I know some of you are enjoying my daily (sometimes more then one a day) studies in the bible I am doing the past little bit.

I am enjoying it too. It seems all I want to do right now whenever I have any little bit of time is to sit down with the Word of God. I just have an unquenchable thirst for the word of the Lord. I just want to read and read and read.

Questions for you:
Have you ever had times like that when all you really want to do is sit and read the word and read and read? How much time do you normally spend in the word each day? each week?

How do you do your devotions? Do you use a book? or a Verse by verse reading and studying of God's word?  Why do you use the method you use?

Have you ever done the read the bible in a year?
How many times have you read the whole bible?

This morning I took some pictures of Alice and Renee. Thought I would share them with you.

First here is Alice.

Isn't she such a little cutie. Have to be a little careful with her though because unlike her identical sister Bella...Alice bites. Not hard but enough to hurt. So only I handle her and with great care

Now some pictures of Renne. She is an albino just like her daddy.

Jer 8:1  At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:
Jer 8:2  And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
Jer 8:3  And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts

Rev 9:6  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

Jer 8:4  Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?
Jer 8:5  Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
Jer 8:6  I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

God's been calling them, rebuking them and non of them listened.

Jer 8:7  Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.
Jer 8:8  How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.
Jer 8:9  The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

Here they are saying.....What are you saying? We have the word of God. Here are the scrolls
Yes but do you listen to them? Follow them?
No

We can see that in the church too.
We got the relics right here. We are going to heaven.
Where does it say that get you to heaven?
It doesn't?
No

God's word is not a luck charm. The word needs to be brought in you heart by faith. You need to open your heart and receive it. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Jer 8:10  Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Jer 8:11  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Jer 8:12  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

They have become so desensitized to sin that they have lost the ability for be embarrassed by it.

Jer 8:13  I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.
Jer 8:14  Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

They are crying out....wait a minute we are starting to reap. To late. What you sow you will reap.

Jer 8:15  We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!
Jer 8:16  The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.
Jer 8:17  For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
Jer 8:18  When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
Jer 8:19  Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

How sad that they will wake up too late, as the Babylonians are upon them. Only then do they realize all their false prophets have lied to them.

If you are reading this and you have never opened your heart to Jesus Christ and you refuse to allow Him to be your blood atonement (the only blood atonement God will accept to cleanse you from sin) There will come a day when  you have lost your chance.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Not reincarnation. Not another shot. Then comes the judgment.

Luke 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luke 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luke 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luke 16:27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luke 16:28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luke 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luke 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

No second chance.

If you are reading this you have Jeremiah telling you God does judge sin. No matter what modern theologians may tell you. There is a movement in some churches to claim God is harsh and unforgiving because He is going to judge sin. They want Him to just take everybody.
God has to judge sin.
However God wants to forgive you. He can do that through Jesus. Jesus is our substitute. If you will not receive that payment then there is a fearful judgment ahead.
When God says He will judge...He is not kidding.

Question: Was Judah conquered by Babylon?
Answer: Yes

If you are reading this thinking... It is old Testament. Things have changed. It doesn't apply to me.
Really????
The old and the new are the same God. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. God has to judge sin, but those who accept  Jesus will be saved.

Jer 8:20  The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

If the harvest came today for the church would you be there?
If you can't answer that question then write me and I will help you with that. I will pray with you.

Jer 8:21  For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.
Jer 8:22  Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Jer 9:1  Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Jesus told us there is a judgment to come.  There are people all around that don't know Christ. They are watching you. Do you live what you say? The stakes are high but the rewards are great.

If the harvest were to come suddenly would you be among the saved?
If you are among the saved, have you been faithful?
Are you telling those around you the He is coming?
Are you weeping for the lost?

May God bless you and draw you close to Him.

We look at our own country (USA) and have to wonder where we are headed. God's word never changes and is always right.

Jer 7:1  The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Jer 7:2  Stand in the gate of the LORD'S house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
Jer 7:3  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

People are coming into the temple and he is giving a temple sermon. It is like someone standing at the doors of a church on Sunday morning and saying this.
Change your ways. You can be going to the house of the Lord and still need to change your ways.

Jer 7:4  Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

They are trusting in the temple of the Lord rather then the Lord God.
Turned true faith into superstitions, into rites and rituals.
God doesn't want religious ceremonies, rites, passages from you. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to hear from you. He wants to speak to you. Don't trust in external things.

Jer 7:5  For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
Jer 7:6  If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
Jer 7:7  Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

IF you do these things THEN.....
conditions.

Jer 7:8  Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Jer 7:9  Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
Jer 7:10  And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

They steal, murder, commit adultery, and idolatry and then come to the house of the Lord like nothing happened.

