The Simple Life

"As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me at the time of their disaster." Jeremiah 11:14 (HCSB)   If someone said "Do not pray for these people" in today's churches, they would be cast out as a heretic. As I read these words, I am surprised that my response is one of "hesitation" in wanting to believe what I just read.   Yet, it makes perfect sense in that those who choose to ignore God have no hope, and even the prayers of God's people are wasted since these people are ignoring the only answer to their problem.   Often, prayer is not the answer; obedience is.   Sometimes we elevate our own importance by thinking that our prayers would supersede God's plans, and that prayer is some superpower we possess.   https://www.podbean.com/relate365

“For I strongly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt until today, warning them time and time again, 'Obey My voice.' Yet they would not obey or pay attention; each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant, because they had not done what I commanded them to do." The Lord said to me, "A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. They have returned to the sins of their ancestors who refused to obey My words and have followed other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke My covenant I made with their ancestors." Jeremiah 11:7-10 (HCSB)   God asks me to obey Him. I can do that. It would be tough if He asked me to be perfect before He extended His mercy and grace. I am thankful He did not ask me to do something I could not do, or that is even overly difficult to do. He just asks me to obey Him. https://www....

For the shepherds are stupid and do not inquire of the Lord; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered. Jeremiah 10:21 (ESV Strong's)   The word "stupid" is used a few times in the book of Jeremiah. It is not a word used to compliment, and it is not used lightly. Those who do not inquire of the Lord when the Lord is there, available, and willing to be inquired of, are, well, "stupid."   The original word has to do with being consumed by fire or being consumed by "eating." This brings new meaning to the phrase "What's eating you?" The answer in this case would be the following: "My ignorance of God."   It is not difficult to inquire of the Lord. Much of what He would say is already given to us in the Scriptures, so to inquire, we need to read and heed. We are often in a position where we are inquiring of the world, its systems, those who surround us, and with whom we agree.   To ignore God and be influen...

There is none like you, O Lord; you are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your due; for among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. They are both stupid and foolish; the instruction of idols is but wood! Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; their clothing is violet and purple; they are all the work of skilled men. But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. Jeremiah 10:6-10 (ESV)   If you are disappointed with God, you do not know Him. If you are angry with God, you do not know Him. If you are disobedient to God, you do not know Him.   The key to a meaningful life is knowing God, and if you know Him, you love Him.  https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: "Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman." Jeremiah 10:1-3 (ESV)   The way of a nation may not be the way of God, and a wise person knows the difference. We can hear the national pundits, but we should listen to the Scriptures. We can abide by the laws of our land while realizing that the governing bodies are not supreme. We can respectfully disagree when the laws of the land oppose the laws of God.   The great danger begins to erupt when the lines of authority are blurred. These lines are clearly drawn by those who know God and His Word and habitually use it as a measuring stick for all information.   The Supreme Court has never really been supreme.  God is supreme.   https:/...

Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV)   We spend money trying to become wise, strong, and prosperous, yet the most essential things in life do not correlate with that. We like to "boast" of what we have become because of what we possess, even though the Scriptures clearly teach that our life is not measured by the things we possess.   Somewhere along life's journey, we have been duped into thinking that education, strength, and riches are the measuring sticks of life, when they are not.   Those who live as they were created are those who know, understand, and delight in God, for that is what we were made to do. The rich an...