Jeremiah 19
Bible Passage: Jeremiah 19
Just reading this passage will send shivers down the spine. God’s proclamation of judgment on Jerusalem was fulfilled. Due to the siege of the city, the people were deprived of food and even practiced cannibalism. Did God delight in such punishment of His people? Most assuredly not!
However, the Jews were so adamant in their worship of idols and even went to the extent of sacrificing their children to pagan gods! Never did they listen to the prophets that God had sent to them and in due process they were punished for their sins.
Likewise, the prophets of God today could be sermon speakers who speak from the Bible. These exhortations although at times could be blunt, are meant for the growth of our spiritual life. We are reminded from the sermons the need to examine ourselves and to walk in the righteous way of the Lord. Last Saturday’s sermon reminded us again the need to know God and knowing God means not only having knowledge of God but also walking in God’s ways.
The Jews then did not know God and often they worshipped idols. They have deviated far from God’s laws many times in a cyclical manner. How about us today? Do we also deviate from God’s laws and worship idols such as money, technology and music/ drama stars? Do we spend more time in enjoyment more than reading God’s Words or attending services?
It is very easy to criticize these people of the Old Testament but in actual fact in these last days, we are in a more precarious position. The judgment of God will be far more severe than that occurred in Jerusalem as the heavens and earth will melt with fervent heat. God is a consuming fire!
The Spiritual Meeting is round the corner. Are we prepared mentally and physically conditioned for the long prayers? Have we started training ourselves up in offering spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing to God? Since I was baptized in 2001, I have not seen a Spiritual Meeting where the Holy Spirit is abundantly poured down or have seen the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in signs and miracles. We have to ask ourselves why? Perhaps the answer can be found in the manner we view fasting and the manner we view prayers. Sometimes, I think we are more concern about our bodily needs than spiritual needs. How will our Lord Jesus bless us if we are more concerned over the flesh than our spiritual salvation?
Apostle Peter reminds us that…
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
(1 Pet 4:17)
May the Lord Jesus give us a heart to seek Him diligently and bless us this coming Spiritual Meeting.
3 Comments
lim
referring to the miracles. there is miracles happening as we can read the testimonies from our church website, which have incidents dated from year 2001.
we might not be able to see the miracle happened, but we can indeed appreciate from the personal testimonies by our brethren to attest to the work of Holy Spirit or God.
love & respect
Thank God for this sharing. 🙂
It’s really the heart that God looks at – if we have a simple heart of faith, God will work in ways beyond our expectation. I’m also learning this lesson right now…
For example, our church has not been having air con in recent weeks, but the weather is getting hotter everyday. Last Friday evening, the preacher asked everyone to pray for the following day, asking the Lord to have mercy on us and to grant us cooler weather for the Sabbath day, as it’s really stifling in a chapel with 200+ people at 30C and only a few fans – some people felt sick or had headache.
There were many middle-aged and elderly sisters in that service that night – most of them have little education but they certainly have a very simple faith.
The next morning, about one hour before the service started, it began to rain – literally buckets of water were coming down, cooling down the whole city (although the weather forecast had not specifically announced such heavy rain). Thank God!
Then there is a truthseeker, who came to church with his former classmate – he knew Christianity before, but he had never been told about the Holy Spirit. Yet, he was very simple when he came to church for the first time – he simply knelt down with everyone to pray at the end of the service. In that prayer, he received the Holy Spirit!
I believe that God looks at our hearts and bestows grace upon us accordingly. Sometimes, we know that we should simply trust in God, but our human thinking/weakness makes us want to rely more on human methods than on God. Maybe we doubt a little bit that what we are asking for is possible with God, simply because we have not had such an experience before. Yet, if we really want to rely on God, but feel too weak in faith, let us learn from the father of the demon-possessed boy in Mk 9, who cried out to God, “I believe, help my unbelief!”
biblereader
Yes there are miracles but not as abundant as in the past or during the apostolic times. I guess I was not clear enough to say abundant miracles and signs.
Thanks for sharing the testimonines. Our God is truly an awesome and merciful God! 🙂