Insisting on Dying

"Then I repeated this same message to

King Zedekiah of Judah.

'If you want to live,

submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people.

Why do you insist on dying--you and your people?

Why should you choose

war, famine, and disease,

which the LORD will bring against every nation

that refuses to submit to Babylon's king?'"

Jeremiah 27:12-13

They were doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to their unfaithfulness, their evil, selfish ways.  Even though they deserved such treatment, God offered grace and mercy, a way out of the war, famine and disease.  If they wanted life, the people of Judah must surrender.  The Chaldeans were coming.  Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon was descending upon them.  Even though it seemed they had no options, they did.  And they could choose life.

Isn't it the same with me?  With all of mankind?  I am doomed to die, to suffer, to withstand punishment due to my unfaithfulness to God, my evil and selfish ways (Romans 3:23, 6:23).  Even though I deserve such treatment, God offers grace and mercy, a way out of eternal damnation (Romans 5:18).  If I want life, I must surrender to Jesus in order to live.  Judgement is coming (Hebrews 9:27).  Even though it seems I have no options since I am sinful to the core, I do.  And I can choose life through Jesus (John 3:18).  How? 

Repent.  God's plea to His people as they stubbornly refused to listen to His warnings of coming punishment was to repent.  To turn from their ways, their disobedient deeds, to stop doing the wrong He had warned them not to do (Jeremiah 26:13).  To regret the sin that was killing them.  As He pleaded through the prophet Ezekiel, "For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. . .Therefore, repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:32).

He still pleads with me through His Son Jesus whom came to make things right again, to fix what sin had destroyed, to restore, to heal, to offer life (Isaiah 61:1-3).  Jesus preached the same message as John the Baptist before Him, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17).  Before I can turn toward Jesus, I must turn away from the sin that is killing me.  I must realize the danger in continuing on my present path and be willing to give up my old way of living in order to take on the new way (Matthew 7:13-14).  I must stop my own efforts that are causing me to drown and grasp on to the lifeline Jesus is offering.  Either I choose darkness or Light (John 3:19).  I can't have it both ways (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

If I want to live I must repent, realizing the gravity of my sinful living.

Submit.  Once God's people realized the path of destruction they were on and turned away from the disobedience that was their undoing, God then instructed them to obey, to fully commit to Him, to become faithful to Him as their only hope and their One True God.

It's the same with me today.  In order to be saved I must believe in Jesus as my Savior, submitting to Him as Lord (Romans 10:9).  He did the work that was necessary in taking on the punishment for my sins when dying on the cross, I am to entrust my life to Him in return.  To be all in.  To fully commit my life to Him.  This is what it means to believe, not just to agree in my mind that Jesus is Lord but to actually surrender to Him and make Him King of my life.  Faith without actions to back it up is no faith at all but only words on a page, and I prove I have submitted to Him by doing what He says (James 1:22-25. 2:14-26).

To walk in the Light of Jesus I must let Him lead me down the path of life as my Shepherd (Matthew 7:14, John 10:14) .

Forgiveness.  God is a merciful God.  He knew His people deserved His wrath for their wayward ways.  Yet in His mercy, He offered a way out.  If only they would repent and turn back to Him as their Master, He promised to change His mind about sending the Babylonians to take them into captivity.  There was hope if the people would agree to His terms (Jeremiah 26:13).

While God is merciful and gracious, He is also righteous.  He can't just offer me forgiveness while leaving my sin unpunished.  In the same way a good judge does not let a criminal go free simply out of the goodness of his heart, so the truly righteous Judge cannot look the other way while I walk free from the death sentence my sins deserve (Romans 6:23).  There must be punishment.  There must be blood sacrifice to atone for my sins.  Someone must pay the price.  And that Someone is Jesus.  He paid my fine so that I can walk free in the forgiveness of a holy God.  It is only through the blood of Jesus that I can find pardon from my death sentence, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).

To be presented before God as holy and blameless I must be covered by the blood of Jesus by faith in Him (Ephesians 5:26-27).

I am doomed to die because of my sin, yet Jesus offers life.  How do I choose life?  By turning away from the sin that is killing me and submitting to Jesus as Savior and Lord.  When I do, I'll receive forgiveness by the blood of Jesus.  Why do I insist on dying when life has been freely offered (John 3:18)?

