Bear His Yoke
Thursday March 31, 2011
Jeremiah knew both Gods anger at sin and His compassion. He knew that the Lord is faithful and that if we put our hope in God, seek Him, and wait for Him in our troubles, He will be faithful to save us. This does not mean that we will not face hardships, but that He will be with us and fill us with His peace and joy. He will see us through. On the other hand, if we do not look to Him, we will be consumed by His anger and will not experience His great compassion.
Jeremiah also knew that Gods judgments also come from His great love. God only does what is best for us. His yoke is purely for bringing us into peace and fellowship with Him and not to destroy us; however, those who choose not to turn to Him will be destroyed. If we choose to bear His yoke and to allow Him to change us, His yoke will be easy and His burden light. He allows both calamities and good things to come for a purpose. Nothing happens unless He has allowed it, so we can rest assured that everything happens for a reason and that reason is for His greater good (and ours).
Even though Jeremiah knew both the Lords judgment and His great compassions that are in perfect balance, He still hated to see the people suffer these divine judgments. He was so distraught because He knew that all the people had to do was turn to the Lord! He wished that they could see that the Lord was doing this for their greater good and because He loved them! God wanted peace and fellowship with them! His purpose in carrying out these judgments was not out of bitterness and hatred! Just as a loving parent must discipline her/his children, God must discipline His children.
In verses 53-58, it sounds like Jeremiah is speaking of when he was thrown into the cistern. He called to the Lord and the Lord saved him! God is faithful to save all who are drowning in sin if they will call on Him, also. It is only through the Cross of Jesus Christ that salvation is possible. He is the only Way to peace and fellowship with God. One must believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sins by dying on the cross, gained victory over sin and death by rising from the grave, and ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of the throne of God. Then one must confess his/her sins, ask Him for forgiveness, and repent of those sins. One must no longer conform to the standards of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of her/his mind and be a living sacrifice for Him. This means that you allow Him to shape you to become more like Himself and that you love and obey Him with all of your mind, heart, soul, and strength.
Those who truly love the Lord and choose to obey Him, will be insulted, persecuted, rejected, ridiculed, etc, but they can rest assured that one day all evil will be judged and put to an end indefinitely. This is not our home. Our home is in heaven. These lives in the flesh are only temporary, so lets store up our treasures in heaven and not on earth. Lets submit to the Lord in every circumstance (both good and bad) and allow Him to shape us and to use us for His glory. Lets be fully surrendered to Him and fully dedicated to His mission in building His kingdom, so that no one misses out on an eternity with God in heaven.
Thursday March 31, 2011
Jeremiah knew both Gods anger at sin and His compassion. He knew that the Lord is faithful and that if we put our hope in God, seek Him, and wait for Him in our troubles, He will be faithful to save us. This does not mean that we will not face hardships, but that He will be with us and fill us with His peace and joy. He will see us through. On the other hand, if we do not look to Him, we will be consumed by His anger and will not experience His great compassion.
Jeremiah also knew that Gods judgments also come from His great love. God only does what is best for us. His yoke is purely for bringing us into peace and fellowship with Him and not to destroy us; however, those who choose not to turn to Him will be destroyed. If we choose to bear His yoke and to allow Him to change us, His yoke will be easy and His burden light. He allows both calamities and good things to come for a purpose. Nothing happens unless He has allowed it, so we can rest assured that everything happens for a reason and that reason is for His greater good (and ours).
Even though Jeremiah knew both the Lords judgment and His great compassions that are in perfect balance, He still hated to see the people suffer these divine judgments. He was so distraught because He knew that all the people had to do was turn to the Lord! He wished that they could see that the Lord was doing this for their greater good and because He loved them! God wanted peace and fellowship with them! His purpose in carrying out these judgments was not out of bitterness and hatred! Just as a loving parent must discipline her/his children, God must discipline His children.
In verses 53-58, it sounds like Jeremiah is speaking of when he was thrown into the cistern. He called to the Lord and the Lord saved him! God is faithful to save all who are drowning in sin if they will call on Him, also. It is only through the Cross of Jesus Christ that salvation is possible. He is the only Way to peace and fellowship with God. One must believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for their sins by dying on the cross, gained victory over sin and death by rising from the grave, and ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of the throne of God. Then one must confess his/her sins, ask Him for forgiveness, and repent of those sins. One must no longer conform to the standards of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of her/his mind and be a living sacrifice for Him. This means that you allow Him to shape you to become more like Himself and that you love and obey Him with all of your mind, heart, soul, and strength.
Those who truly love the Lord and choose to obey Him, will be insulted, persecuted, rejected, ridiculed, etc, but they can rest assured that one day all evil will be judged and put to an end indefinitely. This is not our home. Our home is in heaven. These lives in the flesh are only temporary, so lets store up our treasures in heaven and not on earth. Lets submit to the Lord in every circumstance (both good and bad) and allow Him to shape us and to use us for His glory. Lets be fully surrendered to Him and fully dedicated to His mission in building His kingdom, so that no one misses out on an eternity with God in heaven.