrared, visible, invisible, three-dimensional, or five – Current, or future.  God transcends time, space, and reason.  What is He really saying?

Maybe things are not as they appear…

I Corinthians 2:13-15 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spirituals can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others.

Prayers:

Father God, open my eyes that I may see glimpses of Truth, thou hast for me.

Amen

When was the last time you were afraid of God?

Intro:

Continuing in my process through the God Encounters book – today, chapter 2.4

Questions:

• What part of your life forgets to tremble?

I don’t tremble.  I haven’t trembled in years.  It’s not who I am.  I fix things – if something is scary, I fix it, subdue it, avoid it, or crush it.  I’m not saying this is the best way to handle things, it’s just what I’ve learned.  If I can’t fix it, I get a bigger hammer.

As I write that, I’m impressed to explore the suppress, subdue, and/or crush scenario.  Hmmm…

So, I suppose the answer is- in all aspects.

Whoa. Note to self: Need some work here.  This is a spiritual discipline that I not only need to work on, but I didn’t know it existed.

• When was the last time you were afraid of God?  What caused your fear?

As mentioned in the book, maybe we’ve done such a good job rejecting Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, that we’ve forgotten that fear and trembling are OK.

However, I think I’m afraid now.  Afraid that God won’t live up to the promises I cling to.  Will He really take care of us?  Will He really shield us from persecution?  Will He really see us through this mess?

We only have enough money for two more house payments.  What happens God?  What happens next?  Did we hear you wrong?  Did we misunderstand?  What if our theology is wrong?  Will you still take care of us?

Over the past several months, since my Smiling Son was weaned, I’ve had the delightful opportunity to develop a deeper relationship with him.  It’s really been fun, exciting, rewarding, and meaningful.  There have been times where I can tell that he just adores me.  However, something happened recently.  Mommy and Darling Daughter went to an event and it was just the boys at home.  Suddenly, he got shy, timid, and maybe even a bit afraid of his Dad.

I was taken aback some.  He hadn’t acted that way with me ever.  Of course I adapted, but it was obvious that he was still quite attached to his Mommy and hadn’t quite developed that trust level with me yet.  It was as if he was looking at me, thinking, “Do you have what it takes to take care of me?  Do you know where the food and diapers are?  What if I start crying?  Will you be able to handle that?  Maybe you ought to call Mommy right now – just in case?  Maybe you ought to get her over here… um, now – just in case I start crying or something.”

So how did I handle this?  Well, a less secure parent might have been hurt and wounded to the core.  I could have taken it as an affront to my competence – or worse, as a doubting of my unconditional love of him.  But I didn’t.  I realized this was his issue, not mine.  I backed off and gave him some space.  I dialed up the fun quotient and turned on the attraction.  IOW, attraction, not promotion.  It had moderate success.  We didn’t end up with a wailing toddler begging for his Mommy – but he was sure glad when Mommy got home.

Where did I learn this? From watching others.

I’ve watched people who seemingly adore children or pets.  They walk in the door and immediately they want said children to snuggle with them.  But, um, those said children don’t know this stranger.  They have no relationship – no trust.  The kids hang back in apparent shyness.  My mother was one of those people – loved kids and was dying to snuggle with them.  Kids avoided her.

What I do is basically ignore the kids.  Say hi, smile gently, but don’t try to touch them (handshake, high-5, etc) – just focus on the tasks at hand, or the adults I came to see.  Before too long, the kids are my friend.  Same with pets – but for different reasons.  I’m not naturally drawn to other people’s dogs (especially yappy, little dogs) – or cats.  But by ignoring them, pretty soon all cats end up in my lap. (sigh)

Since that experience with my Smiling Son, we have continued to grow our relationship.  In fact when I ran a quick errand to the store Friday afternoon, he caught my attention, thumped his chest and said, “Me? Me?”  He desperately wanted to go with me – and we had a great time together.

So, here’s how I see it.

I’m hanging back, wondering: “Are you up for this God?  Do you know where the food is?  What if I start crying?  Will you know what I need?  What if I misbehave, are you going to whack me?”  Where’s this going?  Is Mommy ever coming back?  No one consulted me on this change?  I’m not so sure I can really trust you…“

Is it possible that God has adopted an attraction model also?  Is He just waiting for me to come to Him?

I think so.  I believe I don’t need to be afraid.

Before my kids could talk – and long before they could even begin to express why they were crying – they still had needs.  As a parent Dad (Mom’s have an intuitive skill/knowledge – they just know.  I always skipped the 20 questions and just asked the Mom – it was quicker), it is our job to play 20 questions and figure out why they’re crying.  But here’s the deal – just because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, that didn’t mean that I abandoned my kids.  Even if I didn’t understand their pleas, I didn’t leave them to their own devices.

But also, children never stop asking until they get what they need.  And in those early years, they get everything they ask for.  When they get older, they try to get more than they need – and we, as parents, use our judgement to determine whether they need it or not.  We look at the big picture, the little picture, the needs vs. wants, the treat vs. spoiling, the special occasion vs. routine, and so on, and so forth, et cetera, blah, blah, blah…

My conclusion on this. It is my “job” to ask.  It is God’s job to answer.  Sometimes I’m the one-year old and sometimes I’m the 13-year old.  Sometimes I cry and babble inconsolably – sometimes I throw a tantrum – and sometimes I want something that is not only unnecessary, but downright harmful.

If I really need it, He will give it to me.  If I don’t need it – He will think about it.  If it is harmful, he won’t let me have it.

• What strikes profound reverence or awe in you? Explain.
  

Impossible answers to prayer always amaze me.  Either physically impossible, or psychic impossibilities.

10 years ago I was running out of money, soon to be married, and at a dead-end.  As I surrendered that, God showed up in the form of an email offering me a job.  All I could do is weep.

A year later, while going through the one-week church planter assessment process, I was at a crossroads in my life.  I had moved to Michigan to attend the seminary, but I wasn’t convicted that I was staying – so I didn’t unpack.  I attended church planting assessment and seminary orientation at the same time.  Towards the end of the week, while having some QT3 with God, I felt His presence.  It was intense, for it felt like He’d been silent for over nine months.  Since calling me into full-time ministry, I hadn’t really heard from Him.  But that day He showed up.

It was as if He had His hand on my shoulder and was saying, “I’ve been here the whole time.” I knew in that moment that I would be staying in the seminary and not doing a church plant anytime soon.  When the church planting assessment team sat down with me the next day to tell me the same thing, I just nodded my head knowingly.

It is these moments that inspire awe.

So here’s a self-devised question: Why can’t I anticipate that awe?  Why not act as if?  As if the answer has already been received – and start doing the awe thing already.

When my kids see me do something that would be impossible to them, they stand there, mouths agape, laughing, giggling, and begging me to do it again.  So, once again I toss the orange in the air and bounce it off my bicep and back into my hand.  Over and over, and they laugh.

• How would you define the difference between the fear the disciples experienced and the fear being advocated in Deuteronomy 10?

The disciples were afraid, God asks us to revere Him.

• In what ways can fearing and loving God happen simultaneously?  Can you love God and yet fear Him?  Explain.

Probably – or He wouldn’t have asked us to do it.

Questions like this reveal the superficiality of my faith.