As I begin this day it is my hope that I can choose life instead of the death that comes when I do what comes naturally.

How do I fail to make Jesus Lord of my life?

When am I stubbornly insisting on dying simply by denying Christ?

Don't Listen to Lies

"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies 

says to his people:

'Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,

filling you with futile hopes.

They are making up everything they say.

They do not speak for the LORD.

They keep saying to those who despise my word,

"Don't worry!  The LORD says you will have peace!"

And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, 

they say, "No harm will come your way!"'"

Jeremiah 23:16-17 NLT

There are many false teachers and prophets who claim to be teaching and spreading God's Word.  In reality, however, they are scattering lies. Here are a few examples:

• My happiness and well-being are God's will for me.  God wants me to be happy, healthy and wealthy.
• God's blessing comes in the form of wealth or material goods.  God wants me to be comfortable and to get what I want.  After all, it take money to do ministry in this world.
• I must obey the law (or go to church, dress in nice clothes, not smoke or drink, etc) in order to be saved.  God only saves those who make an effort, only helping those who help themselves.
• God seeks to elevate me in some way.  God wants me to have high self-esteem.
• God is merciful so I need not worry about sin because I am forgiven by the blood of Jesus.  God is not concerned with purity because He understands my weaknesses.

Be careful.  Be wise.  Be shrewd.  I must know God's Word so I can distinguish the lies that are what I want to hear from the Truth that is what I need to hear (2 Timothy 4:3).  

What it Means to Know the Lord

"'But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king!

Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink.

But he was jut and right in all his dealings.

That is why God blessed him.

He gave justice and help to the poor and needy,

and everything went well for him.

Isn't that what it means to know me?'

says the LORD."

Jeremiah 22:15-16 NLT

What does it mean to know the Lord?  To only seek my own blessing, build my own kingdom, trust Him to meet my own needs?  Or is there more?

What about the lost, those who have been duped into believing this life is all about running after worldly treasures even though they won't last?  Or those who are unknowingly looking in the wrong place for answers?  Or those who are oppressed by the enticing powers of evil in this dark world?

I have the Words of Life, the Good News that will set them free!  I know the goodness of God and the peace and liberty that comes when I enter His fold.  Isn't it His will that I generously share the enlightening message that the lost so desperately need?  To give the Living Water to the thirsty and the Bread of Life to the hungry (John 4:14, 6:35)?  What good is every blessing that comes down to me from God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ if I never share His Kingdom with others?

This is what it means to know the Lord.

The Illogical Choice

"'Tell all the people,

"This is what the LORD says:

Take your choice of life or death!

Everyone who stays in Jerusalem will die 

from war, famine, or disease,

but those who go out and 

surrender to the Babylonians will live.

Their reward will be life!"'"

Jeremiah 21:8-9 NLT

Doesn't it seem obvious to choose life?  In order to preserve my life, I take the path of least resistance, the one that is safe, the easier.  But God doesn't always lead that way.  Therefore, I must heed His warnings and pay attention even if it goes against my self-preserving instincts.  For He has His own purposes.

Test.  There is much hope for me as one who is saved by grace through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  I have a priceless inheritance through Christ that can never be tarnished because it is held for me in heaven.  When this life is over I can expect an even better one in my Father's mansion, a special place prepared just for me by my Lord and Savior (John 14:2).  The thought of the good things God has in store for me is what often bolsters my faith during hard times.

And it is these difficulties that prove my faith as real, that purify it and makes it even stronger as I continue to love Jesus even though I don't see Him.  As I follow my good Shepherd even though He leads me into the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).  As I trust Him enough to do the hard things He has set before me.  And my reward for believing Him at His word, for sticking with Him even when every fiber of my being wants to turn away, for treasuring Jesus more than my very life?  The salvation of my soul (1 Peter 1:3-9, Romans 6:22)!

Trusting Jesus means I'll often be asked to do the illogical as He tests my faith to prove it's authenticity.

