Jeremiah 11,12 March 18, 2010
THE BROKEN COVENANT
Do you ever feel like being a Christian is too hard? Or, does the thought of the requirements turn you away from joining up? Reading these two chapters might lead you in this direction. One thing that might change your mind is the true alternative. After reading the chapters what are your thoughts and desires? Was or is Jeremiah a Christian? How is the description of him following God similar to our covenant to follow Christ?
In order to be a Christian, do you need to have an agreement with Christ? If you have or do accept Christ as your Lord and Savior what are the promises? Do you think Jeremiah and the people of Judah knew the covenant? How were they breaking the covenant?
Can you put yourself in Jeremiah’s shoes? How is your life like Jeremiah’s life? Do you ever find yourself wanting to tell people how to do things? Do you want them to change their behavior? Are they doing things wrong and you believe you know the right? Where do you get your information? Where does God say you should get your information? I think I often criticize folks without really having the correct information. Its easy to get caught in the trap. Did Jeremiah have the word? Was he still working on trying to get it better? Read his prayer in chapter 12:1-6.
In your life, do you like to be told when you are wrong and have someone explain how to do it better? Or, would you rather just get praise for what you may have done correctly? Do like praise better than criticism. God/Christ wants us to follow, trust, obey, be holy and spread the Word. Can you do it? Do you know how to do it? What is the covenant between you and your maker?
Why did God create Jeremiah? Why did He cause these events to happen? Why did he use these events in the writing of the Word? Why are you and I reading and studying this Word? Is God trying to tell us something about himself? Does He want us to learn something here? What might that something be? Jeremiah actually questions God about this in chapter 12. Why did God create and help the wicked to prosper? Do you think He has?
God is saying, “ I will be your God and you shall be my people”. Or, “ I am your God and you are my people”. Which do you like better? Do we just not get it? We have a choice. But, one of them turns out to be very bad.
Often we try to turn the two options into more than two. In fact, some people try to eliminate the very bad option. They tell me they don’t believe in Hell. I wonder if they are able to destroy it? Option 1 and the one God likes is for us to follow Him. Option 2 the one none of us like is to die. Option 3 is to try and create another god. One we like better. We usually pick some of the attributes and character of the real God. Then we add to the definition those things we want him to be like. There are many versions of option 3 in the world. Many of the churches of the world have people who are using option 3. Next Thursday March 25th we will be studying 1 Cor 6. Paul will give us some more ideas about how to eliminate option 3 from our church body. Come on Thursday or read the blog.
What are you gonna learn from Jeremiah 11,12?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
1 CORINTHIANS 5
1 CORINTHIANS 5 March 11, 2010
Are you a member of a church? Or, any “Christian” organization. Do you claim to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? Paul tells us there are some requirements. God has said “Be Holy as I am Holy”.
Paul is using the Corinthian church as an example of the holiness we should require of ourselves. First, as individual believers and then as members of the “Body of Christ”. We have accountability. We have responsibility.
If there is grievous sin among us, we should be filled with grief, we should confront and repent and we should remove the sinner.
In this chapter Paul points out a problem with sexual immorality. A son is apparently living with, married to his step mother. This is not permitted. But, he also lists some other sins. The greedy, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards and swindlers are all listed in this chapter of the letter. Paul says, “Do not associate with such a person, do not even eat with them and expel these wicked men from among you”.
Watered down morality is a problem! It is the God of heaven that created all of this and us.
Read this Psalm.
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
This is a praise to the Lord. It is more than that, it is a statement of our responsibility. We are to keep ourselves Holy. The how and what of this all comes from the Lord. We are not the judge. We are His. We are to live by His rules. Living by just some of His rules does not count. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Are you a member of a church? Or, any “Christian” organization. Do you claim to be a believer and follower of Jesus Christ? Paul tells us there are some requirements. God has said “Be Holy as I am Holy”.
Paul is using the Corinthian church as an example of the holiness we should require of ourselves. First, as individual believers and then as members of the “Body of Christ”. We have accountability. We have responsibility.
If there is grievous sin among us, we should be filled with grief, we should confront and repent and we should remove the sinner.
In this chapter Paul points out a problem with sexual immorality. A son is apparently living with, married to his step mother. This is not permitted. But, he also lists some other sins. The greedy, idolaters, slanderers, drunkards and swindlers are all listed in this chapter of the letter. Paul says, “Do not associate with such a person, do not even eat with them and expel these wicked men from among you”.
Watered down morality is a problem! It is the God of heaven that created all of this and us.
Read this Psalm.
Psalm 24
Of David. A psalm.
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
2 for he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters.
