Attitude of Gratitude

I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O Lord, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. Pour out your wrath on the nations that know you not, and on the peoples that call not on your name, for they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation. (Jeremiah 10:23–25)

It takes time and many experiences to realize that I cannot direct my steps. It takes faith to realize that God corrects a sinful heart by grace and justice — grace to me and Jesus to bear my punishment. As I plow through Jeremiah, the seriousness of sin in the human heart is overwhelming — unless my focus goes to Jesus Christ and that He bore my guilt.

Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you. Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured, and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity; those who plunder you shall be plundered, and all who prey on you I will make a prey. For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’ “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt on its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be. Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small. Their children shall be as they were of old, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them. Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Jeremiah 30:15–22)

Because the prophet keeps doing as God desires and keeps warning His people, I can lose my focus — except for passages like this one. I am beginning to skip some of the “therefore” warnings and looking for the promises rather than studying the threats and letting them depress me. Jeremiah is part of the history of redemption, yet the disobedience of God's people is not the end of the story.

Lord, I am thankful to be born this side of the cross. Even though knowing the faith needed to believe You will do what You say is a challenge now, I can imagine how it was a difficulty back then — before You came and lived here, died here, and rose from the dead. I am grateful for my place on Your timeline, and even more so that You kept Your promises to Israel and sent a Savior for not only them, but for me and for all humanity.

 

Releasing heavy loads…

“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ How long shall there be lies in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart, who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal? Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 
Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another. Behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord. “When one of this people, or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden, and I will cast you off, declares the Lord.’ And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I will punish that man and his household. Thus shall you say, every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ But ‘the burden of the Lord’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man’s own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have said these words, “The burden of the Lord,” when I sent to you, saying, “You shall not say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ ” therefore, behold, I will surely lift you up and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers. And I will bring upon you everlasting reproach and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:23–40)

This passage offers a puzzle. Why interpret a word that is normally used for an oracle from God as a burden? With a bit of searching, I found that the Hebrew word for oracle is the same word used for a burden, in the sense that this is the weighty responsibility the the Lord gives. However, it can also refer to false teaching that puts a heavy weight on people, a burden that they cannot carry.

This sheds light on what Jesus said in the NT. Could it be that He was talking about the burden of trying to sort out truth and the burden of all the false ideas floating around?

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)

One reason to connect His statement with the OT prophet’s words is that the words Jesus says are a similar expression of comparing heavy with light, such as a heavy crate with the invoice on the top.

Jesus, I’ve tried and preferred the rest You give, even when life loads me down. How wonderful to see Your remedy ‘suggested’ by Jeremiah and later made clear and fulfilled by You.

His Glory takes priority over my comfort…

Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the Lord and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right. “Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the Lord. Therefore their way shall be to them like slippery paths in the darkness, into which they shall be driven and fall, for I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment, declares the Lord. 
In the prophets of Samaria I saw an unsavory thing: they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.” 
Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:9–17)

It is one thing that cults and all sorts of isms preach and teach things contrary to the will and Word of God. He calls them slippery and unsavory, words that refer to folly and foolishness. But He says it is far worse when people whom He calls His people do it. He calls that horrible and adultery, words that mean fearful resulting in an ungodliness that fills the land.

How confusing this must be to those who earnestly want to know the truths of God. If they are told it is found in the “prosperity gospel” or in the “name it and claim it” or any other group, eventually truth and experience show them this is “visions from the mind” of people who follow their own heart and are not speaking for God.

I’ve noticed a current trend of teaching that our God is good and wants good for us, which is true, but He also uses trials to mature us or show us our sinful tendencies. However, I rarely hear Christians speak of learning in trials. Most of the time they are asking God to remove them, or fix the problems rather than use them for good, to teach and make them more like Jesus. The goal is personal comfort instead of faith, patience, maturity, all of which will glorify Him.

Jesus, we are on top of the world with rarefied air, pure water, amazing food, much to comfort and give us pleasure, and yet I’m finding myself wanting to be with You. You do give a deep-down joy, but You also make sense of uncomfortable situations and even stress. Without You, much of what I see and hear is meaningless or ‘no fun at all’ without Your wise and helpful input. Thank You for truth that makes sense rather than lies that stroke my ego or that confuse my selfish I-wants with the perfections of Your will. 

God wants to bless us…

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. 
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ 
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.” (Jeremiah 23:1–8)

Before this trip I prayed for the usual: good weather, safety, health, etc. but I also prayed for a clear view of Mount Denali. It is the highest mountain in North America and creates its own weather clouds. Many come to Alaska and cannot see it at all. On the train ride we were told only 1% get to see the top of it out of the 30% who get to see it at all. So I asked God to give us a 1% view, and He did! All that came after that was lovely but that answer to prayer was spectacular.

