PLEASE REMEMBER THE GREG LAURIE FAMILY IN YOUR PRAYERS

Christopher Laurie, son of Pastor Greg Laurie and Cathe Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, died Thursday morning in a car accident in Riverside. A resident of Huntington Beach, Laurie, 33, served as the art director at Harvest Christian Fellowship for the past three years.

In addition to his parents, Christopher is survived by his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Stella, as well as his brother Jonathan. Christopher and his wife are expecting another daughter in November.

Our thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to Brittany, Stella,
Greg, Cathy, and Jonathan, along with everyone personally impacted by
Christopher’s passing.

You can leave a personal message to the Laurie family on Greg’s blog HERE.

Jeremiah 28:1-4 KJV  And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,  (2)  Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.  (3)  Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:  (4)  And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Hananiah's message was popular. It was just what they wanted to hear. He was a false prophet.

Jeremiah 28:5-6 KJV  Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,  (6)  Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD'S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

Jeremiah basically says I would love to see that. We don't know the inflection of Jeremiah's voice, but it almost seems a little sarcastic.

Jeremiah 28:7-9 KJV  Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;  (8)  The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.  (9)  The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.

What a prophet says doesn't come to pass, then he is a false prophet. The time frame here was 2 years, and if the captives don't return and the vessels not brought back, then Hananiah is a false prophet, there is no in between.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 KJV  (20)  But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.  (21)  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?  (22)  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Prophecies from the Lord will be 100% accurate. If not 100% accurate then the person is not a prophet of the Lord. Back then false prophets were put to death.

Can you imagine what would happen if people would hold people who claim to be prophets up to the same standard today.... There would be a lot less prophets.

God's standard for prophets has not changed. If anyone claims to be a prophet of God and they are not 100% accurate ALL THE TIME then they are a false prophet. STOP LISTENING TO THEM IF THEY ARE NOT 100% ACCURATE ALL THE TIME!!!

Matthew 7:15-16 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Now what are the fruits of a false prophet? FALSE PROPHECIES! Yes we are not to judge a persons heart, but we are to examine the fruit.

Matthew 24:11-13 KJV  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  (12)  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  (13)  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matthew 24:23-26 KJV  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  (24)  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (25)  Behold, I have told you before.  (26)  Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

Jeremiah 28:10-11 KJV  Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.  (11)  And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

Remember, that as Jeremiah and Hananiah are speaking, there is a large crowd of people around them. And to drive home his point, since Hananiah didn't have an object lesson like Jeremiah did, he took the yoke off of Jeremiah's neck and broke it. And that was to symbolize that the bondage of Babylon was going to be broken.

Jeremiah could have been offended by Hananiah getting in his face, opposing his prophecies, and breaking the yoke.  But instead Jeremiah just walks away. He spoke the message, now it was up to the people to accept or reject it. He wasn't going to fight over it. So he moved on

Jeremiah 28:12-13 KJV  Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,  (13)  Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.

Hananiah was telling the people what they wanted to hear. He is leading them to continue in their sin.

How many of you have heard people saying, "IF we are good or do good things we will go to heaven." Dead wrong. It is telling people what they may want to hear but the truth of the matter is that the only way to heaven is through the blood atonement of Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah 28:14-15 KJV  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.  (15)  Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

God didn't send Hananiah. The tragedy of following after false prophets, of not being fruit inspectors, you will believe a lie!

Jeremiah 28:16 KJV  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.

He will die because he is leading the people in rebellion.

False prophets are a problem even today. Beware of false prophets! Put them to the test. What are the fruits of a false prophet? FALSE PROPHECIES!

God's standard for prophets has not changed. If anyone claims to be a
prophet of God and they are not 100% accurate ALL THE TIME then they
are a false prophet. STOP LISTENING TO THEM IF THEY ARE NOT 100%
ACCURATE ALL THE TIME!!!

Jeremiah 28:17 KJV  So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

He died within two months of this deceleration.

God is very serious when it comes to prophecy.

Revelation 22:18-19 KJV  (18)  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:  (19)  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Romans 10:17 KJV  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

God bless you as you follow Him. And remember before you follow those prophets out there that claim to be speaking from God test their fruit. Are they 100% accurate? If not they are not from God.