3 Who may ascend the hill of the LORD ?
Who may stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to an idol
or swear by what is false.
5 He will receive blessing from the LORD
and vindication from God his Savior.
This is a praise to the Lord. It is more than that, it is a statement of our responsibility. We are to keep ourselves Holy. The how and what of this all comes from the Lord. We are not the judge. We are His. We are to live by His rules. Living by just some of His rules does not count. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
JEREMIAH 9,10
Jeremiah 9-10 for discussion on Thursday March 4, 2010
God is speaking through Jeremiah and He is delivering a very important message to His chosen people. Who are the chosen? Whoever God chooses! He is God. We are not. Pretty simple stuff.
So, in Jeremiah’s day the chosen people were the people of Israel. In our day, because of Christ we are all chosen. Is being chosen the end of the story? Apparently not! Here is where the mystery appears. We have to do something. But, we cannot use our will. Mostly, the Israelites didn’t get. Neither do I. I just know, I am Frank and I am a sinner. Because of this I must live under the blessings of Grace and Mercy.
Jeremiah says in speaking for God, “Weep day and night”. We are to lament. God does. Do we? Are we truly sad for the state of the nations and ourselves? Does it make you sad that the people of the nations are so lost? Do you cry for them day and night?
Jeremiah goes on, “Oh, that there might be somewhere to hide”. This is so bad, why not just run from it and divorce ourselves from humanity and the world. We could just live as hermits in a cave, by ourselves. That might solve the problem. But no, there is no place to hid. We have been given these lives to live. Just get on with it. Do it wrong, you will get punished vs. 10:9. Faithfully trust and obey and God will be with you through thick and thin.
We can only trust God. We cannot trust our neighbors. But, we cannot run either. So, we need each other. We are in this together building the Body of Christ. We are continuing to build the Temple. We are faithful, trusting servants of God. We are His workers in the building of His Kingdom. We are creatures of God. Created by God. We are made in His image. But, we are less than God. He is God. We are not.
It is a mystery. We can have the power of God. But, we cannot have the Word of God. The power is available to us to do the Will of God as He pleases. So, the passages in JER 9:23+ and in 1COR 4:6, are very much alike. Warnings. Be careful not to think we are wise or strong or powerful. Then in Chapter 10 Jeremiah goes on with more warnings. How could we be so stupid to make false idols? Should we not know better? God makes men. Men cannot make God.
It seems to me, we have one alternative. Get passionate about God’s work. Turn our lives over to Him. Submit to His will. It can be a joyous adventure.
Next week we will tackle 1COR 5. See you on Thursday or I’ll hear from you.
God is speaking through Jeremiah and He is delivering a very important message to His chosen people. Who are the chosen? Whoever God chooses! He is God. We are not. Pretty simple stuff.
So, in Jeremiah’s day the chosen people were the people of Israel. In our day, because of Christ we are all chosen. Is being chosen the end of the story? Apparently not! Here is where the mystery appears. We have to do something. But, we cannot use our will. Mostly, the Israelites didn’t get. Neither do I. I just know, I am Frank and I am a sinner. Because of this I must live under the blessings of Grace and Mercy.
Jeremiah says in speaking for God, “Weep day and night”. We are to lament. God does. Do we? Are we truly sad for the state of the nations and ourselves? Does it make you sad that the people of the nations are so lost? Do you cry for them day and night?
Jeremiah goes on, “Oh, that there might be somewhere to hide”. This is so bad, why not just run from it and divorce ourselves from humanity and the world. We could just live as hermits in a cave, by ourselves. That might solve the problem. But no, there is no place to hid. We have been given these lives to live. Just get on with it. Do it wrong, you will get punished vs. 10:9. Faithfully trust and obey and God will be with you through thick and thin.
We can only trust God. We cannot trust our neighbors. But, we cannot run either. So, we need each other. We are in this together building the Body of Christ. We are continuing to build the Temple. We are faithful, trusting servants of God. We are His workers in the building of His Kingdom. We are creatures of God. Created by God. We are made in His image. But, we are less than God. He is God. We are not.
It is a mystery. We can have the power of God. But, we cannot have the Word of God. The power is available to us to do the Will of God as He pleases. So, the passages in JER 9:23+ and in 1COR 4:6, are very much alike. Warnings. Be careful not to think we are wise or strong or powerful. Then in Chapter 10 Jeremiah goes on with more warnings. How could we be so stupid to make false idols? Should we not know better? God makes men. Men cannot make God.
It seems to me, we have one alternative. Get passionate about God’s work. Turn our lives over to Him. Submit to His will. It can be a joyous adventure.
Next week we will tackle 1COR 5. See you on Thursday or I’ll hear from you.
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