Post by Cindy on May 5, 2015 9:35:41 GMT -5
Yet again the Lord has surprised me when He showed me that He has a Word for all believers who are living during our time right now. In chapter 45, God gives Jeremiah a message for Baruch, his secretary, but that message is also for each one of us right now. Baruch was feeling depressed because of the conditions of the world and especially of Israel and Judah at that time. God had sent several prophets to them to warn them that He was going to judge them if they didn't stop their evil ways. And Baruch had just seen for himself how evil the people and even the King had become, as the King himself had burned up the entire scroll of Jeremiah's words that Baruch had spent so much time and effort to so carefully write out.
Doesn't that sound like what we're going through now? We're overwhelmed with the evil in the world, and in our own president, and with the trials in our own lives? We see and hear of disasters all around us and wonder if or when it's going to happen to us too. It sure sounds like it to me! Well the Lord heard Baruch's complaint and had something to say to him about it. Let me quote it for us:
““This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe to me! The LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’ ” The LORD said, “Say this to him: ‘This is what the LORD says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”” (Jeremiah 45:2–5)
God tells Baruch the same thing He says to us now. First, stop putting yourself at the center of your thoughts and think about Him instead. Yes, Baruch was feeling bad about all that was happening, but the Lord Himself had built up this nation, grown it up from nothing, nurtured and taught the people with great patience, and now because they refused to repent of their evil ways, He was having to tear down all that He'd built. So who had more reason for emotional pain? Obviously God did.
Baruch knew God's Word and knew this was going to happen, so why then was he entertaining thoughts of grandeur in this life for himself? The same is true for us. We know what God's Word says about this time. We know what's going to happen. The church is falling away from the Truth, and will continue to fall away. The world is in upheaval, with wars and rumors of wars all over the place, and that too will get worse. There are many so called natural disasters happening around the world, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, fires, volcanoes, blizzards, etc, and those too will continue and will get worse.The economy is falling apart. People are becoming more and more evil, as evil is called good and good is called evil, and that will continue to get worse as well. People today worship themselves and just about anything else but God, just as they did in Jeremiah's time. Why then do we expect our own little worlds to continue without any upheavals? That's absurd when you think about it.
Instead, God promises His presence and protection. Not protection that nothing bad will happen to us, but protection that we will not die from it. Paul put it perfectly when he said: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9) What the Lord told Jeremiah to tell him was another way of putting what Jesus told us in Matthew 6:31–34. He said not to worry about our lives, or seek to be something great in this life, but instead to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness and then God would make sure we had all that we needed. Note that He said we'd get what we needed, not necessarily what we wanted. Instead, we tend to seek for things in this worlds kingdom and want things to make this world nicer for us, but that's not what God wants. God wants us to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and to stop looking at this one so much, and stop living for this one. That's really what He was telling Baruch and what He's telling us. Stop looking at this world and focus on Him and His Kingdom instead.
What does that look like though? I think that's something we each need to pray about and ask the Lord. The way I look at it is that instead of seeking security in this life, instead of planning or trying to plan ahead for this life, I think about what I consider my "real life to come". So while unbelievers are worrying about saving money for retirement here, I'm trying to figure out ways to store up treasure in heaven that will last for eternity. Why should we worry about this life, when the Lord has said He's got us covered here? He tells us outright that instead we should be saving up treasure in heaven. That's where Baruch went wrong for a moment. He was thinking of glory in this life, or how great he could be here, instead of thinking of how he might show how great God is and save up treasure for his real life that would come after this one.
The Lord tells us something else very important in these few verses. He always hears us. He hears our thoughts and our words. And once again, He shows us that He doesn't like it when we complain about our lot in life. This is a theme all through the bible from Genesis through Revelation. God keeps account of our words and Jesus tells us that we will be judged even for every careless word that comes out of our mouths. No excuses will be accepted. Does that sound harsh? It's really not at all harsh. Listen to how Jesus explains it: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”” (Matthew 12:34–37) It was for his words that Moses was disciplined and not allowed to go into the promised land. The Lord tells us in His Word how to handle our thoughts. We'd be wise to obey Him, especially now.
In conclusion, we and Baruch are told to stop putting ourselves at the center of our thoughts and to give that place to God. He tells us to be prepared to face the consequences of that, just as Jesus tells us, that life won't be easy for us here anymore then it was for Him. This is even more true today because of the time we live in. We're reminded too that God is in control and that all this calamity that's happening, and all the evil too, is not by accident. It's all part of God's plan and will all work out in the end for His glory and our good. We need to remember that no matter how much the pain and evil hurt us, that our God is hurt a whole lot more by it. His agony is infinitely worse because of the sin of man and what it's cost Him, then anything we feel. Therefore we're not to indulge in self-pity or have personal ambitions of greatness in this life. Instead we're to rise above the trials of this life, knowing that they are allowed in order to test us and make our faith grow stronger. (see verses at end of article)
A crisis doesn't make a person, instead it reveals what that person is made of. All who rely on themselves will be undone by a crisis, but those who rely on the Lord will be strengthened and find their faith made even stronger because of it. So a crisis quite literally separates the wheat from the chaff and that's something we're seeing again today. In 1 Peter 4:17 we're told that judgment begins with God's family, not with the unbelievers. We won't have to endure God's wrath, because our sins have already been paid for at the cross, but that doesn't mean we can get away with living however we please. Sadly though, that's what the majority of people who call themselves Christians have done. Therefore, God begins with us, saying: ““That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:47–48) God loves us and like any good parent, disciplines us for our own good. “When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:32) More then ever, we need to be completely committed to God's Will no matter the cost and be seeking Him with all our hearts, mind and strength constantly.