Submission.  It goes against my nature to surrender to an enemy.  I want to fight, dig in, preserve my life, my home, my family.  If I were living in ancient Jerusalem, I would be terrified to give myself and my family over to an invading conqueror, giving up control and putting my life and the lives of those I love into the hands of a foreign army.  I would wonder, what will they do with us?  How will they treat us?  What will happen to my home?  Will I ever see it again?  

If I loved God enough to trust Him with my life, however, I would do as He said, surrendering to the enemy and believing that it would turn out as He promised (Jeremiah 21:9).  That things would go better for me in their custody than if I stayed at home where I wanted to be.  Doesn't God do the same today, sending me into situations I would never willingly choose for myself?  Allowing disease to ravage my body?  Permitting heartache to come my way?  I can either resist it, fighting against what God is up to, or I can submit to His sovereign plan, believing His Word that my love for Him will guarantee that it's all for my good (Romans 8:28).

Trusting Jesus means I'll often face the illogical choice, giving me the opportunity to submit to His sovereign plan.

Treasure.  It comes down to my value system.  Do I cherish my life, my health, my body, my stuff, my family the most?  Or is Jesus my greatest treasure?  The news is filled with the horrible choice several college students at Umpqua Community College recently faced:  Life or Jesus.  The victims were reportedly asked if they were Christians, and if they responded in the affirmative, they were shot in the head.  In order to make such a bold pronouncement of faith while staring down the barrel of a gun, one would have to adhere to a kingdom value system in which they loved Jesus more than their very lives.

What do I treasure most of all?  Jesus warned it would be difficult to follow Him.  He said if I want to be His disciple I can't look at things from a human point of view, but from God's.  "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.  If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it"  (Matthew 16:24).  What good does it do me to gain any advantage I think I have by trying to preserve this temporary life if I lose my very soul for all of eternity?  No, it's much better to gain eternal life by giving it all to Jesus.

Trusting Jesus means I'll be faced with an illogical choice that will reveal what I treasure most.

From the outside looking in, I would appear as a fool.  But from a godly perspective, I am wise to trust Jesus enough to make the irrational decision in obedience to Him.  As I do, my faith is being tested, I'm given the opportunity to submit to God's plan, and I learn what it is I value most.  While I may make what seems to be the illogical choice, as a disciple of Christ, it is the only one that leads to life.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to do as He says even though it seems a foolish step to take.

When do I fail to surrender to God's plan for my life because I am afraid to give up control?

What do I treasure more than Jesus?  Would I be willing to give it up if faced with that choice?     

      

The Freedom of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

I'm away from my computer for a couple of days but I wanted to give you something to think about.  It's a quote I found scribbled on a 5 x 7 card that recently fell out of my closet. Seriously.   I don't know from where it came, nor do I know the source.  But since then, I haven't been able to get the simple truth out of my mind.  I thought you might enjoy chewing on it for awhile, as well.

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ liberates you to be okay with not being okay."

Beautiful.  Insightful.  Powerful.  Liberating.

May you know this truth that will set you free (John 8:32). 

Who is Influencing Whom?

"This is how the LORD responds:

'If you return to me, I will restore you

so you can continue to serve me.

If you speak good words rather than worthless ones,

you will be my spokesman.

You must influence them;

do not let them influence you!'"

Jeremiah 15:19 NLT

Jeremiah stayed true to God, choosing the lonely existence over joining in with the crowd in betraying Him.  How was he rewarded?  With persecution, suffering and difficulty.  Sound unfair?  I guess it depends upon your perspective.  But there is something I can learn from God's response to Jeremiah's lament over his misery.

Second Chances.  The Creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign Lord over all creation, is a God of second chances.  His mercies are new every morning and He is always at work giving new life to what was messed up by sin (Lamentations 3:23,  Isaiah 43:18-19).  He doesn't look at His broken creation and cast it away like yesterday's garbage, but loves mankind enough to have given His own Son as an atoning sacrifice for all who would believe (Romans 5:8).  He could have sent His Son into the world to righteously judge His image bearers, and He would have had every right to do so, giving us all what our sins deserve.  But He didn't (Romans 6:23, Psalm 103:10).  This God of second chances sent Jesus down into the realm of men in order to save us (John 3:17).