Prayer:

Father God – take me to a deeper level – please.  Oh, you are?  Yeah, I was afraid of that…

Discussion:

Saturday night while cooking dinner, I put my iPod on random to play on the home stereo.  Whenever I do this, I pray that God will direct the music selections.  He always comes through.  The following song came on – it comes from the first Jars of Clay album that was pretty much my theme from 1995 to 1999.  This song, as I listened to it the other night, is a prayer I’ve been praying for several years.  The Lord is in the midst of answering this prayer.

Scary? YES!

Needed? Yes.

Trusting? I’m learning?

Beauty

Image via Wikipedia

The last few months have been difficult.  That’s putting it mildly.  God gave me a message and a vision for my church, but it didn’t involve those who would like to think of themselves as leaders.  Instead, it involved the marginalized, the broken, the un-churched.  The vision was a for a passionate, deep, transforming relationship with Jesus.  Deeper than anything a mere knowledge of the “truth” could ever bring.  This kind of transformation only comes about through much fasting and prayer.  This type of transformation only comes when we quit trying on our own strength.

As I’ve been hiding out in Adullam’s Cave, I had this urge to read what Jeremiah wrote.  The more I read, the more discouraged I became.  I wasn’t reading about a world 3000 years ago.  I was reading about today – and it isn’t good.  I can’t bear the weight of that knowledge anymore.  I had to let it go.

So, I attempted to go back to my regular Bible reading and journaling format.  But even that led me into Ezekiel and other prophetic words of doom and conviction.  Like Elijah, I just wanted to rest on the banks of the brook Cheroth and rest.  I imagine though that in Elijah’s resting, there was hurt, dismay, mistrust, anger – I’m pretty sure he wallowed in the words God gave him and the unfairness of the leadership.  He may have even poured over the words of the prophecy.

“Did I miss something,” he wonders. “Did I misunderstand what God wanted me to say?  Maybe I was too harsh?  Not harsh enough?  Maybe I shouldn’t have run away – should I have stayed and fought for the people?  What about my family?  My cousins, brothers?  Uncles?  Oh my, what have I done?!”

For the past week or two, I’ve felt impressed that I need to find a morning worship tool that is refreshing and uplifting.  I began to look for my copy of the God Encounters book - a devotional/discipling book, co-written by some friends of mine.  But it wasn’t showing up.  Then I found it.  I promptly plopped down on the couch in my office and started reading where I left off – chapter 2.  Here is my journey…

◊◊◊◊◊ ◊◊◊◊ ◊◊◊ ◊◊ ◊

Encounter

◊ The secret is out. What difference is it going to make in your life today?

As I read the preceding pages, about God’s love through the creative process.  At first, it was just words.  “So what?”  I said.  He did that with everyone – billions of people.  That doesn’t make me special.  It’s almost like a factory…  billions of people, knit together, next!

But then it hit me.  I don’t feel that way about my kids.  Each of them is special in their very own way.  They were conceived in love – they are surrounded by grace.  They are cherished, adored, and very precious.  I feel that way about my family too – especially my nephew and nieces – not to the depth of my own kids, but pretty significant, nonetheless.

I don’t have the capacity, or the time, to love billions – but why do I doubt that He does?  I’m not so sure I doubt – it’s more like unfathomable.  I just can’t wrap my head around that.  Intellectually, I get it.  Emotionally, for some reason I feel like I’m in fourth grade again, being picked last for kickball and standing ignored in the corner of the gym.

◊ What perceptions have changed for you?  What can no longer be the same with what you now know?

Suddenly, I see the teacher looking my way.  Though I’m standing forgotten in the corner, the one in charge sees me.  One time, he came over and urged me to step into the fray.  Another time, he pointed me out to one of the team captains who was picking teams.  And still another time, he took me into his office as I cried hot teardrops of brokenness.

My God sees me.  He knows me.  He loves me – just as I am.

◊ What difference will this secret make in your life the next time you worship (alone or with people)?

Just thinking about it makes me want to worship.  I want to express my love to Him for being the lover He is.  The fullness in my chest is bursting.

◊ Why is this secret so important to living a life of God encounters?

I believe it has much to do with legalism vs. grace.  If I worship God because I have to, it is worthless.  But if I worship Him because I want to – well, that is love.

• What experiences have you had that inspired awe in you?
  • Awe can be an illusive thing.  But there have been moments:
    • When I was out of money, in seminary, ready to get married, and out of the blue I’m hired by the Rocky Mountain Conference – I wept.
    • When I had been asked to take a position in Rwanda, and after debating over it for weeks, finally I surrendered to the possibility, and God said no.  That not only brought awe, but pause.
    • Sitting on the shore of Glacier Bay, Alaska – the last morning there.  The water was like a mirror of unblemished glass, a lone wolf watched me, dolphins circled the bay, and the mountains rose is mighty and spectacular majesty.  I could only whisper, “wow.”
    • The night before, in Glacier Bay, there was a bright moon, the most spectacular Aurora Borealis that had been seen in years, a pack of wolves howling, dolphins in the bay, and the ubiquitous stars.  Magical – purely magical.
    • When my kids were born – truly stunning, humbling, awe-inspiring.
• Top five most beautiful things:
  • My kids born
  • Glacier Bay
  • Top of Mt. Whitney – with the sun rising and moon setting simultaneously.
  • The starry night from an isolated fired in Baja
  • An empty snowfield in an isolated Cascade mountain.
• Who do you enjoy sharing beautiful things with?  What motivates you to bring it to their attention?

This question baffled me a bit.  It’s like asking a man, “How do you feel?”  I don’t know the answer to that question.  Ask me what I’m thinking about and I might have more success…might.

I like to share beautiful things with my wife, my kids, those close to me – especially if they appreciate it.

But what motivates me?  Hmmmm.  I guess it would be the opportunity to make a connection.

• What might you imagine was God’s intention in creating beauty?

Well played Yoda.  You set me up with these questions.

I can only imagine that God is looking to establish a connection with us.  Which makes me think.  Instead of just sharing beauty with those in my physical realm, wouldn’t it be neat to enjoin God into the conversation – and vice versa.

IOW, sometimes, I just want to get out on my own and commune with God.  Share the beautiful sunrise with Him.  Enjoy the quiet of the awakening birds with Him.  But what if I brought my kids and taught them to appreciate God’s beauty – with God – and with me?  Or, vice versa, if I’m at the beach with my kids and I see something beautiful, what if I pointed it out to God first, and then my family?

hmmmmm…..

Prayer:

Father God.  Teach me to be more aware of your presence in my life.  Teach me to understand you, appreciate you, commune with you, and to walk with you.

Losing Sight

Scripture:

Ezekiel 20

17 Nevertheless, I took pity on them and held back from destroying them in the wilderness. 18 “Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling themselves with their idols.19 `I am the Lord your God,’ I told them. `Follow my decrees, pay attention to my regulations,20 and keep my Sabbath days holy, for they are a sign to remind you that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 “But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life.

Luke 17

32 Remember what happened to Lot’s wife! 33 If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it.

37 “Where will this happen, Lord?”s the disciples asked. Jesus replied, “Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.”

Observations:

Why is it that we, as spiritual beings, tend towards entropy in our walk with God?

Applications:

Losing sight of the vision will cause us to become lame, confused, and lethargic.

Prayer:

Lord, please don’t let me become lethargic – or to lose sight of the vision.

