PROMISES WEEK 34-35:
Jeremiah
…delighting in Him and His Word…Psalm 37:4
Jeremiah is referred to as the Prophet of Tears. He obeyed the Lord and endeavored to bring the nation of Israel back to Him. Jeremiah implored the Israelites to give up there idols – sadly they were hopelessly and fanatically devoted to their man-made idols. We witness that the harvest of grace and the summer of acceptance end and the people doomed to destruction. Today – the door of mercy remains ajar – may we extend Christ grace and love to those with whom we share our lives.
Jeremiah 1:5 Jeremiah is a Prophet to the Nations – called to significance.
Jeremiah 1:8 Fear to Fear. Spurgeon says “fear to fear. Be afraid to be afraid”. The Lord PROMISES he is with us – what is there to fear. This is reminds me of the famous line in the inaugural address of Franklin D. Roosevelt there is “nothing to fear but fear itself. This verse also contains a conditional PROMISE to be an enemy to our enemies IF we OBEY him. Let’s live in full harmony with the will of our divine Protector free of fear or worry.
- We want to carry His presence wherever we go…
Jeremiah 1:6-10 His Enduring Presence. Repeatedly in scripture we see that whenever God calls someone into His service, He first reminds the person of His enduring presence. We see this in the stories of Moses (Exodus 3:11 and 12; Joshua 1:1-9, Judges 6:12 and Jeremiah 1:1-9). These men discovered, as we can, that the awareness of God’s presence energizes us for our work! God repeatedly assures His followers of His presence to remind us of the reasons for our confidence. Each time God calls a servant into action, He essentially says “you can be strong and courageous because I AM WITH YOU. Victory isn’t about your abilities, your strength, your skill, your armor, your gifts, or your dedication; it has to do with the Lord’s presence. You can be strong because He will be strong in you!!! The Lord is my helper…I will not fear…what can man do to me…
Jeremiah 2:13. Sin. Some people define sin as missing the mark like as arrow misses the bull’s eye on a target. God’s commandments are the target and we miss God’s best when we sin.
Jeremiah 3:4The Guide of Our Youth. The Lord is preparing us and protecting us so that we are in a position to finish strong – all for his glory.
Jeremiah 3:15 Promised Pastors. Let’s pray for our pastors and leadership. Jeremiah is referring to a pastor-minister-shepherd carry for the congregants.
Jeremiah 3:18 Unity. Ephraim and Judah will be reunited in love.
Jeremiah 4:7 The lion-destroyer. See I Peter 5:8; Revelation 5:5 and Revelation 19:15. Only in Him do we have the PROMISE of perfect-universal peace.
Jeremiah 8:18. The Lord’s Healing Power. The recognition of God’s power to heal your hurts is a key component to experiencing His tender love. In the midst of great pain Jeremiah acknowledged his sadness and the ability of God to comfort him. So he cried out, “I would comfort myself in sorrow; but my heart is faint in me.” Centuries earlier, King David moaned “Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.” David found no solace in the people around him – but near the end of his song, his tune changed (Psalm 69:32 and 33)…”and you who seek God, your hearts shall live. For the Lord hears the poor, and does not despise His PROMISES.” The dark moments of our life will last only so long as is necessary to God to accomplish His purpose in us. God want to mold us and shape us into something of indescribable beauty. The process is not quick, nor does it always feel pleasant, but we can trust the hand of the Potter to finish what he as started.
Jeremiah 10:23, 18:5… The Lord will Direct our Path. Highway discussion mentioned 26 times in the Bible – see https://studyingbibleprophecy.wordpress.com/2014/03/29/highway-in-the-bible.
Jeremiah 14:17 The Weeping Prophet. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. He wept because the people of his time had turned from God. He also wept because with the careful eyes of the true prophet of God he saw the devastation to come. Even though he thought that some of the people deserved God’s measure of punishment, most of the time he pled for mercy and divine grace needed to lead them back to repentance. Jeremiah 8:20-22 we should weep not judge … pray for godly compassion on friends, family, etc.
Jeremiah 15:19Spiritual Maturity. A soul is converted in a moment of time, but to become a saint takes a lifetime (anonymous). We can’t reach spiritual maturity without suffering and pain … and without being willing to endure even more suffering and pain. The joy set before us is knowing the God is with us…working in us and through us and that God is pleased with us. There is no great joy than that! God uses brokenness to deepen understanding three ways:
1. You gain perspective of His mercy and provision.
2. You develop a more complete understanding of yourself.
3. Your compassion and understanding for other’s suffering grows!
Jeremiah 18:1 to 6 and 24:6. Restoration of Israel. The Jewish nation is divinely preserved. The Potter longs to mold and shape our life. He needs to create in us a joy and devotion of immeasurable worth. Elisabeth Elliot said “holiness is God’s loving purpose for us, and it is equivalent of joy in God’s kingdom. We need to submit ourselves to the shaping and molding of God’s loving hands.
