Delusions

Focus verses: Jeremiah 23:25-40

The job of a prophet is not without risk. There is the possibility of getting so enamored of the power of the position that one hears his own thoughts rather than the word of God from the Lord.

Power is a heady commodity. It tends to make people believe they are more than they actually are. We've all seen the local politician who forgets that his position is to represent the people who elected him. He decides what he thinks is best for the community rather than acting as the representative for the community.

When one is a prophet of God, one needs to be very sure of the source of his information. The word of God will not be denied. And God will not be mocked nor misrepresented.

The result of misconstruing God's word is dire. To be cast away from the presence of the Lord, to be shamed for eternity, these are consequences to be assiduously avoided.

Father, God,

Tune our ears to Your voice alone. Let us not be lured by the voices of our dreams or petty aspirations. Give us the grace to know Your voice from all others.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

I must apologize for the tardiness of this post. I seemed to be having a technical problem with Blogger this morning.

Source Of Sorrow

Focus verses: Jeremiah 13:15-27

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Reading these verses, one can well understand why Jeremiah wept.

God told him to speak. God told him what to say. And God told him the people would not listen to him, but to the prophets that would tickle their ears with what they wanted to hear.

This particular passage speaks to the arrogance of the people. When a people are arrogant, they tend to glorify themselves, not the God who made them. They forget that their blessings are not earned but are a gift from God.

They grow proud (having excessive self-esteem) and become unteachable because they already know it all.

Israel's destruction is coming from the north in this passage. They had allied themselves with Babylon - had even taken some of the Babylonian dieties into their homes as objects of worship. They thought that an alliance with Babylon - a strong nation - would protect them.

In the musical "The King and I," the king sings a song called "It's a Puzzlement" in which he says:

Shall I join with other nations in alliance?
If allies are weak, am I not best alone?
If allies are strong with power to protect me,
Might they not protect me out of all I own?

Unfortunately, Israel did not consider that their only safe ally is the Lord. They turned their backs on Him. And He will turn His back on Israel in this instance.

I keep seeing our nation in Jeremiah's prophecies. We have a government system in place that fosters the idol religion of secular humanism. Everything is seen with man as the measure of all things. We have allowed this humanism to grow for almost all of the twentieth century without checking it. In the twenty-first century, we need to stem this tide and return to the basis on which we were founded.

This burden is on the people of God. He says "if my people"... Only the prayers of the faithful (God's people) can stay the coming captivity of our land. We need to be on our knees.

Father, God,

Save us from arrogance and pride. Give us teachable spirits and praying hearts. Help us to move the people of this land that we love back into the knowledge of and reverence for You.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Music, Music, Music

Focus verses: II Kings 3:6-20

Time of crisis. Three kings, the king of Israel, the king of Edom, and the king of Judah, set out to fight the king of Moab. But they went through the desert and ran out of water.

Jehoshaphat called for a prophet of the Lord, and Elisha was the prophet they found. Elisha, however, called for a harpist.

A harpist! Why would he want a harpist? Music. Music is the vehicle for praising the Lord. And we are told in the Psalms that God inhabits the praises of His people. When we need the Lord, music will draw us closer into His presence.

As the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha. Then the prophecy came. They were instructed to dig channels for the water they needed. They were told that they would not see any rain, but that the channels would be filled. They obeyed, and things happened as they had been told.

You see, God honors our obedience. They prepared for the water, even though there was no rain. What they could see indicated there was no need for the water channels. But God said, so they did.

While God is pleased by our praise music, He is more pleased by the music of our obedience. Instantaneous, unquestioning obedience. It's a rare thing. We need to do more of it.

Father, God,

Help us to hear the music of Your words, Your commands. Grant that we may sing in harmony with our obedience. Let us hear the music of the heavens.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.

Blessing and Cursing

Focus verses: Numbers 24:10-25

Most of us are familiar with the story of Balaam's donkey. The donkey could see the angel of the Lord when Balaam was totally oblivious. Why should the donkey be more sensitive than Balaam to the presence of the angel of the Lord?

Balaam was on his way to Balak with the Lord's permission. But with the injunction to say only what the Lord told him to say. Balaam is not a follower of the Lord. He's a soothsayer, not a prophet of God.

He's aware that he cannot curse the Israelites. Yet he goes to Balak. And then he blesses the Israelites, not once but three times.The blessings and promises of God are sure. There is no changing them.

There are two lessons for us in this story. First we should cultivate an awareness of the presence of God. And second we should bless those whom God blesses. It isn't profitable to set oneself at odds with God.

Father, God,

Keep us ever mindful and aware of Your presence. Help us to draw closer to You so that the only words we say are those You approve.

In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.