Verse of the Day 8/25

Jeremiah 25:4-5  You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, ⁵ saying, 'Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever.   English Standard Version (ESV)

As we look at our society in the United States today, it is not hard to see that we have turned away from God in many respects.  Laws have been passed and others upheld that are contrary to the Bible and its teachings.  As the passage in Jeremiah indicates, this is nothing new.  Then, as now, there has been a steady stream of phophets, evangelists and Bible teachers that have tried to get people to turn back, to return to the Lord but it has and is falling on deaf ears.  Man has created many gods, false gods, "no gods" (The Message) to suit there own desires.

Verse 6 in the passage tells us not to to "go after" other gods and to provoke Him to anger.  We don't tend to think that God will be provoked to anger against our nation.  We were founded upon Christian principles and can look back on how God has blessed us with so many things, how He has delivered us from enemies to give us victory.  But what have we done to show our respect or reverence to Him?  We are letting some try to strip every mention of God, every mention of Jesus Christ from public life and speech.

What are we to do?  Individually we must turn,  turn back to Him, seek Him while He may be found.  Follow and lead others to return.  In the New Testament the Apostle Paul had these words for Timothy, they are good words for us today.

2 Timothy 4:2-5The Message (MSG)

4 ^1-2 I can't impress this on you too strongly. God is looking over your shoulder. Christ himself is the Judge, with the final say on everyone, living and dead. He is about to break into the open with his rule, so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch. Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple.

^3-5 You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you're doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God's servant.

In a day where society is being filled up with spiritual junk food, we are called to "challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don't ever quit. Just keep it simple" (The Message)  and do it in love.  Let's keep our eyes on what we are doing, keep on our watch and lead.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Jeremiah 25:4-11The Message (MSG)

^4-6 Not only that but God also sent a steady stream of prophets to you who were just as persistent as me, and you never listened. They told you, "Turn back—right now, each one of you!—from your evil way of life and bad behavior, and live in the land God gave you and your ancestors, the land he intended to give you forever. Don't follow the god-fads of the day, taking up and worshiping these no-gods. Don't make me angry with your god-businesses, making and selling gods—a dangerous business!

⁷ "You refused to listen to any of this, and now I am really angry. These god-making businesses of yours are your doom."

^8-11 The verdict of God-of-the-Angel-Armies on all this: "Because you have refused to listen to what I've said, I'm stepping in. I'm sending for the armies out of the north headed by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, my servant in this, and I'm setting them on this land and people and even the surrounding countries. I'm devoting the whole works to total destruction—a horror to top all the horrors in history. And I'll banish every sound of joy—singing, laughter, marriage festivities, genial workmen, candlelit suppers. The whole landscape will be one vast wasteland. These countries will be in subjection to the king of Babylon for seventy years.