Jeremiah, God’s Mouthpiece

Among those who had hoped for a permanent spiritual revival as the result of the reformation under Josiah was Jeremiah, called of God to the prophetic office while still a youth….

In the youthful Jeremiah, God saw one who would be true to his trust and who would stand for the right against great opposition…. “Say not, I am a child,” the Lord bade His chosen messenger; “for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee.” …

For forty years Jeremiah was to stand before the nation as a witness for truth and righteousness. In a time of unparalleled apostasy he was to exemplify in life and character the worship of the only true God. During the terrible sieges of Jerusalem he was to be the mouthpiece of Jehovah.

Naturally of a timid and shrinking disposition, Jeremiah longed for the peace and quite of a life of retirement, where he need not witness the continued impenitence of his beloved nation. His heart was wrung with anguish over the ruin wrought by sin….

The experiences through which Jeremiah passed in the days of his youth and also in the later years of his ministry, taught him the lesson that “the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” He learned to pray, “O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:23, 24).

When called to drink of the cup of tribulation and sorrow, and when tempted in his misery to say, “My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord,” he recalled the providences of God in his behalf and triumphantly exclaimed, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not…. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Conflict and Courage p. 237
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Prayer Requests
—–Please pray for Amy’s father who is not doing well. He is in ICU. Pray for Amy as well during this trying time.
—–Please pray for Clarence and Lela who are experiencing health challenges. Also pray for Lela’s son Russell who needs God in his life. Dahlia
—–Ron’s aunt has passed away. Please pray for all her large family during this time of loss. Rose
—–Please…I need prayers for my friend Crystal. She’s been down a very dark path mentally and is now resorting to cutting…I’ve been chatting with her since about 4:00 am and nothing I say seems to be getting through to her heart…she’s had back to back psych hospitalizations for over 2 months now and she feels like cutting isn’t doing it for her right now and is probably thinking about doing something more permanent. Judy
—–There is a problem my family is facing. Please pray for deliverance from the Lord Almighty, and to get the needed faith, courage and guidance from the Holy Spirit to weather through the storm. To get under God’s wing, and stay there until the Day of the Lord. Joyce
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Dear Friends,
When Ronnie Jay was six, we moved to a double-wide on one of the peninsulas that jutted out into Baden Lake in North Carolina. Our place was about a block from the lake, so we spent many happy hours swimming and taking walks along the road that bordered the lake.

One night, after Ron got home from work, we decided to walk even though it was after dark. Suddenly the blackness of night was pierced by a shower of blue-white sparks. Ronnie Jay and Eileen had been walking ahead of us and one of them had grabbed onto the guy wire that held the electric pole in place. The wire, which somehow loosened, touched the electric line overhead sending a shower of sparks everywhere. Startled, the other child took off running as fast as his seven-year-old legs could carry him. Ron took off running after him, but the child was running so fast that it took several blocks before he caught him. How thankful we were for God’s protecting care!

Just as Ronnie Jay ran full speed away from that dangerous situation, so we, when tempted to do wrong, should run away just as quickly. Temptation is not sin. It is when we toy with the temptation, that we get into trouble. In God’s strength, we must run away from the first suggestion of the enemy. In the power of His might, we must close the door to the temptation before it becomes sin. We can have the victory by faith in our Great Redeemer. John tells us, “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:2-4

Paul foretells the sins of the last days which are just as dangerous to us spiritually as electricity can be to us physically: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Then he advises, “from such turn away.” “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” “Flee fornication.” “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Tim 2:22 “Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 2 Tim 3:1-5,1Cor 10:14, 18,1 Tim 6:11,12

Let us flee from temptation just as quickly as Ronnie Jay fled from that shower of blue-white sparks. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:1,2

Rose