Cave of Adullam

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Psalm 62	September 3, 2009
For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David. 1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. 3 So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. 4 They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.     Interlude 5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. 7 My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. 8 O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.     Interlude 9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be. If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. 10 Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. 11 God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; 12 unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.	I wait quietly before God, for it is from Him that my victory comes.  He alone is my rock and my salvation – my fortress where I will never be shaken. So many enemies against one man – all of them trying to kill me.  To them, I’m just a broken down wall, or a tottering fence.  They plan to topple me from my high position.  They delight in telling lies about me.  They praise me to my face, but curse me in their hearts. Let all  that I am, wait quietly before God – for my hope is in Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation.  My fortress where I will not be shaken.  My victory and honor come from God alone.  He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. Oh people, trust in Him at all times.  Pour out your heart to Him – for God is our refuge. Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerful are not what they appear to be.  If you weigh them on the scales, together they are lighter than a breath of air. Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing.  If your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life. God has spoken plainly and I have heard  it many times.  Power, oh God, belongs to you – unfailing love, oh Lord, is yours.  Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.	I have wanted to really get into Jeremiah’s story for about the last 9-10 months.  And it’s been longer than that where I have been asking the question, “Is there room for an Ezekiel, or a Jeremiah, in today’s church?”  The answer that comes back to me, through prayer, through others, and through outright common sense, is no – there is not room for a prophet that calls for repentance in today’s church. And yet, I have felt led to push forward with this message.  I didn’t want to.  But, like Jeremiah, I had to. Undoubtedly, I’ve been treated far better than most of the prophets in the Bible. [NOTE: I'm not saying I'm a prophet, but I do believe that I have been called to share a message - big difference.  I'm just using the word/label: prophet for comparison purposes] Most of God’s messengers were killed, imprisoned, maimed, beaten, stoned, etc.  The only thing  that has happened to me is that I’ve lost my job – and any sense of security that has gone along with that. Yesterday’s reading of Jeremiah 7 really rocked me.  Seeing the comparisons of todays secular and church cultures, to the times of Jeremiah, well it was scary really. But today, after three surgeries in three weeks, a loss of income, finding nothing but job-seeking dead-ends – well, I am just spent. Like David, my only strength is in God. I do feel attacked on every level. The move out here, was hard, then my wife got sick – few people either understood that, or were sympathetic.  As I focused on taking care of her, I let some tasks slide – but apparently that was unacceptable. I feel as if I’ve been labeled a liar, a cheat, a thief.  I feel as if people have decided that I am evil.  I feel as if they seek to take revenge on me by denying reimbursements, withholding financial remunerations, and making me jump through hoops   which I neither have the time, the energy, or the will to do right now. I’ve been scrambling to take care of medical issues, before we loose healthcare insurance.  I’ve been applying for work, networking, and seeking financial avenues.  I’ve been trying to work with our bank, the state, and other agencies as I seek to find a way out of this financial morass that we have being sucked into. But in the meantime, it feels as if the very people who should be sympathetic to our issues, are putting more pressures on us to prove ourselves for every dime.  There appears to be little or no sympathy, no mercy, and definitely no charity. I feel increasingly backed into a corner.  Beaten down.  Exhausted.  It is just really hard.  The Church, at this point in my life, definitely looks more like Jeremiah 7 then it does John 4. Lord, you are my only strength.
Prayer

Today God – just for today.  I just couldn’t read anymore of Jeremiah.  I felt impressed, by You, yesterday, to just take some time in the Cave of Adullam – to rest, recharge, and renew.  That is hard for me to do right now God.  There are so many pressing issues.  So many priorities, and so many deadlines looming.  But like the text that Jennifer read yesterday, you have promised to take care of us – so, I am leaning on you today God – please take care of us.

I need to let go of those who consider me an enemy.  I need to let go of those who seek to do me harm.  My friend told me they would seek to murder me, if they found out what I really stood for.  He was right.  It has been really hard – very unexpected – and very damaging.  Please help us God – please help us.

