Good morning to all on this glorious fall morning. Georgia is going into one of the most beautiful seasons it has. The fall is one of the reasons people live in the south. The mornings are temperate, you can go outside and enjoy the air. The trees are turning their wonderful palette of colors and the air smells fresh. The afternoons are still hot but the mornings and evenings make up for it. God is a good God and I wanted to wake up praising Him today for all the wonderful blessings He continues to bestow on me and my family. He is teaching me day by day to trust His guidance, His timing and His leadership. He truly love me and you! Please pray for our country and our world that the love and grace of God be bestowed to calm the waters.
I am continuing my journey in Jeremiah, chapter 35 verses 1- 19, "This is the Word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: Go to the Rekabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink. So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites. I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God. It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum the doorkeeper. Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine. But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine. Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents. Then you will live a long time in the land where you are nomads.’ We have obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops. We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded this land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem to escape the Babylonian and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.” Then the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey My words?’ declares the Lord. Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed Me. Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, “Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions; do not follow other gods to serve them. Then you will live in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened to me. The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather gave them, but these people have not obeyed me. Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer. Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail to have a descendant to serve me." Amen and may the Lord add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.
This is a very POWERFUL passage. These descendants of Jehonadab were told by their forefather never to drink wine or own property. They were to be nomads, living in tents so that 'they could live a long time where they were' -- live a long time doing what? That is the key. The world follows "rules" passed down from generation to generation on the promise of what? Is the world happy? Is the world a safe place to be? Does the world provide a safe haven to raise your children? What does the world provide? That has been the question since Adam sinned. Adam was in paradise. He had everything he needed and was able to walk with God every day. He was then deceived into thinking that there was something better when he had it all through his walk with God. We are still giving up a glorious life on the promise that if we take our own futures in our own hands, we will be better off. This is what Satan does--the great Deceiver will have you and the world believe that we can create our own heaven. Not so. As Christians you should know this and should be spreading the Good News of the Gospel. There are Christian friends of mine who feel like I am going through a mid-life crisis by blogging about my Spiritual Journey. I may be going through a mid-life revelation but not a cirsis other than a crisis of Conscience. My walk on this side of heaven is half over--I want to be obedient and use my life as God intended--to be a witness. Today I am more convinced than ever as Christians we are failing God because we don't want to offend our friends and family with "this religious"stuff. Well my family and friends will have to be offended. Just like the descendants of Jehonadab I am going to be obedient. Not to a forefather but to God Himself. He has commanded us to love Him with all of our Hearts, Mind and Soul and then to Love one another Just as God Himself loved us enough to sacrifice His Son Jesus for us. We are the WITNESS-- we are not to be silent--we are to let our Light so shine that other men and women will come to Christ. No rationalization--just obedience. What are you known for? As a great healer? A great scholar? A great wealth maker? A great preacher? A great moral person? A great Christian?????
Where are you today with your walk with God? Are you boldly proclaiming the Good News or are you rationalizing? Waine and I were in a Sunday School class not so long along. The preacher was talking about cults and teaching about the basic elements of cults. He happened to use Mormonism as his example of a cult -- something that looked like Christianity but on the base of it was religion of self. I asked who he was going to vote for in November. Someone who has professed his love of Christ or someone who professes his love of self. His answer was a sheepish --"you sometimes have to pick the lessor of 2 evils". I thinks this sums up the lesson of chapter 35 of Jeremiah. Satan will always make you believe that you have to pick the lessor of two evils when actually you need only obey God.
Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.
Stephanie
No comments:
Post a Comment