This message didn't make Jeremiah popular.

Mat 23:13  But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:14  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Mat 23:15  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Mat 23:16  Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Mat 23:17  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Mat 23:18  And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Mat 23:19  Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Mat 23:20  Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Mat 23:21  And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Mat 23:22  And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Mat 23:23  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Mat 23:24  Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Mat 23:25  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Mat 23:26  Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28  Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Mat 23:29  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30  And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Mat 23:31  Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Mat 23:32  Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Mat 23:33  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Mat 23:34  Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Mat 23:35  That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36  Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Mat 23:37  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

God deals harshly with hypocrisy.

Jer 7:11  Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

You are not hiding it from me.

Jer 7:12  But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

Learn from that. Learn from what happened there.

Jer 7:13  And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
Jer 7:14  Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.

God will wipe it out....and He did.

Jer 7:15  And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
Jer 7:16  Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

Proclaim this to them. No more prayer for them. No more interceding for them.
What a sad thing when a heart can become so hard to the things of God that it is beyond repair.
How many hearts this hour have heard the gospel. Heard the word of God, but rejected Him and died in their sins and judgment and willful unbelief.
God so had it with their hypocrisy that He instructed His prophet don't pray for them.

Jer 7:17  Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

God knows our works.
The church would never do that would they?
Praise the Lord.
How are you doing brother?
Fine, good.
LIAR!!!!
need to be honest with God. God knows our works.

Jer 7:18  The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger
Jer 7:19  Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?

Who are they hurting? Themselves.
Sin hurts us. Oh it is pleasurable for a season or no one would do it, but them the chickens come home to roost.

Jer 7:20  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
Jer 7:21  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
Jer 7:22  For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

He wants a relationship.

Jer 7:23  But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

Obey God. Walk the way He wants. Do you love God? Then follow His commandments. God's commandments are to protect us.

Jer 7:24  But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
Jer 7:25  Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
Jer 7:26  Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Here is what happens......
Look at America. Godly heritage. Next generation...Godly heritage a little eroded. Erodes further next generation and so on and so on.
If you are old enough (you don't have to be real old) look at the changes in Television between what used to be acceptable and what is now. Look at commercials. Spoken word on radio, tv, and film. Acceptance of loose moral behavior.
Just look at our country, how each generation got worse. Look at how far we have fallen.how far we are from what used to be the standard in our country.

Same thing happened in Jerusalem.

Jer 7:27  Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
Jer 7:28  But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Jer 7:29  Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.

Cut hair = shave head for mourning
Start mourning God's judgment is coming.

Jer 7:30  For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.

Look at the church today doing the same thing. Renting out the sanctuary for things that are ungodly. Adding ungodly practices to their practice and doctrine.

Jer 7:31  And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

It is an abomination to God. Now you shake your head wondering how a nation could sacrifice it's children, but our own nation does this. Abortion.

Jer 7:32  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.

Judgment will come.

Jer 7:33  And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away

This message is NOT "seeker sensitive"

Jer 7:34  Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.

JUDGMENT IS COMING

Where does that leave our country? We need to pray for revival in our country. There are some churches that no longer feel it is necessary to stand on the issues. they don't want to offend anyone. They need to be "seeker sensitive" they say.

It will be interesting to see who gets elected this election.

Where does that leave us? We need to pray for revival.

God bless you and draw you close to Him.

We went hiking today. We took Pop Pop along too. We had a lot of fun and I took some pictures.

We also took pictures of what was left of an old house and spring house.

Jer 6:1  O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
Jer 6:2  I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
Jer 6:3  The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.

God told them you wont repent. You wont listen. I will wipe you out.

Jer 6:4  Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
Jer 6:5  Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

They are so eager. They will attack at night. Normally they don't do that.

Jer 6:6  For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Jer 6:7  As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
Jer 6:8  Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
Jer 6:9  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets

pluck everything.

Jer 6:10  To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

No one is listening. They have willfully closed thier ears.

Jer 6:11  Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

Everyone

Jer 6:12  And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

God brings Judgment. Where does that leave this present world?
Billy Graham once said that if God does not judge the United States for it's wickedness then He owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.
God wants to forgive those who turn to Him.

Jer 6:13  For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Jer 6:14  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

False prophets gave false hope.

Jer 6:15  Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

The church is going through the same problem. Everyone is trying to reinvent Jesus.
The historical Jesus
The political Jesus
The culturally sensitive Jesus
The non blood atonement Jesus
The philosophical Jesus
and people are no longer getting rooted and grounded in their faith. They are being sold a church program.