G

Original

Spiritual Blinders

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 7	September 2, 2009
Jeremiah Speaks at the Temple 1 The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said,2 “Go to the entrance of the Lord ’s Temple, and give this message to the people: `O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord ! Listen to it, all of you who worship here!3 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “`Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land.4 But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord ’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord ’s Temple is here! The Lord ’s Temple is here!”5 But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice;6 only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols.7 Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. 8 “`Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie!9 Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours,10 and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again?11 Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord , have spoken! 12 “`Go now to the place at Shiloh where I once put the Tabernacle that bore my name. See what I did there because of all the wickedness of my people, the Israelites.13 While you were doing these wicked things, says the Lord , I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen. I called out to you, but you refused to answer.14 So just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that bears my name, this Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and your ancestors.15 And I will send you out of my sight into exile, just as I did your relatives, the people of Israel.s‘ Judah’s Persistent Idolatry 16 “Pray no more for these people, Jeremiah. Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you.17 Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?18 No wonder I am so angry! Watch how the children gather wood and the fathers build sacrificial fires. See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods!19 Am I the one they are hurting?” asks the Lord . “Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame.” 20 So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place. Its people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable fire of my anger.” 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Take your burnt offerings and your other sacrifices and eat them yourselves!22 When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.23 This is what I told them: `Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ 24 “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.25 From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets—day in and day out.26 But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors. 27 “Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.28 Say to them, `This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.29 Shave your head in mourning, and weep alone on the mountains. For the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation that has provoked his fury.’ The Valley of Slaughter 30 “The people of Judah have sinned before my very eyes,” says the Lord . “They have set up their abominable idols right in the Temple that bears my name, defiling it.31 They have built pagan shrines at Topheth, the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing!32 So beware, for the time is coming,” says the Lord , “when that garbage dump will no longer be called Topheth or the valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. They will bury the bodies in Topheth until there is no more room for them.33 The bodies of my people will be food for the vultures and wild animals, and no one will be left to scare them away.34 I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah. The land will lie in complete desolation.	Jeremiah receives another message from God.  He is told to go to the entrance of the temple to deliver this message.  All who worship there are to listen to the message – this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: God says, “even now, if you quit doing evil, I will let you stay in your own land.  But don’t be fooled by those who promise safety, simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. The chant:  “The Lord’s Temple is here!  The Lord’s Temple is here!” But God says he will only be merciful if they stop their evil thoughts and deed and start treating each other with justice; only if they stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if they stop murdering; and only if they stop harming themselves  by worshiping idols.  Then, he will let them stay in this land that he gave to our ancestors to keep forever. “Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here.  That is a lie!  Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal – and all those other new  gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me on my Temple and chant, “We are safe!” – only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves?  Surely I see all the evil going on there.  I, the Lord, have spoken! Go to the place at Shiloh where I once put the Tabernacle that bore my name.  See what I did there because of the wickedness of my people, the Israelites.  While you were  doing these wicked things, says the Lord, I spoke to you about it repeatedly, but you would not listen.  I called out to you, but you refused to answer.  So, just as I destroyed Shiloh, I will now destroy this Temple that you trust in for help, this place that I gave to you and our ancestors.  And I will send you out of my sight, into exile, just as I did your relatives, the people of Israel. Don’t pray for these people anymore Jeremiah.  Do not weep or pray for them, and don’t beg me to help them, for I will not listen to you.  Don’t you see what they are doing throughout the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?  No wonder I’m so angry!  Watch how the children gather wood, and the fathers build sacrificial fires.  See how the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.  And they pour out liquid offerings to their other idol gods! Am I the one they are hurting?, asks the Lord.  Most of all, they hurt themselves, to their own shame. So, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will pour out my terrible fury on this place, it’s people, animals, trees, and crops will be consumed by the unquenchable  fire of my anger.” This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Take your burnt offerings and your  other sacrifices and eat them yourselves!  When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.  This is what I told them” ‘obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!” But, my people would not listen to me.  They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts.  They went backward, instead of forward.  From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets — day in and day out.  But my people  have not listened to me or even tried to hear.  They have been stubborn and sinful – even worse than their ancestors. Tell them this, but do not expect them to listen.  Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.  Say to them, “This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught.  Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.  Shave your head in mourning. and weep alone on the mountains.  For the Lord has rejected and forsaken this generation that has provoked his fury.” The people of Judah have sinned before my very eyes says the Lord.  They have set up their abominable idols right in the Temple that bears my name, defiling it.  They have built  pagan shrines at Topheth, the garbage dump in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there they burn their sons and daughters in the fire.  I have never commanded such a horrible  deed; it never even crossed y mind to command such a thing!  So beware, for the time is coming, says the Lord, when the garbage dump  will no longer be called Topheth until  there is no more room for them.  The bodies of my people will be food for the cultures and wild animals, and no one will be left to scare them away.  I will put an end to the happy singing and laughter in the streets of Jerusalem.  The joyful voices of the bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard in the towns of Judah.  The land will lie in complete desolation.	The more I read Jeremiah, the more I am convinced that his message, the message God gave him, applies to today.  It fits the culture, the country, and the Church.  But I can also see how the people of his time rejected the message, and how the people of our time are rejecting it too. God says, turn back now, and you can still be saved. Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. I’m sure that when Jeremiah gave this message to the people, they looked at him with dismay, shock, and confusion: “What do you mean?  Adultery? Idolatry? Lies?  What?  We aren’t doing any of those things.” But, as if it weren’t enough for them to be blind to their own errant behavior, they rebutted with a classic statement: “Besides, we are the Lord’s chosen.  He would never destroy us – He already promised the Messiah through us.  We have the Temple to prove it.  He will protect us, because we have the Temple!” But Jeremiah says, don’t be fooled by these words.  No matter how much they chant – “We are safe!”  They aren’t. I can almost excuse their spiritual blindness.  The leaders, and their followers, are good, upstanding citizens.  They are well-behaved, prosperous, well-dressed, and affluent.  They use the right words and vocabulary, they are good leaders, and from all points of views, they keep the law.  However, it is their soul that God sees. Through Jeremiah, God says, your souls are corrupt.  You are thieves, liars, adulterers, and idolaters.  You sacrifice your children, you steal from the widows and orphans, you offer your sacrifices to false gods. But again, the people recoil in shock.  They defend themselves and deny any wrongdoing. How do I know?  I’ve seen it – I’ve experienced it. Yes, they are good people.  They rule the city with great tact and zeal, but they are not walking with God in a way that He desires.  They give their offerings, go through the rituals, and they do everything right. But God says, it isn’t your offerings and sacrifices I want; it is your heart and soul. The people do things right, but they aren’t necessarily doing the right things. The people in my Church say, “We have the truth.  We are God’s remnant people.  He will never destroy us.”  In fact, they have a quote to prove this: “It will appear as if the Church is about to fail, but it will not.” egw But, unfortunately, they use this quote to defend their poor behavior, actions, and attitudes. In the meantime, the tithes and offerings go to administrative costs, buildings, and perks – but the local churches suffer in disrepair.  Pastoral FTEs are cut, but buildings continue to be erected.  The politically conservative, claim to be on God’s side, but oppose any legislation that would provide for the poor, the widows, and the orphans.  While church attendance, and overt sabbathkeeping is done  right, people do whatever they want behind closed doors. They murder people with their words, they lie about their motives, they lie about their political scheming, they lie about others.  They sacrifice their children for their own selfish pursuits.  They worship at the idols of TV and pop culture.  They dine at restaurants, becoming fat, and sleek. The worship centers are a den of thieves. It is fascinating to see the similarities. But God says, don’t expect them to hear.
Prayer

Father God.  Help us.

Original

That’s One. That’s TWO!

