King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Saturday, August 08, 2020
Chapters: Jeremiah 4-6
Message: House of God
Hello My Friend,
As you read through the chapters of Jeremiah, you cannot help, but think that it strangely resembles today. You know, we are not prefect, we sin every day, but there is a difference between natural sin and living a life of sin. Now, imagine an entire church proclaiming Christ and living a life of sin, sadly, that happens more than we care to admit. You see, most churches are not made up of saved, born again Christians, they are made up of people who want God in their lives without the expense of changing their lives. Well, let me tell you, Jesus Christ does change our lives, and if He is not then, it is not Jesus that we are walking with. Sin always brings judgment to the house of God first because they know who He is, [I Peter 4:17-18 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?]
God never places judgment upon anyone, especially His own without giving them ample warning of it first. Think about it, if God placed judgment upon all mankind simply for Adam and Eve eating a piece of fruit, He will certainly do it for something much more sinful. Since Solomon was king Israel has been divided, in fact, they made up their own gods, and for hundreds of years, even though they knew God, only a remnant of them actually walk with Him. You see, God was not destroying the people of Israel, he was kicking them out of country of Israel, the land He gave them. Through Jeremiah, God gives one last plea for them to turn to Him.
[Jeremiah 4:1-4,14,18,22 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. 2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory. 3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. 14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? 18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thine heart. 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.]
[Break up your fallow ground,] Fallow; The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it. God is telling them that their hearts are like a crop that has not been tended to, it is hard and unfruitful. This is a lot like Jesus describes in His parable of the seed, which is the Word of God, [Matthew 13:19-23 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.]
While God can and does intervene more than we realize, there does come a time where repentance is the only option, and if it is not taken, then there will be no mercy, and ignorance to the truth will not save anyone either. Through Jeremiah, God addresses the ignorant and the false prophet.
[Jeremiah 5:1-5,12-13 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. 2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. 4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God. 5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. 12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.]
[that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.] This is why the whole earth is not under judgment just yet, He reaches each individual. Let me tell you, God does not want to bring judgment upon anyone, if He can find one soul that loves Him, He will spare that country. Look and Sodom and Gomorrah, He waited until the very last saved soul was out of it before He destroyed it. I truly believe that had Israel repented the very last second that God would have repented of the judgment, but no matter how many warnings they got they rejected Him.
[Jeremiah 5:25-31 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. 26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?]
[and what will ye do in the end thereof?] This sounds a lot like our opening verse, [where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?] God does not want to see the earth destroyed, and He certainly does not want a single soul that He created to end up in hell, but that choice is up to each individual. Let me tell you, the days in which God will not find any that seek Jesus are coming fast, more and more people are rejecting Christ over the world every year, and even worse, many claiming to love and know Him are doing it falsely. You cannot love the Lord and love the world, it will always lead to destruction. Now, we all sin, and we can fall tremendously if we are not walking with Christ daily, but a life with Jesus is a changed life, one that shows we are not of the world, but are of Him. We are not to be like the world, if we are than we are falsely representing Christ, and there will be judgment for that. Now, through Jeremiah, God expresses His anger toward the saved who are living in sin.
[Jeremiah 6:10-11,16-19 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.]
[We will not walk therein.] Saved, born again Christians may not face the second death and hell because they are saved by grace through their faith in Christ alone, but they will fall among the wicked, they will suffer and die in their sin unless they repent, and if they continually live in sin with no repentance He will take them home where they can no longer hurt themselves or anyone else. Saved, born again Christians are the salt of the earth, we are to be seasoning the world with the Gospel, healing the cuts of the wounded, and throwing it out on the ice cold heart, and it is time we get back to being salty Christians good for food, and not to be cast to melt the ice from the snow, [Matthew 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for reminding me once again of just how much You love me and how blessed I am to be one of Yours. For the life of me I do not understand why you are so willing when sometimes I am not, but You are faithful and just to forgive all my unrighteousness and continue to use me to tell the world about Your Son, and even Your people of how they ought to be living by Your Word. It truly is grieving to see our nations run by so much evil, and I can only imagine how much it grieves you, and how much you just want them to see Your Son again, and turn away from their sin. Lord, I am Yours, and I want to be that salt that seasons the world with Your Gospel, that helps heal wounds, and melts the heart of the lost and backslidden, put Your hedge of protection around me, fill me with Your power, mercies, grace, compassion, and a passion to reach the lost. And I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readytofollowJesus/
Copyright © 2020 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.