June 26, 2008
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Jeremiah 10
Jer 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
Did you ever have your children say something and you look at them and say “Where did you learn that?”
Learn not the way of the heathen. You know it is funny. Churches decide they are going to build a building and they bring in these secular people to tell them how to raise money. Or they adopt a Madison Avenue technique to try to get people interested in the things of God. A whole movement on how to market the church…. build an exercise room, something to get them in. Whatever happened to faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God? The church has adopted many practices of the heathen. There is a whole movement of bringing philosophy in to try and decide if Jesus us a blood atonement or just a great example of sacrifice.
Learn not the way of the heathen.
The problem is when the church starts to adopt the things of the world pretty soon the church and the world look exactly alike.
Jer 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Jer 10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
Hey Fred, What are you doing this weekend?
Oh, I am going out to the woods to get a new god.
Really?
Yeah, I saw a beautiful tree out there that would make a great god. I am going to cut it down, sculpt it and put some silver and gold on it and set it up and we will be good.
How many of you think that sounds insane? That is what idolatry is.
Jer 10:6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
Jer 10:7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
Jer 10:8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
Jer 10:9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Jer 10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
Jer 10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
The creation shows the power of God. It shows the wisdom of God.
Jer 10:13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
Jer 10:14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
Jer 10:15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
Idols are worthless
Jer 10:16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.
Jer 10:17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
Jer 10:18 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
God is kicking them out.
Jer 10:19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
Jer 10:20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
What a shame when people come broken hearted saying “If only…”
Yeah
When the Lord says listen I want to bless you with ___________ , but you have to wait until ___________. The world comes around and says that doesn’t look like any fun. I want it now. God knows what is best for you. God wants to protect you.
Jer 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jer 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jer 10:24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
Pro 3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
Pro 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
Pro 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Pro 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
Pro 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Jer 10:25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
Correct yourself or God will correct you. If you are a believer and you are caught up in something that you know you shouldn’t be. I know the things of the world are glittery and exciting. People wouldn’t sin if it didn’t look fun. You don’t belong there. Correct ourselves so God doesn’t have to.
The church many times forgets about the holiness of God. We get so comfortable. We are saved by grace. Yes we are. I wont argue that. Praise God! but God is holy. He tells us be holy as I am holy. Your life should be different then the world. This is important because people will watch you and your life should point them to the Lord. If we are not different then the world we are no longer salt and light.
Israel and Judah had prophets. Today the world has the church to warn them. That’s us.
We need to examine….
What are we doing with our time?
Where are we putting our eyes?
What are we listening to?
What are we watching?
What are we filling our heads with?
What are we meditating on?
May we be faithful servants. May we hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
God bless you today and keep you according to His will.
Comments (1)
It is a strange paradox to “market” churches. It just seems money based and not faith based to me. I understand using all sorts of approaches to bring in the lost so they will hear the word of God and be saved, and I hope it actually works… but it just seems like the wrong way to do it to me.