A Thought For Today 11/19/08

The economy has been going flat now for several months, and some might even say for a few years it has been headed downward. Has anyone ever stopped to ask "Why?" The answer to that question of "Why has the economy went downward?" is not the President of the United States; it is not because we are in the midst of two battles of war. These have probably not been much help for us.

Let's consider some insights from the prophet Jeremiah. It seems that the economy in this prophet's day was doing well, people were comfortable, and they were very much involved in the culture of the day. They believed in God, and they believed in other things as well. Their comfort, and riches, had come between them and the LORD God and His direction for their lives. The prophet Jeremiah is called by God to go to a rebellious people, and warn them of approaching danger.

The warnings have been plenty from the first chapter. What does the prophecy of Jeremiah have to do with the United States of America? The people of Judah and Israel proclaimed themselves to be "God's people". The USA has professed by the mouths of many citizens of this nation, "We are also God's people; we are a Christian nation." If we will so loudly proclaim that we are a Christian nation, then we must see that being a nation of God we must also receive the chastisement of God when we go astray.

Jeremiah has written,

"O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God." Jeremiah 5:3-4 (KJV)

With fires roaring, devouring homes, taking many man hours, and property; with the storms that have so often hit in various parts of this nation; doesn't it seem in the least that our merciful, loving and gracious God could be warning us to awake, believe and change our lives.

The LORD's eyes are upon the truth. The poorest of the poor are those people who may have everything materially yet have not the faith of Jesus Christ, God's only Son. Own the world without the grace of God, in the faith of Christ and you have nothing of eternal value. You basically have nothing of God-value. You can know the stockmarket inside and out; you could know the Encyclopaedia Britannica by memory; and you could know the Bible word for word; not knowing God, you would still be poor, and without knowledge of God or His way

Why are these things happening and to both Christian and non-christian? Only God knows the real answer to that, but I think we must consider the possibility that God's people, the Christians have not been the citizens of the USA for Christ that we should have been. Christian people are growing more ignorant about the ways of God; or are wanting to be more "Politically correct", and "Culturally relevant".

-Tim A. Blankenship

God's Eyes Upon The Truth

In a time of seeming prosperity they are attacked by a vicious force. A force that is meant to bring them down to their knees. They have spent many years without an attack. They have been at peace. Prosperity seems incapable of ceasing. They have clouded their thinking with the thoughts of bigger and better buildings; bigger and better government; bigger and better banks, churches, and organizations.

They have forgotten from where the blessings have come; even from Whom they have come; and when they begin losing that prosperity the question is, what went wrong, and then the blame game begins. Whose fault is it that their lingers outside our walls a threatening enemy? Whose fault is it that the gates must be kept shut longer, and opened for shorter periods of time?

One thing that we must remember as Christians in the last two months of 2008 is that God is still on His throne. He is still sovereign, and reigns in the affairs of men.

What does this have to do with Jeremiah the prophet? It fits with his time just as well as our own.

I will include the first two verses of chapter five which I have already written commentary on:

"Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." Jeremiah 5:1-3 (KJV)

There were some in Jerusalem who sought the truth, but they were evidently few and far between, and who were not real concerned with the current spiritual climate. As verse two proclaims there were people who were saying, "The LORD lives", but they were speaking falsely because of ulterior motives. Perhaps worship on the Sabbath, and worship of pagan gods such as Baal, Ashtoreth, Molech were some possibilties. To put them in the modern scene would be the ideal of pluralistic worship, immoral living while being "spiritual", and the great "conveniences" of life.

Verse three begins with "O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth?" I believe Jeremiah knew the answer to that question. The LORD has asked for someone to "Run... through the streets of Jerusalem...", and He has called and chosen Jeremiah, but is there no one else?

A hard stiffnecked people who have grown comfortable, conformed, contented, and confused without the knowledge of their sinfulness will not see the correcting hand of God. They will just flat out reject any correction from those who will try and correct them, then when the LORD strikes them they will not grieve; when He consumes them they will not receive correction; they become hard headed, more stiff necked, and refuse to return to God.

O, that the Christian of today would learn from Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.

-Tim A. Blankenship