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 6	August 27, 2009
Jerusalem’s Last Warning 1 “Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth-hakkerem! A powerful army is coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction. 2 O Jerusalem,s you are my beautiful and delicate daughter— but I will destroy you! 3 Enemies will surround you, like shepherds camped around the city. Each chooses a place for his troops to devour. 4 They shout, `Prepare for battle! Attack at noon!’ `No, it’s too late; the day is fading, and the evening shadows are falling.’ 5 `Well then, let’s attack at night and destroy her palaces!’” 6 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Cut down the trees for battering rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked through and through. 7 She spouts evil like a fountain. Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction. I always see her sickness and sores. 8 Listen to this warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust. Listen, or I will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives.” 9 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Even the few who remain in Israel will be picked over again, as when a harvester checks each vine a second time to pick the grapes that were missed.” Israel’s Constant Rebellion 10 To whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed, and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the Lord . They don’t want to listen at all. 11 So now I am filled with the Lord ’s fury. Yes, I am tired of holding it in! “I will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets and on gatherings of young men, on husbands and wives and on those who are old and gray. 12 Their homes will be turned over to their enemies, as will their fields and their wives. For I will raise my powerful fist against the people of this land,” says the Lord . 13 “From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From prophets to priests, they are all frauds. 14 They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. 15 Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord . Israel Rejects the LORD’s Way 16 This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, `No, that’s not the road we want!’ 17 I posted watchmen over you who said, `Listen for the sound of the alarm.’ But you replied, `No! We won’t pay attention!’ 18 “Therefore, listen to this, all you nations. Take note of my people’s situation. 19 Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my word. 20 There’s no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba. Keep your fragrant calamus imported from distant lands! I will not accept your burnt offerings. Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me.” 21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: “I will put obstacles in my people’s path. Fathers and sons will both fall over them. Neighbors and friends will die together.” An Invasion from the North 22 This is what the Lord says: “Look! A great army coming from the north! A great nation is rising against you from far-off lands. 23 They are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like a roaring sea as they ride forward on horses. They are coming in battle formation, planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem.s“ 24 We have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor. 25 Don’t go out to the fields! Don’t travel on the roads! The enemy’s sword is everywhere and terrorizes us at every turn! 26 Oh, my people, dress yourselves in burlap and sit among the ashes. Mourn and weep bitterly, as for the loss of an only son. For suddenly the destroying armies will be upon you! 27 “Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals,s that you may determine the quality of my people. 28 They are the worst kind of rebel, full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and iron, and they lead others into corruption. 29 The bellows fiercely fan the flames to burn out the corruption. But it does not purify them, for the wickedness remains. 30 I will label them `Rejected Silver,’ for I, the Lord , am discarding them.”	Run for your lives, get out of Jerusalem.  Sound the alarm, a powerful army is coming – with disaster and destruction! Oh Jerusalem, you are my beautiful and delicate daughter – but I will destroy you. Enemies will surround you, like shepherds.  Each chooses a place for their troops to devour.  They shout, “Prepare for battle!  We attack at noon!” No, it’s too late, well then, let’s attack at night and destroy her palaces. God, Himself gives instruction for battle. This is the city to be punished, for she is wicked, through and through.  She spouts evil like a fountain.  Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and destruction.  I always see her sickness and sores. Listen Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust.  Listen, or I will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives. Even the few who remain will be picked over again. Who will listen to this warning?  Their ears are closed.  They scorn the word of the Lord and they don’t want to listen.  So, now there is fury – God is tired of holding it in. Children, young men, husbands and wives – all will receive the pouring out of my fury.  Even those who are old and gray.  Their homes will be turned over to their enemies, as will their fields and their wives.  I will raise up a powerful fist against the people of this land, says the Lord. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed.  From prophets to priests, they are all frauds.  They offer superficial treatments for the mortal wounds.  They give assurances of peace, when there is not peace. Are they not ashamed of their disgusting actions.  Not at all, they don’t even know how to blush.  Therefore they will lie amond the slaughtered.  They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord. Stop at the street corner and look around.  Ask for the old, godly way – and walk in it!  Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, No, that’s not the road we want. I posted watchmen over you who said, Listen for the sound of the alarm. But you replied, No, we won’t pay attention. Therefore, listen to this.  Take note of the situation.  Listen:  I will bring disaster on the people.  It is the fruit of their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me.  They have rejected my word. There is no use offering sweet perfume.  Keep it.  I will not accept your burnt offerings.  You sacrifices are not pleasing. God will put obstacles in our path.  Everyone will fall over them, everyone will die together. Look!  A great army is coming from the north!  They are planning to destroy us. We are afraid.  Don’t go out.  Mourn and weep, as for the loss of an only son.  They are upon you soon. Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals, so you may determine the quality of my people.  They are the worst kind, full of slander.  They are as hard as bronze or iron, and they lead others into corruption.  The bellows fan the flames to burn out the corruption, but it does not purify them – for their wickedness remains. I will label them, rejected silver – for I, the Lord, am discarding them.	The title says, Jerusalem’s last warning.  How many warnings does God give them?  How many times do they get a last warning. The other night, my son was being fussy at the dinner table.  He wouldn’t eat, wanted to crawl around in his chair, and generally was being quite disruptive.  His mother had asked, told, and demanded him to obey numerous times – but to know avail. It was at this point that I looked him in the eye and asked, “Do you want to go in timeout?”  Firm, authoritative, and non-anxious. He looked back, much more subdued.  “no.” he weakly replied.  But immediately began to fuss. That’s one, I said.  He subdued – but in a few minutes, began to get restless again.  “Two.” I said. He wasn’t deliberately disobeying, as much as he was restless, tired, and testy.  I was really, really trying to be patient.  On top of that, it is sometimes difficult to know if this is the point where one should draw a line in the sand, or not.  What is willful disobedience, and what is the fussy, tiredness of a two year old boy who doesn’t know which way is up. This is where a parent steps in.  First, it is our job to establish boundaries.  Second, it is our job to be grace-filled and forgiving.  And finally, it is our job to determine the best course of action for the given situation. I didn’t want to punish my son.  I didn’t really want to discipline him.  He really wasn’t bothering me – but he was being disruptive.  Whether I wanted to, or not, it is my responsibility – always – to help him grow up in a way that will honor God. Again, he began to wiggle, fuss, and demand.  I just looked at him – and gave him “the look.“  He settled down.  I was really, really, really trying hard to not say, “three.”  I was giving him a lot of rope – but I didn’t want him to hang himself. As I’ve been reading Jeremiah for the past couple of weeks, I see the same attitude.  He loves His people.  He wants them to succeed.  But they’re not listening to His warnings.  They aren’t stopping their negative behaviors. But what in the world are they doing that is so bad?  From other biblical accounts, we don’t necessarily get the idea that they are like Sodom and Gomorrah – we don’t see the evil of the early Roman centuries.  No. Instead, what I see, is self-sufficiency, pride, arrogance, selfishness, and a lack of mercy and caring for others.  “Sleek and fat,” is the way it was said in chapter 5.  But the worst thing that I can see, is the total abdicating of their role on earth. Israel was raised up to be a blessing to all people (see Genesis 12:1-3).  And someone they had lost sight of this.  All of God’s people are God’s children – He wants a relationship with all of them – not just a few. Instead of taking care of the poor, they bought bigger houses and nicer cars.  Instead of assuring that everyone had proper health care, they spent their money on cosmetic surgery for themselves, and antidepressants.  Instead of taking the good news of Jesus’ death to the world, they chastised their pastors for not spending enough time with the “chosen.” I believe this is where God’s greatest anger came from.  Just like when I see one of my kids mistreat the other, that’s when I tend to get angry – especially when the oldest sibling is picking on the youngest.  “Darling Daughter,” I say in an angry tone.  “What are you doing?  You’re supposed to be helping your little brother, setting an example for him, treating him with a lot of love and patience!” I hear God saying that to Jerusalem.  “What are you people doing!?  You’re supposed to be out their loving your neighbors like yourselves – not to mention, loving me with all your heart and soul!  Stop it!!!” But not only do they not listen, they don’t want to hear him.  They are too caught up in their own drama.  So, God begins to count. “That’s one.”  He says. “That’s two!”  Oh, how he hopes they will repent – which just means to turn around and go the other direction.  He doesn’t want to step in.  He doesn’t want to hurt them.  He doesn’t want to make a scene.  He loves His kids – and He doesn’t want to hurt them. But the damage they are doing to others (“The leading cause of atheism today is when Christians honor God with their mouths but do not honor Him with their lives.” DC Talk) In other words, by doing nothing, God is actually doing more harm, than by stepping in and stopping this arrogant approach of selfish, unrepentant behavior. The church (and nation) are very similar today – to what Jeremiah was seeing. God doesn’t want to say three.  He’s giving us the look.  He sending warnings.  He is shouting at us to stop.  But very soon, he will say, “It is finished.”
Prayer

Dear God.  Yesterday I awoke concerned about how I’d make my next house payment.  It is very frightening, but as I read Jeremiah 5’s message, I got even more frightened.  Why worry about a silly house when we all may lose all of this very soon.

Original.

Teach me how to raise my children so that they will love you with all their heart, and soul, and mind.  Teach me how to teach them to love their neighbors, as much as they love themselves.  Teach us to teach them – how to turn to you, and not themselves, when trouble surrounds them.

Thank you God!

I love you too!