“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:3–5)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2–4)
Doesn't that sound like what we're going through now? We're overwhelmed with the evil in the world, and in our own president, and with the trials in our own lives? We see and hear of disasters all around us and wonder if or when it's going to happen to us too. It sure sounds like it to me! Well the Lord heard Baruch's complaint and had something to say to him about it. Let me quote it for us:
““This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You said, ‘Woe to me! The LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’ ” The LORD said, “Say this to him: ‘This is what the LORD says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the land. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”” (Jeremiah 45:2–5)
God tells Baruch the same thing He says to us now. First, stop putting yourself at the center of your thoughts and think about Him instead. Yes, Baruch was feeling bad about all that was happening, but the Lord Himself had built up this nation, grown it up from nothing, nurtured and taught the people with great patience, and now because they refused to repent of their evil ways, He was having to tear down all that He'd built. So who had more reason for emotional pain? Obviously God did.
Baruch knew God's Word and knew this was going to happen, so why then was he entertaining thoughts of grandeur in this life for himself? The same is true for us. We know what God's Word says about this time. We know what's going to happen. The church is falling away from the Truth, and will continue to fall away. The world is in upheaval, with wars and rumors of wars all over the place, and that too will get worse. There are many so called natural disasters happening around the world, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, fires, volcanoes, blizzards, etc, and those too will continue and will get worse.The economy is falling apart. People are becoming more and more evil, as evil is called good and good is called evil, and that will continue to get worse as well. People today worship themselves and just about anything else but God, just as they did in Jeremiah's time. Why then do we expect our own little worlds to continue without any upheavals? That's absurd when you think about it.
Instead, God promises His presence and protection. Not protection that nothing bad will happen to us, but protection that we will not die from it. Paul put it perfectly when he said: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9) What the Lord told Jeremiah to tell him was another way of putting what Jesus told us in Matthew 6:31–34. He said not to worry about our lives, or seek to be something great in this life, but instead to seek God's Kingdom and His righteousness and then God would make sure we had all that we needed. Note that He said we'd get what we needed, not necessarily what we wanted. Instead, we tend to seek for things in this worlds kingdom and want things to make this world nicer for us, but that's not what God wants. God wants us to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness and to stop looking at this one so much, and stop living for this one. That's really what He was telling Baruch and what He's telling us. Stop looking at this world and focus on Him and His Kingdom instead.
What does that look like though? I think that's something we each need to pray about and ask the Lord. The way I look at it is that instead of seeking security in this life, instead of planning or trying to plan ahead for this life, I think about what I consider my "real life to come". So while unbelievers are worrying about saving money for retirement here, I'm trying to figure out ways to store up treasure in heaven that will last for eternity. Why should we worry about this life, when the Lord has said He's got us covered here? He tells us outright that instead we should be saving up treasure in heaven. That's where Baruch went wrong for a moment. He was thinking of glory in this life, or how great he could be here, instead of thinking of how he might show how great God is and save up treasure for his real life that would come after this one.
The Lord tells us something else very important in these few verses. He always hears us. He hears our thoughts and our words. And once again, He shows us that He doesn't like it when we complain about our lot in life. This is a theme all through the bible from Genesis through Revelation. God keeps account of our words and Jesus tells us that we will be judged even for every careless word that comes out of our mouths. No excuses will be accepted. Does that sound harsh? It's really not at all harsh. Listen to how Jesus explains it: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”” (Matthew 12:34–37) It was for his words that Moses was disciplined and not allowed to go into the promised land. The Lord tells us in His Word how to handle our thoughts. We'd be wise to obey Him, especially now.
In conclusion, we and Baruch are told to stop putting ourselves at the center of our thoughts and to give that place to God. He tells us to be prepared to face the consequences of that, just as Jesus tells us, that life won't be easy for us here anymore then it was for Him. This is even more true today because of the time we live in. We're reminded too that God is in control and that all this calamity that's happening, and all the evil too, is not by accident. It's all part of God's plan and will all work out in the end for His glory and our good. We need to remember that no matter how much the pain and evil hurt us, that our God is hurt a whole lot more by it. His agony is infinitely worse because of the sin of man and what it's cost Him, then anything we feel. Therefore we're not to indulge in self-pity or have personal ambitions of greatness in this life. Instead we're to rise above the trials of this life, knowing that they are allowed in order to test us and make our faith grow stronger. (see verses at end of article)
A crisis doesn't make a person, instead it reveals what that person is made of. All who rely on themselves will be undone by a crisis, but those who rely on the Lord will be strengthened and find their faith made even stronger because of it. So a crisis quite literally separates the wheat from the chaff and that's something we're seeing again today. In 1 Peter 4:17 we're told that judgment begins with God's family, not with the unbelievers. We won't have to endure God's wrath, because our sins have already been paid for at the cross, but that doesn't mean we can get away with living however we please. Sadly though, that's what the majority of people who call themselves Christians have done. Therefore, God begins with us, saying: ““That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:47–48) God loves us and like any good parent, disciplines us for our own good. “When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:32) More then ever, we need to be completely committed to God's Will no matter the cost and be seeking Him with all our hearts, mind and strength constantly.
“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:3–5)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2–4)