The Simple Life

Therefore thus says the Lord: "If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them." Jeremiah 15:19 (ESV)   God is love, so God gives us choice, real choice. Real choice comes with real consequences; otherwise, it is a "fake" choice. God knows what choices we will make, so He has already adjusted to our decisions.   The fact is, if we make the right choices, we will be restored to the way it was meant to be. If we make wrong choices, we have no hope, for God is just and loving, and justice will prevail in the shroud of love.   We often struggle to understand God's attributes because there is no human way to grasp them. Since we make ourselves the ones who are all-knowing, we make it impossible for God to have characteristics we do not have, cannot understand, or that limit our status.   The facts are that when w...

You have rejected me, declares the Lord; you keep going backward, so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you— I am weary of relenting. Jeremiah 15:6 (ESV)   There is a limit to the opportunities God gives to an individual, a family, and a nation. Our lives are finite, and our abilities are limited. The idea of God being weary of relenting is often hard to reconcile with what we think we know of God. Since we need to use finite words to describe the infinite, we often struggle with both the word usage and meaning.   God has foreknowledge; before the world was created, He knew what choices man would make and the consequences of those choices. The fact that He still wearies from seeing many choose wrong means He has never gotten used to the idea, which is a good thing. Knowing what someone will do and preparing for such action does not mean one is "good" with the action.   God has given us real choice because He really loves, and real choice will always ha...

Because of the wicked things Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem, I will make my people an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. "Who will feel sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will weep for you? Who will even bother to ask how you are?” Jeremiah 15:4-5 (NLT)   Because of the wicked things Manasseh did, he and his followers will face consequences. This is a simple truth of accountability. Throughout the Scriptures, we are told that those who know the truth will be held accountable for what they know and/or what they should know.   Luke 23:48 tells us this: "But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."   I need to be someone who seeks the truth, knows the truth, and lives according to the truth, and when it matters, all will be well  Because of the ...

"I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," says the LORD. "I will send the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, the vultures to devour, and the wild animals to finish up what is left.” Jeremiah 15:3 (NLT)   We rightfully enjoy focusing on God's mercy and grace. In this, we often forget that God will hold people accountable to the truths of His Word. We do not want to think about God punishing the disobedient. We want to believe that He will always extend another opportunity for mercy and grace.   For love to have any value, it must include choice. Nothing created without choice can love, and if choice is a key component of love, the consequences of our choices must be real.   There will be a day of judgment for all humans, and God alone will be the judge. He understands our hearts, motives, and actions, and we will be held accountable. This is not a scary thing unless we are not aligned with His will. God is a loving father who desires to extend mercy and ...

And if they say to you, 'But where can we go?' tell them, 'This is what the LORD says: "Those who are destined for death, to death; those who are destined for war, to war; those who are destined for famine, to famine; those who are destined for captivity, to captivity.'” Jeremiah 15:2 (NLT)   I want to focus our thoughts on the most powerful phrase, "This is what the Lord says." Regardless of what I think, feel, or wish, what God says will happen, and I will either be aligned with God or I will wish that I was.   This is both humbling and empowering. It is humbling in the fact that my thoughts and feelings and community could be harmful unless they are aligned with God's will. It is empowering to think of what could and does happen when I, my thoughts, feelings, and community are aligned with God's will.   There are times when those in authority, parents, for example, must demand obedience because of their position. This occurs when those in subor...

Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for these people, I wouldn't help them. Away with them! Get them out of my sight!” Jeremiah 15:1 (NLT)   There is great love between Godly leaders of nations and their people, yet the people will always be held personally accountable for their actions. Communities are important and have a vital role in shaping the thoughts and ideas that drive their members. The leadership of these communities will be held accountable for their actions and how their actions affected their communities.   We are told that those who actually follow God will be few. They are the ones who have chosen the narrow gate, road, and lifestyle. Those who follow God are unique or holy, and will always stand out in the community.   Believers are indeed part of the body of Christ, the community of believers. Yet, there will come a day when we stand before God without that community support and be held accountable for ourselves ...