Jeremiah 20:9 and 23:29 The Fire of His Word. The Bible – like fire – destroys and purges sin from our lives.
Jeremiah 23:16 and 33:16 Jehovah Tsidkenu – the Lord of Righteousness. In his Precious Promises, Cunningham Geikie says: “ If we look out on some fair garden in the height of June, the glory of the varied flowers, and the mingled sweetness of their odours may well delight us; but if we would enjoy the fullness of beauties before us, and the fragrant delicacy of their perfume, we must go to each bed and border and bend lovingly over it. So with the PROMISES; to look at them as a whole as they bloom all over the garden of God’s Word, may well ravish our sense; but to know their full richness we need to look at them in detail, more closely.”
Jeremiah 22:21 Hearing His Voice. We can think we fail to hear the Lord. Psalm 46:10 instructs us to be still and know that He is God. Colossians 3:16 tells us to “let the world of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom.” God’s Word is to deeply and abundantly overflow in us then we can hear Him.
Jeremiah 23:29 – Word = Hammer. The Word builds and breaks down…building together in unity the body of believers. Breaking hard hearts – wielding the Divine Hammer. Brokenness is God’s requirement for maximum usefulness…brokenness is a sign of God’s love and activity in your life.
Jeremiah Chapter 24. Two baskets of figs (i) My Father’s Eyes and (ii) a Heart for the Lord.
Jeremiah 30:10 – 14 (see Jeremiah 24:6). The book of Jeremiah holds numerous PROMISES that the Jews are to be restored to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity – complete restoration to come. The Lord will discipline us based on the measure of our disobedience – His love is without measure.
Jeremiah 29:11 Restoration. God’s plan is always to restore a relationship with us. When we are chastised, we should not get discouraged. It’s a way to bring about growth and change for the better and makes us like Him. God always keeps His promises whether for blessing or judgment. Obedience is active, not passive. It is a joyful “lining out” of what we know to be true, right and good. It is to follow the Lord daily, serving, and doing what Jesus would do if He were living in our place. Obedience is total submission to what God desires. Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.
Fight all your battles on your knees and you will always win! While disappointments are inevitable, discouragements are a choice. Once we yield to the devil’s debilitating whispers of doubt and fear, we quickly find ourselves trapped in a web of self-pity. Go to God in prayer. We stand tallest and strongest on our knees.
Jeremiah 30:13 Jehovah Repki (the Miracle Healer). We are in need of our Physician who is able to heal our physical, mental and moral wounds.
Jeremiah 31:29. Heredity vs. Individuality. It is our individual responsibility wrapped in PROMISE to make our own decisions. His grace overcomes inherited tendencies.
PBS – Jeremiah 32:39. Singleness of Heart. A desired gift.
PBS - Jeremiah 33:3. Mom’s Favorite Verse. It is always a blessing to receive one of her cards or notes with this reference noted. The occasion never seems to matter – it is the heart of the matter. Thanks mom! Jeremiah was not a popular man. He learned that prayer is profound. Prayer is a very real part of a vital relationship with God!
1. God says “Call to me”…He wants to hear from us.
2. God says “I will answer you…
3. God says “I will show you great and mighty things”…
God works to direct you as a part of His higher vision and calling. What a dynamic relationship with the Almighty God!
Jeremiah 33:6. All Health is from God.
Jeremiah 36:30 and 31. God’s Word is an immovable anchor in times of sorrow.
Jeremiah 39:17 Fear Not. We can rest in the fact that the Lord is in charge – nothing is done without Divine permission.
Jeremiah 49:14 and 48:40. Eagles...
Jeremiah 50:34 Our Redeemer is Strong. See Jeremiah 32:7 & 8 - redemption is symbolized by Jeremiah’s purchase of the land. (Boaz similarly purchases Ruth’s inheritance.)
Every time we return to Him, He is there – He is constant. The Lord’s ultimate act of judgment is the resurrection – Praise Him for the grace offered through Christ’s sacrifice.
Week Thirty- Six: Lamentations - Ezekiel 16