Jeremiah 9-11
Human nature is strange, but predictable. Strange, because if left unchecked, human nature breeds foolishness. Speculation from within a vacuum is always absurd. And it exalts itself above any God.
It’s predictable, because whether the people are living in cavemen days or in our present time, it’s the same. Self-centered and unwise.
So we see the children of Judah (called the children of Israel) in the 6th century before Christ. They have watched their sister nation, Israel, be taken into captivity by the Assyrians. Yet they think that this will never happen to them. Why would they think that?
They have taken refuge in the vanity of their minds, and we see the same happening today.
I’m amazed at some of the thoughts people express in the media. Arrogance, selfishness, and often shallow in thinking. Professing to be wise, they are indeed very foolish.
So as we look at Jeremiah, we are not surprised to see him speaking to the people God’s words and having them shun him, from the prophets and priests down to the common man.
By this time in their history there are probably many who think that the old stories of God’s miracles in leading them are just fairy tales. They are too busy serving Baal (the God of prosperity), to pay much attention to the true God. They go through the motions, but their hearts are far away.
It’s sad to see a nation which was created and guided by the mighty hand of God, decide that they don’t need Him. Jeremiah weeps as he delivers the word to them
So what is their response? They want him to shut up! They want to kill him. They want him to just go away and leave them alone.
After all, they know more than God. Right?
Sound familiar?
We need to keep praying.
I Timothy 6
One of the most misquoted scriptures is found in this chapter.
“The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.”(V.10)
Some people shorten this to “Money is the root of all evil…” Well, that’s not what it says. It says, “the love of money…”
You can have the love of money without a penny in your pocket. That’s what causes someone to spend the family wages on lottery tickets or gambling. It’s a lust that makes someone think that if they just had money, their problems would be solved.
In those cases, people are making money out to be a god. As if that’s all they need: money.
Throughout the scriptures, a lot is said about money and riches. Even later in this chapter Paul goes on to say that if someone is rich, be rich in giving.
What is so important about money? That’s how Satan runs his kingdom. The only reason a person would be a prostitute or a pimp or a drug dealer is so that they can get money. Why do people steal? What do people kill for? What do people lie and cheat to get? Riches.
When someone has a lust for riches, they open themselves up to all sorts of evil from the devil.
They also substitute riches (Baal) for the one true God.
Actually, there are those whom God will raise up to fund His purposes. They are those who are not looking to riches as their answer, but to God. They are willing to obey Him in their giving – even when He asks for more than they expect.
There is another scripture which says that “the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.”(Prov 13:22). The righteous are those who will be obedient to God in their giving – and who will trust in their God and not in their riches.
Something to think about, isn’t it? It’s good to give ourselves an attitude check every now and then.