If Jesus doesn't prove that God is a God of mercy, I don't know what will.  This means that no matter how many times I fall, I can confidently get back up again, knowing that I have an Advocate who is pleading my case with the Father in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 1 John 2:1).  Even though I'm not perfect, I can keep pressing forward with the assurance that I'm made right with God through Jesus (Philippians 3:14, Romans 3:22).  Therefore, I can be okay with not being okay.

The Lord my God, Maker of heaven and earth, is a God of second chances.

Mouth for God.  My mind often drifts toward thoughts that do not please God, nor do they honor Him.  I obsess over trivial details, worry about my needs, am consumed by meaningless pursuits, yet rarely think about Him.  Therefore, it is important that I get a grip on my thought life, directing my mind toward what is excellent and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 10:5).  Yet it's not just my thoughts that are important.  It's also what comes out of my mouth that matters.

My words can give life or death (Proverbs 18:21).  I can encourage others or I can tear them down (Ephesians 4:29).  With a single breath I can start a dispute that could destroy families, demolish friendships, or bring down church congregations (James 3:6).  Therefore, since my mouth is such a powerful tool, it is important that I use my tongue to bring glory and honor to God.

When I give it completely to God, my mouth can be used as His instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13).

Saltiness.  Those who have given their lives to Jesus, who submit to His lordship, are the aroma of Christ in a world that stinks of sin and brokenness (2 Corinthians 2:15).  Those who are lost turn their noses up in disgust, failing to detect the sweetness wafting straight from heaven.  To those who are being saved, however, it is an aroma like no other, giving life and hope (2 Corinthians 2:16, 1 Corinthians 1:18).  It's all a matter of perspective.

It's the same with my influence.  As a fragile jar of clay that holds a precious treasure, I have the unique opportunity to change the world for the better, influence it for Christ, make an impact that will last forever (2 Corinthians 4:7, Matthew 5:13).  Yet if I am the one being influenced by the world, adapting to the way the lost think, living as if I have no regard for the sacrifice Jesus made in order to save me, then I lose my ability to shine into the darkness, to improve the quality of its brokenness, to offer hope to those who desperately need it.  If I don't stay true to Christ, letting Him transform my thinking as I go through my days, how can I serve as His Ambassador to a world that is headed toward destruction (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:20)?  To retain my saltiness, I must make Jesus my greatest treasure, never forsaking Him as my First Love (John 15:5, Revelation 2:4).

Staying tight in my connection to Jesus by loving Him fully will give me a unique flavor that will influence the world for Him.

As I look around me, it's easy to see how the life of a follower of Christ is different than that of the world.  It can often be a lonely, difficult road on which to travel and I can become discouraged as Jeremiah did.  But God encourages me through the weeping prophet by reminding me that He is the God of second chances, that my mouth can be used to build His kingdom, and my saltiness to improve the world with His unique flavor.  In order for this to happen, though, I must stay true to Him and apart from the world, otherwise I'll wonder who is influencing whom.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to stick by Him, even when it makes me look peculiar to those around me.

When do I try to fit in, thus losing my saltiness?

How am I compromising my values? 

The Heart of a Weeping Prophet

"Now, Jeremiah, say this to them:

'Night and day my eyes overflow with tears.

I cannot stop weeping,

for my virgin daughter--my precious people--

has been struck down and lies mortally wounded.

If I go out into the fields,

I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy.

If I walk the city streets,

I see people who have died of starvation.

The prophets and priests continue with their work,

but they don't know what they're doing.'"

Jeremiah 14:17-18 NLT

The people had made their bed and now they must lie in it, so to speak.  They would reap what their seeds of destructive rebellion had produced.  He might have been tempted to gloat or to smugly proclaim to the people of Israel that they were only getting what was coming to them.  But God gave him a different response.

What can I learn by examining the heart of a weeping prophet and thus the heart of God that will help me live in such a dark and twisted world?

Sanctity of Life.  Today's cultural and political climate treats human beings as disposable entities.  Respect of the viewpoint others hold has entirely been lost.  If I disagree with someone, it seems right to demonize them, labeling them as not just wrong but evil and the root of all that is wrong.  I am encouraged to look at those who live in a way I don't agree with as if they are less than human, inferior, and even enemies.  This leads to seeing those who are on the path that leads to destruction as one-dimensional beings, characters without a past or a family who love them, devoid of dreams and passions, regrets and struggles.    It's easy to dismiss someone as invaluable if I never find common ground or acknowledge their humanness.

