“Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.” Jeremiah 20:9
Many Christians have a hard time preaching the good news to others. We need that to turn around. We need the Spirit to move so mightily on this generation that the word of God is like a burning fire that we cannot keep shut up in our bones. Grant it to us O Lord
“For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.” Jeremiah 20:4
If our present day ministers don’t knock it off with all their strategies, techniques and programs to build the church instead of depending on the leading and the power of the Holy Spirit, they will become “a terror to thyself.” They will see the church they have built and gloried in, fall apart right before their eyes. The only thing that will remain is that which was founded on the Rock.
“Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.” Jeremiah 14:13
We have those prophets today, just like the prophets of old, who tell the church everything is fine. You don’t have to be concerned with any trouble coming your way. They say there is nothing but good times ahead and all God wants to do is pour riches on you. God has an answer for these false prophets of our day. “Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart” (Jeremiah 14:14). Saint’s don’t fall for those lies.
“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” Luke 10:40
The problem with Martha may not be so much that she was serving, but that she was cumbered with it, meaning she was distracted by it. The true heart of a servant is they serve others as if they were serving Christ. Otherwise what happens, a person starts to complain, just like Martha did.
“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” I Corinthians 14:18
So why would Paul thank God that he spoke in tongues more than all the rest. Was he in competition with them? Was he to fill some mandate that a minister is supposed to speak in tongues more than others? Was he proud that others didn’t speak in tongues more than him and therefore he felt more spiritual? I don’t think so. I believe he said it because he wanted to make a strong point that he is not belittling tongues or trying to get the church to quit doing it. So he emphasized that he does it quite often to encourage believers to speak in tongues often. The whole idea of chapter 14 is not to have tongues cease, but to keep it in order during the church meeting.
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Romans 6:22
The Greek word that “servant” was translated from means to enslave. Some other versions of the Bible use the word slave instead of servant which would be a more accurate translation. Anyway, sure a lot talk about the evils of slavery. No one should ever own another man. In spite of that, we believers are slaves to God. I can’t help ask, what is so bad about being a slave? Christians are one on purpose.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14
Grace isn’t about God accepting us in our sin, it is about God delivering us from our sin.
“God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:2
There is a difference between falling into sin once in a while and living in sin. Just as Jesus Himself was tempted, though He never gave into it, we are tempted too. Though we choose to live a life apart from sin, we do at times sin. Thank God for the blood of Jesus which keeps us in right standing while we are working out our salvation. It is the attitude one has toward sin that exposes the real believer from the false. The real believer hates sin and wants to be free of it, while the pretender has not shook loose from the appetite for sin.
“Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” Acts 27:31
Sometimes the sea of life gets stormy. Sometimes you may feel like your boat is about to fill up with water or bust apart and sink. Don’t forget, Jesus is with you. You must stay in the ship with Him. Unless you abide in the ship with Jesus “ye cannot be saved.”
“Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.” Acts 27:24
Lord, grant to us all the souls of those who sail with us in life’s sea.