Jeremiah tells us about the “Time of the End”

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 5	August 25,  2009
The Sins of Judah 1 “Run up and down every street in Jerusalem,” says the Lord . “Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one just and honest person, I will not destroy the city. 2 But even when they are under oath, saying, `As surely as the Lord lives,’ they are still telling lies!” 3 Lord , you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent. 4 Then I said, “But what can we expect from the poor? They are ignorant. They don’t know the ways of the Lord . They don’t understand God’s laws. 5 So I will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the Lord and understand God’s laws.” But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off God’s yoke and broken his chains. 6 So now a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many. 7 “How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels. 8 They are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife. 9 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord . “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation? 10 “Go down the rows of the vineyards and destroy the grapevines, leaving a scattered few alive. Strip the branches from the vines, for these people do not belong to the Lord . 11 The people of Israel and Judah are full of treachery against me,” says the Lord . 12 “They have lied about the Lord and said, `He won’t bother us! No disasters will come upon us. There will be no war or famine. 13 God’s prophets are all windbags who don’t really speak for him. Let their predictions of disaster fall on themselves!’” 14 Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies says: “Because the people are talking like this, my messages will flame out of your mouth and burn the people like kindling wood. 15 O Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you,” says the Lord . “It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you cannot understand. 16 Their weapons are deadly; their warriors are mighty. 17 They will devour the food of your harvest; they will devour your sons and daughters. They will devour your flocks and herds; they will devour your grapes and figs. And they will destroy your fortified towns, which you think are so safe. 18 “Yet even in those days I will not blot you out completely,” says the Lord .19 “And when your people ask, `Why did the Lord our God do all this to us?’ you must reply, `You rejected him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your own land. Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.’ A Warning for God’s People 20 “Make this announcement to Israel,s and say this to Judah: 21 Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear. 22 Have you no respect for me? Why don’t you tremble in my presence? I, the Lord , define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set. 23 But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me. 24 They do not say from the heart, `Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’ 25 Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things. 26 “Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind. They continually set traps to catch people. 27 Like a cage filled with birds, their homes are filled with evil plots. And now they are great and rich. 28 They are fat and sleek, and there is no limit to their wicked deeds. They refuse to provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor. 29 Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord . “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation? 30 A horrible and shocking thing has happened in this land— 31 the prophets give false prophecies, and the priests rule with an iron hand. Worse yet, my people like it that way! But what will you do when the end comes?	God tells Jeremiah to run up and down every street.  Look high and low and see if you can find even one honest person.  If you can, I will not destroy the city. But even under oath, they lie. God is searching for honesty.  He struck them, but they ignored them.  He crushed them, but they refused to be corrected.  With faces like stone, they are determined and refuse to repent. Jeremiah asks, “what about the poor?” They are ignorant and don’t know God’s laws.  So, he went to the leaders of the poor, but they too had thrown off the yoke of God. So now, a lion from the forest, a wolf from the desert, and a leopard will attack. Their rebellion is great and their sins are many. “How can I pardon you?” God asks. “Even your children have turned from me.  They have sworn by gods that are not gods at all.  I fed my people till they were full, but they thanked me by being adulterous.  They were well-fed, lusty stallions. “Shouldn’t I punish them for this?  Shouldn’t I avenge myself?” Go down and destroy the vineyards and grapevines – leaving a few scattered ones alive.  These people do not belong to the Lord.  They are full of treachery against me.  They have lied about God: “He won’t bother us,” they said.  “No disasters will come to us.  There won’t be war or famine.  God’s prophets are all windbags who don’t really speak for him.  Let their predictions of disaster fall on themselves.” Then God says: “Because the people are talking like this, my messages will flame out of your mouth and burn the people like kindling wood.  I will bring a distant nation against you,” says God.  “It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation – a people who language you do not know – whose speech you cannot understand.  Their weapons are deadly and their warriors are mighty. “They will devour the harvest, they will devour our sons and daughters, they will devour our livestock, they will devour the fruit – and they will destroy our fortified cities – which make us think we are safe. But even then, I won’t blot you out completely says God. And the people ask, “But why did the Lord do all this to us?” Tell the people this: “Because you rejected Him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your own land.  Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.” Make this announcement, God says: “Listen to me you foolish and senseless people.  You don’t see, you don’t hear.  Do you not have respect for me?  Why don’t you tremble in my presence?I made it all happen – I created it all. “But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts.  They have turned away and abandoned me.  They do not say from the heart, ‘ Let us live i awe of the Lord our God, for He gives us rain in the Spring and Fall, he brings the harvest when the time is right. “Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings.  Your sin had robbed you of all these good things. “There are wicked people who lie and wait for victims.  Like a cage filled with birds, their homes are filled with evil plots.  And now they are great, and rich, fat, and sleek.  There is no limit to their wicked deeds. “They refuse to provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor.  Should I not punish them for this?”  Says God.  “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation? “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in this land – the prophets give false prophesies, and the priests rule with an iron hand.  Worse yet, the people like it that way!” “But what will you do when the end comes?”	Like Abraham asking God to not destroy Sodom.  This chapter is filled with references to other stories in the Bible. God is looking for one honest man.  Someone who is transparent, authentic, real.  Someone who can admit they are a sinner – someone who can testify to the mighty acts of God – especially in their own life. In his desperation to find honesty – truth – he struck them, but that didn’t get their attention.  He crushed them – but still no repentance. But what about the poor?  Maybe they will listen?  But due to their ignorance, Jeremiah goes to the leaders of the poor – but they too have abandoned God. Destruction is on the way. As I read this passage, thoughts of the end times in Earth’s history flowed through my head.  Adventists have always had a vivid description of the end times.  Persecution, imprisonment, hiding in the hills, trying to escape the authorities. But we seem to have been lulled into a false sense of security.  Our religious liberty department constantly defends the Sabbath – in the courts, in the legislature, and in the workplace.  We have come to believe that nothing can happen to us because we live in a country founded on freedom. Sometimes, as we hear the news, we think that time is short.  The economic situation could bring pressure on people to make changes – but we really don’t believe this will happen in our lifetime. As I read this passage, I thought, what if there were a violent transition of power and authority in the US.  What if our government fell? We have come to think of ourselves as the most powerful nation – ever.  So the thought that our government could be overthrown, or our country overrun, seems ludicrous to us.  Just as it probably seemed to Jerusalem and Judah when Jeremiah was preaching to them. But what if it happened?  What if suddenly, there was a revolution, a civil war, a major transition?  What if we were overrun by another country?  What if Russia rose up – or the Middle East?  What if China decided to foreclose? When I first became a Christian 20-25 years ago, I had visions in my head – a reoccurring dream, of soldiers and troops running through the hills on the Oregon Coast.  The problem was, they were not American soldiers on training, they were an invading army. I haven’t thought of those images in years.  In fact, I’d pretty much discounted them as a result of too many mind-altering substances, too many violent movies, and an over-active imagination. But as I read this chapter in Jeremiah, I was reminded of those scenes.  What if we were invaded by a foreign power?  What if? If God is in charge of sending – or allowing the invaders, who can stop them?  If we were a God-fearing country, and now we’re not, don’t these passages speak directly into who we are?  Is there anything, short of absolute repentance that could stop this from happening? I see a scenario in my head.  Not an absolute scenario, but a “what if” scenario.  Just as an abstract example, we were invaded by another country?  What if there was a sudden shift in power and authority?  What if, as citizens of a new leadership, we found ourselves lost, broken, destroyed?  What if we cried out for help – to the new government – not to God?  And instead of deliverance, instead we got all the prophecies that we used to preach?  Sunday laws, persecution, imprisonment, ostracizing, the end times?
Prayer

Oh dear God.  Until this morning, I’ve been afraid of losing my house and all the associated “stuff.”  I’ve been concerned about how to nuance the Gospel in a way that would not be offensive.  I’ve been seeking ways to reach the unreached.

Today, I am convicted to get my own house in order.  To be solid, 100% followers of Your Way.

I love you too God.

Original Post here.