And so I am saved.
What are you saved from?
I don't know
Why are you saved?
It sounds good
Aren't you saved form your sins?
Me, sin? They never told me that.
Well, don't you need blood atonement?
Eww, that is icky.

Ask for the old paths. Jesus Christ crucified, risen from the dead, according to the scriptures.
Many churches don't want to preach through a book like Jeremiah. We can't talk for 52 chapters about Judgment and destruction. They wont come back.
Ask for the old paths. The good way.

Jer 6:17  Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Jer 6:18  Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Jer 6:19  Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Can you imagine if our country was judged like some of the films the produced. You know what's out there? All those slasher films. Could you imagine if that came upon our country. The fruit of our television shows and movies.
There is a huge cost when we deny God's word. Especially when we go ... oh well, that doesn't apply to me.

Jer 6:20  To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

You are playing church. You are sacrificing but you r not here for me.

Jer 6:21  Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Jer 6:22  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

The wages of sin is death

Jer 6:23  They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
Jer 6:24  We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

Do you think God wanted them to go through this? What about maybe in your life? Maybe you need to get some things right with God and in your pain you feel like a twisted out sponge. Just going, I can't take it anymore, but you have stepped away from something you know is right. That is not what He wants for you.
You tell your children not to do things not because you are trying to ruin their fun.
God tells us things to keep us from harming ourselves. If you want God to bless you...Honor Him.

You have to choose. There is no "Instant Christianity"...Just Add Water. You have to do your own work with God on your knees.

Jer 6:25  Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
Jer 6:26  O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Jer 6:27  I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
Jer 6:28  They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
Jer 6:29  The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
Jer 6:30  Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

Worthless because they rejected the Lord.

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

May God bless you today and draw you closer to Him.

This is going to be a short little post. I just wanted to share a few facts about the prophet Jeremiah and who he was.

Jeremiah name means Yaweh will lift up

Jeremiah lived about a hundred years after the prophet Isaiah. The nation of Israel was no longer a unified nation. It had become two nations: Israel and Judah. Israel was destroyed over 100 years before the time of Jeremiah by Assyria.

He prophesied to Judah. After the destruction of Israel, Judah continued to exist for about a century and a half until being overthrown by the Babylonians.

Jeremiah's prophecies of warning went largely unheeded by the people of Judah. He continually warned that Jerusalem would be captured and the inhabitants exiled.

Jeremiah prophesied during the reigns of many kings: beginning in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah (626 BC), and then Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, Zedekiah, and the short rule of Gedaliah ben Ahikam who was assassinated (585 BC).

Jeremiah was ruled an outlaw during the reign of Zedekiah and put in detention until Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city.

After the destruction of Jerusalem Jeremiah was forced to live in Egypt. Jeremiah lived a few years in Egypt and then died there.

Jer 5:1  Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

Jerusalem so corrupt. Find one man doing right. I will pardon the city.

Jer 5:2  And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.

Like Jesus finding the fig tree without fruit. All religion and no fruit.

Jer 5:3  O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

They have become so hardened in sin. They don't want to hear it.

Jer 5:4  Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
Jer 5:5  I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

They have shaken off God's word. If you know what is right but don't do it, that is more serious offense. That grieves God worse.

Jer 5:6  Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

God will bring judgment.

Jer 5:7  How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.

God fed them. He gave them everything and then they went and made idols and forsook Him.

 Jer 5:8  They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.

Thou shalt not commit adultery. They knew that. They knew the 10 commandments.

Jer 5:9  Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Jer 5:10  Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD'S.
Jer 5:11  For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
Jer 5:12  They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

They refused to take God at His word.

Jer 5:13  And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
Jer 5:14  Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.

False prophets. What you say Jeremiah, your words will devour them. Your words will burn them.

Jer 5:15  Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

God says I will judge you. God has the right to judge. God is consistent. If we reject salvation judgment will come. He gave His son to spare us. If you don't accept it, you will be judged. Blood atonement. Jesus died for your sins.

Jer 5:16  Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
Jer 5:17  And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
Jer 5:18  Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
Jer 5:19  And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

They forsook God. What you sow you shall reap.

Jer 5:20  Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
Jer 5:21  Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

They became like the idols. They were stubborn.

Jer 5:22  Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

God bound the sea with sand.

Jer 5:23  But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
Jer 5:24  Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Jer 5:25  Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Your iniquities have robbed you of God's blessing. We do the same thing. Why is that? Sin withholds the blessing.

Jer 5:26  For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

Your friends affect you. It is important who you hang out with.

Jer 5:27  As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
Jer 5:28  They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
Jer 5:29  Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
Jer 5:30  A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
Jer 5:31  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

False prophets lying to the people and the people loved it. They tickled their ears telling them what they wanted to hear. To many churches are doing the same thing.