The message God sent through Jeremiah revealed His attitude toward His image bearers.  Their lives are precious and each person, no matter how rebellious or thick-headed, is equally as valuable.  While God was preparing to lower the boom on His people, it was always with the hope that they would repent and return to Him.  It was never His intention to simply cast them away or cause them to suffer for the sake of making them hurt.  Each life is instead seen as sacred, and He goes to great lengths to try and draw each back to Him, holding back His wrath for longer than any deserve (Luke 15:1-7, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9).

Jeremiah the weeping prophet reveals the heart of God who values each life as sacred, and it is time that I treasure each human as He does, leaving any revenge to Him alone (Matthew 10:29-31, Romans 12:19).

Humble Lament.  I live in a culture that is uncomfortable with grief and sorrow.  I'm taught to never wallow in my sadness or troubles, but to heal and move on and quickly as possible.  As a result, I fail to fully feel the weight of my sorrow and find the acting of mourning quite difficult and unpleasant.  I tend to take on this same attitude when it comes to sin, as well.  I fail to spend any time feeling the full weight of my sin; how it affects others, the impact it has on my future, and how it hurts God.  Instead, I try not to think too much about it, attempting to unload it like a hot-potato.

Here God demonstrates through His prophet Jeremiah how to humbly lament over the suffering caused by the sins of the people.  Even though they are only experiencing the consequence of their own selfish, hard-headed, stiff-necked choices, the hurt that results is nonetheless painful.  If I turn away from my coldness of heart, this compassion of God will flow through me as well, allowing me to mourn for those who are disobedient to God (Psalm 119:136).  And when I do, God's lovingkindness may draw others to the eternal well where they will find everlasting healing (John 4:14).

Jeremiah the weeping prophet reveals the heart of God who grieves over the sin of mankind, and it is time that I humbly lament as He does.

Sobering Reality.  I don't understand why he would make such a foolish choice that is destroying his marriage and family.  She knows exactly what she's doing, I guess she's just a glutton for punishment.  He's beyond my help, I just can't reach him no matter what I do.  It can be frustrating to stand by and watch people I care about self-destruct.  And it's easy to chalk it all up to stupidity, foolishness or stubbornness.  But there is a truth that better explains their behavior, and it will help me to interact with them in a more godly manner.

Jesus modeled this for me as He hung suffering on the cross, pleading with God to forgive the men who caused him such pain.  "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34 NLT)  Jesus knew something I need to realize:  the lost are blinded by Satan who holds them captive to do his own destructive will and are filled with darkness that confuses their minds and closes them off from the truth (2 Timothy 2:26, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 4:18).  Any who do not know Christ truly don't know any better than to sin.  I was the same way until God rescued me from my ignorance (Ephesians 2:1-3).   Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord who has liberated mankind from the power of sin and Satan (Romans 8:2, Hebrews 2:14). 

Jeremiah the weeping prophet reveals the heart of God who knows the power of the flesh and man's enemy yet offers the overwhelming victory that comes through faith in Christ, and it is time that I accept this sobering reality as He does.

I look around me in disgust, failing to see how people could be so blind as to live in such a destructive way and bring society down with them .  It's easy to take on a cynical attitude and scorn my fellow man.  But God used Jeremiah, the prophet to His people during a time of great rebellion, to reveal His own heart.  When I take note, I realize how much God values every human life, that He grieves over the suffering that comes as a result of their own foolish and stubborn choices and attitudes, and the sobering reality that they truly don't know what they do but are victims of Satan and sin.  As God's perspective sinks in and I turn away from my own prideful perspective, I take on the heart of the weeping prophet and let the heart of God shine through.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to refrain from looking down on the lost, knowing that He values each one enough to have gone to great lengths to win them back (Romans 8:32).

How do I dismiss the lost as beyond all hope because they are so deep in their sin?

How can I take steps to lament, grieving and weeping over the sins of the nation?