Created for God’s Glory

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 4	August 19, 2009
1 “O Israel,” says the Lord , “if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. 2 Then when you swear by my name, saying, `As surely as the Lord lives,’ you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name.” Coming Judgment against Judah 3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: “Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. 4 O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord ,s or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins. 5 “Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem! Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land: `Run for your lives! Flee to the fortified cities!’ 6 Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem: `Flee now! Do not delay!’ For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you from the north.” 7 A lion stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed your way. It’s going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with no one living in them anymore. 8 So put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts, for the fierce anger of the Lord is still upon us. 9 “In that day,” says the Lord , “the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled.” 10 Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord , the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!” 11 The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, “My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it’s not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain. 12 It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!” 13 Our enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds. His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed! 14 O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor your evil thoughts? 15 Your destruction has been announced from Dan and the hill country of Ephraim. 16 “Warn the surrounding nations and announce this to Jerusalem: The enemy is coming from a distant land, raising a battle cry against the towns of Judah. 17 They surround Jerusalem like watchmen around a field, for my people have rebelled against me,” says the Lord . 18 “Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!” Jeremiah Weeps for His People 19 My heart, my heart—I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries. 20 Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. 21 How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? 22 “My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the Lord . “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!” Jeremiah’s Vision of Coming Disaster 23 I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. 24 I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. 25 I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away. 26 I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord ’s fierce anger. 27 This is what the Lord says: “The whole land will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely. 28 The earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it.” 29 At the noise of charioteers and archers, the people flee in terror. They hide in the bushes and run for the mountains. All the towns have been abandoned— not a person remains! 30 What are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara? Your primping will do you no good! The allies who were your lovers despise you and seek to kill you. 31 I hear a cry, like that of a woman in labor, the groans of a woman giving birth to her first child. It is beautiful Jerusalem gasping for breath and crying out, “Help! I’m being murdered!”	The Lord says that Jerusalem is welcome to return at anytime.  Just throw away the idols and don’t stray anymore. If you do so, with truth, justice, and righteousness – you will be a blessing to the nations of the world – and all the people will come and praise my name. God says this to Judah and Jerusalem.  Don’t waste your seed among thorns.  Surrender your pride and power.  Change your hearts, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire. Shout, and sound the alarm!  Run for your lives, flee to the fortified cities.  Flee now, do not delay.  Terrible destruction is coming from the North. A lion stalks, headed your way to devastate your land.  Your towns will lie in ruin – no one will live in them anymore. Put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts.  The fierce anger of the Lord is upon us. In that day, the leaders will tremble in fear.  The pastors will be struck with horror.  The prophets will be appalled. But, the people have been deceived.  Peace was promised, but the sword is at their throats. A time is coming, “My dear people,” a burning wind is blowing – not a gentle breeze, it is a roaring blast sent by God – “Now I will pronounce your destruction.” The enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds.  Fast, swift, and terrible.  We are doomed. Oh Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved.  Don’t harbor evil thoughts.  Your destruction will be announced from the hilltops. Warn the surrounding nations and announce this.  The enemy is coming from a distant land, they will surround us.  My people have rebelled against God. “Your own actions brought this upon you – this punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart.” Jeremiah weeps and writhes in pain.  My heart pounds – I cannot be still.  I have heard the blast of the trumpets – and the roar of the enemy’s battle cries.  Destruction rolls over the land.  Everything is destroyed and crushed.  How long must I witness this? My people are foolish – they don’t know me, says God – they are stupid children without understanding.  They are clever enough at doing wrong, but have no idea how to do it right! I looked, and the earth was empty and formless.  There was no light from the heavens.  The mountains and hills trembled.  The people were gone, the birds had flown away.  The fields had become wilderness.  The towns were in ruin – crushed by the Lord’s anger. The Lord says, the whole land will be ruined – but I will not destroy it completely, says the Lord.  The earth will mourn – and the heavens will be draped in black – because of God’s decree – and he will not change His mind. When the people hear the approaching army, they will flee in a panic.  The will hide in the bushes, run for the mountains, and will abandon the cities.  Not a person will remain. God asks, what we are doing.  We act like we’ve just plundered someone.  We dress in beautiful clothing, put on Gold jewelry – but our primping will do no good.  Our lovers will be our enemies. I hear a cry – a painful cry.  It is beautiful Jerusalem, gasping for breath and crying out: “Help!  I’m being murdered.!”	God doesn’t hold grudges.  He just wants whaat is best for us.  Like a parent, if our child quits  doing naughty things, we embrace them and send them on their way. If they don’t stop making poor choices, we have to find methods to convince them that continuing on that path is not a good one. I see here, the promise given to Abraham, re-spoken.  The blessings from God were not so much for the benefit of Israel.  God wanted to bless everyone on Earth – and He chose Israel to exemplify that relationship.  Ultimately though – it isn’t for the people, it is for the glory of God.  I’m not sure why we make this about ourselves – it is about the two great commandments: 1) God, 2) others. He continues to call us out of the danger zone.  To let go of the pride and power, and change our hearts – this is where the real change needs to take place. Jeremiah, from God, continues to try and wake the people up.  Shout and sound the alarm – run for your lives! At the very least, we can mourn for our sorry state of affairs. Jeremiah paints a vision of the future.  Leaders, pastors, prophets will all be terrified.  But why not now? He says the people have been deceived.  They’ve been told that peace is their destiny, but there is a sword to their throat.  EGW says that in these last days, there will be people who proclaim “Peace, peace,” but to avoid them. It seems as if those who get elected in a political system, have to cry peace, peace.  Those that tell the truth, Like George Bush, Sr. did (eg; he will raise taxes), will not get reelected.  Those that portray a vision of growth, safety, freedom, and prosperity – well, they are the ones who keep their positions. I am amazed that a church that teaches end-time events as a part of their core and substance, does not understand the implications of these end-times?  They seem to think that everything will be fine until Jesus comes.  They seem to think that there is nothing they must do to prepare for His return.  Just keep on doing what we’ve always done – and we’ll go home with Jesus in the end. But God is telling us here to cleanse our hearts so we can be saved.  We must proclaim the warning and quit rebelling against God! It is our own actions that has brought this upon us. Jeremiah weeps in pain.  This passage has caused me pause.  Jeremiah portrays his emotions deeply.  I don’t know if he was this expressive verbally – I certainly am not.  However, inside, this passion shouts from my soul. But somehow, in shouting that we need to awaken and that we need to make changes has led people to decide that I don’t love them.  This has been one of the most troubling and confusing issues for me. If I didn’t love them – from God’s heart, why would I care. But this is where I get my answer.  Even God says they are foolish and stupid.  If He thinks that, why do I believe I can get through to them. The whole earth is doomed.  But we will most likely wait until the last minute and we will cry out – “I am being murdered!”
Prayer

Dear God, help me to speak more clearly the repentance that must occur.  Teach me to be more patient with those who don’t get it.  Help me to change my heart and motives and to follow you always!

G

Original Post here.