Hab 1:1  The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Hab 1:2  O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Hab 1:3  Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Hab 1:4  Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Hab 1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
Hab 1:6  For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
Hab 1:7  They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Hab 1:8  Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
Hab 1:9  They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
Hab 1:10  And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
Hab 1:11  Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.

Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
Eph 5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:31  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

I am concerned at how the church has looked a marriage in the past few years. Look at the divorce rate of "Christians." It seems like there is an epidemic of divorce in the church. This is a serious problem. 70% of American's believe divorce is morally acceptable.

Marriage is not something that was invented by man of society. Marriage is directly from God.

Marriage is God's institution.

Marriage should be entered into with the deepest of commitments. It is tragic how easily people go in and out of marriage.

People enter into marriage today not thinking of it as they should. Not entering with deep commitment. Marriage is intended to be permanent.

Mat 19:3  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
Mat 19:4  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Mat 19:5  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
Mat 19:6  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Jesus made it clear. God's intention for marriage is to be permanent.

What are the purposes of marriage? What was God's intention?

The primary purpose is stated in Genesis....It is not good for man to be alone.
Husband and wife enjoy companionship. It is how we were created. My husband is my best friend. We share things. This is God's Purpose. Companionship is the primary purpose.

Procreation is another purpose. God loves families. The attack on the family is really an attack against God. It is an attack against His institutions.

Marriage is also to show the world the relationship between Christ and the church.

Eph 5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

God wants to take your life, and your marriage and He wants to use that as an example of His love. He wants to use it to show the beauty of what He intended.

Marriage is what you make it. God's picture is that it is a good thing. It will be good if we do  it God's way.

3 points.....

#1 If a marriage is going to glorify God the partners need a personal commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus needs to be the head.

#2 Need to live and walk in the spirit.

Eph 5:18  And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

If I am going to live to glorify God. If my marriage is going to glorify God. I need to be filled with the spirit. Need to walk in the spirit. Walking in the spirit is walking in obedience. It is also walking in the power that God has available to us.

#3 We must obey instructions that God gives about our individual role in marriage.

Marriage is hard work. It is worth it. It is worth working for. It is worth fighting for.

God says two become one. What God joins together ....no one separate.

God bless you as you follow Him.

Jer 3:22  Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

Return ... God says return.

Jer 3:23  Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.

In God is Salvation.

Jer 3:24  For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Jer 3:25  We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

The chicken's came home to roost. They learned the sinful behavior from their parents.

Jer 4:1  If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

Return to me God says. Repent.

Jer 4:2  And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

Open your heart.

Jer 4:3  For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

If you are going to plant a field you need to turn the soil over. It can't stay hard flat and rocky. If it does it wont grow anything. If you don't open your heart the word of God can't take root.

Jer 4:4  Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Cut away hardness of the heart. If you don't receive Him the God has to judge you.

Jer 4:5  Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
Jer 4:6  Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
Jer 4:7  The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
Jer 4:8  For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.

Repent

Jer 4:9  And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

Jeremiah warned them.

Jer 4:10  Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.
Jer 4:11  At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
Jer 4:12  Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.
Jer 4:13  Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
Jer 4:14  O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

God is calling them. Repent. God sees our thoughts. He is willing to help us with our thoughts.

Phi 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Jer 4:15  For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim.
Jer 4:16  Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
Jer 4:17  As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.
Jer 4:18  Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart.

You are reaping what you sowed. Sin is pleasurable for a season. If it wasn't attractive people wouldn't do it. But you reap what you sow. People get angry with God when they reap what they sow but it is their own doing.

Jer 4:19  My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

Jeremiah is seeing their destruction.

Jer 4:20  Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

Remember September 10th 2001? If  you had said on September 10th that this is the last day those towers will stand, people would have said you are crazy. Yet it happened. That is what those people were thinking.

Be wise as a serpent but innocent as a dove.

Jer 4:21  How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Jer 4:22  For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
Jer 4:23  I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
Jer 4:24  I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
Jer 4:25  I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
Jer 4:26  I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
Jer 4:27  For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
Jer 4:28  For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

If God says it, it happens.

Jer 4:29  The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
Jer 4:30  And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

Satan loves to dupe us, use us, and destroy us.

Jer 4:31  For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

God doesn't want you to have to suffer.

Luke 16:19  There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luke 16:20  And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luke 16:21  And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luke 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 16:23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luke 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke 16:25  But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luke 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Luke 16:27  Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Luke 16:28  For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Luke 16:29  Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Luke 16:30  And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
Luke 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Repent and God will receive you. God is calling will you answer?

May God bless you and draw you close to him