I had planned on only doing Christmas posts. I’ll probably get back to that.
But for days, I have kept stumbling across Jeremiah 23, like over and over.
I’d flip open to it “accidentally “.
My online Bible version just “happened” to be pulled up there.
Finally, I took notice and sat down to read it again.
I had underlined parts of it before, but today, those ancient holy words seemed to jump off the page—so very relevant to the world around us.
God’s prophet, Jeremiah, is appalled at the false prophets who have encouraged God’s people to relax when they should be running to repent.
The false teachers, of the day, preached only an easy peace, a false doctrine that strengthened the hands of evildoers so that no one saw the need to turn back from their wickedness. (Jer 23:14).
Wickedness.
How often do we hear that word from our popular preachers who stand on large stages today?
How many of our worship songs ever draw our hearts to repentance?
And let’s ask ourselves, how well has preaching only peace and prosperity worked for those walking in disobedience?
How many have turned from their wicked ways?
The truth is many are being devastated by sin left unchecked.
How long has it been since we’ve seen real revival and a move of God in our country?
How much does the American church look just like the lost world?
How much does my heart? How much does yours?
Is God our first love? Is He truly?
Do we follow our own wicked hearts or do we diligently walk in the ways God tells us to walk?
How relevant these words of Jeremiah today —
“Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the LORD.
They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The LORD has said, “You shall have peace”;
And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say,
‘No evil shall come upon you.’”
For who has stood in the counsel of the LORD,
And has perceived and heard His word?
Who has marked His word and heard it?
Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
The anger of the LORD will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in My counsel,
And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.
“Am I a God near at hand,” says the LORD,
“And not a God afar off?
Can anyone hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the LORD;
“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the LORD. (Jer 23:16-24)
Our God is a just God.
He is righteous.
He is holy.
He hates sin.
There is no peace to be had for those who walk in sin.
There is no hope for people who go their own way, doing sinful things that feel right to them, who continue to ignorantly walk in false peace when, instead, they should be running to repent.
Woe to those who preach only peace to a people walking in disobedience. Those false teachers are a party to their destruction.
But those who truly hear from the Lord, who stand in His counsel, will cause the people to hear His Word and turn from their evil ways. (Jer 23:22)
For our God is near. He is not a God far off. He sees all. He knows our every thought and deed.(Jer 23:23-24)
His decrees are right. His commands are perfect.
The One who created us, has told us in His Word how we are to live.
He says, woe to those who call evil good and good evil (Isa 5:20). Yet, that is exactly what we are saying -if not with our words but with our silence.
Church-it’s time, past time, that we stand for truth and righteousness. If we love the Lord, if we love others, we have no other choice!
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Kim Jaggers Ministry 