Be My Children Again

Scripture	Observations/Paraphrase	Application
Jeremiah 3	August 18, 2009
1 “If a man divorces a woman and she goes and marries someone else, he will not take her back again, for that would surely corrupt the land. But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers, so why are you trying to come back to me?” says the Lord . 2 “Look at the shrines on every hilltop. Is there any place you have not been defiled by your adultery with other gods? You sit like a prostitute beside the road waiting for a customer. You sit alone like a nomad in the desert. You have polluted the land with your prostitution and your wickedness. 3 That’s why even the spring rains have failed. For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless. 4 Yet you say to me, `Father, you have been my guide since my youth. 5 Surely you won’t be angry forever! Surely you can forget about it!’ So you talk, but you keep on doing all the evil you can.” Judah Follows Israel’s Example 6 During the reign of King Josiah, the Lord said to me, “Have you seen what fickle Israel has done? Like a wife who commits adultery, Israel has worshiped other gods on every hill and under every green tree.7 I thought, `After she has done all this, she will return to me.’ But she did not return, and her faithless sister Judah saw this.8 She saw that I divorced faithless Israel because of her adultery. But that treacherous sister Judah had no fear, and now she, too, has left me and given herself to prostitution.9 Israel treated it all so lightly—she thought nothing of committing adultery by worshiping idols made of wood and stone. So now the land has been polluted.10 But despite all this, her faithless sister Judah has never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry. I, the Lord , have spoken!” Hope for Wayward Israel 11 Then the Lord said to me, “Even faithless Israel is less guilty than treacherous Judah!12 Therefore, go and give this message to Israel.s This is what the Lord says: “O Israel, my faithless people, come home to me again, for I am merciful. I will not be angry with you forever. 13 Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the Lord , have spoken! 14 “Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord , “for I am your master. I will bring you back to the land of Israels— one from this town and two from that family— from wherever you are scattered. 15 And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding. 16 “And when your land is once more filled with people,” says the Lord , “you will no longer wish for `the good old days’ when you possessed the Ark of the Lord ’s Covenant. You will not miss those days or even remember them, and there will be no need to rebuild the Ark.17 In that day Jerusalem will be known as `The Throne of the Lord .’ All nations will come there to honor the Lord . They will no longer stubbornly follow their own evil desires.18 In those days the people of Judah and Israel will return together from exile in the north. They will return to the land I gave their ancestors as an inheritance forever. 19 “I thought to myself, `I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me `Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me. 20 But you have been unfaithful to me, you people of Israel! You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. I, the Lord , have spoken.” 21 Voices are heard high on the windswept mountains, the weeping and pleading of Israel’s people. For they have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten the Lord their God. 22 “My wayward children,” says the Lord , “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.” “Yes, we’re coming,” the people reply, “for you are the Lord our God. 23 Our worship of idols on the hills and our religious orgies on the mountains are a delusion. Only in the Lord our God will Israel ever find salvation. 24 From childhood we have watched as everything our ancestors worked for— their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters— was squandered on a delusion. 25 Let us now lie down in shame and cover ourselves with dishonor, for we and our ancestors have sinned against the Lord our God. From our childhood to this day we have never obeyed him.”	A man won’t take back a woman whom he has divorced, so why would he take back one who has prostituted herself with many lovers?  Why is Israel trying to come back to God? You can see shrines on every hilltop where this prostitution has taken place.  Even now, we sit like prostitutes beside the road – waiting for the next customer. We have polluted the land with this prostitution. This is why it doesn’t rain in the Spring. You say, but you’ve always been my guide, my father, you won’t be angry forever, but there is no stopping the evil behavior. Because Israel treated this all so lightly, no even Judah is following in these steps of prostitution. But even as Israel has repented, yet returned to her evil, Judah saw this was all so common, that she never sincerely returned and only pretended to be sorry. Israel is faithless, but Judah is treacherous. The Lord says, “Oh my faithless people, come home to me, again – I am merciful.  I will not be angry forever.  Just acknowledge your guilt, admit you rebelled and committed adultery by worshiping idols.  Confess that you refused to listen.” “Return home, my wayward children.” Say the Lord. “For I am your master and I will bring you back to the land.  I will give you leaders after my own heart who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.” When the land is filled again with people, you will no longer wish for “the good’ol days” when you possessed the Ark.  You won’t need to rebuild the Ark, for Jerusalem will be known as “The Throne of the Lord.”  All nations will come to honor God.  They won’t stubbornly follow their own desires.  Judah and Israel will return from Exile.  They will return to the land given their ancestors. God would love to treat us as His own children.  He wants to give us this land – the finest in the World.  He wants us to call Him Father, and not turn from Him. But we have been unfaithful.  Like a faithless wife who leaves her husband. The voices of God’s people are heard on high.  Weeping, pleading – for we have chosen crooked paths and have forgotten our Lord. Come back, Says God.  I will heal you. We are coming.  You are our God.  Our religious orgies were a delusion.  We can only find salvation in you.  We have seen everything squandered in delusion. We now lie down in shame and cover ourselves in dishonor.  We and our ancestors have sinned against God.  We have never obeyed.	I have always compared marriage to our relationship with God.  This symbol, between a man and a woman is sacred – for many reasons.  It is sacred because it is the closest any human can be to another.  It is sacred because it represents the relationship we have (or could have) with God. When we prostitute ourselves – spiritually, physically, or emotionally – we are polluted.  Many will say that sex in and of itself is not evil.  One should be able to be sexual with whomever they please – it doesn’t hurt anyone and it is no different than a hug. I disagree.  As a refugee from the sexual revolution, take my word for it – it leaves scars.  I have seen the scars I left in others, and I have been left wounded from the encounters others had with me. (but that’s another story) When the verse talks about a prostitute waiting by the road, it makes me think of Judah’s daughter-in-law.  He thought she was a prostitute, because of where he encountered her – but in reality, he was the one prostituting himself with the first woman who came along. No rain in the Spring.  Reminds me of Elijah and the drought.  Was this drought a punishment from God – or just a way to wake them up to their needs.  I see us currently in a spiritual drought, because of our disobedience.  We are not going to experience the Latter Rain until we repent of our actions, deeds, and intentions. Our leadership, our actions cause others to fall also.  The lack of spirituality in the church testifies greatly of a lack of faith.  We treat our relationship with God so lightly, that others toss God off like so much bad advice.  We give fuel to atheists and other unbelievers.  Because our relationship with God is so polluted, they see no reason to even draw near to Him. But even when we repent, the unbeliever never sees the need fully. We may be faithless, but Judah is treacherous.  This is a scary reality.  What have we done?  What monsters have we created. I see this in our kids.  Because of faithless parents, our kids are treacherous. But God still says, come home.  Acknowledge our guilt, repent, he will take us back. This was the message I was trying to preach.  I wanted us to acknowledge our guilt, our lukewarm approach, our sinfulness.  Repent, cast ourselves before God and be healed. It seemed as if people got hung up on the “we are sinners” part of this message, but coulldn’t see what it would take to get back into a right relationship with God. It’s not enough to just say, “Yeah, you’re right. I’m a sinner.  I’m sorry.  Now what?” There has to be a deep repentance, a deep remorse, and a deep healing.  This isn’t something that happens in a few minutes.  This is also why I believe my former church is the loser in all of this.  Not only were they unwilling to go here, but they no have turned their backs on this invitation.  It is going to be even harder next time. God’s promises, for when we return to Him are glorious.  Great gifts.  He wants so much to bestow great things on us.  He wants that love relationship that is so deep. Yes, we’ve been unfaithful, but if we’re willing, God will embrace us and have that closeness like none other.
Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to forgive.  It isn’t me that they were rejecting.  It was You.  They want to make it look like it was me – to assuage their guilt.  But it is your love vs. their love of the World.  Help me to let go.

See Original here.