Devotions came later as we got on the train very early for this eleven hour trip and God makes another move that blesses me. His people had been led astray, but He promised to bring them back, give them a perfect Shepherd, who became their righteousness and mine too, and give them a forever home.

Jesus, You are incredibly good and perfectly able to do what is best for Your people. However, it is those often daily surprises that put great joy and increased love for You in my heart. I’ve been filled all day with praise for You, Your creation, and Your kindness. Thank You so much.

Speaking for God?

. . . . I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, “Violence and destruction!” For the word of the Lord has become for me a reproach and derision all day long. If I say, “I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,” there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him.” But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers. (Jeremiah 20:7–13)

Those who heard this prophet speak tried to shut him down, even kill him, yet he could not hold in the word from the Lord even when he tried to stop. Those who persecuted him were not stronger than the God who delivered him. 

A few days ago we landed in an Alaska city and took an Uber to a glacier about twenty minutes away. We arranged with the driver to pick us up in an hour and take us back to the docks. On the way, we discovered he is a Christian pastor serving in the same denomination that we do. The conversation was delightful as he had no fear of an argument or resistance from us. His transparent sharing made me wonder if I would be like that if I was the driver. Not only did he share his heart, he would not let us pay for the return trip.

This man was like Jeremiah, bold — and also like Jesus, loving and generous. His way of treating us encourages me to be like that, and that is what Christian fellowship and spiritual communion should do.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 4:29–5:2)

Christian squabbles dishonor God and what should be a fragrant offering and a sacrifice turns faith into a smelly selfishness that God will not bless. 

Jesus, this is a good reminder to me. Complaining about other Christians has a similar effect. It does not build up anyone, neither believers or those without faith who hear it. Jeremiah was given a task by You that put him in a difficult place where he must rebuke sin but not use words that would further corrupt his listeners. The only way he could do it was because You promised to protect him and You put out Your hand and touched his mouth.

God’s unexpected cure

“And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law, and because you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, every one of you follows his stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me. Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.’ 
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. (Jeremiah 16:10–15)

This study using “therefore” is about cause and effect, not according to my feeble and usually missed by a mile guesses but according to the way God works out His will. The above passage tells His OT people that because they have turned to other gods He is going to send them to a northern land where those other gods are served exclusively. It was an odd punishment, but history says that ended idol worship for the people of Israel. The prophet goes on to say:

For my eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes. But first I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.” O Lord, my strength and my stronghold, my refuge in the day of trouble, to you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: “Our fathers have inherited nothing but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit. Can man make for himself gods? Such are not gods!” “Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the Lord.” (Jeremiah 16:17–21)

Think of this odd cure this way. If my child was addicted to video games, would I even suppose the making him play them all day long for weeks on end would sicken him to the point that he never wanted to do it again? Likely not. God’s ways are not our ways!

If I have a bad habit, does repeating it make me sick of it? Most are not as God-dishonoring as idolatry. Suppose I was a smoker (not true but for example) His cure might be making me smoke a carton of cigarettes in one day making me totally sick of it. 

Jesus, this “therefore” is making me think. I expect an interesting day! Besides that, we are in Glacier Bay in Alaska and told to expect all sorts of wonderful sights — and I’m thinking it unlikely that this over-exposure to them will make me want to return to my plain life!

 

No false teaching

Then I said: “Ah, Lord God, behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ” And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their evil upon them. (Jeremiah 14:13–16)

I’ve already realized that the power of positive thinking is over-rated. However, it does not seem to motivate false prophets. I know a few of them and they are self-appointed rather than divinely called. One in particular seems driven by personal pride. Others have their own ideologies or visions, perhaps driven by the Liar whose goal is to prevent truth from changing lives. Most of them form their belief systems on fragments of Scripture rather than the whole context. 

They might be ‘nice’ people, not coming across as raving lunatics. They may also be very sincere and believable, but when it comes to spiritual truth or speaking for God, the only way to know that they are not what they claim is to know the Word of God.

The NT says we are in a battle for truth, and since lies come from the devil, it is his schemes that are designed to deceive. To counter that, we need the whole armor of God as we wrestle against his rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers — the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. The whole armor of God means knowing what is true and standing firm in it, including declaring it boldly. (Ephesians 6:10–20)

Spotting false teachers is not difficult for those who know the Word of God well. Not only that, God will eventually deal with them. It might be harsh judgment, yet if those who are caught in lies and try to teach them to others realize their error and repent, He will forgive and restore them:

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them. And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord. I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.” (Jeremiah 15:19–21)

Those who fit this category can be Christians already, just misled. Galatians 6 tells us to restore them. Conviction and correction are not the same as condemnation. We are in this battle together against falsehood, not against each other.

Jesus, grant me discernment and the ability to spot false teaching and loving ways to correct it. Also keep me from listening to lies and spot any false ideas I might have. I want You to be glorified, not spoken about in any sort of error.