16-7-17 notes

Jeremiah 26 Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

In this Chapter Jeremiah is told by God to go and speak that which God has given him. He does so, what is the response? They want to kill him. As this is discussed we're reminded that this has happened at least twice in the past, once where the king and the people repented and the Lord repented. Once when the people killed the profit, hunting him down in a different country bringing him back an slaying him.

So every generation makes the choice turn from God's ways and do your own thing, or turn to His ways. The reaction to the hearing of God's word and message is the same now as then. Some can't get enough of the message, it changes their lives. Some want to kill the messenger they so don't want to hear the truth because in their own minds and imaginations they have come up with the way they want to be and live and don't want anyone confusing them with God's truth.

It an admission that His ways are better if our reaction to truth is to silence the messenger. Its a strong signal of a heart turned away from its Creator. It is also the nature of everyone of us apart from God, fallen ready to kill.

God made us from the dust of the earth and breathed life into us. The things of the earth are His, we brought nothing into this life we'll take nothing out , and yet we often ignore God in trying to maintain what we have (He has given us), or try to gain further blessings without acknowledging the Blessor. God has a permissive will, in which He lets men do as they see fit and it is the world we live in. All kinds of people hurting each other, fear and tragedies.

God also has an order - the way things should be. We can't make others strive for that, we can only strive ourselves to catch hold of God's order and hold onto it. Unless we are clinging to relationship with God, unless we are longing to submit to His order in our lives (with sacrifice of self which is painful), then we are part of the problem in the world. The turning from God to self (root mean cause), and we don't like to hear it - we don't like to hear we need Him working in our hearts - reshaping us back to His image.

We make the excuse we can't help ourselves, or someone's actions are in some way excusable. Yet people are hurt by those actions and that is clearly not God's order. God's order is in relationship to Him - His desire for us, a longing to be in relationship to the Creator, and the created.

Admitting our fallen nature, focusing on Him. Careful to stay focused on relationship, and not this doctrine or that. Careful not to get distracted by the myriad of things around us that clamor for our attention. God's order will only happen as each of us strive for it individually, crucifying self. If enough individuals do it will happen but looking for the order can take our focus off of relationship.