Questions from Jeremiah

Dear Saints,

Please bear in mind, this post is NOT about prophets! Although some of the quotes from scripture are.

I would really like to hear your understanding of the following scriptures, please bear with me in this time of questions.

Every time I read Jeremiah (Isaiah as well) some of the scriptures are so deep, so resounding in my soul, almost as if I really can't see the entirity of it. Like hearing the power in a loud thunderclap knowing that it was only a portion of the actual intensity. (Perhaps not the best example, but the only one I can think of right now.)

Paul said: [i]All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.[/i]

Bearing that in mind...

[i]Thus saith the LORD of hosts, 'Hearken not unto the words of the prophets tht prophesy unto you: [b]they make you vain[/b]:
they speak a vision of their own heart,
and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

They say still unto them that despise me,
"The LORD hath said, 'Ye shall have peace';
and they say unto [b]every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart[/b],
'No evil shall come upon you.'[/i] Jer.23:17,18

and

[i]I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran:
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words,
then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.[/i] vs 21,22

I think most of us can recognize the expression of those that speak with an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they are many on SI! We can hear there pleas of repentance, of perseverence, of humility, of responsibility, of many things we [b]know[/b] come from the heart of God. So many saints down through the history of the body of Christ that seek to turn the hearts of people from their own wickedness and fleshly thoughts to a more excellent and spiritual way.

(So many that we can so easily access, it seems to be quite remarkable to consider we will be held accountable for all that we have heard)

On the other hand, there seems to be an abundance of "voices" (probably not the best word, but the only one I can think of at the moment)that speak as representatives of God, but I wonder...... **'walking after the imagination of their own heart'?

**Too many?

There is such an abundance of books, of tapes, of radio programs, of preachers, of teachers, of [b]media[/b], so much that it boggles my mind.

Here we are some 2000 years after the humble, Christ- man and God, King and servant, perfect yet meek walked the earth; and it seems as though [b]His[/b] body, the people called by His name are in such disarray (probably not the best word, but the only one I can think of right now).

Why?

{i]...they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way...[/i]?

What will it take?

It seems so simple to me at times:
[i]If My people, which are called by My name,
will humble themselves and pray
and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven
and will forgive their sins,
and will heal their land.[/i]

too simplistic?

Are we as people beyond the harmony, the unity of the Spirit? Are we too intellectual, too prideful, too soulish?

My favorite quote from Vernon McGee:

[i]To dwell above with the saints we love
well that will be glory..
To dwell below with the saints we know,
well, thats a different story...[/i]

I just need to hear.
In Christ,
Lori

Thanks be to God. He knows my heart and I am thankful that He has answered my questions. I heard a wonderful message just this morning that was straight from the Lord, albeit, quite serious, quite fearful. There is still much to digest, and I wish that I had a recorder going to be able to transcribe the message, but nevertheless the answer to my hearts cries and prayers.

Some people look at the Word of God and dissect it much like they do text from a study book, or a literary work; but the Word of God is neither. Not that we don’t study it, or that it’s literary content is not wonderful; rather that it is a manifestation of God towards mankind. From beginning to end He reveals who He is, what He loves, what He hates, what He expects from those who are called by His name. He reveals His great love to a rebellious people, a world gone astray by giving them His Christ. Christ who IS THE WORD, who manifest the heart of God to a world, a people who knew OF God but did not know Him.

Sometimes I think that’s still the case, I think many people know about God but not nearly as many people who think they know, really know Him.

God has given us such a great opportunity to be His representatives here on this earth. We will give an account of this great responsibility of stewardship.

How often I have read that “in the last days”... there are so many of them in the scriptures, and I have thought how intense it will be for those who drift away, for those who loved not the truth, for those to whom Christ says, “I never knew you.” !! Yet, there is a undertone that seems to be left somewhat undone in our theologies. It is the aspect of the man whom Christ points out:

[i]And the publican[/i] not the one righteous in his own eyes... the publican- the sinner, the one that was desperate enough, [i]standing afar off,[/i]not jumping up and down, not screaming for the attention of men, not raising his hand while no one was looking around,[i] would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast[/i] that grave sensation of intense sorrow, a brokenheartedness that goes beyond being merely guilty into the place of [b]knowing[/b] that you have broken the heart of another that has loved you and given everything for you, [i]saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”[/i]

Inside of western Christianity we have too often touted the mere mental agreement to what the gospel has preached, and forgotten that it is to a holy and fearful God that we are to be yielding ourselves.

I know many people would disagree with that, but I know it to be true, by our actions, our inactions, our disrespect, our indulgences, our reasoning our way of life by our own standards and not by Gods. The lack of reaching out to the hurting, desperate souls all around us.

I have seen the preference of the wealthy that James speaks of and seen them turn away those that need help, even to the point of kicking some out on the street. NEVER once did Christ say to those that came with needs, sicknesses, sins, guilt, demons, even the scribes and pharisees ‘get away from Me’.

(Sorry, George, your just stinking up the place. You know if you’d just come back after service we’ll give you a couple of cans of tuna.) (Oh too bad about that poor old grandma, I know she really hates being in that extended care place by herself, maybe we should call the pastor to go visit her.) (That guy is always asking for money, doesn’t he know that I have to pay by cable bill? I have to put $100 worth of gas in my brand new Escalade? I have to take my family out to dinner? I have to buy a $5 coffee drink? I have to spend my Sunday afternoon sitting in front of the football game? I have to mow my lawn, sit in my easy chair, drink my clean water from my special faucet surrounded by my granite countertop. I have to live my own life my own way doing what I want to do.....I don’t have time to go to help at that feeding ministry. I don’t know what to say to those poor folks whose son just died, I can’t go to the hospitals to visit the sick, I can’t visit people in jail, those widows can pay some kid to mow their lawns, that guy is a drunk, I’m sooo glad I’m not like those people....) [i]If you did not do it to the least of these, my brethren, you did not do it for Me[/i]

I have heard too many who have made light of the heavier things of God, tried to lighten the load of the one who is under conviction, wanting to make people “feel better”, wanting even to carry their burden for them when it is not theirs to carry- it is Christ’s.

I heard a statement this morning that astonished me: [i]I would rather eat with the sinner than sit at the table with a bunch of “churchy” people that really don’t want to hear what God has to say to them. At the end of the age Christ said that the angels will gather the tares and bind them in bundles to be burned. Now why do you feel so bound to sit with folks that don’t want to know what God really has to say about their lives.[/i]

[i]The end of all things is at hand, therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers[/i]

[i]My message is simply this: repent, and let the Lord really have his way in your life, every part of your life, holding nothing back be entirely honest with Him, who knows everything anyway, and let Him take; you give, let Him take and let Him dress you in that piece of garment that comes from Himself, that’s pure and white and clean. And you will be a place on this earth of the establishment of the completed work of God in Christ Jesus, and [b]then[/b] you can impact the souls around you by [b]His grace, His power, His life[/b] working through you.[/i]

Just a part of the message that Jeremiah spoke in His day, and this man spoke in mine.