Here is a Picture of our family with (hopefully if it works) our names in Chinese. My 5 year old (韦恩) was learning some about China this week because that is where the Olympics will be held.

Back row: 巴利 and 克里斯坦
Front row: 韦恩 and 克里斯蒂安 and 夏

Jeremiah 27:1-6 KJV  In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,  (2)  Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,  (3)  And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;  (4)  And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters;  (5)  I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.  (6)  And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

Yokes were symbols of submission, bondage. The Babylonians were coming, the people were going into captivity, and they would have to submit to the authority of Babylon, that is the will of God. Now as you can imagine, that was not a very popular message. They didn't want to submit to anyone!

God made the earth. Since He made the earth you need to follow His rules. People believe in evolution because they don't want to follow His rules.

Jeremiah 27:7-15 KJV  And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son, until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.  (8)  And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.  (9)  Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:  (10)  For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.  (11)  But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.  (12)  I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.  (13)  Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?  (14)  Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.  (15)  For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

The message that Jeremiah was speaking was a hard one to swallow. But it was from God. They were to surrender to Babylon or they would be destroyed. Now the false prophets were giving the people what they wanted to hear, a positive message, but it was not of God.

We need to be sure we are grounded in God's Word. How can I know what to believe?  Believe God's Word.  Keep your nose in the book.

Jeremiah 27:16-22 KJV  Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you.  (17)  Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?  (18)  But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.  (19)  For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,  (20)  Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem;  (21)  Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;  (22)  They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place.

The false prophets were saying that within 2 years all the vessels will be returned from Babylon. But, God is telling them that they are wrong. Not only will the vessels not be returned in 2 years, but the remaining vessels will be taken away to Babylon and they will not return until the Lord is done with His judgment. The captivity was to last 70 years!

For those interested.....I thought I would let you know that when I am finished with Jeremiah (23 chapters to go I believe) I plan on moving on to Revelation.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week.

Today is my son's last day of Summer School.

Jeremiah 26:1-2 KJV  In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,  (2)  Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

diminish – gara'– to diminish, restrain, withdraw, abate, keep back, do away, take from, clip

Don't diminish God's Word.  Jeremiah is to give the people all of it. I think it's important that we learn to read ALL of God's Word.  Don't just read your favorite chapters.  Read the whole book.

Acts 20:27 KJV  For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Who will be Lord of your life? Your Flesh? or your Savior?

Jeremiah 26:3 KJV  If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

If they will listen they will be spared.

Jeremiah 26:4-6 KJV  And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,  (5)  To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;  (6)  Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

Shiloh was the place where the Ark of the Covenant had been kept during the times of the Judges. Yet because of the rebelliousness of Israel, God allowed Israel to lose in battle to the Philistines, for Shiloh to be wiped out, and the Ark to be captured by the Philistines

1 Samuel 4:1-18 KJV  And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.  (2)  And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.  (3)  And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.  (4)  So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.  (5)  And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.  (6)  And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.  (7)  And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.  (8)  Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.  (9)  Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.  (10)  And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.  (11)  And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.  (12)  And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his head.  (13)  And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.  (14)  And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.  (15)  Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim, that he could not see.  (16)  And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my son?  (17)  And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God is taken.  (18)  And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years.

Jeremiah 26:7-8 KJV  So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.  (8)  Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

At least they let him finish first. Then they told him he was going to die.

Jeremiah 26:9 KJV  Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

The Jews were counting on the temple. Saying God wont judge us we have the temple. So caught up in the external. They neglected the inside.

Jeremiah 26:10-13 KJV  When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house.  (11)  Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.  (12)  Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.  (13)  Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

Sometimes we don't like what we're told. We are offended or convicted by something that someone says. If the thing is actually true, we face a choice: Will be simply be offended, or will we change?

Jeremiah 26:14-16 KJV  As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.  (15)  But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.  (16)  Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

He is innocent. He is speaking in the name of God.

Jeremiah 26:17-18 KJV  Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,  (18)  Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

Micah 3:12 KJV  Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

Jeremiah 26:19 KJV  Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

If God is speaking we better listen.

Jeremiah 26:20-23 KJV  And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:  (21)  And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;  (22)  And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.  (23)  And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

He was killed for saying the same thing Jeremiah was saying. This was a dangerous time for Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 26:24 KJV  Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

God is faithful to protect Jeremiah like He promised.