Jeremiah and the Blackhearts

May 30, 2018 at 1:51 pm | Posted in Jeremiah | 6 Comments
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It is almost as if the Lord turns introspective in Jeremiah Chapter 8. He was clearly both angry and sad (grieved) by the people’s refusal to understand (or accept) the basic concepts of being blessed for loyalty, and being punished for treason.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

Jeremiah 8:5

Some backsliding was to be expected, perhaps, for fallen sinners, but they had become “perpetual” – permanent, continual, unrepentant – backsliders who WOULD NOT turn. They had let go of the Lord so easily, but they held on to obvious lies like drowning men clinging to a floating log. Such nimble “turners-away” seemed to be so dead-set against “turning back.”

As Christians, we must be careful of that same problem. We may assume that we can always come back to the Lord, or come back to church, or come back to what we once knew was right, but self-deceit has a way of sinking its hooks into us and brainwashing us.

It’s much easier to get out of church than to get back in, but it’s easier to STAY in church than to get back in, too. Set your anchor in God’s Word and in His body. Don’t experiment with the world. Don’t try to prove your will power or your false maturity by “proving” that you can handle what God says you can’t.

I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

Jeremiah 8:6

It’s an uphill battle to get back on the right track, obeying God, but our sin nature will charge into sin and evil like a horse charging into battle.

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.

Jeremiah 8:7

Even birds follow their instincts to go where their Creator programmed them to go. How could God’s “greatest,” “wisest” creatures defy the law He has given to them?

How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

Jeremiah 8:8

This is the first mention of “scribes” in the Bible. These were men who should have been faithfully recording and teaching God’s law, but instead were adding silly legalistic rules to it, in order to cover up its true spirit.

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

Jeremiah 8:9

The canon of Scripture wasn’t closed in those days. God was still speaking through prophets like Jeremiah and Hosea and Malachi, but the priests and scribes and kings and false prophets were too “wise” to listen to God’s Word. They used the Law as a covering for their sin instead of using it as a mirror to point them straight to the Law-Giver and His Savior.

Jeremiah’s feelings mirrored God’s feelings:

When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

Jeremiah 8:18

Every time he considered the people’s hearts it affected his own heart. Their behavior should have been hurting their own hearts, but it was hurting Jeremiah’s instead.

Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

Jeremiah 8:19-20

This was a proverb for the years when the wheat harvest would fail, only to have the fig, olive, and grape harvests fail, too. It meant that there would be no food that winter, and that people would starve.

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

Jeremiah 8:21

Jeremiah had worse than a case of the “blues.” He had a case of the “blacks!”

Growing and Living Stones

May 25, 2018 at 11:28 am | Posted in I Peter | 5 Comments
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Christians should not be average. Average is the best of the worst, and the worst of the best. Average Christians are like kids who don’t have any appetite for the Bread of Life or for the milk of the Word.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

I Peter 2:2

They just want something sweet and entertaining, even though it has no substance.

Peter’s name meant “rock” or “stone.”

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Matthew 16:18

I wonder if Peter later reflected upon the Lord’s words, and thought that, given his name, it is not surprising that the Spirit used him to make illustrations with stones. Christ said He will “build” His church, so, in this sense, although the Church is not a physical “building,” it is a building built from living stones.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

I Peter 2:4-5

Peter had preached in Acts 4 about Christ being the stone Who was set at nought of the builders, but Who, in truth, had become the head of the corner – the Stone that holds the whole building in place.

Christ is building His Church, but He is using us to do it. How does a man build a house? By tearing down his neighbor’s house? No, by getting unused stones. No Christian should try to build up his or her own ministry by tearing down another’s ministry.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

I Peter 2:9-10

Many Christians like to brag about how “peculiar” they are, but notice how we should not be that peculiar from each other. There is a unifying principle among the living stones of the house of God. We are a “holy nation.” My failure to live a holy life makes me a traitor to my nation. We are to help our nation “show forth” the praises of Him Who called us to be a part of this nation. We do belong to a “nation,” even though this world is not our home.

A Compassionate Centurion and Contradictory Crowds

May 21, 2018 at 12:58 pm | Posted in Luke | 4 Comments
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Compassion has been defined as YOUR pain in MY heart. We can learn some lessons about compassion in Luke Chapter 7.

Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum. And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

Luke 7:1-3

This centurion had compassion for his servant.

And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this: For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

Luke 7:4-5

It was unusual for a Roman soldier to be favorable to the Jews, but this one had even built a synagogue at his own expense.

Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

Luke 7:6-7

Humility was not a characteristically “Roman” attribute, but this centurion did not feel worthy to have Jesus in his house.

For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Luke 7:8-9

The centurion had both compassion and humility, but Jesus was impressed by his FAITH.

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Mark 6:5-6

Jesus MARVELED at the faith of this gentile, and at the unbelief of the Jews in Nazareth. Also, the centurion identified with Jesus’s right and power to command. The centurion commanded soldiers, but Jesus commanded diseases. Alexander the Great once ruled the world, but was killed by a tiny virus.

And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

Luke 7:11-12

Two crowds met: Jesus and His followers, and the widow of Nain and the mourners of her son. In which “crowd” would you place yourself? Are you mourning what has been lost? Or are you cheerfully on your way to enjoy what has been gained, and to tell others what can be gained?

Next, two sons met: The widow’s son was dead but was destined to live; the Son of God was alive but was destined to die.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Luke 7:13-14

Jesus experienced the widow’s pain in His heart.

Finally, two enemies met: Jesus, the Life, and our “final enemy,” death.

And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Luke 7:15-16

The boy sat up (salvation) and spoke (profession). These are symbols of the two signs of new life which true Christians have received in Christ: awakening and speaking.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Romans 10:9-11

Abortion: The Torture and Murder of God’s Children

May 15, 2018 at 10:07 am | Posted in Jeremiah | 10 Comments
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And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

Jeremiah 7:31 (emphasis added)

“Tophet” was a play on the word for “fireplace” or “oven,” changed slightly to mean “shame.” In the valley of the son of Hinnom not only was Asherah worshiped, but the false god Molech was, as well. The worship of Molech involved sacrificing children by burning them alive. During this bleak period of Judah’s history, the people who were ostensibly the people of Yahweh would actually travel out to the valley of Hinnom, just south of Jerusalem, and take their unwanted children – possibly conceived through fornication with prostitutes during pagan rituals to Asherah or Baal – and burn them as a sacrifice to Molech, so that they would have better crops. It was an ancient form of using “environmentalism” as a pretext for abortion. What it really did was allow fornication (in the minds of the practitioners) without consequences. Of course, God’s reality was far different.

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.

Jeremiah 7:32

God’s justice would come in the form of an invading army, and so many people would be killed in this valley that there wouldn’t be enough room to bury them all. The “Valley of Hinnom,” which Jesus would centuries later call “Gehenna,” was used by Him as an analogy for hell. Because of the atrocities committed there, it became a cursed place used as the city’s garbage dump, where fires burned continually and worms never died because they never ran out of garbage to eat.


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