Every word

2 Chronicles 36: 1-4, 2 Kings 23:36 - 37, Jeremiah 22, 26, 25: 1-14, 2 Kings 24:1 - 4

Reading this morning, I was reminded of times that I felt the LORD leading me to speak on something and well it was a tough thing to say or do.  In fact, I kept thinking is there a way that I might make this easier by not using this word or that word and well it ended up being a different word entirely.  All of which was not my choice to make!  I messed up!

Isn't it true a lot today?  We don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, we don't want to step on anybody's toes, and finally we think well it's not hurting me, so why should I step in and say anything....right?  Well, don't you know Jeremiah wanted to do that to in Jeremiah 26 today?  God was telling him to go stand in the middle of the Temple of the LORD and I want you to give them this entire message; include every word!  It wasn't going to be words they wanted to hear and Jeremiah was told specifically do not leave one word out!  Jeremiah knew what was coming, but he had to be obedient.

It seems that often times, we are not obedient like Jeremiah.  Instead of fearing letting God down, we worry more about hurting somebody's feelings.  Yet, aren't we hurting them more in the long run ,if we don't follow God's instructions?  When we are disobedient we are hurting ourselves along with others at the same time.  

Hitting delete on any of God's instructions is a bad thing.  God knows His plans we don't...When we leave out one word we could be making a very bad mistake.  It is the same when we share God's Word.  We can't pick and choose the parts we like and the parts we don't like or to put it another way we can't pick the parts that don't step on our toes and leave the ones we feel like we are okay on.  No it is all God's Word and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to work.

Listen to what happened to Jeremiah after he followed God's instructions.

The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord's Temple.  But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the LORD had told him to say, the priests, and prophets, and all the people at the Temple mobbed him.  "Kill him, they shouted. What right do you have to prophesy in the LORD'S name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh?  What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?" And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.

It's not always easy to deliver a tough message, but Jeremiah was obedient.  Are we?  Obedience is tough in good situations, but definitely tough when we don't want to be obedient!  Oh, to be more like Jeremiah.  Jeremiah was strong, Jeremiah was brave, and definitely Jeremiah was obedient to the LORD.

Sweet blessings,

Debbie